Benefits of Treadmills and Elliptical Exercisers

Going to the gym is not my thing.  And I always crack up whenever I drive past the clubs with the large windows, where you can see people walking on treadmills. For some reason, sweating seems like something that should be done in private.  But maybe that’s just me. At the same time, I’m not the type of person to fork out a lot of money on gym equipment.  Especially if there is the chance I won’t stick to it.  But a few years ago I made a worthwhile investment when I purchased a treadmill. Notice that I didn’t say … Continue reading

5 Tips for a Fitter Thanksgiving

Hosting the Thanksgiving meal this week, I have a lot to do. And I will be honest…exercising is not one of the first things on my mind. In fact, if I could have my way, it would be skipped this entire week. At least that’s what the “old” me would have done. I would have gone into this week thinking, “I already know that I will be eating more than I usually do come Thursday, so why bother to workout?” The thinking is that I will just start again on Monday. But like I said, that is what the old … Continue reading

When You’re Ready to Lose the Baby Weight

My baby is 9 months old, and I just recently started a diet. I hate diets. But, I’m motivated to lose that baby weight. In the past, I was motivated a little sooner than 9 months. I guess this time around it took me a little longer to get motivated because of the diet restrictions I had while I was nursing the first 5 months. Being deprived of so many foods was hard for me, so I was in no hurry to deprive myself again. But, as I stepped on the scales, and saw myself in pictures, I realized that … Continue reading

Keeping The Grill Clean

I love to bbq in the summer time. Not only is it a change of pace from the way we usually eat, it also keeps the house from heating up. As a bonus there are no pots, pans or casserole dishes to clean. My grill gets a good workout all summer long so I need to clean it frequently. The grates on your grill should be cleaned after every use. When the grill has cooled off a little but it still warm, take your brush and scrub the grates clean. After this wipe them down with a paper towel covered … Continue reading

Fifteen Weeks Post Partum

At twelve weeks post partum I wrote about being stuck in a rut of sorts. While my muscles were getting toned and my clothes were starting to fit again, I was not losing any weight. I made some changes by watching what I was eating more closely and keeping track of my food intake with my food journal. The biggest change has been cutting back on sweets. What I discovered was that I was going way over my breastfeeding caloric needs. I was eating when I was not hungry because whatever it was that I was eating tasted good e.g. … Continue reading

Tips for Post Partum Exercise

There is a lot to be said about post partum exercise. Whether the motivation is to lose pregnancy weight, get fit after baby, or to simply get back into the routine (all of these are my motivation to exercise post partum), there are a number of things that you can do to make your post partum workouts a success. First and foremost: mental preparation. You need to get it in your head that you are going to start working out as soon as you are physically able be it four weeks post partum or twelve weeks post partum. Based on … Continue reading

Putting Together a Fitness Schedule

Several years ago I had a membership to Curves, a for-women-only fitness center. One of the things I remember really liking is the concept of circuit training. Circuit training is when you do short amounts of resistance exercise, focusing on one muscle group at a time. Sprinkled in the mix you also have some aerobic exercises. The reason I liked this is because I prefer variety. I can’t do floor exercises, such as leg lifts, for 20 minutes at a time. To me it is just plain boring. So when things get a little mixed up, I tend to be … Continue reading

It’s Your Turn

What is last on your to do list? Chances are, like most single mothers, it’s anything you want to do for yourself. As mothers we always put our wants and needs last, when you are married your husband will often come to your rescue and give you the time you need for you, at least occasionally. When you are a single mother mommy maintenance is always at the bottom of the list. I’m not talking about the big things like doctor visits and the like, as mothers we are usually pretty good at taking care of the health of the … Continue reading

You On A Diet by Dr. Roizen and Dr. Oz

Since it’s a new year and most of us have resolved to take better care of ourselves, me included, I thought I would review some of Dr. Oz’s books. You On A Diet is a great book. We all know that in order to lose weight we need to eat fewer calories and move more, sounds simple but we know the reality. This book will not only give you tips to get in the best shape you can, it explains why you gain weight and how to change that. The first thing that caught my attention about this book is … Continue reading

The Benefits of Cardio

For my next few blogs, we are going to be looking at the benefits to a variety of exercises. This may help you decide which ones are worth doing. In this blog we are going to talk about the benefits of cardio. Most of us associate cardio exercises with losing weight. However, it’s beneficial for other reasons which I will talk about. Cardio can definitely help with weight loss. Depending on whom you ask, some experts recommend 30 minutes of moderate intensity cardio exercises five days a week. The more you do however, the more weight you will lose. So … Continue reading