Itching to shed those postbaby pounds?

Dr. Karen Nordahl, cofounder of Fit to Deliver International, suggests cutting yourself some slack.

“It took nine months to put it on; give yourself at least nine months to take it off,” she says.

To make the most of that time, focusing on fun activities will definitely be more effective. So, to aid the bulging battle, here are a few mommy workout ideas with a little extra spice.

WII

It’s amazing how much more enjoyable a workout can be when it comes in video-game form. Moms on the pregnancy and parenting site TheBump.com are all about Wii Fit workouts. “Love the Hula Hoop and boxing,” says one mom on the message boards. The Wii won’t give you all the exercise you need, but it can be a fun supplement that concentrates on your core. Get your husband to join in – he might just lose a little “baby fat” of his own. Read the rest of this entry »

Looking to make a change and lose some weight? I have reviewed the top diet on the internet and you can go and read over 200 comments people have made about why this diet has worked well for them, as well as some of the problems.

There are many reasons why a person might want or need to start a program of neck exercise for strengthening the neck. If you are bodybuilding, a strong neck is important for prevention of injuries in this vital and vulnerable area. It is also important for appearance, being even more visible than the arms when fully clothed.

Neck strengthening is particularly important for sports players, especially in contact sports such as boxing, wrestling, football, etc. Neck injuries in these sports can be disastrous, causing paralysis or even death. You might also want to strengthen the neck because of a previous neck injury.

The neck is a complicated area of human anatomy and there are four main muscle groups which both support the head and allow it to move in all directions. These are:

- Rotators, so that you can turn your head and look over your shoulder

- Flexors, so that you can look down, moving your chin toward your chest

- Extensors, so that you can tip your head back, looking up at the ceiling

- Lateral Flexors, so that you can tilt your head sideways, moving your ear toward your shoulder

The action of all of these together means that you can move your head around in any direction that you want. They all need to be flexible to maintain your range of movement, and strong to help prevent potentially fatal injuries.

Before trying any neck exercise keep in mind that the neck is a very delicate area and you must take care not to strain it. Start with very low resistance in each case. You should always consult with a doctor before starting any exercise program and check that the exercises are suitable for you.

Rotators can easily be strengthened by simply placing the hand against the head to provide resistance while you turn your head to the limit of your range of motion, first to one side then the other. Keep the head straight. Slowly increase resistance when your head is turned as far as it can.

The easiest way to strengthen the other 3 muscle groups together is to use a 4-way neck machine which you can find at many gyms. Other gyms have a simple headstrap device which is not so effective because the headstrap generally only works the extensor muscles.

If your gym does not have a 4-way neck machine you can use the headstrap for the extensors. Most gyms will have a headstrap or you can purchase one. You can also find exercises for the flexors and lateral flexors using the headstrap or a towel etc to provide resistance.

The secret in each case is to find an exercise that provides resistance while you move your head in the appropriate direction. Remember always to start with low resistance when you begin any neck exercise.

I never did post about our new Wii and the relationship that we are beginning to have with the box of plastic and silicon chips.

It has been a great time and all the family seems to be enjoying the Wii. On Christmas day we unpacked the box and hooked it up and just played a bit and then were out doing family stuff all day and into the night. On Boxing day (December 26th) we finally got to play the Wii lots and had a  great time taking turns with the sports games of the Wii Sports disk.

In Wii Sports there are Tennis, Golf, Bowling, Baseball and Boxing as well as a Wii Training, which is practicing for any of those sports and Wii Fitness which is a test that the Wii puts you through to see how good you are at using the controllers and your coordination. The games on the disk were easy enough to use with the two controllers. Read the rest of this entry »