Enjoying some cotton candy/candy floss at a summer picnic my son asked me if it had been "invented" when I was little. Knowing adults laughed, and I said yes and told him that when I was about his age after a day on the beach we would drive home, a big gang of us in the back of my dad's car, waving our candy flosses out of the window. My son eyed me suspiciously, "You had cars?" Oh, the concept of time is a tricky one. But his remark made me think how quickly time had passed since he was born - he's already five, and how he has changed. Looking at physical changes alone his five years had been remarkable… had time been so kind to me? I wasn't sure but I assumed some improvements could be made and tried out some healthy upgrades which, at the very least, would be an energy boost. My first venture was in Hot Yoga. Now readers of WebWatch will know I am not a big fan of yoga. At the last class I attended the teacher seemed to think we were up for a little bit of torture and that we regularly twisted ourselves like corkscrews for pleasure. I ended up getting quite cross with her so consequently it was very hard to find my inner calm. Still, a swimming instructor I know who is very fit swears by the hot and sweaty stuff so I joined her in a class. I'd like to say I'm a convert and that I died and went to heaven but I would be lying - I just died. It was way too hot. More general information, key postures and a little controversy are at these web sites.
www.yoga-108.net/bikram_postures.htm
http://yoga.about.com/od/bikramyogahotyoga/a/bikram.htm
http://worldyogafoundation.com/

Next pursuit was a spot of water aerobics. I like water, and I like aerobics, so I guessed this would be fun. I guessed wrongly. At an hour long it got pretty tedious but I did get a workout. Whilst I was pregnant I seemed to bypass water aerobics but it is a recommended low-impact workout and I can see how the slower pace and opportunity to chat with others would also be a great way to meet some mums-to-be. Pregnancy and suitable exercise is discussed in detail at the Royal College of Gynaecologists site and the other site has general information.
www.rcog.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=1563
www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_health_fitness/prenatal_waterworkouts.htm

Leaving the water for the road, some friends and I hired mountain bikes and took to the hills. Actually we headed for a local nature reserve and rode a flat but fairly challenging track. It was a really great way to spend an afternoon and nothing beats eating food in the open air after a bit of exercise. I would definitely do that again. A short history of mountain biking is at Wikipedia (where else these days?) and tracks for bikes, horses and hikes and tours in Switzerland are found at the last two links.
www.nparks.gov.sg/nature_bukit.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_biking
www.otp.co.uk/mtb
www.trailsource.com/index.asp (chose your mode, country and get going!)

Exercise with a difference came at an Irish family Ceilidh we attended last month and what a great evening it was. Ceilidhs are traditionally social/dance gatherings where traditional set Gaelic dances are jigged out to fiddle and flute music. Whilst it does help if you know the dances in advance, there is a caller who will run everyone through the basics and most of the steps are easy to pick up. But half of the fun is definitely learning as you go and swizzing and swooshing with giggling, hysterical kids and a few daring dads in kilts. The first link describes some basic dance pieces and at the commercial This is the Life site lots of traditional dance and other events are on offer.
www.scottishdance.net/ceilidh/dances.html
www.thisisthelife.com/en/ceilidh-dancing.htm

A favourite song in our household is "You’re Beautiful" by James Blunt. My son loves it, but he loves the Elmo version more. Watch it on YouTube.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2Z6tDSb6c8