Celebrity Mom’s and Weight Loss
I’ve been noticing in the celebrity magazines that they have new celebrity moms on the covers telling you how they lost all their baby weight in days. Occasionally I do go off on a rant when I something is really bothering me. Like when I talked about the insane amount of child support some rappers are paying. This topic has really been bothering me for a while and I’ve about had enough. First of all there is no way that could happen without some surgical help. Most doctors won’t even let a new mom exercise until they are at least 6 weeks post partum. Bad enough that we feel pressured by a magazine’s perception of beauty with all the airbrushing and Photoshop that is currently being done. But to also give new moms that new pressure? It’s horribly unfair. New moms are already hormonal from the changes happening to their bodies post partum. Besides dealing with a newborn, new moms now have to deal with how fast they can bounce back. I just find that insanely wrong.
The cover with Kim Kardashian’s sister Kourtney was one thing but now one of those weekly mags has Kendra on the cover with a bikini on holding her baby. What message are we portraying here? Don’t even bother bonding with your baby you have to get to the gym stat in order to get that body back. Seriously people? We women are already obsessed with weight and food and trying out all these diets and tricks that these magazines swear help these new moms lose their baby weight. And here I am happy that I’ve made my pre-baby weight even though my baby is three years old this month and not three months old. I don’t know we can be so pressured to look great as women but no one cares what dad looks like. What’s up with that? He may have baby weight to lose as well. Of course if my job was to look cute all the time and I had all the time in the world to hit the gym, go to the spa and bond with my baby it would be so much easier. But for the working mom who always has something to do? Even if you’re reading this and you’re a stay at home mom in my book you’re still a working mom because that’s hard work! But I guess we’re also at fault too. I mean they are going to continue to print these covers if we continue to buy them right?
Some Fitness Myths Revealed!
I’m sure more than some of us are hitting the gym hard this month trying to get our curvy figures just right for the cute spring and summer clothes that is just right around the corner! Well here is Jenny Evans from Power House Performance Coaching sharing some of the fitness myths.
1. LONGER WORKOUTS AT A LOWER INTENSITY BURN MORE FAT.
Short and intense interval training sessions can improve whole body fat oxidation by 36% and may offer greater benefits than lengthy bouts of steady-state exercise. Interval training allows you to get more work done in the same amount of time because you can work at greater intensity levels than if you were doing steady state training. Your overall production (calories burned) will be greater despite the frequent breaks because you are able to work at a higher intensity.
Interval training also improves your level of fitness very quickly, typically in a matter of just a few weeks, and this improvement in fitness allows you to perform more work and burn more calories during an exercise session.
2. I SHOULD WORKOUT ON AN EMPTY STOMACH SO MY BODY WILL BURN FAT.
You must put glucose (food) in the system before you exercise. If you are exercising with no glucose in the system, it sends your body into Emergency Mode. Emergency Mode = hold on to body fat for as long as possible because it is valuable energy and will be necessary to survive. Instead of fat, your body will break down muscle tissue and use that as energy. It does this for two major reasons:
1) Muscle is metabolically active tissue. For this reason it’s viewed as costly when there is not enough energy coming in. Your body is “doing you a favor” by getting rid of really needy, high maintenance cells. Emergency Mode is all about energy conservation: Get rid of muscle, hold on to fat.
2) Losing muscle mass slows down your metabolism, which conserves energy. This is your body’s goal when you are in Emergency Mode.
If you are working out – or even physically active – and there is no glucose in the system, your primary fuel source is muscle, not fat. Get your body out of Emergency Mode by making sure to keep adequate glucose in the system by eating several small meals and snacks throughout the day.
3. IF I DON’T HAVE AT LEAST 30 MINUTES TO EXERCISE I SHOULD JUST SKIP IT BECAUSE I WON’T GET ANY BENEFIT.
Science has shown that you do not have to do long, continuous workouts to get benefit. Studies have taken two groups of exercisers and divided them in to ‘30 minutes of continuous exercise done in one session’ and ‘30 minutes done in 3 bouts of 10 minutes each, spread throughout the day’. Guess which group got more benefit? The second group that spread out their three 10 minutes sessions reaped more benefit, and here’s why: Every time you exercise, your metabolism increases. When you finish exercising, it takes a while for your metabolism to slow back down. This means free extra calories being burned! I like to think of this as the “Afterburner Effect”. The group that did 30 consecutive minutes got only one “afterburner effect”, whereas the second group got three!
