Exploring Spring by Mirabai Holland ©2011

Her small hands reach into the garden
for pansies.
She strokes them against each cheek
black and purple velvet.

She lies on the ground
face up
mouth open
ready to swallow
the maple tree.

Butterflies kiss her sleeves
as she nose-dives
into the roots
and inhales
the smell of birth.

The yard is safe.
Her legs kick
swinging dirt
digging deeper
for a secret
from the darkness.

She finds none.

3 Easy Exercises for Skeletal Fitness By Mirabai Holland, MFA © 2011

Those of you who read my column regularly know that in May, Osteoporosis month, I always write about Osteoporosis.
With 12,000 boomers a day turning 65, that’s one every 8 seconds for the next 18 years; and with 50% of women over the age of 50 projected to have an osteoporosis related fracture in their lifetime, I thought I’d be a little practical this year and give you a mini workout to help you protect your bones. Our bones are living tissue and grow stronger with weight bearing and resistance exercise. This is called Bone Loading.
And since the three areas most at risk for Osteoporotic fracture are the Spine, the Hip and the Wrist, here are 3 easy Bone Loading exercises, one for each of those areas, you can do using a pair of hand weights or a couple of soup cans. Use a weight that makes the exercise feel somewhat hard after 8 reps. Remember to always exhale on the exertion. Do 8-15 reps of each of these exercises. Start where you’re comfortable and build up.
And of course always consult your doctor before beginning this or any exercise program.

Double arm row: Loads Spine
Start with arms in front of you, weights together.
Slowly row arms back, bending elbows bringing weights to chest height.
Squeeze shoulder blades together, without shrugging your shoulders.

Lunge – Loads Hip and Femur (thigh bone)
Stand tall, feet about shoulder width apart, hands and weights at your sides.
Keep body erect and lunge forward with left foot, bending both knees to help facilitate the move. (Right heel comes off the floor). Your front knee should be aligned over the second toe of that foot and your weight should be centered between your front and back foot.
Hold for 8 seconds, (remember to breathe) return to starting position and repeat lunging with right foot.

Wrist Curls
Hold arms in front of you palms up.
Using only your wrists, curl weights toward your body until knuckles are facing the ceiling.
Slowly lower and repeat.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation has a wealth of information on your bones and Osteoporosis on its website www.NOF.org
And for more information on bone loading exercise visit www.movingfree.com

Core Exercises to Firm your Butt and Flatten your Tummy by Mirabai Holla...

Treat Your Feet: How To Pick Your Next Pair Of Sneakers By Mirabai Holland, MFA © 2011

Ok the buds are budding again, the coats are off and its time to take it back outside. Need a new pair of sneakers? You’re not alone. This time of year I get lots of emails saying, “What kind of athletic shoes should I buy for walking or jogging outside? ”
There’s no one answer. There are just about as many shoes about there as there are feet. Yours are unique, but one rule applies to all.
Sneakers need to feel great right out of the box. No break-in!
They also need to be sport specific. Stick with a shoe that’s designed for your particular activity.
So how do you pick a shoe? Ask your feet.
Check out the regular shoes you have at home. Where are they worn down?
If they’re worn on the inside edge you have low arches and point your feet inward. Try athletic shoes with good arch support.
If your shoes wear on the outside you point your feet outward. You need a shoe with more cushioning and good lateral support.
If you have even wear on your heels, you walk and run with your feet mostly straight ahead. You can buy any quality shoe that feels good on your foot.
What is a quality shoe anyway?
· Heel box needs to be on the stiff side and comfortably keep your heel from popping out
· The toe box needs to flex but not so much as to let your foot twist. Your big toe shouldn’t hit the front of the shoe
· The upper needs to surround your foot and give it the amount of comfortable support your particular foot needs
· The shoe should have enough cushioning to absorb impact but not so much as to make it unstable
· You should be able to get a good pair for under a hundred bucks
But what about toning shoes?
The principle behind these is that the design of the shoe’s sole keeps you off balance; and because you’re always working to keep your balance, you work harder, burn more calories, use your muscles more and therefore get a better workout and a more toned body.
I can’t speak first hand about these because I’ve never worn a pair.
But I do have a close friend who swears by them.
Her enthusiasm peaked my curiosity and got me Goggling.
I found a study by the American Council on Exercise. This is the non-profit organization that tests and certifies fitness instructors throughout the US. They tested all the major brands of toning shoes against regular athletic shoes.
Their study found no significant difference between the Toning shoes and the regular shoes. Here’s a link to the study. http://www.acefitness.org/getfit/studies/toningshoes072010.pdf
The bottom line is there is no silver bullet. A lot of this is trial and error.
It’s all about the fit; and if the shoe fits, it will be a treat for your feet when you wear it.
You can contact Mirabai at: askmirabai@movingfree.com

Fabulous Forever Level 1and 2 Exercise 7 DVD set.mov

Finding Fabulousity! By Mirabai Holland, MFA © 2011

My work has taken me on the road this past year so I’ve had to take a hiatus from my regular teaching schedule. I really missed my ladies,
So when I got to town, I invited a bunch of them out for tea and desert. I thought for a minute the desert part was a bad idea when a couple of them wouldn’t eat a piece of cake in front of me. But when I dug in, moderately of course, the party got started in earnest.
Ever the moderator, I asked them each to share things that were important in their lives over the past year.
As we went around the circle, they spoke of getting pregnant, daughter’s weddings, losing your job, becoming a gym rat, outliving heart disease, surviving menopause, the joy of grandchildren, and a trip to China.
Maybe because I was their host, the conversation drifted toward how getting fit had changed their lives.
They shared stories about feeling invisible, not sexy, not pretty, having no energy and feeling like a lump. One remembered showing up in my office, tearing her hair out saying my doctor told me I need to do something, I’ve got serious health issues, but I hate to exercise. What do I do?
She said, I told her “I’m going to give you exercise you can look forward to instead of dread.”
Most of my work is done with women who haven’t been active in a while. My coaching style is to start people wherever they may be physically and emotionally and get them moving, gently, and pleasantly. If the first experience is pleasant, you’ll want a second and the third and so on. Sustainability is the key to fitness success. And that’s what happened with these ladies. But something else remarkable happened too.

They told me getting fit had given them the self confidence to pursue things they would never have dared to try; that the change in their bodies had kindled a change in the way they saw themselves. Instead of feeling invisible they felt fabulous and that Fabulosity had spilled over into the rest of their lives. As much as I would love to take all the credit for this transformation, I think that it boils down to healthy body, healthy mind;
Getting fit was the key that unlocked the door to their potential.
Pretty cool huh?

Women Fitness Strength Training Workout by Mirabai Holland, MFA www.mov...