a matter of teys.t

…. while sitting down. Impossible? No. Doable? YES! I used to have firm, well-defined arms until about a few years ago.  Then, I started noticing that they were becoming big and eventually flabby, giving in to the force of gravity.  Whenever I raised them, they looked like oversized turkey necks flapping in the air. Ugh! Not too flattering if you wear a sleeveless top, right? Honestly, it’s depressing. I am not one of the courageous ones who can wear a tank top and just let it all hang.

So I scoured around the net for free tips on how to solve my problem. Some of them were just trying to sell me a video after a free trial while others were the tried and tested personal trainor stuff. I couldn’t do both. Between homeschooling, household chores, digiscrapping commitments, and my part-time graphic layout stuff, I just don’t have the time to squeeze it between all that. I needed something that I could do while I was doing all the stuff I needed to do.

Then, I read an article online (I’m sorry I forgot where… out of the many I have read in my desperate pursuit of flab-free happiness) that listed a few exercises that seemed doable to me. I tried it and tweaked it a bit to fit my daily routine like washing the dishes, sitting down in front of the computer, watching the news, daydreaming about a Las Vegas hotels getaway (cough cough), and guess what, I’m starting to see results!

Here’s what I’ve been doing so far:

1. Raise your hands to chin level and make a fist.
2. Punch 20 times in front of you with your right.
3. Punch 20 times in front of you with your left.
4. Punch 20 times diagonal across to the left with your right.
5. Punch 20 times diagonal across to the right with your left
6. Raise your elbows to chin level, bring them to the front and squeeze them together for twenty counts.
7. Repeat these steps wherever you are, whatever you’re doing as long as people don’t look weirdly at you.

Of course, it does help a lot if you eat healthy and choose what you stuff yourself with. I’ve been on a one-meal-a-day fast so I think that made it a bit faster. Who knows I might dare to go sleeveless in the next few weeks. LOL

As with all exercises, consult with your physician before you do the above. Here’s to flab-free arms for all of us!

Read Full Post »

I’m back doing Pilates regularly.  I do this everyday as much as possible. The routine takes about 20 mins.  You do have to do it properly for it to work. While Pilates has fewer repetitions, the movements are much more difficult compared to Military Calisthenics. They also give greater control.  Doing  “teasers” and “the stomach series”  many times a day would probably be like Ephedrasil hardcore.  “Pilates Pushups” not only give you fast twitch development but also  control and stability given by the pauses every four counts.  Finally, the real success of the method, is the development of proper breathing technique during activities. This leads to better metabolism needed to keep one fit.

Read Full Post »

… somewhere else in your body, is that possible? Methinks that this is true. Case in point, hubby. Since he started becoming more “health” conscious (not “weight” obsessed LOL) he started swimming as regularly as possible. But one of the things that I noticed is that although his waistline was noticeably getting smaller ( hello, ‘ga :D) his chest area was expanding and his weight was still not decreasing. So while he was losing fat in certain places it was being replaced by muscles in other areas. I’m not a nutritionist or a health professional and I can’t say if my observations are absolutely valid but if you are somehow wondering why you seem to be gaining weight even if you are on a regular exercise program, it’s probably because you are gaining muscle - which is actually good. Even the best diet pills, no matter how much you take them cannot produce a single muscle in your body except through regular exercise. So don’t despair if you step on the scales and throw it out the window because you think it’s lying to you about your weight. You might have gained some muscles after all.

Now streeeetch!

Read Full Post »

I remember many pounds ago when I did a little ballet, we attended a summer dance workshop held in Baguio and one of the classes that was taught was basic Pilates. Did you know that one of the forms of therapy for injured dancers is to do Pilates? 

Pilates trainer Sarah Aimsworth, a Pilates instructor at the Joffrey Ballet School, has tried various therapeutic systems and concluded that Pilates, with its stress on minimal repetitions, is right for her dancers, and not just physically. Pilates, she believes, is designed to keep the mind active while activating muscles without injuring them.

“You do something three times and you do it right. Repetition is mindless and goes against ballet, which is so mindful.” She also says that she finds that Pilates irons out her dancers’ physical problems.

Now, I’m no longer in dancing form, mind you, but I’m slowly trying to make up for lost time ( I wish it were pounds :P ) not really to dance again but for the long haul. I want to enjoy my kids for as long as I can and still have the endurance that Joseph Pilates had even when he was already in his eighties. Having said that I need to stretch my “pakpak” again. 

Read Full Post »

I woke up this morning with a sort of “stiff” arm. I think I had ignored my not so ergonomic computer workspace for so long and now my joints are giving me away (take note: i didn’t say age LOL). So I asked hubby if he could give me his own version of Thai massage mixed in with a little bit of Pilates to relieve my aching “pakpak”. Who would have thought that exercising with your spouse could be fun, eh? I was trying to do a little bit of rowing exercises on my own but when hubby helped me do it (well, he was kinda pulling my arms out of the sockets for a while… aguy!) and we did it together using the other one’s weight as resistance, it was surprisingly effective. I had my very own “human” exercise equipment for free - with free massage to boot right in my own home! Isn’t that a bargain? Cheap ko noh? lol

Read Full Post »