Another benefit to splitting up your workouts is that it may be more do-able from a time management perspective. Finding a big block of time can be very challenging, but finding 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes mid-day and 10 minutes in the evening definitely has possibilities. Instead of bagging a workout because you don’t have 45 minutes or an hour, see how much you can accumulate throughout the day or week.
4. IF I STOP EXERCISING, ALL MY MUSCLE WILL TURN TO FAT.
Muscle cannot turn into fat. Molecularly the two are as different as oil and water. As you begin to exercise your muscle fibers hypertrophy (grow), causing your metabolism to increase. This increase in energy expenditure creates an energy deficit, and so your body uses stored energy from the fat cells causing them to shrink in size. When you stop exercising the muscle fibers atrophy (shrink), causing your metabolism to slow. This decrease in physical activity and energy expenditure coupled with eating the way you did when you were working out creates an energy surplus, which is stored in the fat cells and they grow larger. It is just a matter of taking up space, not turning into something else.
5. WORKING MY ABS ALL THE TIME WILL GET ME A SIX-PACK STOMACH.
Physical activity – including resistance training – will help reduce body fat, but not specifically or exclusively in the isolated muscle group being worked. Current theory shows that a reduction in calorie intake coupled with exercise results in fat reduction throughout the entire body, not in localized spots. You cannot “spot reduce” fat on specific areas of the body. Body fat decreases in an all over body sense – your body genetically decides where the fat goes to or comes from first and unfortunately you can’t control it. Reducing body fat is best accomplished through a combination of cardiovascular activity, resistance training, and a healthy diet.
6. I’M TOO OLD TO HAVE A FIRM STOMACH OR TONED LEGS.
Although studies indicate you may lose muscle mass as you become older, you can slow or even reverse the process through exercise. There is no reason why you cannot improve the strength, flexibility, and overall appearance of your body no matter how old you are. The old adage “Use it or lose it” applies here. Most people lose muscle mass because they stop exercising, not because they are old. They become sedentary. Depending on your present level of fitness, you can add muscle mass to some degree or another. You’re never too old to receive the health benefits of exercise and to look great!
Jenny Evans is founder of PowerHouse Performance Coaching and the creator of PowerHouse Hit the Deck™, an innovate product that combats the Cortisol Crisis™, boosts your threshold for stress, improves your overall levels of energy and productivity, increases the quality of your sleep, and elevates your level of fitness. A sought after international speaker, her insightful and practical principles leave her audiences ready to take action! As an Executive Performance Coach & Human Catalyst, Jenny trains thousands of national and international corporate executives on the roles that stress, performance psychology, nutrition and exercise physiology play in managing their productivity both personally and professionally. She specializes in guiding and inspiring both large and small groups in the process of personal and professional transformation through keynotes and half day training sessions. She is also contributing author of the book The Corporate Athlete Advantage: The Science of Deepening Engagement. For the past fifteen years Jenny has been involved in educating and training the public on overall health and performance through radio, television, group, and personal instruction. In her spare time she competes in duathlons, does flying trapeze and is an aerial arts performer and coach.
Giveaway: Pulse Pilates DVD
Pulse Yoga is a combination of yoga flow, Pilates, core fusion and weight training, created to be an easy, quick, and fun way to incorporate multiple fitness disciplines into your everyday workout.
Pulse Yoga was created by Argie Tang and Prisca Boris, both accomplished yoga practitioners. It is available four different DVDs, each offering a different twist on traditional yoga workouts. Pulse Yoga I: Basic, Pulse Yoga II: Balance & Tone, Pulse Yoga III: Stamina & Strength, and Pulse Yoga Express. Each DVD features challenging and fun workouts ranging from 1 hour to 30 minutes in length.
What Makes Pulse Yoga Different?
