Exercise

[wattle]

I'm wondering what sort of exercise mums are doing that's helping them

- lose weight
- lose the spare tyre
- trim bum/hips/thighs
- fix the 'tuck shop lady' arms

I'm walking and dieting, so the weight is coming off, but I need to tone up the scarey areas a bit. Are situps helpful? (goodness knows if I could even do 1 situp these days :eek: ) or should I do something else?

[drewid]

Hey :)

I am jogging on a mini exercise trampoline - you can really feel it toning up everywhere, but especially thighs and hips (yippee!) and sometimes (when I'm feeling motivated) i also use the hand weights and lift up and down while jogging.

So its sort of an all-over workout.

I try to get out walking bub in the pram when I can, but magpie season means isn't very nice at the moment!

On the upside, we are moving shortly to a house with a pool - so planning on trying to swim as much as possible to fix up my belly! Swimming is great for working on the belly area.

:D Happy exercising! Isn't it fun...

[Ffrenchknickers]

:D Weights are the key! Can you get to a gym and do a weights program or even a couple of pump classes a week? If not, maybe try getting some basic weights for home. Weights are so important! The more muscle you can build (which isn't much for women) the tighter and more toned you will be! The more muscle you can build the less fat you will have. Just by having more muscle on your body, you will burn fat at a much higher rate throughout the day!! Muscle also takes up less room than fat does so you will be smaller! :D

Don't worry too much about the situps!! They really dont do much - the best way to tone up your tummy is by doing cardio exercise (fatburning) and weights. When you lift weights, you abs have to work so much harder than when you just lift the upper half of your body off the floor. Exercises that use all your stabilising muscles are the best ones. Have you done "the hover" before? This is a FANTASTIC core exercise. (let me know if you want to explain it to you.) Can you alo get a pilates dvd or something? Pilates is great for strengthening your core and building some muscle - but it does need to be mixed with some other stuff as well.

So, basically a good mixture of exercise : Weights, cardio and pilates (or something similar) plus a healthy diet and plenty of water will help you with all those problems you listed.

Good luck with it! SOunds like you are doing well so far! :D

[Ffrenchknickers]

OH:) and if you cant get to the gym or get a full on weights set at home, there are still plenty of things you can do. Squats, pushups, tricep dips (good for the tuckshop lady arms!) the hover, lunges....:) Body weight exercises are very effective and with just some light dumbells you can increase the intensity as you get stronger.

Let me know if you want me to help you do up a little program to do at home :)

[Maxs_MumMy]

A month ago i joined a gym as i have no motivation and hardly any free time..so by joining the gym i had to fit it in as im paying for it, and they also had this Body for life challenge which goes for 13weeks and the winner wins $1000..that was enough motivation for me, though when joining u had to sign a 12mth contract which will make me go after even after the challenge has finished and i have personal training sessions incorporated, which is great...

im finding it extreamly hard but im sure it will be rewarding.

get a gym membership, it literally pays for itself in the long run

[wattle]

wow, great suggestions, thanks. What's the hover? I haven't heard of it. I hover near the fridge and pantry..... does that count? :rolleyes:

I'd love a home program, that would be great. Unfortunately the budget is too tight to think about a gym membership at the moment, although it would be good.

[peterpan]

Hi,
My tips: if you can push the pram to the shop's great for the arms and legs
: get to empty bottles and full them up with rice to use as weights
: if you have stairs walk up and down a few times
: swim
Good luck girls
Angela

[Ffrenchknickers]

HAHAHA Wattle...hovering ner the fridge lol!

Ummm, I wish I could post pictures here, it would be much eadier to explain the hover....

Lie down on your from and then lift yourself up to your elbows and either your knees or toes....so that your back is flat....if you havent done it before start from your knees and just brace your abs as much as you can - like trying to make your waist as small as possible. Get me? just hold it for as long as yo can, minding your back...it is normal to feelyour back working but there is a difference between working and straining:) Do a couple and try to increase the length of time each time you do it:)

Sorry, I forgot about this thread...I said I was going to help you work out a program to do at home...you still want me to?

