That's Fit

Well, not really. But you can get the body that comes from riding waves with a big bonus: your kid might like watching while you do. Who knows? Maybe they'd even join you.

Surf Stronger is a workout video series that incorporates surf video and stars two-time runner-up World Champion surfer, Serena Brooke. Talk about inspiration!

For me, this workout would be a bit melancholy, as I still miss surfing my native Southern California waves as a Northern Virginia transplant. I'm no Serena, not even close. But longboarding at San Onofre with my dad are memories I hold dear. Watching the waves from my basement is something I never thought possible. I love the idea nonetheless, especially with cooler months approaching faster than a pipeline off the North Shore coast.

When you're stuck in a rut sometimes all you need to do to get back on track is to switch things up and try something new. I've tried a lot of different ways to workout, like with a stability ball, resistance bands, free-weights/dumbbells, a stepper, etc, but here's something I have yet to try: a workout using a foam roller.

Foam rollers can help with strength, balance, and even stress relief. Foam rollers themselves are very similar to the foam "noodles" kids use in swimming pools, but they're thicker and shorter. The primary benefit of adding foam rollers to your workout is an increase in calories burned and better core strengthening due to the balance challenges added to traditional moves like squats, arm exercises, and even massages. Try some of these foam roller moves from Alive.com and see if you don't feel muscles working that you didn't know you had!

Each week, Deanna will share her goals, challenges, successes and tips on how to fit in fitness when caring for a rambunctious toddler.

This week, I am coming to grips with the fact that I've already enjoyed the season's last jacket-free spin on the trail around our local park with my daughter in the jogging stroller. I don't completely retreat to indoor activities when the cold comes, but when you've got a toddler, sometimes it's just easier.

So, this week I've been taking advantage of the child care at my local gym and enjoying the view outside the windows in front of the stationary bikes. My favorite indoor workout, however, is core training exercises on a balance ball, otherwise known as a birth ball (so you can finally put that thing to use again!). It also makes for a great toddler toy, so make sure you have an extra one for your kid if you don't want them stealing yours during a workout. My gym has a fabulous core training instructor and I love her class, but it's easy to learn the moves for a home workout while your little one keeps busy with that extra ball if you aren't lucky enough to have the child care option.

Core training is mainly geared toward strengthens muscles in the back and abdominals, but the workout often extends to the glutes and thighs. It can help strengthen weak muscles that can lead to back pain, tighten flabby bellies and thighs and improve balance and coordination. In other words, it's perfect for moms! So, grab a ball - or two - and get going!

That's Fit blogger Victor Agreda, Jr. blogs each week through the end of 2006 about his progress to whittle his waist.

Fact is, I don't drink beer that often. Maybe my gut evolved over time from more insidious means: lack of an exercise regimen and bad dietary habits. Whatever the reason, I have one, and I'm ready to shrink the darn thing. So each week I'm going to blog about my progress and what I'm doing to reduce my, uh, protrusion.