Eddie Baran's Body Sculpting Blog

I've been getting quite a lot of emails from pregnant women
asking what they can do to keep in shape, and to avoid getting
fat when having a baby. Here's one I'll share with you:

.-. . .- -.-. .

Hi Eddie,
Just a quick question. I have been working on your exercises
for a few months and I have really toned up, so thank you.
My husband has joined in too and so happy with the results.

My question is that I would like to get pregnant, but my worry
is that I don't want to loose my wonderfully toned up body
during my pregnancy. What do you recommend that I do during
the pregnancy to maintain the muscle tone. Obviously I know
that I would not do anything strenuous, but like I said just to
maintain my tone and endurance, which I know would allow
me to have a healthy pregnancy and birth, and then also to
help me get back into shape after the birth.

Kind Regards,
Gurcharan

Hi Gurcharan,
Congratulations on having a baby. That's great news, as
is your toning up your body. And I'm glad to hear your husband
has gotten in on it, too. So good on you.

First off, you're well ahead of the curve because you've laid
some good tracks by getting strong and toned pre-pregnancy.
So you will get back into shape very fast after you deliver.

I'll answer you and in general the other women who've written
me with similar questions.

First, check with your OB-GYN before doing any exercises
while pregnant, especially if you're in a high-risk category.

As I'm sure you already know, when you're pregnant, your heart
rate will beat a little faster than normal, and you're body is such
that it's a little more susceptible to injury, not only to yourself
but to the baby.

During your first trimester it's ok to lie on your back but
after that some experts say it's not safe because it compresses
the blood vessels and might deprive the baby of oxygen. Some
disagree with this. I say it's not worth the risk so just avoid those
exercises, but you can double-check with your MD.

Also, most experts say that no matter how prego you are,
it's not a good idea to overheat your body for long periods
of time or get your heart rate up too high.

However doing certain exercises during pregnancy will keep
your muscles in shape, help you sleep better, give you more
energy but can also help prepare your body for labor.

For example, from my body sculpting book, the exercises on
page 71,73,79,91,93 are good ones to do. Just make sure you
are balanced.

Yoga and light stretching are good, too, although don't stretch
your muscles too far as you're more susceptible to injuries.

Of course walking is always a good option. Try walking upstairs
or uphill to increase the difficulty but remember not to overdo
it by getting your heartbeat too high. This, along with the
exercises I mentioned, will help strengthen your knees and legs.

If a woman is overweight, then these exercises will also work.
Just make sure you are not feeling pain or overdoing it.

Now is the perfect time to train your body to obey your mind.
Really focus on your entire body staying strong. Mentally
prepare your body when you return to exercise that it will be
better than ever. When you do exercise during pregnancy, focus
on all the muscles, what they are doing, how they are supposed
to look and feel. This extremely critical, whether you're
pregnant or not. Focus, focus, focus.

Listen to your body. You'll need to modify exercises and not
push too hard. If you're feeling uncomfortable, then stop
what you're doing. And of course, always get your physician's
opinion first.

.-. . .- -.-. .

Wishing you the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. What every woman should know about getting strong
and toned is all here. Check it out now
http://www.eddiebaran.com/body_sculpting_women.html

Posted by Eddie Baran at 10:47 AM | Permalink

After menopause, the body does some nasty things to a
woman. The body loses muscle loss, gains fat, gets older
and more frail. One of the more insidious things that happens
is loss of bone density.

No, this is not a good time for the body. That is if you are
like most women and don't do what you need to do.

But it doesn't have to be so bad. Things fall apart due to
neglect or mismanagement.

Just like you need to take care of your car you have to take
care of your body, especially when it ages. Sadly, a woman
will take far better care of her car than of her body. Just as
in car care, there is something you can do. It's not something
that's out of your control.

It's not a secret that good resistance exercise is critical for
bone health. Bone is just like any other part of your body.
If you continually stress it, like a muscle when it's working,
or your brain when it's learning, it will get bigger and stronger.

But bone responds best when it's resistance exercise, so just
simple aerobics or walking won't do the trick. Your bones need
to resist something in order to strengthen, as do muscles.
Bodyweight exercises are ideal for this
http://www.eddiebaran.com/body_sculpting_women.html

Coupled with a good diet you'll strengthen your muscles,
your bones, lose flab and avoid being a frail and brittle china
doll. Instead your body can be as strong as your mind is.

Wishing you the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Get strong bones, strong muscles and a strong body by
going here http://www.eddiebaran.com/body_sculpting_women.html

Posted by Eddie Baran at 10:15 AM | Permalink

I used to coach a gymnast who had one of the biggest tempers
I had ever seen. Karl's frustration knew no bounds. He was
never satisfied with what he did; a big moper and complainer.

