Another Great Snow Workout

Today I decided to take a walk in our weird winter wonderland. It was actually amazing to see southerners navigating the snow covered streets. I was a little leary of walking too close to the street because of this, so I convinced my husband to walk in the uneven snow banks and the neglected sidewalks of our neighborhood.

It proved to be yet another way to get some moving in. The fact that we had no idea when the snow might crack beneath us and that we were walking working to keep our regular balanced gait, really worked our core and legs. I also concentrated on sucking in my gut and breathing in my nose out of my mouth. Twisting slightly at the waist is something else you can add as well as wrist weights (this will incorporate the arms).

Walking on this uneven ground with unpredictable dips and bumps work very similar to the new $100 Reebok and Sketcher shape up shoes. So save some money and use what just happened to fall out of the sky.

For runners, mimicking Rocky Balboa in Rocky IV is also a great workout. Put on your snow boots and go running in the snow. Lift your knees with each stride and feel the burn baby!

Let it snow!

I almost forgot about the exercise that is near and dear to my heart. Since we've moved to the south I thought I'd never be able to take part in it again. But, lo and behold it has snowed in Raleigh, North Carolina today. Enough to pile up and make driving near impossible on the neglected streets in our neighborhood.

I couldn't believe how much I had missed shoveling snow, but it truly was my saving grace in the winter when we were holed up in the house most of the time in Iowa.

Like Christmas morning, I donned my pitiful collection of winter weather gear (we didn't even bring gloves with us) and started project snow removal. When we left Iowa we graciously gave all our winter tools away to neighbors laughing as we did so. Well, the joke was on me as I performed the advanced level of this everyday workout. I made my way slowly through the snow covering the sidewalk leading to our front door with none other than a regular metal garden shovel. It actually worked great for the heavy ice and slush under the top layer, but you can imagine the type of inefficiencies this caused. After 30 minutes, I had only managed to clear our walk. All for the sake of getting a great set of arms, right?

Well, even I'm not that crazy, so I finally walked over to borrow a neighbors snow shovel. I was flying through the chore now with ease. After my 30 minutes of the advanced, the next 30 minutes was a breeze.

Here's how to make the most of it.

1. First, change how you think about shoveling snow. Instead of a horrible task that has to get done, think about the fabulous workout you're getting doing something that had to be done anyway.
2. Make sure you're using your legs and arms, NOT YOUR BACK!
3. Squat, scoop, lift and throw.

By the time you've finished your sidewalk, stoop and driveway, you've put in about an hour or more of a good leg, butt and arm workout.

So the next time it snows, beat your kids outside to "play."

Suck in that gut soldier!

O.k. there are a couple problem areas for women after having kids. I have to vote for the tummy as the number one.

There are of course crunches, knee raises and all sorts of fancy moves on the bosu ball. But there is something you can do all the time.


Stand up straight, walk tall and suck in your gut.

That's right, correct posture while you walk or sit and the simple act of sucking in your stomach will show results. The key is not to just suck in air and try to touch your belly button to your backbone. You want to concentrate on contracting the stomach muscles and hardening them into the six pack you're dreaming of. Believe me, you have them, they've always been there--never leaving you but truly forsaking you for all others: childbirth, chips, cake, cookies, bread, pasta . . .

Anyway, if you can train those muscles by making them fall in line and whipping them into shape, they will eventually turn from their wicked ways and begin to break through the surface.

Of course, I'm going to recommend you do stomach exercises too, but I wanted to give you something you can do even when you're doing nothing.

Now, for my fab ab workout (courtesy of the United States Military Academy). We will only do crunches, no full sit-ups. Crunches are better for your back and past a certain angle in the sit-up is waisted motion. The goal is to work up to 30 reps of each move continuously (that's 150 crunches before it's all done):

The key is to do a complete set of these without stopping. If you can't at first do as many as you can before stopping. Stomach muscles are stubborn and a long hard workout is better than multiple short sets. You want to feel the stomach muscles burning threatening to rip you in half. It's the only way to cut the stubborn fat suffocating your abs of steel.

1. Start with your legs on the floor and your knees bent. Place your hands behind your head or across your chest (for beginners to lessen the chances of neck injuries). Complete 30 reps pulling your shoulder blades off the floor and driving your lower back into the floor. Remember to breathe out of your mouth on the way up expelling all of your air and breathing in through your nose on the way down.


