FamilyInShape

Walking- taking small steps for big changes

 

"shadows of a walk" 

Walking has to be the cheapest, safest, easiest form of physical exercise out there. It is a great way to start a fitness program without actually paying gym fees or going to a gym, can be done with family, friends, kids on bikes or strollers, etc.  Did I mention it was free? It is, unless you feel the urge to purchase cute walking outfits and cool walking shoes; which is not such a bad idea.  Still cheaper then gym fees.

Since I moved I have taken up walking with my toddler in the stroller and my young peanut on her bike.  My walks become runs every now and again when the peanut decides to go far ahead of me and I have to catch up.  Try doing that uphill with a 30 lb kid in the stroller!  Ouch on the bum and legs is what you'll be saying.

I have to admit though, that this walking thing is really giving me some great quality time with the kids and often with myself.  I love to listen to music and when I'm at home I can't always turn up the radio and forget the world because inevitably, the moment I do, someone wants to have a conversation with me and if I say not now then I'm being mean.  I know, I'm a terrible mom for desiring to sing out loud! Ugh!!

Anyway, because I love my music and don't mind the walks I find myself looking forward to walking everyday and when I don't or can't I look longingly at the street in front of my house and wish I was there and not here sitting on my ever expanding behind, reading or writing or waiting for the nap to be over.  OK my behind is not expanding because I was fortunate enough to get my mother's genes which dictate that I gain weight from the waist up - oh yeah that's always fun.  I do have some control over that now that I've started my push up challenge and will soon add the sit up challenge to the mix.  That's right, got to nip it in the butt or is it bud? Hmmm - American idioms get me every time.  I should just stay away from them.

So, I have the whole food thing under control, again - yay for me!! Until I start spinning (hopefully soon) I am walking and doing push ups with the kids.  The changes I'm making are having a positive impact on my body and mind.  Physically I feel more energized, mentally I feel rested.  And with my last semester just getting started, I need all the physical and mental energy I can get!

Small steps for big changes... this is how we do it!!

Stay well,

It's Monday - Day one ... again!

 

The Noland Trail in Virginia.  I went for a walk with the kids only to realize this was a five mile trail. There was no way out, we had to finish the walk/run/skip/jump/race. We had a great time!

Hey, yes it is.   It's Monday and time to get back on that 'ole wagon again.  Skip the treadmill, jump on the elliptical; skip those light 10 lbs weights and go for 12 or maybe even 15. Why not? Just get out there and do it!!

OK well, maybe it's not so simple to just jump into a fitness routine after being gone for a while so let's back it up a bit.

Your average person exercises because they have to; whether they do it to get in shape for a race, to lose weight, to improve health or reduce stress; it is an act that must be done or we pay the consequences.  But what happens to our psyche when we skip a day and then another and another....

First we say it's just one day.  I need a break anyway. Ha! 

Then after a few days we say we needed a longer break and we can always start back up Monday, right? WRONG!

Monday comes around and a list of events falls from the sky and lands right on on our laps.  Oh no, now we have to shampoo the rug, cut the grass, the kids are sick, blah blah blah.... can we come up with more excuses? Of course.

But now we've missed an entire week and we know that going back is going to hurt so we find other reasons why we wont go exercise and that one week turns into one month and then three months.

Cut the excuses out of your vocabulary and realize that this is not a chore or a task you do then resent having done it.  Your exercise should be fun, enjoyable, and something you look forward to doing everyday.  

Get out there and enjoy the weather, enjoy nature, take the kids, take the dog, invite your friends. Get on a bike or push the stroller and have a great time.  You wont even know you're exercising but in the end you will feel happy and the kids, well they will remember these days more than anything. Trust me, I know!

 

This was the view at the end of our walk.  Breathtaking, isn't it?

So what are you waiting for? You know the challenge to not gain weight over the holidays is still on and first on my list of things to do is FITNESS! So let's get to it. In or out of the house, it doesn't really matter if you're at the local park or in your back yard collecting leaves. Every minute you spend being active counts and before you know it, that minute becomes five minutes, then ten...etc. You get my drift.

How many miles do you think you'll walk, run, bike or skate this week? How many minutes?

Stay Well,

Re-evaluating fitness and setting goals

Photo credit Tizzalicious

(cross posted at BlogHer)

I think everyone can agree that we all get in a workout rut every once in a while. I realized that I'm there and that I've been doing is just not giving me the results I want. I think I'm doing plenty, but it is obviously not the quantity of my workouts that's holding me back but the quality and so I need to make some changes. For a little while there I used my Little Bear as my excuse, "I have some baby fat to burn off, but he's only six months old, I have time" I recall telling myself. It is a really bad idea to even START using the pregnancy and the birth of a baby as a crutch or as a reason why we hold on to excess body fat. Soon the child is getting ready to graduate High School and we're still claiming baby fat. Well, Little Bear is now 2.5 years old and the oldest is 18 with a 15 and a 6 year old in between. Luckily, I kept off most of whatever I gained during pregnancy. My focus is now on losing body fat and trimming down the inches and not so much on the number on that cranky scale. I'm not a good friend of the scale so I will stick with a tape measure instead.