Take your typical teenager with all his angst and anxiety, times
that by 100 and you've got Karl. Put him on the pommel horse
and then times that by 1,000.

The horse is called the pig because it's a bear, and for good
reason - it's the hardest event in gymnastics and is the cause
of much grief and frustration. So you can imagine what
happens when Karl mixed with the pig. It was like TNT
and a match.

He'd punch it, kick it, swear at it. No matter what the
coaches or other athletes would tell him, he wouldn't
calm down. We'd call him the Incredible Hulk because he'd
turn into a raging beast when he got angry.

But one day all that changed.

Karl was having a particularly rough pommel horse workout
so we waited for the ensuing explosion. As we all ducked and
took cover, we were shocked to see what he did.

Instead of deciding to get angry at the apparatus and fight it,
he decided to be nice to it and show it respect. Instead of
punching and kicking the horse in a fit of rage, he patted it,
as if to say "Nice job. Thank you." It was like he was showing
it gratitude for teaching him and helping him. He did a
complete 180.

The switch in his attitude was extraordinary, as were his
results; he made some excellent improvements. Instead of
fighting with the horse, he worked alongside of it. It was now
his partner, not his enemy. So now he had two forces working
for his goal, not one against the other. He learned that he could
improve only when he decided to stop fighting it and go with its
flow. The pig taught Karl that by struggling against it got him
nowhere; instead he must work with it.

What I saw that day from that kid made a big impression
on me. It was a powerful lesson to learn.

Whenever you get frustrated or wary of some task, remember
to appreciate what you're doing and show respect for it.
From now on, before and after you exercise, for example, pat
yourself in a show of respect and gratitude. Show yourself
the appreciation you deserve.

So you're not perfect, or you still have that final 10 to lose,
or your still working to get stronger. Doesn't mean you have
to beat yourself up. Instead, realize that it is all part of the
process and you'll get there, but only if you stop fighting it;
instead work alongside it.

Your results will come faster, you will enjoy exercise, it will
feel effortless and you will have a great sense of peace.

Wishing you the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Combine the right mental attitude with the best fitness
program http://www.eddiebaran.com/body_sculpting_women.html
will give you the results you want.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 10:13 AM | Permalink

Here's a letter from a man asking what to do about his 62
year old wife. What to do about her weight, that is. Read on:

.-. . .- -.-. .

Hello Eddie,
This is about my wife. She is 62 and needs to lose (according
to her) about 50+ lbs. She incurred an injury while enrolled
with "Curves" and is cautious about this type of thing. Do
you have any programs that you could recommend?
-Philip

Philip,
I think there's a new meaning to the term "dangerous Curves
ahead." I hear more people getting bent out of shape up at
these Curves places than getting into shape.

I understand your wife's caution after an exercise injury.
She can try my bodyweight bodysculpting program
http://www.eddiebaran.com/body_sculpting_women.html
but she needs to follow these rules:

1. Go slowly. This means perform the motions slowly and
cautiously and not overdo it. She shouldn't try to rush her
progress by doing too much at first.

2. Modify the movements so she is doing whatever she can
handle. This might mean she is only doing partial movements,
perhaps moving her body a few inches. She needn't start off
doing the full range of movements. She might even just need
to hold the positions without moving at first. That's fine.

3. Don't do too much. She should only start off by doing a
few repetitions, whether they're full movements or partials.
She will need to get used to exercise and shouldn't over do it.

4. Don't forget walking. Walking is great for getting your
body back into moving, it tones your muscles and burns
calories.

She won't need to baby herself like this forever, just at the
start. Once she gets acclimated to exercise and builds a solid
foundation, then she can start increasing the intensity and
duration of her exercising. But she has to start somewhere.

.-. . .- -.-. .

Wishing you the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. No matter what your age or fitness level, Body Sculpting
Bodyweight Exercises for Women has something in it for every
level. Go here now to read more
http://www.eddiebaran.com/body_sculpting_women.html

Posted by Eddie Baran at 10:11 AM | Permalink

"Chinese Kids Must Dance The Fat Away"

This is a headline from a news story I read last week. When
I first read it I thought it was for a story from the satiric
newspapers The Onion or The Weekly World News.

Turns out that kids in China have such heavy school workloads
that they've been getting heavy themselves; so they are
neglecting physical activity and as a result they've been
getting fat. Apparently the problem is so bad that students
may even have to prove they are in good physical condition
to get into a university.

So the schools will be instituting mandatory dance classes
to get rid of some of the accumulated lard on the students.
On their break time and after school, the kids will have to
sweat off their fat to the sounds of Disco Inferno and the
Macarena. OK, I made that part up, as it would be worse
than the Chinese water torture. But the dance classes are
real. The Chinese don't mess around.

I say "Hallelujah" to this. I think the Chinese are on to
something here. Make sure these kids are not only mentally
fit, but also physically fit.

