Fitness Me In Workout Series #14

Cardio Cooking

Grrrr – you’ve been trying to fit a workout in all day with no success. Don’t worry –you’re a multitasking mom! You can work out and cook dinner at the same time. Ever listen to that song: “I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan…” If not, you make me feel old!

Here’s a recipe I recently made up. Hope you like it!

Curry Pork Chops

Ingredients:

4 to 6 pork chops
Salt, pepper and sage to taste
1 c water
1 ½ c Pacific Natural Foods Curried Red Lentil soup
½ c cornmeal
¼ c chopped onion

Instructions:

1. Jog in place or dance as you assemble your ingredients
2. Rub salt, pepper and sage onto meat. Then roll in cornmeal and brown. As you do this, stand on right leg with knee slightly bent. Tap left toe next to right foot. Extend it back and tap toe to floor (keeping those buns TIGHT). Extend to side and tap to floor. Repeat 20 times, then switch legs. Place a chair next to you and use it for support if needed.
3. Put into baking pan or casserole dish. Add onion, soup and water. As you do this squat halfway down and hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then squat about a quarter of the way down and pulse up, tightening buns at the top as you finish.
4. Bake 1 ½ hours at 350 degrees. Do 2 sets of 10 to 20 rear lunges on each leg after you place the pork chops in the oven.


Shape-Up Shopping (Grocery Day)


OK – let’s work those buns and abs while we shop in the nice warm store.
1. Keep your buns tight as you walk for 2 minutes.
2. For 1-2 aisles, tighten your buns and drag your toes behind you for a second or two with every step.
3. Walk down 4 aisles.
4. Find an empty aisle and do 10-12 squats. I like to pretend I’m looking at things on the bottom shelf, and take a step or two in between squats so I advance down the aisle.
5. Repeat steps 1-4
6. Now, for the next 2 minutes suck your belly in toward your spine every time you exhale. You can even do this one in the checkout line!


Cleaning Day

Back to my favorite (not) chore – laundry. Find a table or counter that’s handy and won’t make you bend to fold your stuff. Here’s the workout:

1. Stand on right leg. Place left foot on inner calf of right leg, knee pointed out. Keep the foot on the calf and point your knee forward, then rotate it back out. Do 20 reps and switch legs.
2. Jog or jump along as you deliver some of the laundry you’ve folded to its proper place.
3. Do plie squats as you fold more laundry. HOW TO DO THEM: Place feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and point toes out. Squat and hold before coming up.
4. Jog or jump along again as you deliver more laundry.
5. Do 20 side leg lifts on each leg. HOW TO DO THEM: Lift your leg straight out to the side until your foot is 6 to 12 inches off the floor. Slightly bend leg you are standing on and keep abs tight. At the top of the movement pause and count to 3.
5. Do 20 soccer kicks on each leg. HOW TO DO THEM: Flex your foot so sole it is parallel to the floor. Turn your toe out. Move leg forward as if kicking a soccer ball. Hold 3 seconds. Repeat. You’ll feel this on the inner thigh.
6. Speed walk as you deliver the rest of your laundry – and give yourself a big pat on the back!

Play Day

Here’s an active way to work on those math skills from http://www.kidnetic.com/. The site was developed for teachers but does have a section for parents with fun games that can be played inside and outside.

Here’s one suggestion – Invisible Jump Rope - from the site.

To warm up:
• Call out numbers from 1-10 starting with one.
• Jump as you count up to that number.
• Start at 20 and count backwards while doing the invisible jump rope backwards.
Now, for younger kids you can count by 2s up to 20, 3s up to 48 and 5s up to 100.
For older kids, calls out different math problems while jumping rope at a steady pace. Use addition, subtraction and multiplication problems to make it more difficult. Once your child says the correct answer, jumps that number of jumps while counting together. During this time, jump at a more vigorous rate.

By the way, kids who are active are more likely to be academically sharper than their sedentary peers, according to a study by an East Carolina University researcher. Read an article on the study at: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/62244.php

Groggy Day

Sometimes just getting my blood flowing will make an enormous difference in my day. For a sample Pilates workout, go to http://www.myyogaonline.com/
Legal junk/Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice or care of medical professionals. Consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, or exercise program, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.