“Pulse Yoga is a new concept that adds the elements of toning and strengthening the muscles, targeting specific trouble spots, and defining the arms and glutes,” says Argie, “I wanted to create one, great routine that is light and fun.” Pulse Yoga is Argie’s new way of looking at postures, and adding new dimension to yoga for fitness.
“Through the four different DVDs, which are all on the same skill level and difficulty, you can choose to mix and match your routines, depending on which workouts you like best,” says Argie, “it is perfect for people who want to build bone density, create firm, sculpted arms, toned buttocks, and a flat stomach without having to go to the gym.”
Pulse Yoga DVDs are available in I (Basic), II (Strength & Stamina), III (Balance & Tone), and Express Versions, for $14.99 each. For more information, please visit www.pulseyoga.com
Want one? One lucky Mami’s Time Out reader can win a Pulse Yoga Express DVD. To enter, you can:
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Only one entry per person. This contest is only available in the United States. Winner will be chosen using Random.org. This contest will run from September 15-September 22, 2009. Winners have two days to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen.Suerte chicas, as always!
Time to shape up for the hot summer days…
July 1, 2009 by Jai
Filed under Fitness, MISC Cositas
The summer is officially here and we are looking to be “bikini ready” pronto. So, I’ve been going to the gym- doing a little kickboxing and a toning class with weights. However, making time to get fit is a mission in itself. But, I’m pushing myself to workout at least twice a week and try different classes while I’m at it. The other day I took a hip hop class, and let me tell you that I completely underestimated the power of dancing! I walked out of that class drenched…yet feeling absolutely fabulosa! Tell me, how are you preparing for the sunny, hot summer days. Are you working out, taking your children to the park, or dancing salsa with the hubby?I think this week, I’ll give Zumba a try. What works for you? Anyone want to try Zumba?
Daisy Fuentes Launches Pilates for Wii
With budgets stretched thin, moms everywhere are turning to ‘exergames’ — fun ways to get fit at home. SEGA announced Daisy Fuentes Pilates
for the Wii offering a personalized, private Pilates class, right in your living room.
You get customizable workouts led by Daisy, taking advantage of the Wii and the Balance Board to provide real-time feedback, ensuring that you are mastering the fundamentals before moving to the next level. This is a big deal to me because with those at home DVD’s I’m never sure if I’m doing it correctly.
Some features unique to the title are:
· First Pilates experience designed for the Wii and the Wii Balance Board
· Provides real-time feedback to improve players positioning and moves
· Players can choose to play in Spanish or English We all know that Daisy is looking more and more beautiful so if this is her secret to being ageless I want to try it out! I am always on the lookout for exercises to do at home. I really need to get myself a Wii and Wii fit. Seems like I’m missing out on a lot! The game will be released August 30, 2009 for $27.99 and you can preorder it on Amazon
Bellydance and get toned all over
I’m always on the lookout for fun ways to work out. My friends and I have been walking which is nice. You kind of chat away and catch up with each other and next thing you know you’ve walked three miles in one hour. It’s great! I’ve also talked about Zumba a Latin dance inspired workout that looks like a fun time!
Inspired to be fit and sexy and bellydance like Shakira (I like to call her Shaki) I want to shimmy away my belly in a fun way. I checked out Bellydance Fitness for Beginners – Arms, Abs, Hips, Buns & Thighs
The only thing I didn’t like about this DVD is that even though it says it’s for beginners they really don’t take the time to show you the different moves. It’s sink or swim. But for a more intermediate belly dancer that knows a little something this could be ideal. And on sale for less than $10 you really can’t beat that!
I’m definitely going to check out some more Bellydancing DVD’s. I mean I’m sure I’m not the only one who wants to work it like Shaki. Even Beyonce loves Shaki!
Great Smoothie Recipes
Since I have been committing myself to better eating choices in the 4 weeks to a Fab You, I have been thinking about easy recipes for healthy breakfasts. Since the weather is getting warmer, a smoothie for breakfast sounds great! I get bored quickly and was inspired by this month’s Better Homes and Gardens Magazine. They had 10 smoothie recipes. I did a bit of online searching and found a web site that boasts being the #1 Smoothie Recipe site. Smoothie Web is an amazing source where you can pick recipes by categories like diet, healthy, fruit, breakfast and much more. You can even find the most popular smoothie recipes.
