Heads Up On Your Body | Elaine’s Pilates Blog 2010-02-25 11:25:00
SNOW!Here in Upstate New York, we are finally experiencing just a little snow! Even as a "snow hater" I have to admit that its nice to have some snow up in here, it is winter after all. However pretty it may be, I can't help but feel a bit impatient and trapped in the house. It just feels like I've been doing nothing for days on end!
For everyone else with cabin fever, here is a fun list of how many calories are burned just by doing normal things around the house. These are estimates for 45 minutes per activity and a 150lb woman.
Activity and Calories Burned
Reading: 54
Talking on phone: 54
Cooking: 135
Housework: 148
Sex: 216
Mopping: 229
Sleeping: 47
Playing board games: 81
Ironing: 114
Playing Piano: 141
Playing guitar: 162
Carrying an Infant: 189
Showering: 216
Rearranging Furniture: 337
Calories Burned while Watching You Tube (see below): 50
Here's some caloric estimates for a mini-workout you could do at home while snowed in:
Hatha yoga: 141
Table tennis: 202
Stretching: 202
Jumping jacks: 229
Situps / crunches: 229
Pushups: 256
Ashtanga yoga: 263
Pilates Intermediate: 263
Power yoga: 263
Dancing: 303
Walking up stairs 411
Vinyasa yoga 445
And here's some caloric estimates for all kinds of fun you can have in the snow:
Shovel Snow: 310
Sledding: 351
Pushing a snow blower: 223
Snow shoeing: 396
Snow boarding: 297
Snow mobiling: 148
Building a Snowman: 255
Having a Snowball Fight: 300
Making Snow Angels: 200
Skiing: 300
Cross-Country Skiing 436
Ice Skating: 370
Ice Hockey 500
Winter Hiking 380
Shoveling Snow 300
Remember, these are just estimates. If you weigh more or less than 150 you adjust the calories burned accordingly. These are also estimates for 45 minutes per activity, some activities may take more or less time to complete in actuality.
Bored like me? Kill time with this selection of You Tubes!
Nothing like a little John Denver to get us in the spirit of winter:
Here's an old clip from Sesame Street, I was probably the same age as these kids when this was on!
A winter moment in NYC:
Here's a video of two dudes riding their bikes in the snow, in my old 'hood! In fact, I used to take that exact same trek over the Williamsburg bridge with my bike. In the truest New York spirit, they do it in the middle of a snow storm.
Finally, why not just get the hell out of town and get a tan in Florida? Sounds like a great idea to me.
Moving Meditation: Pilates and Other Great Mind-Body Exercise Methods
I read an article the other day and it said, “Pilates isn’t a mind-body exercise in the meditative way that Yoga, Tai Chi, or Qi Gong are, but it does use your mind to influence and improve your body.”
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.It seems evident to me that this author has probably never experienced a Pilates workout! And in my study of Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and meditation, I believe that these great mind-body methods are more similar than one might think for improving whole-body health.
Here’s Why:
It’s not just, let’s move the body, but let’s be aware, in-tune, and conscious of what we’re doing, how, we’re doing it, the initiation point, end point, and in-between points for every movement.
I think it’s wonderful that we have options for focused fitness and enhanced wellness for improved mind-body health. There is a method out there to help meet the needs of each of us as individuals. And if you want to develop and fine-tune your skills, cross-training and exploring different mind-body methods may give you an increased appreciation for your body, health, and the ancient wisdom that is at the root of each of these techniques.
Look for my series of upcoming posts on the benefits of each of these great mind-body methods.
- Pilates
- Yoga
- Tai-Chi
- Qi Gong / Chi Gung
- Martial Arts
- Meditation
And I’m curious to know… What’s your #1 favorite Mind-Body Wellness method? Answer the survey, and if you have a moment – tell me why it’s your choice in the comment section below.
