Types of Heart Rate Monitors

My last blog talked about how heart rate monitors can improve fitness.  Now we are going to look at the different types that are available and who would benefit from having one. However, I feel a reminder is in order here.  Always consult first with a doctor before starting a new exercise program. The two basic types of heart rate monitors are chest strap models (which go around your chest) and finger sensor models (wristwatch style, where you touch a sensor with your finger).  A variety of features can be found with both types. The following are some of the … Continue reading

Fitness Should Be a Lifestyle Change

We’re just a few days into the New Year.  Are you still feeling the same resolve to make this a healthier year? It’s no secret that gym clubs are swarming in the month of January.  More fruits and vegetables are purchased in January.  Changes are being made across the board. Yet it’s not uncommon for this to start dropping off in February and March.  By April it’s pretty obvious who are going to be the ones most likely to stick it out. While the good intentions are there, it won’t be what keeps you going.  There has to be more … Continue reading

Debunking Fitness Myths

I always wonder about those sweaty guys I see in the gym who do dozens of crunches, then stroll over to the vending machine to down a bottle of Mountain Dew. Unless that’s the only high calorie beverage they consume all day, I would think they would be better off drinking a bottle of water. That is if they ever want to see the six-pack abs they are trying to create via the crunches. Crunches won’t get rid of body fat. That’s one of the biggest fitness myths out there. The only way you are going to be able to … Continue reading

How to Make Workouts a Priority During the Holiday Season

If the season’s ho, ho, ho and mistletoe has thrown off your fitness routine you are not alone. Millions of gym goers take a break from exercising during the holidays, much to the chagrin of health experts who maintain that fitness should be a priority regardless of how busy you are. Fitness gurus say we should all be making time in our day for exercise, especially during the hectic holiday period. Experts say maintaining a workout schedule is even more important this time of year because most of us tend to eat more than usual. As such, doctors recommend not … Continue reading

Finding Time to Exercise

I know what you are thinking—-you can barely find time to take a shower and brush your teeth, so how can you possibly find time to fulfill the government’s recommendation of exercising five days a week? Fitness experts suggest exercising less, but with more intensity. Basically, if you can’t devote five days a week to exercise then train three days, but pick up the pace during those sessions. For example, if your fitness routine includes using a treadmill or stationary bike run or pedal at your normal pace, then pick up the pace for five minutes before easing off for … Continue reading

Dear Heather … Summer Fitness Vacations

Dear Heather, I remember reading in your blog a while back about fitness vacations. I was actually thinking that this would be a good plan for my family (we have 4 boys ranging in age of 5 to 15) and I think a fitness vacation might inspire my sons to stay active while spending some time with their Dad and I. But I’m not sure where to start my planning. Any ideas? -Mom on the Move Dear Mom on the Move, First let me say hats off to you, I have a hard time keeping up with 1 girl, I … Continue reading

Fitness on a Shoe-String Budget

In a time where rising gas rates are making everyone rethink their plans (from vacation travel to how to get to work), finding a way to put fitness on a shoe-string budget is a good idea. While you may think that not having money to join a gym, much less get to the gym would limit your options, the best news of the day is that a fitness budget doesn’t have to cost anything outside of a few dollars to invest in a good pair of shoes if you don’t have one and maybe some resistance bands or a balance … Continue reading

Walking – The Great and Easy Exercise

Walking is one of the best exercises you can do. Why, you may ask? Because you do it every day. You do it when you get out of bed in the morning. You do it to go out and pick up the paper. You do it to get to the car and from the car. You walk all the time and if you can appreciate your legs and the beauty of walking is that you can do it anywhere, anytime and the only equipment you need is a comfortable pair of shoes. Walking and Weight Loss Walking is a cardiovascular … Continue reading

Top Ten Reasons to Engage in Family Fitness

I like top tens. One of the best things about them is you can print them out and put them somewhere you can see every day if you need to and because they help you to create motivation for yourself and for others. Today, we’re going to talk about family fitness as a whole. We discussed some family fitness ideas in the Personalized Workout for Busy Moms. But let’s focus on why we need to engage in family fitness. In no particular order, here are ten of the best reasons to make family fitness a focused activity for you and … Continue reading

Building the Busy Mom Workout

There are just never enough hours in the day. If you’re a mom (or a dad for that matter), then you’re probably constantly torn between all the stuff you need to do and all the things you have to do. When you have kids, finding time to exercise is probably one of the biggest challenges you have. Family Oriented Fitness With one child, it can be a challenge to meet your fitness goals and with each successive child it can become that much more difficult. The family that lives next door to me, for example, is comprised of mom, dad … Continue reading