[Taddy]

OH:) and if you cant get to the gym or get a full on weights set at home, there are still plenty of things you can do. Squats, pushups, tricep dips (good for the tuckshop lady arms!) the hover, lunges....:) Body weight exercises are very effective and with just some light dumbells you can increase the intensity as you get stronger.

Let me know if you want me to help you do up a little program to do at home :)

Hi Toby@Millar's Mum if its not too much to ask can you help me to do a home program please. As I love to walk in the evenings but know sprin has come along we have to be careful of snakes coz we live in the bush, I might just have to start walking in the morning. I am wanting to diet but I never seem to stick to the plan can someone please give me some tips and pointers please?

[Ffrenchknickers]

No probs:D

Ok....doing some body weight exercises would be fantastic...maybe 3 times a week:)

I REALLY wish I could post some images....I will do my best to explain

1) Squats...you probably know how these go but incase you dont, pretend you are going to sit back into a chair (but not so low) make sure the weight is in your heels and you stick your bottom back. Keep your chest lifted. Make sure your knees are not coming over your toes, they suold be over your ankle or further back.

2) Lunges - take a big step back, feet hip distance apart , back heel off the ground. Lower your back knee towards the ground bending your front knee at the same time, keeping your chest lifted...think down not forwards. SAme thing as in squats, very importnat to keep an eye on knee alignment - no smaller than a right angle with the front knee. The weight should be even in your front heel and your back toe.

3) One leg balance - Balancing exercises are really really good for your core stability (abs) ....just stand up as straight as you can and keeping your weight as centredas possible, life one leg out to the front, bending your knee...focus on using your abs to keep your hips square. You can later progress this to a one legged squat.

4) Pushups - YES EVERYONE'S FAVOURITE! There are different levels of pushups and they are a really really important exercise to do as they dont only work your chest, shoulders and triceps but your abs and back as well!
Level 1 on your knees, hips at right angles....make sure your hands are quite wide apart (so that at the bottom of your pushup there is about a 90 degree angle) Lower yourself down so that your CHEST IS BETWEEN YOUR HANDS....no further back, thats cheating!
Level 2 Take your knees back further so that your body is flat but your knees still on the ground....smae as above but really remember to brace your abs
Level 3 Up to your toes!!
Level 4 One arm and a double clap lol!

4) Tricep dips - sitting on a bench or chair or the edge of your bed, keep your ands on the edge and by your side and take your bottom a little bit away from the edge...then BENDING your elbows, lower yourself slowly and then push back up (obviously your feet are on the ground lol) You should feel this one in the back of your arms.

5) Superman - on your hands and knees, brace your abs and lift one arm and the opposite leg out straight...keep your back flat and make sure your hips dont move out of centre.

6) HOver - I explained it above!

7) If you are just starting out with exercise, crunches may be of some benefit too. Abs area muscle that you can work everyday without having to have a rest like all the other muscles. Mix them up a little bit....straight up and down to work the rectus abdominus (the 6 pack) and then to the side (elbow to knee) to work the obliques (the hourglass.) The key to working to =ht e abs is to go go go until you cant do anymore (fatigue) ....there is no magic number and it will be different for everyone so see how many you can do and then try to beat it each time.

OK, so keep walking as much as you can...at least 3 times a week
A basic program would be......
Body weight exercises 3 times a week

SQUATS -
2 sets of 20
2 x wall squat holds - "sit" on a wall down in a squat position and see how long you can hold it....ten try to beat it each day!

LUNGES
2 sets of 10 on each side
Later you can add weights in your hands

BALANCING
20 reps on each side
2 holds on eahc side for 20 secs

PUSHUPS
Start with 2 - 3 sets of 10 at your own level
When you are confident with these try to move up a level for the first rep and then for 2, 3 etc:)

TRICEP DIPS
2 sets of 10 to start
If thats too easy, do more reps and go lower!

