What's in a name?

Naming things is hard. God told Adam to name all the animals and all I can say to that is 'better him than me.' I was very stressed out about naming our kids, and DH was no help. I kept asking him for ideas, and I got nothing. Finally I said, "They're your kids, too. Don't you have any opinions on names?" His response, "I don't know... I just think whatever we pick, it needs to be spelled correctly."

Not helpful.

Coming up with a name for a blog was even harder. I couldn't think of anything catchy and clever, until yesterday on the neighborhood playground. A mom walks into a barre... yeah, that was it.

You see, I love barre workouts. Love, love, love 'em. I love one in particular, and that is Physique 57.

P57 is a barre method based in New York City, with studios also in the Hamptons, Los Angeles, Dubai and most recently, Scarsdale, NY. It's based on the venerated Lotte Berk Method, like most barre workouts, but P57 is way more fun and challenging. I started doing P57 DVDs when I was pregnant with Darling Son #2. Barre is a terrific pregnancy workout, but I didn't get totally hooked until over a year later... when I turned the big four-oh.

Yeah, FORTY. It came on me like a tsunami. Within two months of my birthday, I felt like everything was falling apart. I had developed plantar fasciitis in my right foot from doing the Tracy Anderson Method (another post for another time.) I had some sort of wonky issue with my hip flexor. I hobbled around the house like an old woman. Somehow I felt like I was a little too young to be put out to pasture, so when I read about P57's monthly challenge, I thought I'd give it a shot.

The monthly challenges are nothing to sneeze at -- they involved rotating the DVDs (and now online streaming workouts) six days a week. By the end of the first month, my plantar fasciitis was effectively cured, and my hip no longer gave me any trouble. I was a true convert. (I should add that I did lose some pounds and inches, but in my middle-aged opinion, it is more important to be able to get up out of a chair.)

The Physique 57 workout was developed by Tanya Becker, a little firecracker of a barre instructor who distracts you from the searing pain in your thighs by cracking jokes! It's really a brilliant strategy. I mean, how can you argue with someone who tells you, "If you don't squeeze your bottom, no one else will!"

For the record, DH has been known to call out, "Don't worry, dear! I will!" God bless him.

You'll be hearing more about Tanya, to the point where you be saying 'Tanya Schmanya!" But really, if she and I lived near each other, we'd be besties. I just know it.

Physique 57 is offering a special--48 hours of free access to their library of online workouts, including the six that were originally offered on DVD. Click this link for details. Offer is good until the end of the month! If you can't walk downstairs tomorrow, it will be all my fault! Yay!