Cazzasize is my monthly post about exercise. “If exercise were a pill, it would be one of the most cost-effective drugs ever invented,” says Dr Nick Cavill, a health promotion consultant. (source) And as it's Mothering Month, how everyday life with a 3 year old is a total body workout.
My penciled idea for this post was a Cazzasize film - Pushing the Buggy Up a Hill... We live up a hill, it's hard pushing a buggy with heavy shopping, it's a full workout, one can add in a few lunges to make it more interesting.
Alas not sure how many people would watch a film of me pushing GG up the hills of Brighton to Empire Of The Sun, Walking On A Dream (there is a lyric, pushing up the hill again) Logistics meant this idea did not happen...
Sorry blog fail!
My April Full Moon intentions haven't quite materialised - Make Mothering May posts amazing.
Anyway, I must post every Tuesday and as today is Cazzasize day onwards and upwards...
Mamasize!
I had a health check a few weeks ago. The NHS currently call you in every 3 years over 40, as we are at a higher risk of developing conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease or type 2 diabetes. The nurse got me on a good week, detox time, so I was squeaky clean. She did raise an eyebrow when I said I currently only worked out twice a week for 20 minutes. She said I should be doing 1.5-2 hours of cardio work a week.
Now if I had factored in how much cardio work it takes to look after a 3 year year old I would be well over 2 hours a week, Mamasize!
Pushing a buggie up a hill raises the heart rate, breaking a sweat, especially with said shopping bags and a dodgy wheel (our buggie is ancient, a hand me down and being 'eco') (Super husband fixed the worn wheel and it's almost like new.) Add the time over a week, I must rack up at least 50 minutes of hill pushing.
Let's add on the stair climbing... we live in a 3 story house, I go up and down the stairs at least 20 times a day, a third of them carrying 17kg 'Mama carry me!' That must be 30 minutes a week.
So...
40min workout, 50min hill pushing, 30min stair climbing = 120mins = 2hours! Bingo!
That doesn't include running round a play park, 'chase me' games, walking at high speeds, piggy back rides and dancing.
Mamasize is everyday life!
You don't need a 3 year old to use everyday life as your gym.
Merely walking up a hill can get the heart rate going.
Take the stairs.
Walk up the escalators.
Dance round the kitchen.
Dancing is the top form of exercise. I'll be sharing my favourite dance tunes from kids films on Music Friday, woo hoo!
Think about your life... Where could you add some everyday exercise; vacuuming could burn 119 calories per 30 minutes! (source) Sex 144+ per 30 mins...(source) Bricklaying per hour... 345 calories! (source) not quite everyday.
Thank you for reading.
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Peace, love and happiness,
Cxxx