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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......
May

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Tricep extensions performed on a stability ball

Tricep extensions performed on a stability ball

I wasn’t always like this, but lately I’ve adopted the attitude that “less is more.” Perhaps the clutter that inevitably comes with four children has forced me to scale back on my own belongings just to make room for theirs. Or, I’ve reached a point in my life where I need simplicity in order to keep from losing my busy mind. Whatever the case, I have a hunch I am not alone in this transition, therefore I want to introduce you to the one and only piece of equipment you need to tone, tighten and strengthen your core. Want a completely toned and tight mid-section? Hey minimalists – you only need one thing. Drum roll please…

THE STABILITY BALL!

Sometimes referred to as a Swiss Ball, Fitness Ball or Exercise Ball, stability balls have many uses and benefits:

  • Increase core strength and stability
  • Improve balance and coordination
  • Fine-tunes proprioception
  • Engages abdominal and back muscles when used as a chair. This, in turn, improves posture.
  • Allows you to develop strength in every plane of motion (frontal, sagittal and transverse).
  • Improves overall functional strength.
  • It is versatile (can be used in place of a bench for weight training)
  • It is lightweight, and very easy to learn.
  • It comes in four sizes, ranging from 45 to 75cm (18 to 30 inches)

This is my product pick! The Gymnic Stability Ball Plus from Perform Better. It comes with a 2-year warranty (most of its competitors offer only a 1-year warranty), and holds up to 600 lbs.


Download your FREE Stabiity Ball Exercise Guide


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