Does the "Happy" Dance Move You?

Will Pharrell's song, Happy has become a PHENOMENON. It makes people get up and dance. Wherever people are, whatever they are doing, as soon as they hear the introduction to the Happy song they jump up and move. The music is infectious and you don't have to be a member of Dancing with the Stars to enjoy it. There are literally dozens upon dozens of renditions of people dancing to the song on the internet. People everywhere are "happily" getting exercise without even knowing it!

Here are some of the Port Washington Public Library staff moving to Happy. Feel free to get up and dance with them. Dance on my friends, dance on!

 

Squats with a Kick

Because our last post addressed the gluteus maximus of the chocolate Easter bunny we thought today we would address the gluteus maximus of human beings.

The following exercise will help strengthen and tone your backside. Who knows, you might even want to take a belfie* when you are through!

1. Stand with your legs shoulder width apart.
2. Sit back to a squat (remember when you squat to keep your weight back on your heels).
3. Bring your fists close to your chin.

4. Stand up slowly, putting your weight on your right leg while kicking your left leg straight behind you (keeping your hips square) and extending your arms up at a slight angle to the right.
5. Return to a squat position, and repeat on the other side.
6. Repeat 10-12 times, alternating sides. Complete 1-3 sets.

*“Belfie” is the latest word to enter the mainstream and social media. It is a photographic self-portrait featuring the buttocks. It stands for "butt-selfie."

R & R with Rachel (Rants and Raves with Rachel): The Gluteus Maximus of the Chocolate Easter Bunny

There are many things I love about Easter. Besides getting together with family, I look forward to my nephews hunting for their Easter eggs. They are soon to be 18 and 16-years-old but are such caring young men that they are still willing to do anything that makes grandma happy (it doesn't hurt that there is now money inside the plastic eggs). I also eagerly await my mother-in-law's Easter bread, and, because butt jokes never get old, I annually enjoy the resurfacing of this cartoon:

However, since the creation of our blog the above cartoon got me thinking, just how much exercise does it take to work off eating the gluteus maximus of one chocolate Easter bunny? I found the following calorie count on the National Institute for Fitness and Sports website. The calculations are based on a person who weighs 150 pounds.

6-oz. hollow chocolate bunny: 858 calories
How to burn it off: Running at a 10 min/mile pace for 90 minutes

7-oz. solid chocolate bunny: 1,100 calories
How to burn it off: Playing full-court basketball for 2 hours

2 Dark Chocolate-Covered Peeps: 110 calories
How to burn it off: Walking for 30 minutes at 3 mph

4 Peeps: 128 calories
How to burn it off: Low-impact aerobics for 25 minutes

35 jelly beans: 140 calories
How to burn it off: Raking the lawn for 30 minutes

1 Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg: 180 calories
How to burn it off: Jumping jacks for 20 minutes

10 Cadbury Mini Eggs: 158 calories
How to burn it off: Ballroom dancing for 30 minutes

1 Cadbury Creme Egg: 150 calories
How to burn it off: Golfing while walking and pulling clubs for 30 minutes

If your Easter candy of choice is not listed above you might also try this handy online Easter candy calorie calculator: click here for calculator

Based on the above figures I am guesstimating that when I bite into the gluteus maximus of a 6-oz hollow chocolate bunny I am eating at least 1-oz of chocolate. This translates to about 143 calories. Since I am not much of a chocolate bunny fan, I will probably pass (maybe opting for that extra piece of Easter bread --LOL).

I am also going to suggest that we all take a break from our indulging this holiday and take a walk around the block. Perhaps it will be the start of a new family tradition.

Hop on my friends, hop on!

Start the Presses! (Alternating Overhead Arm Presses*)

It's National Library Week! Let's celebrate by grabbing two books and following the directions below:

1. Stand, holding a book in each hand (click here for our Book Weight Chart) and in alignment with your ears (elbows bent parallel with the floor).

2. Looking straight ahead (neck in neutral position), press the right arm up, while keeping the left arm in place.

3. Engage the abs to keep the rest of the body stable. Make sure not to arch your back as you press the book weights up.
4. Lower the right arm to starting position, press the left arm up overhead.
5. Alternate 10-12 times.
6. Complete 1-3 sets.
7. Be sure to keep the movements slow and controlled.

*If you are familiar with the traditional overhead press (arms lifted upwards at the same time) this variation offers a safer alternative because there is less risk of pinching a nerve in the neck area. Also, by alternating the arms, one arm is holding its position while you press up with the other arm, making the move more difficult. As an added bonus, your abs and back will work harder to keep your body steady during this exercise!