And teaching dance to these kids is a fantastic idea. Everyone
knows that dancing is a great way to get toned and trim. I
even include some dancing conditioning exercises in my
body sculpting program
http://www.eddiebaran.com/body_sculpting_women.html

We all know that the obesity problem is worse here for
American kids and adults. However, I could never imagine
anything like this being implemented for American kids or
American adults. We wouldn't want to offend anyone, now
would we. No, let's just let people continue to be unhealthy
and unhappy. It's perfectly fine if we destroy their bodies as
long as we don't hurt their feelings.

Wishing you the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. The important thing here is that you move your body.
Dance, athletics, whatever. The fastest and most effective
way to get strong, lean and fit is with the exercises in my body
sculpting program. Go here now to read more
http://www.eddiebaran.com/body_sculpting_women.html

Posted by Eddie Baran at 10:09 AM | Permalink

Over a decade ago, I was driving my car on the streets of San Jose,
California. I completely spaced out and rolled a stop sign. In fact, I
kept rolling and rolled right over a bicyclist.

She was okay, thank goodness, but I got a ticket for my recklessness.
(Turns out she got the bigger ticket, though, since she was going the
wrong way.)

A month later I went to traffic school to wipe the ticket off my
driving record. As I'm driving into the school's parking lot I notice almost
every other car entering the lot violating some traffic law - driving
on the wrong side of the road, running red lights, speeding.

It was pretty funny to see, like something straight out of Mad
magazine. If there was any group of people that needed to be at traffic school,
it was these people. I, however, didn't belong there; no, not moi, for
I was a perfect driver.

The instructor of the our class was a very stern and serious police
officer. He stood up in front of the class and introduced himself.

"I'm officer Bacon," he said.

I laughed out loud and looked to see if anyone else got the joke. It
was a joke, right. I was waiting for the officer to make light of his
name. After all, pig or bacon is a derogatory word to describe a
policeman. I support the police and never use that term, but come on, that's
pretty funny.

Anyway, officer Bacon's began the class with a question. He asked who
of us thought we were good drivers. Just about everyone in the room
raised his hand.

"Well, if that's so, then what are you doing here?!" he asked
rhetorically.

And he had a point. If we were good, we wouldn't all be there. But
instead of scolding us and using this a way to beat us down, he turned it
into a tool to make us better drivers. He told us we all could be
excellent drivers. He said we made a mistake and it's not a done deal.

Officer Bacon made us all feel like we were good drivers before he ever
taught us a thing. That set the stage for learning and really becoming
good drivers. He implanted the right message and we had high
expectations that we could live up to.

Same thing goes with your body.

Deep down you do have a perfect body. Perhaps at the moment you might
have made a mistake with your body, gained a few pounds, gotten a little
out of shape, whatever. No biggie.

Just like me going to traffic school to learn to be a better driver,
you can learn to have a better body. What you see as a horrible body is
just a little error that needs adjusting. It's not the real you. A
little course correction and you'll have the body that's lean, toned,
healthy and fit.

It's simply a matter of learning what to do and how to do it.

Wishing you the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Getting a supremely healthy and fit body is a lot easier than you
imagine. Go here now and read why
http://www.eddiebaran.com/body_sculpting_women.html

Posted by Eddie Baran at 07:51 AM | Permalink

I usually steer clear of the evening news. It's all about fear
and how bad the world is. Rarely is there any good news.
The TV stations say that they're only responding to what
people want to see, as that's the market. Maybe it is, but
either way I avoid news like the plague.

But yesterday was a bit of good news. Up here in Northern California,
where I've been spending the past months, the biggest story lately has
been about two whales who have made their way from the
Pacific Ocean all the way inland 50 miles to the Sacramento River.

The two whales, a mother and daughter, had spent the last
two weeks in the river. Every expert from Marine biologists
to the Coast Guard, as well as the entire community, spent
countless hours trying to guide Delta and Dawn back to the
ocean. All sorts of different tactics were tried but to no avail,
and things were beginning to look bleak for the pair: rapid
weight loss, injuries, skin problems.

But just as things were looking the worst, the two started
making their way back to the Pacific and are now back home
where they belong.

The lesson here is persistence. While many were writing off
the whales, others continued to try to find ways to help them.
No one ever gave up. There was no other option than to save
the lives of these whales.

It's easy to give up and throw in the towel. In the short run,
that is. In the long run, things will just get worse if you quit.
But if you stick to your guns and continue going after what
you have to, then you are sure to make it. And, like the two
whales who made it back home, you will have a happy ending.

Wishing you the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. A happy body is possible for anyone who wants one. Go
here to get yours http://www.eddiebaran.com/body_sculpting_women.html

Posted by Eddie Baran at 03:50 AM | Permalink