My fitness routine on most weeks includes Boot Camp, Muscle Conditioning, Spinning®, Turbo Kickboxing, and Pilates. I say most weeks because when I don't teach or train someone I CHOOSE to stay home and catch up on my chores, homework, sleep, etc… And there it is, the culprit and the reason I'm not getting results. Did you catch the operative words—MOST WEEKS. I have to commit to go workout on days when I don't have to teach, regardless of what else needs to be done at home. Chances are the chores will still be there waiting. Besides, if I had to teach or meet a client I would have to go, right? Right!!

My other issues are that I sometimes go off track with my eating habits, I stay up late and get up early, and lately, I have not been writing anything down as I should. Did I mention stress? I have a few things that add unnecessary stress to my life. Let's see now, we are a military family expecting orders to move mid-school year – no, not crazy about that; we have a house to sell; I'm taking classes online (what was I thinking?); our oldest is going AWAY to college and did I mention we have a 15 year old girl? Yikes! What happened to my little girl? It can all be handled, I just have to get organized, re-evaluate and set some realistic goals. Here are some things I know I need to do:

1. WRITE IT DOWN! A goal has to be on a paper, on the calendar, journal, or on the fridge door. Once it's written down I am accountable and more likely to stick with it.
2. It is important to set realistic goals. In other words, I can't just write that I want to lose 15 pounds by next Friday and expect it to happen, at least not following a healthy routine. I am willing to trim down at a much slower pace because I want it to stay off. I also don't want to lose muscle mass just body fat and inches.
3. I will be prepared to succeed every day. This means, don't leave home without my water and healthy snacks such as a fruit, protein bar, nuts, etc. I will pack my gym bag and have my workout clothes ready every day. Sometimes I wait to the last minute (procrastinate) then I end up stressing if I can't find my shorts or my shoes.
4. Use my calendar to keep track of what I am doing to reach my goal – sleep, nutrition, exercise, relaxation, etc.
5. Re-visit the fridge, freezer and pantry. There are some pesky snacks left over from a party that need to go. I must eliminate the temptation and replace them with healthy snacks—again!

This is my week to evaluate my fitness, nutrition, stress, and sleep. To reach my goals I have to get them down on paper, give myself the time it takes to get there, eliminate some of the stressors in my life, and get some well-needed sleep. I'm excited and energized by seeing my plan on paper or on screen in this case. I hope this list will give you a boost to get started on your goals as well, try mine or tell me about yours…I'd like to know what you are doing or plan to do to reach your fitness goals.

Stay well,

Revisiting my fitness routine

Women on Bicycles --- Image by © John Springer Collection/CORBIS

I recently started swimming, although I have not been as comitted to that activity as I would like to be, I have made great improvements in my endurance and form.  Aside from that huge change I basically teach my regular classes; Spinning, Muscle Conditioning, Senior Strength and Intro to Pilates.  The rest of the time I, somehow, find something more important to do at home and "I could always get a workout in later."  Ha! Yeah right!  Who am I kidding, when I'm done cleaning my bathroom I'm going to either take a nap or sit and relax, read, write, whatever, anything not requiring physical activity.

I decided to begin training myself outside of training anyone else.  I realize that the work I put forth in a class or during a training session is mostly adrenalin.  I needed to be challenged by others the same way I challenge those in my class. I find it amazing how I can push hard and work hard when I'm teaching but when I'm the student I feel the urge to quit every once in a while--I don't quit but I sometimes want to!  My teaching partners say the same thing so I know I'm not alone in this.

Anyway, I started taking a class called Total Body Conditioning (TBC) which is like boot camp training and it was then that I saw myself in the sand pitt with my old Marine Corps Drill Instructor at my heels making me do push-ups, mountain climbers, jacks, back to push ups, crunches, back to push ups....oh the nightmare.  This type of cross training is energizing, motivating, invigorating and super hard.  My first day, last Tuesday, was the toughest for me because there were other instructors in the class who are there regularly and expected me to keep up with them, which I did (barely).

I have been sore ever since.  My core muscles are screaming, every time I laugh, cough, sneeze, stand, sit, walk...I can feel everything, everywhere--oh what a feeling.  AND try teaching a class without showing the pain, oh yes, it's a challenge but I have to say, I feel fantastic.

