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I'm sure you've heard the saying, "a calorie is a calorie," and that when weight loss is the goal, you can probably loose weight on a 1,200 calorie/day diet whether it is 1,200 Twinkie calories or apple calories. At this point, you might be thinking, "Cool! I'll go on the Twinkie diet!"   Our bodies are smarter than that though, and I say, thank goodness. I know - I'm no fun at all :-). Last week at the grocery one of my kiddos held up a box of Twinkies and had the audacity to ask me to purchase them. I nearly burst a vessel in my forehead trying to restrain myself from smashing the box with......
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Being that it is summer, and there are vacations, kids home from school, camps, a lot of running around in circles...sometimes a workout is hard to knock out, even when intentions are high. When that happens, I have a 30-minute, total body workout that requires very little equipment, yet will leave you dripping in sweat. Wanna hear it? Here it is... You'll need:  a set of 10 or 12lb wts (lighter if you like), a resistance tube 5-10 minute warm up @ 40-50% max heart rate Set 1: 10-14 Burpees (also called pop squats) 3-way lunges w/ dumbbells: Start with weaker leg leading. Take one lunge forwa......
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Stumbled upon a few deals I'd like to pass along: 20% off planners! For all of you planners out there (you know who you are, planning each workout weeks in advance), get a head start on school year planning at MomAgenda. MomAgenda is offering 20% off small School Year books (use code: schoolyearsmom) Visit MomAgenda.com, offer expires 7.31.2011 *P.S. I LOVE MomAgenda planners. Seriously, love them - totally created by moms, for moms. Enough said. EatingWell magazine has a new book out: EatingWell 500-calorie Dinners for $22.45 (10% off the regular price). While you are planning workouts in you......
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Check out this video if you are unfamiliar with trigger point therapy... TPR Therapy, Ironman competitor Have you ever wished you could afford a personal masseuse? One who could come to your home, preferably daily, to help relieve you of the knots and muscle tightness that inevitably occur from daily workouts and, well, being a mom? In search of a solution to my IT band issues, I tried a chiropractor (not money well spent), stretching, massage therapy (therapist too gentle to release deep tissue), and my O.D. The O.D. provided the most valuable information: without proper biomechanics, the bod......
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The mysterious " fat burning zone " continues to confuse many gym-goers. The theory goes something like this: working out in a "zone" of intensity that is less intense for at least 20 minutes will burn more fat calories than calories from carbohydrate. Is this true? Yes and no, but mostly no. You actually burn more calories from fat right now, sitting still, reading this post, than you do on the treadmill. That is because in the resting state, the body burns a higher percentage of fat calories. As you crank up the exercise intensity, you burn a little less fat per calorie. However, it really c......
Jul

12

Check out this video if you are unfamiliar with trigger point therapy…TPR Therapy, Ironman competitor

Have you ever wished you could afford a personal masseuse? One who could come to your home, preferably daily, to help relieve you of the knots and muscle tightness that inevitably occur from daily workouts and, well, being a mom? In search of a solution to my IT band issues, I tried a chiropractor (not money well spent), stretching, massage therapy (therapist too gentle to release deep tissue), and my O.D. The O.D. provided the most valuable information: without proper biomechanics, the body can’t move the way it should. So, we are working on improving the way I move. In the meantime, I bought the TPR kit from Trigger Point Performance Therapy. Wow! What a difference!

How it works: Each tool in the kit is designed to relief muscle tension and release trigger points (those tender knots many of us suffer from that hurt like the dickens when palpated and often cause radiating pain to muscles and joints nearby). Untreated, active trigger points can result in painful and less effective workouts, incomplete recovery from workouts, and eventually, injury. Relieving the tension that TPs place on muscles and the joints they act upon allows the joints to move through their full range of motion the way they are designed to. Basically, it is like getting a personal massage, at home, whenever you need it. I’ve used the kit for several months and love it. Regular use has improved the range of motion in my hips, relieved tension and TPs in my calves, quads, IT-band, pectorals, back, glutes…you name it. I feel fantastic!

The Ultimate 6 kit I purchased is designed to alleviate the trigger points in the calf, quads, IT-band, glute, abdomen, and shoulder that tend runners tend to acquire. I had all of them, and then some. The kit includes the TP Massage Ball, TP Footballer and TP Quadballer, an easy to follow guidebook, and DVD. Ideally, the tools should be used pre-workout, post-workout, and within 90-minutes of going to bed. While the therapy isn’t terribly time-invasive, the first few times you go through the release techniques, it does take at least 30-40 minutes (actually, I think it took me an hour because I had so many trigger points). Once you get the hang of it though, the sessions move more quickly. I have achieved a lot of relief from using these tools and highly recommend them to anyone who suffers from trigger point syndrome, athlete or not.

The cost for the Ultimate 6 is $150. Other kits are available, so check out their website: Trigger Point Performance Therapy


*I am in no way affiliated with Trigger Point Therapy and do not receive compensation for recommending TPR products.

May

14

I did a really, really dumb thing yesterday…I injured myself (while cross-training, of all things), because I listened to the instructor instead of the voice in my own head. Yes, you heard me right -I basically just told you to not listen to a fitness instructor.  Let me explain.