2. Pull your knees in the air still bent crossing your ankles and complete another 30 reps.


3. Keep your knees in the same position, now touch your opposite elbow to your opposite knee each time you come up for another 30 reps.


4. Uncross your ankles and begin to pull in your knee on one leg to your chest while extending one out straight to simulate the bicycle motion in air. 30 reps.


5. Straighten your legs up to form an L-shape with your body and complete another 30 reps.

Stretch your stomach muscles right after you've completed the set. This is important and helps the muscles to retain what you've just done to them.

After a long rest, turn to lie on your side and complete 30 reps crunching on both your sides (total of 60 in all). This will work the obliques and begin to help sculpt your abdomen area.

It is o.k. to work the stomach muscles everyday, but at least take the weekends off.

Enjoy and remember to let me know how it goes.

"Run, Mom, Run!"

This journey we are beginning to get you moving mommy is going to take some change of thought and action. The nuggets I plan to give you are meant to become a part of you. Eventually without thought you will find yourself moving any way and every way you can.

One day my mom started to laugh at me as we made our way back to my van from a Wal-mart shopping spree. As was my custom, I had parked the van a good piece away from the door. I had just beat her to the van when she yelled out, "O.k. Edith Bunker." I didn't know what she meant at first cause if anyone has seen the show "All in the Family" you'd know that being called Edith Bunker isn't exactly a compliment.

When she made it to the van I asked her what she meant and she said, "You run everywhere. You've never noticed that? Don't you remember how Edith Bunker ran everywhere?"

I started to laugh and it made me start to take note. I truly do run everywhere. I run from the house to the van, from the van to the house. I run from the van to the store and I run from the store to the van. I run to the door of the schools and to the door of restaurants. If I forget something I run back into the house. I run up the stairs at home, I run down the stairs at home. Stairs - this is an incline which adds a boost to this activity. Running with high knees really burns the butt (we'll talk more about the real stairmaster in another post). But you get the point that I run everywhere.

Without thought, I break out into a sprint, light jog or trot depending on how the knees are doing that day. But, I very seldom walk any short distances.

I was a sprinter in high school and college. I've tried to run miles like people my age do, but I just don't have the endurance to get a long enough run in to make a difference. These short bursts act just like they did for me in track practice those years ago. It's like doing a 10x100's workout over the course of the day.

The time you spend walking all of these places, you could make into a short burst of calorie burning activity that adds up by the end of the day.

Today, for instance, I ran to my sons' busstop with my little yappy dog in tow. I always send them out ahead of me while I put on my shoes so that I have to run to catch up to them.

While waiting for the bus I gave my dog to one of my sons and began to run back and forth down the street where we were standing. By the time the bus came I had gotten in a quick 10-minute workout for the morning.

So, my peeps, the lesson today is don't walk, somber, lob or shuffle to your destination.

"Run mom run!"

Who I am not

Let me begin this blog with an excerpt from my book "Get Moving" modified a bit.

. . .a little introduction as to who I am and who I am not (a necessary disclaimer). I am not a nutritionist, personal trainer or professional bodybuilder by any stretch of the imagination (although I did take first in two benchpress contests--another story, another day). What I am are many things, some or all of which you can relate with. I am a full-time wife, mom, house manager, chauffeur, chef, clothes washer, dishwasher, fan, coach, mentor and teacher. My side job (or what some call "my profession") is web designer/technical writer. Because you may identify with one or more of these labels, this [blog] is for you.

More importantly, you will find a camaraderie in this blog because you are a mom seeking to regain some semblance of the you pre-baby.

I don't plan to preach to you or give you impossible routines and diets. I plan to share with you exactly what works for me--doing something, anything everyday.

So many times I'm asked, "Are those all four of your children?" After an affirmative, they usually follow with, "You look great. How do you do it?" These compliments have been the inspiration behind it all.

We'll look at easy, everyday things you can do to improve the way you look and feel. I'll help you gain strength even if you've never had any before.

When you're tired of hearing, "you look good for just having a baby," and are ready to just hear, "you look good," then you're ready to Get Moving Mom.

As we journey together, don't forget to tell me how it's going.