The recipes shown on BHG’s magazine is great and easy to prepare. Which means less ingredients…less $$$. The one that reminded me of the Caribbean is:
6oz Plain Yogurt (for one serving)
Unsweetened Coconut Milk
Lime Juice
Fresh Mint
The only thing is that they don’t mention how much of each to use. I guess a bit and a dash of that until you get it right? But if that doesn’t say summer I don’t know what does! I’m going to get good use out of that blender this spring and summer! Please share your favorite smoothies in the comments. I would love to add to my list. Imagine if we can compile like 40 different kinds of smoothies? That would be amazingly delicious! 
If you are interested in the recipe of the smoothie pictured (which is a Lemon Berry smoothie…yum!) you can check it out here.
Subscribe to Better Homes and Gardens (1-year)
Four Weeks to a Fab You
With spring fast approaching we are all revisiting our workout plans and diets and trying to kick it up a notch or just start over. I’ve been battling with my weight since the beginning of the year. It definitely is tough! But I am determined to lose the weight and be at a more healthier weight by summer.
I found this great web site powered by iVillage called Never Say Diet. I love that! I never say diet myself; I find that if I do, I end up eating more. I call it a “restriction”. This web site targets the ladies and has quite a bit of tools such as an Ideal Weight calculator, work out plans, snack swappers (for healthier choices on fatty snacks) BMI calculator, and even a virtual coaches you can choose from based on their attitude. They also have videos on workouts and can send you daily text messages to your phone with daily eating habits.
I’m starting my 4 weeks to a better me challenge! Join me!
New Year…New you!
“Losing Weight” -it’s the most popular New Year’s resolution, but it’s also the hardest one to keep. Once the holiday celebrations are over, the biggest challenge for most of us is to not only get back onto our beauty and fitness routines, but to achieve our New Year’s resolutions at the same time.Here are 5 simple tips from WeightView.com(the free visual weight loss tool)
1. Be graphic: Imagine a line graph documenting every pound you’ve lost -it’s only a matter of time until you see the downward trend your weight loss has made on the graph. If you can imagine that downward trend you’ve made, it can be really motivating! Each pound takes you one step closer towards your goal. Remember that taking one small step is better than taking nothing at all. Track your progress as well as recognize your small achievements too… and keep going!
2. There’s strength in numbers: If your friends share the same goals as you, why not get together to help each other? The more buddies you team up with, the easier it will be for you to stay on track. For instance, instead of ordering that bowl of pasta, make a pact with your friend to both order the salad together… or at least share that bowl of pasta! Staying connected to like-minded friends could be the key to your success.
3. Knowledge is power: Do Your Research! Not only will reading up about weight loss educate you on what you’re doing right and what you’re doing wrong, it will help keep your resolution top of mind. Surround yourself with information to help you achieve your goals. You may even discover that nugget of information that really resonates with you so you don’t jump off the bandwagon!
4. Fake it till you make it! Changing your diet and fitness habits is only one part of how to achieve your goal. The other part is to visualize yourself actually achieving your goal. Once you can see yourself as the person you want to be, it will keep you in the mindset of where you are going to be.
5. If at first you don’t succeed, then try again! Don’t give up just because you ate that slice of pecan pie! Understand that there will be setbacks and many temptations but anytime you lose focus or will-power, take a good hard look at your WeightView.com provides free, realistic and motivating photos for those with a weight loss goal. Just upload a full body image of yourself, let WeightView know how much weight you’d like to lose, and they will send you back a version of the new, slimmer, healthier you. Additionally, there is a new Facebook community and application: http://apps.facebook.com/weightview, just in time for the holidays, and all with the convenience of being on your social networking platform, Facebook! WeightView’s Facebook application isn’t centered on a specific diet or subscription-based service. The new Facebook application allows users to:
· Track their progress with daily entries of your weight loss journey
· Connect with buddies for motivational support
· Discuss key weight loss issues with experts and other WeightView users
· Accrue points to be redeemed for additional motivational items from WeightView such as prints, mugs, and t-shirts featuring the “After” photo.
FaceBook and Weight View can really help you with your fitness goals for this year! Stay bella!