SUPERMAN
2 sets of 10 each side
1 hold each side (say 20 secs)

HOVER
2 for as long as you can

CRUNCHES
Just go for it! As many as you can until you feel the burn!

How's that? I have no idea whatyour fitness level is so just adjust the sets/reps accordingly...I hope I have explained it OK..please ask any questions and if anything hurts or doesnt feel right, DONT DO IT!

I have to sa this, but if three are any reasons you shouldnt be exercising please dont or see a physio lol...i felt like I had to say that to cover myself lol!:D

Oh, and remember to stretch! Before and after!

[cosmic]

Hold the phone people!! I've got all the answers... check it out:

HELPFUL HINTS ,A GUIDE TO HEALTH (A question and answer session)

Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap. __________________________________________________ ______________
Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable).
And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products. __________________________________________________ ______________
Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up! __________________________________________________ ______________
Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have body fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.
__________________________________________________ ______________
Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good __________________________________________________ ______________
Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!!. Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil.
In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad
for you?
__________________________________________________ ______________
Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should
only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.
__________________________________________________ ______________
Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO . Cocoa beans ... another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!
__________________________________________________ ______________
Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me. __________________________________________________ ______________
Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape!

:D Just received that and had to share it... but now I'll let you get back to your exercise conversation....

[wattle]

Haha cosmic - good laugh.

Those exercises look great, I didn't realise you had posted them - thanks for that. I'll print them out for when ds is asleep then I can hook in to them.

I'm still losing weight (slowly), but I just keep losing motivation to exercise. :rolleyes:

[Tea Lady]

This is a bit tragic I know, but I borrowed a Aussie folksong CD from the library and I bushdance with Jo in the kitchen. We do about 3 songs a day (I now know all the words to "the overlander", "click go the shears" and the "lime juice tub" :o ) and even though I just really do it for fun, my bum is actually much more toned now after a couple of weeks - I previously hadn't really noticed much change in that area. I hold Jo and waltz around and jump or lift her up in the air or whatever I feel like. It's really fun, and I don't like exercise for its own sake unfortunately. It probably helps to have a huge baby, but yours looks nice and chubby wattle, so it could work for you too!

Lucy

[LittleBoysRock]

I am doing pram walk and post natal excesise classes on Monday's and walking around the block with my husband every night after work.

Also eating lots of good foods and drinking plenty of water. Feeling a million times better!

Havent seen any results yet but soon hopefully. :)

[our little treasures]

I've just gone to my first aerobics class well in 7yrs anyway!! it was great i did the tummy hips and thighs class fun.. i only pay to go casually so its great when you have kids as you dont pay for a month if you only go 2 imes!!

Maybe you could try this

[j&k'smum]

My goodness, this topic has made me feel really lazy and I can feel that little tyre getting bigger by the second!!!
How do I get motivated to do it??? I used to be a gym freak and there was no way I would have let myself "go" like this. Well some would say I'm fine but I know for myself, I just want to have a flat-ish tummy again. Its like its just a roll of skin with nothing in it .Its so frustrating. Wearing jeans or denim skirt like today, I feel like I need a girdle!!! It just hangs over the top of everything especially when I sit down! I check to see if anyone is noticing me tucking the bloody thing back into its hiding spot!
I have a gym set outside, and an excersice bike, my kids trampoline(although when I go on that I feel like my bladder is going to fall through my vagina!) and free weights sitting next to me. I used to walk all the time and now I just look at myself in pity!!!
Naw, it all sounds too hard...whats happend to me????????? :confused: I really feel like I am letting myself go at the wrong time of my life.

[rainbow]

Lucy if it makes you feel any better my DH and I have a few Aussie folksong CDs that we listen to for pleasure! They're great in the car or when you're having a drink on a hot afternoon after a hard day's toil. I know all those songs you mentioned! Does the CD you're using have the heel & toe polka? That's great to dance to - I remember doing it at primary school. Those songs have such cheerful light-hearted energy - even when they're about dreary subjects.