Everything in Moderation!

Happy Friday everyone! Whatever you do this weekend, remember, don't be this guy:

R & R With Rachel (Rants and Raves with Rachel): You're Never Too Old For Recess!

By now there shouldn't be a person left in America who doesn't know the importance of daily exercise. Continuing with this theme, I presented a 10 minute "recess" during a recent workshop for librarians. The exercises used originated from a program called Instant Recess, developed by the now deceased, Dr. Toni Yancey, who was a professor of health services at the University of California. Dr. Yancey was a strict believer in the value of motivating people to move, and the importance of adding even a 10 minute exercise break into the workplace, senior center, schools, and the like. She strongly believed that if breaks were taken with others during the day “once people felt more fit and better about themselves, they were more likely to engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity during their leisure time.” Using easy, fun movements and a child-like imagination, anyone could incorporate Dr. Yancey’s ideas into a 10 minute group break. Here are examples of the exercises we completed:

While playing the song "Life is a Highway" by Rascal Flatts participants pretended they were driving a car. We made left and right turns by moving our bodies, did squats to go under low bridges, jumped up to go over speed bumps, etc. Wrist flexors and shoulder shrugs were done during our pretend red traffic light.

Participants also imagined they were a spy on a secret mission (the music from Mission Impossible was a great accompaniment). We climbed an invisible rope, jumped from a helicopter, twisted our body while looking through binoculars. We even got squats in again --walking low and cat like.

Below are a couple of photos from the event:

The colorful circles on the floor of the photographs are cut up pool noodles. Another activity from Instant Recess (remember it originated in California) was to have a snowball fight, California style. This is a great way to prepare your throwing arm for softball season!

By making exercise an option in the workplace, no one can say they don't have time to fit it into their day. The camaraderie and social interaction with co-workers and friends can also result in stress relief and increased energy. Hopefully, places of employment and other social organizations will be inspired to incorporate these ideas and others similar to them into their typical day. It might just lead to a happier, more productive society.

Meanwhile, play on my friends, play on!

R & R with Rachel (Rants and Raves with Rachel): Forgive Me For Going Off Topic but... "What is Facebook Doing"?!

If you are reading this you know a lot more about Facebook than I do (basically nothing) or you have received this post via email. The Fit Librarian was happy to recently join the Facebook world. However, after a few local followers asked us when we were going to post (directly after we had posted) we became slightly dismayed. Why weren't all our followers seeing our posts?! After much research (good thing I am a librarian), I learned that our posts were not going into everyone's main feed. For some followers, it appears on the left-hand side of the page listed under “Pages” and then "Pages Feed." Prior to my knowing this information, I too had briefly wondered why I was not receiving updates from the very important groups I subscribed to (like Michaels Crafts and New York Mets!). Voila, now I know! They can all be found in that very same place! So, spread the word to others who are not "in the know." They might be missing out on important groups that they follow (like The Fit Librarian, for example)

I also am testing a theory with this post. A speech bubble with information appears when I hover over the words "The Fit Librarian" on our posts to Facebook. It is my hypothesis that when I go to the word "Liked" in this speech bubble and leave a check mark on the "Get Notifications" choice, I will receive updates in my regular feed. I will let you know what happens!

Meanwhile, enjoy what is supposed to be a beautiful weekend....walk on my friends, walk on.

Baseball Season is Upon Us: Let's Work on Strengthening our Wrists

Baseball season has started (yeah!). While we don't know the demographics of all our followers, here in New York either you root for the Mets or the Yankees (Let's Go Mets!). The following wrist strengthening exercises are for anyone who has ever fantasized about being called on to fill in as a pitcher in the major leagues (sorry to Mets pitcher Bobby Parnell, for his injury on opening day), or works at a keyboard for many hours.

Wrist Flexion
1. With forearm resting on the arm of a chair make a fist with palm facing up.
2. Wrist should be in neutral position.

3. Bend your wrist up towards the ceiling.

4. Hold for 3 seconds and slowly return to starting position.
5. Repeat 10 times for 3 sets.
6. Switch arms and repeat steps 1 through 5.

Wrist Extension
1. With forearm resting on the arm of a chair make a fist with palm facing down.
2. Wrist should be in neutral position.

3. Bend your wrist down towards the floor.

4. Hold for 3 seconds and slowly return to starting position.
5. Repeat 10 times for 3 sets.
6. Switch arms and repeat steps 1 through 5.