Maybe this was a premonition, or just a timely idea, but I found a bookmark the other day that said, “There is only one of me. There is only one of anybody. That is why steps look different on different people.” Judith Jamison said that. She was a well known dancer and choreographer, and obviously was aware that we are all individuals. Individually, we move differently because our bodies are put together differently. My range of motion is different than yours, yours is different than your neighbors, etc. Respect that. Know your limits.

I know, I’m usually encouraging you to push the limits…imagine NO limits…REMOVE limits. Those are “perceived” limits though – the kind of limits we place on ourselves such as, “I can’t do a triathlon, because I’m afraid to swim.” That is a fixable problem. The kind of limits I’m talking about are physical limits. Yes, there really are such things, and if you’ve ever tried yoga, you well know what I’m talking about. No doubt that first class felt awkward, hard, frustrating. Am I right? I doubt your body could bend and twist quite the same way as, well, any given person. Maybe you were more flexible. Maybe less. Alas, we are all different.

Now back to my dumb injury. I know my limits, and had been nursing a cranky piriformis problem for several months. Opting to attend a boot camp class I’ve frequented a few times this year (thinking the cross-training would do me some good), I did a stupid thing: I missed the warm up because I arrived late. Then, I did another silly thing: I listened to the instructor’s advice when she (not very tactfully, mind you) informed me that I wasn’t sprinting during one of her intervals because I wasn’t on my toes. A) I don’t sprint, and B) I don’t run on my toes. Ever. But, opting to prove to both myself and the instructor that I could, indeed, do it the “right” way, I badly strained my piriformis and part of my glute. Hurt like the devil, I tell you, but you know what? I’m the only one to blame. I knew better. The thing is, you might not, and I don’t want any of my readers to fall into this trap of, 1) aiming to please an instructor  (I could say more, but will take the higher road here), and 2) trying to prove something to yourself or anyone else, especially when you know your limits.

Listen to your body. Respect your physical limitations (you know what they are.) And finally, don’t assume that because someone is teaching a class, she knows your body. Only you know what your body can truly do – respect that, and don’t be afraid to tell an instructor, “sorry, I’m doing it my way, because I don’t feel comfortable trying something I don’t think I’m ready for.”

To your health, and SAFETY!



May

11

Actually, the question went more like this: “I hate to run. It is hard. Did I already say that I hate it? Yet, you talk about running so much. Why?” There was more, but for the sake of this post, let’s just say that this reader’s negative feelings about running ran deep (no pun intended).

Why am I so hip on running? Well, for one thing, it is hard. I like things that are hard to do. Second, it is “me” time, and often the only time I have for finishing a thought. Four kids…enough said. And finally, (and let’s face it, this is important stuff) few physical activities burn as many calories per minute as running. Check it out…

Table:

110 lb woman, 3 miles, 215 calories

130 lb woman, 3 miles, 255 calories

150 lb woman, 3 miles, 294 calories

170 lb woman, 3 miles, 333 calories

True, other cardiovascular activities come close to these stats, but in my opinion, they aren’t nearly as much fun. I can spend 40 minutes running through the woods and enjoy nature, or I can spend 40 minutes on an elliptical machine smelling the garlic spew from the pores of the sweaty guy next to me. And by the way, rec center staff, ESPN is not enjoyable to women, even when displayed on a fancy flat screen TV. Naw, it is outdoor running that I like – even when it involves chasing turkey vultures out of my way as I go. Now back to the topic of calories…

Tip: Want to find out how many calories you burn running? Look it up on Run the Planet. Enter your weight, gender and distance or speed and the handy calculator does the thinking for you!

Running has many perks

  • Running is appropriate for a variety of fitness levels, and virtually any age can participate. Leave from your doorstep, cruise a scenic trail, or wind your way through Chicago’s historic neighborhoods. There is no shortage of places to run, and no telling what you’ll see along the way.
  • Running is easy to learn. While running for sport and competition does require good form and some knowledge of proper training progression, the skill required is low compared with other sports, such as tennis or golf.  Regardless of your size, age, speed, or experience level, whether your goal is fitness, weight loss, or competition — nearly anyone can run.
  • Running is portable. How many activities can you think of where you can wear your equipment, and that is all that is required to begin your workout?
  • You can take it with you when you travel. There is nothing better than sightseeing on foot, and if you are a runner, you can see it all a bit faster. Quaint cafes, one-of-a-kind boutiques, off-the-beaten-path art galleries, and unique neighborhoods are among the many hidden treasures and well-kept secrets that would be easily missed when traveling by car.
  • With enough practice, running can become a competitive endeavor for your. From 5K to ultra-marathons, there is a challenge ripe for the picking, no matter what your level of fitness may be. This may possibly be what I like most about running – the dangling carrot.

So there you have it. I’m hip on running – other people, not so much, and that is fine. The important thing is to find an activity (preferably a physical activity :-) that you enjoy, and will stick with, for the long haul. I won’t hold it against you if you hate running too.

If you’d like to give running another shot, you might like to read, “Run/Walk/Jog: Footprints toward fitness,” to learn about getting started, even if you have no experience. Also, “Running Resources” is chock full of, well, running resources, from trail and map information, to running groups for women. Finally, if you live in the Columbus area and are looking for local resources, “Columbus Area Running Groups for Women” dishes about area running groups.

Have a favorite activity other than running? Let’s hear it…



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