Getting fit by “squeezing”

Did you know you can work out while driving?

This morning, I was listening to this Ben Greenfield podcast on my way to work, and he referenced a study that proved you can get fit just by squeezing your muscles. (Here’s the scientific gobbly-gook to prove it.) For the study, participants did “isometric contractions” (aka squeezing) for 10 reps of 4 seconds on/4 seconds rest, repeating that cycle 5 times. The study found that the muscles’ force generating capabilities increased as a result of this–aka, the participants actually got stronger!

Ben went on to talk about his glory days as a bodybuilder, and how he remembers working up a sweat just by practicing his “flex routine” in front of the mirror at night. Which is kinda weird and unrelatable for us normal folk, but anyway.

You better bet I was squeezing my butt muscles for the rest of that commute.

I’m still loving the podcasts on my commutes. Balanced Bites, Jillian, Ben, and Underground Wellness are a few of my favorites, although I’m still hunting for more. (5+ hours of commuting time a week means I plow through new episodes pretty fast).

If only everything came in podcast format! Then I wouldn’t be so behind on blog reading all the time, and I wouldn’t have 2 untouched issues of Fitness magazine taking up space at home.

Oh well. As an excellent post from the SITS Girls points out, bloggers can’t do everything. (I know, WHAT??)

Something I can do: help with the leftovers after client meetings at work.

This was some of the most INSANE cake I’ve ever had. Cookie dough cheesecake, double chocolate cake, and red velvet. Plus, it happened right after I read Becky’s post about craving chocolate and started having an empathetic craving myself.

Speaking of chocolate, the outrageous temps lately have revived an old friend in my life: hot chocolate with teeny-tiny marshmallows.

Made even cozier by the mug sweater my mother-in-law knitted for me for Christmas. (Cute right?)

Apparently, I have only one workable location in my house for taking pictures of things. And here it is again:

I’m always so impressed with Costco’s fruit that it necessitates photo shoots.

I mean, look at those! In the dead of WINTER!

Something to do:

This workout from Katie. I’m all about workouts that let me use my treadmill without keeping me on it the WHOLE time! It’s also nice to have a workout that’s not super complicated to follow.

 Something(s) to read:

8 parenting tips I picked up in therapy

The perfect dynamic warm-up

Helping a Loved One with an Eating Disorder: A candid interview with my husband

That post about juicing

We’re off to an indoor waterpark resort this weekend for a little family fun. Fingers crossed it goes well! Full report on Monday.

Have a great weekend!

xoxo,

Kim