The Fredericton Moms Custom Work Out

Moms are busy people, and I want to emphasize that these exercises do not need to be done all at once, obviously when a baby is crying at you, or supper is sizzling, you have to go. Exercise is important for so many reasons though, so it's important to make time. Heart disease is the number one killer of women in Canada.

Osteoporosis in women is also an epidemic, and if you're like most you probably don't get enough calcium, but this isn't the only way to build strong bones. When you do strength training, your muscles grow and so does your bone density as a supportive response. A recent study concluded that women who jumped as little as 10 times per day, 3 days a week saw increased bone density in the hip and lower spine.

Another area you should keep strong is your core abdominal muscles. The name core says it all, you use these muscles for simple tasks like sitting up and walking, and harder ones like lifting toddlers, or groceries. If your abs aren't strong your back takes up the slack, and may leave you with lower back pain. So it's worth it to keep 'em in shape. A move called the plank works your back, shoulders, and most importantly all of your deep abdominal stabilizing muscles.

Don't let your lower back sag to the floor, use your abs to keep it in a straight line. You can intensify this move by placing paper under your toes, which forces you to work your muscles more as you stabilize to hold the position. For the basic move, lie face-down, resting on your forearms, with palms flat on the floor. Push up, rising onto your toes and elbows. Keeping your back flat, hold for 20 to 60 seconds. Lower and repeat 3-5 times a day 3-5 times a week.

You can also work your abs and inner thighs, by doing the reverse crunch. Lie on your back with a big ball between your feet, lift your head and shoulders into the crunch position and lift your legs up and down while squeezing the ball to work your inner thighs. Leave your head and shoulders up, while you lift and lower your legs as many times as you can. Do 3 sets, resting 30 to 45 seconds between each. If you don't have a ball, you can squeeze your feet together anyway, for a similar effect.

Push-ups work wonders for a woman's body (including her cleavage), and improves your over all strength. If you aren't strong enough, do girl push-ups. As long as you have the right form, they will be effective, and once you get stronger, you can up get off your knees. To do proper "girl" push-ups, get onto all fours, make a straight line from your knees to your head, hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart, fingers pointing forward. Do 3 sets of as many reps as you can. Rest 30 to 45 seconds between sets.

If you want to lose weight, cardio plays a key role. Some women wonder why when they began dieting they immediately lost weight, then, the pounds stopped dropping. If you are not burning more calories than you consume in a day then your body simply won't burn stored fat. If you can't get out for a run, and don't have a treadmill, elliptical, etc., rope skipping is an excellent cardiovascular exercise and requires little space. Jumping is great for bone density, as previously discussed, and easier on your joints than running or jogging. You can do this 3-5 times a week, in as little as 12 minutes, or as much as an hour, depending on your goals and intensity level. Just 10 minutes of rope skipping is equivalent to a one-mile run. 10 Minutes ladies!! Who doesn't have 10 minutes?

If you're going to start jumping rope you may need to get one, because a child's rope probably won't do. When choosing a rope, hold the rope and stand with your feet on the middle. If the length is correct, the handles should just reach your armpits. Handles should be thick and comfortable. Look for a cushioned surface to jump on like a carpet or a rubber mat to go easy on your joints. Choose cushioned athletic footwear just as you would for walking or running.

If you do not yet have a jump rope and are feeling motivated right now, there are other things you can do in the meantime.

• With your feet together, jump from side to side over an imaginary line.
  
• Or from the lunge position (one foot forward, knees bent, and one foot back), jump to switch feet. This works your butt, and hips too!
  
• You can also try stepping up and down on a bench, curb or lowest stair of a staircase, alternating legs. If you think you can without hurting yourself, you can also jump into the step and back off with your feet together.
  
• Remember jumping jacks? They also work great for a cardio workout. Standing with your feet together, arms at your sides, jump so you land with your feet hip-width apart as you raise your arms overhead. Jump back to starting position.

Print this sheet off and track your progress, seeing how well you are doing will help you stay motivated. The first column is just a goal, the subsequent columns are for what you actually do. Be sure to place the dates in the first row (horizontal), it will help you get in gear when you realize you haven't done anything for a couple days. Weigh yourself regularly, studies show that women who weigh themselves, stick with it longer because they are seeing results. You do not have to do every single thing, every single day, just make sure you wait no longer than 3 days between doing each exercise. Just remember the harder you work, the less time you need.