ask mel - comments from the “pea pod” gallery
Q:
I am getting really bad “Charlie Horses” in my calves and the pain is driving my nuts. Is there anything I can do to prevent them?
A:Yes, the painful muscle spasms in your calves are almost inevitable; but you can do a few things to lessen their occurrence. First stay well hydrated. Then stretch, stretch, stretch! Add calf stretching to your daily
routine. I suggest before bed and right when you wake up. A lot of times the muscle will spasm after being unused when you sleeping or sitting.
Tip* A great calf stretch is to sit on the ground with one leg out, wrap a towel or stretching band around the arch of your foot. Slowly pull on the towel. Also ask your honey or favorite pedicurist to spend some time rubbing
your calves. This will keep the lactic acid minimal, and allow for fewer flare-ups.
Q: So I know I am supposed to be doing kegels, but how often and how many? And once I have the baby should I still do them?
A: Kegels, the oh so important exercise. The best thing about them is that you can do them anywhere, anytime. Just do them. Think of how much time you spend on strengthening your core muscles; well don’t forget about the bottom part!
Your pelvic floor, which is strengthened by kegels, is the bottom portion of your core. I suggest doing 3 sets of 10-20 reps.
You can do nice long squeezes or even pulses to switch it up. As for post labor… it is the first exercise I would suggest attempting. As soon as you feel like you can, start strengthening that area.
Q: I am getting bored walking for my cardio exercise, any suggestions?
A: Turn on some tunes and dance. There is little to no impact and you will burn plenty of calories signing and dancing around your house to your favorite tunes. Stay away from twisting motions and remember you're not auditioning
for Dancing With The Stars. But you can swivel those hips, feel sexy and get a great work out!
Q: My husband is out of town a lot and my back gets sore, how can I find relief?
A: My favorite trick is to use a tennis ball. Get a bare wall, place the tennis ball in between your back and the wall. Apply pressure as needed. Ta-da, the instant one man backrub.
*Tip also step on the tennis ball with your barefoot arch, to ease your tired feet.
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