Sometimes we get into our little workout routines and we're just happy to be in a routine at all so we stick with it and go about our business without taking into consideration how we might feel in a month or six weeks from now.  It is so important to switch workouts around from one week to the next and sometimes from day to day to ensure that we are working all the muscles and that we don't get bored with the same old routine.  When one activity becomes boring then we are not being challenged and there really is no point in doing it so we either make it more challenging by adding resistance or distance or we find something else that accomplishes the same goal.

I would strongly suggest to those of you who feel you are stuck in a rut, find a class or an activity that will keep you challanged, motivated and make you work hard.  One that will challenge your strength, cardiovascular endurance AND your mind!  Go for it!

Are you stuck? Here's a quick, fat burning workout

Ever find yourself stuck at home, not able to go for a walk or go to the gym?  Stuck because of the weather, a sick child? How about just stuck in a rut? Your fitness program not working or simply bored doing the same old thing?

I know I have been there and I know what happens when I let myself fall victim to these events that keep me from getting or staying in shape.  Believe me, it's not pretty.  For many of us, exercise is just not an option, it's a must do.  I have to exercise at least 4 times a week at the gym and at home as well at home with the kids or by myself.  But staying active is really something we all MUST do on a regular basis.  There are so many practical physical activities we already do every day, like pulling weeds, raking the yard, going up and down the stairs, lifting, pushing, and carrying heavy objects, walking the dog or walking to the store. But that's not enough.  We have the potential to stay healthy simply by adding resistance and cardiovascular exercises to our regular routine. 

However, there are times when we just need a little boost, which brings me to this post.  Below I have listed a little program that will take about 10 minutes to complete one round.  If you are a beginner, do one round, take a 2 minute recovery brake and then do it again.  The more fit you get or are, the less recovery time you'll need in between sets and the better you'll feel.  I have others, this is only the beginning.  Give it a try and please, come back and tell me what you think.

Stretch Source: Mayo Clinic

1.  Do a quick warm up exercise.. about 5 minutes (jog in place, run up and down the stairs, jump rope, do jumping jacks...etc.  Then a quick static stretch. Stretch your quads, hamstrings, calves, back, chest, shoulders, biceps, and triceps.

2. Squats -- 10 reps (feet shoulder width apart, push hips back and push up through the heels- 2 counts down, 2 counts up) photo source and other squat options visit: http://www.fitsugar.com/1843744

3. Push ups -- 10 reps (hands under shoulders; on your knees or toes; keep your abs tight and back straight, 2 counts down, 2 up) photo source and more on push ups visit:  http://hundredpushups.com/what.html

4. Reverse Lunge -- 10 reps each leg (Alternate right and left leg; keep feet hip width apart, step back with one leg and press the knees towards the floor; keep upper body erect so that shoulder, hip and knee are aligned; 2 counts down, 2 up) photo source and more on reverse lunges visit: http://www.fitsugar.com/160059

5. Plank -- hold 15 seconds or longer if you can (elbows under shoulders; on your toes, lift the hips off the floor, keep the back straight and abs under control.  Focus on your abdominal; have control, hold it as long as you can) photo source and more on planks visit: http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises_10.htm

6. Plie Squat -- 10 reps (feet a little wider than hips this time, toes pointed out at an angle, bring your body straight down, keeping knees behind the toes, as you press up, squeeze inner thighs together) photo source and more on squats visit http://exercise.about.com/od/exerciseworkouts/ss/howtosquat_6.htm

7. Wide-grip push up --10 reps (place  your arms slightly wider than your shoulders, on knees or toes, slowly lower your body down then push up with a count of 2) Photo source and a variety of push ups visit http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/derek22.htm

8.  Bicycle Ab Crunch -- 10 each side (lying on your back, bring right knee towards your chest, other leg stays elevated, lift your shoulders off the floor, head resting on the hands, bring the left shoulder to the right knee then switch.  Hold for a brief moment each movement and focus on working obliques) photo source: http://www.ab-core-and-stomach-exercises.com/bicycle-crunches.html

   

9.  Squat with a front kick and then with a side kick --10 each leg and each move, so 10 squat and kick with right and left, then 10 squat and kick side with right and left leg (easy on the squat down, keep hips back over heels and knees behind the toes - this will get your heart rate up a bit) photo source http://exercise.about.com/b/2006/05/08/exercise-of-the-week-squat-with-front-kick.htm

10.  Finish it off with a cool down, stretch and drink some water. 

Come on, give it a try and tell me what you think. Do it alone, with a friend, or with the kids. Tell me, did you make some adjustments or changes? Better yet, tell me what you do to get out when you're feeling stuck!

Stay Well,