The Fitness Guru

We visited 5 year old Guiliano Stroe a few months ago. He is a Romanian Strong….ummmmm……Boy. Here he is on the Romnian Mike Douglas Show showing incredible feats of strength and breaking the record for push ups without the use of feet (incredible feet-less push ups!)

I’m not sure what the adults are saying but I think its along the lines of “oh my, you frighten me.”

Enjoy!

As you kick back with your cup of coffe this morning, check out some of these top stories from the week in health and fitness.

Tiny tattoos could help diabetics ditch needles-Scientists are starting to test a kind of high-tech tattoo that changes color with rising blood sugar levels

Buying Cigarettes and Stop-Smoking Aids from the Same Company?- Conflict of interest? Ponzi scheme? What are they up to?

The Best Exercises for Healthy Bones- Where do cycling and running rank?

Would you drink Coke or Pepsi for breakfast?- It’s hard to believe but maybe that glass of juice for breakfast isn’t all that great for you…..

Should Parents of Obese Kids Lose Custody?- Is it reasonable to remove children from parents’ care if the paretns can’t help them maintain reasonable and healthy weight goals?

With the new H1N1 vaccine supposedly right around the corner, there has been a great deal of talk around the studio regarding whether or not to get the flu vaccine. As a parent, I already feel like I am neck deep in the debate. We want to feel like we are doing all the right things for our kids and we are told that these vaccinations will make the world a safer place. But what are the long term ramifications of any particular vaccine? What if you don’t get the vaccinations and your child becomes sick? As if we don’t have enough to keep us up at night and draw us to refilling our Ambien prescriptions, this whole topic is a constant cycle of doubt for me.

Bill Maher brewed himself a little bit of trouble a couple of weeks ago when he spoke out against the H1N1 vaccine. Now here’s an article about doctors who feel they should “fire” the parents when the parents decide not to inoculate.

So let me know what you think. I want comments from everyone, not just the parents out there. Do you get the vaccine and risk the long term repercussions, or skip the vaccine and risk illness?

Do you ever wonder about the difference between fruits and vegetables labeled “Organic” and those that don’t carry the label? When something is labeled “100% Organic” it must contain only organically produced ingredients, whereas something simply labeled “Organic” only needs to contain 95% organically produced ingredients. The other 5% can include anything on a list of US approved non-organically produced agricultural products. Hmmmmmm…….. that doesn’t quite seem organic, does it? I would think a “Kinda Organic” label would be a better choice.

Now we are exposed to so many pollutants and and toxins throughout the course of our days, is that tiny 5% really going to matter? Well, for many people, particularly parents, that Organic label means that we are doing the right thing for ourselves and for those we love. And even trace amounts of pesticides– US-Approved non-organic agricultural products– can be especially harmful to kids and expectant moms.

Many fruits and vegetables are more likely than others to carry pesticides with them to the local market. To simplify the witch hunt for the villianous produce, here is a list of the Dirty Dozen– the fruits and vegetables most likely to soak up pesticides: apples, bell peppers, spinach, celery, cherries, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, raspberries and strawberries.

So do we stop eating all those items? Probably not. But a good choice would be to seek out the 100% Organic label when shopping for those items. Keep in mind that the sticker (and the way the fruit or vegetable is raised) may increase the price by as much as 50%. So here’s today’s question:

Don’t fret, whether they tell you about it or not, every woman’s stomach looks like a pouch without the papoose after having a child. It took 40 weeks for it to get that way, give it at least half that time to come back- and that’s if you really bust your butt with the exercise and watch your diet carefully! Most doctors say you must wait 6 weeks after having a vaginal birth and 10 weeks after a C section to exercise. Always check with your Dr. first before you begin exercising again. I know it’s a pain, but be a grown up- you have a child now so you’re forced to behave.

After you get the green light start back slowly doing only 75% of your pre-baby workout. As your strength builds you’ll be able to get back to your normal routines. A healthy mixture of cardio, strength and flexibilty work will yeild results. Pilates is a must if you want your abs back. I recommend starting with some private sessions on the Pilates apparatus with an instructor who has experience dealing with post pregnancy. It may sound like a splurge, but you can drop to down to taking Pilates Mat classes with so much more information and understanding of your body which translates to results! Everything, including your cardio and strength sesssions will be more effective and have a deeper mind/body connection. You just had a baby, you’re worth it!

Lawson