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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......
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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 3 live births every minute, every day. Wow! That means there are a lot of moms out there who are wondering, “how on earth will I get my pre-baby body back?” I’ve been there, done that (3 times, including twins). The good news: it is possible to return to your pre-baby weight. If you exercised regularly prior to having your baby, odds are you will bounce back faster than your sedentary counterparts, so if you put in your time and hard work before baby, I commend you — you will be glad you did.

If you are new to exercise, then you have even more reasons to get moving. Studies show that mothers who participate in regular, post-natal physical activity (3 to 6 days per week for 25 to 60 minutes) experience the following improvements:

  • Increased aerobic fitness
  • Improved high-density lipoprotein-cholestrol levels
  • Improved insulin sensitity
  • psychological well-being
  • Increased energy levels
  • higher self-esteem
  • sense of self-control over changing lifestyle
  • stress management

( Obesity Research 10, 841 – 853 (00 Aug 2002)

So where do you begin? After an “all clear” from your OB/GYN, start by walking.

  • 10-20 mins per day on 3-5 days per week, gradually increasing to 30 mins on most days of the week
  • Invest in a quality baby jogger. I used a single jogger when my first-born turned 6 months old (that is the age they are “allowed” to ride in a jogging stroller), then switched to a double jogger when the #2 came along. When the twins were born, we sported two, double joggers and went on family runs. We certainly turned a few heads, but it was a great way to get back into shape.
  • If you’re more of a walker, jogging strollers are still a great investment. They are designed for ruggedness, and the good ones last like nobody’s business. You’ll be glad you have one – trust me.
  • Hills do great things for your back-side, especially when you’re pushing weight uphill.
  • Need more options? Join a stroller class.

Find a class near you:

Stroller Strides
Stroller Fit
Baby Boot Camp

Here is a great resource for all things baby jogger-related: Jogger Mom

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