Dara Torres Puts Moms Through A Gold Medal Workout

Recently, I had the chance to meet Olympic medalist, author and mom Dara Torres, who was in New York for the debut of her latest book, Gold Medal Fitness: A Revolutionary 5-Week Program.  As a busy mom of two who constantly finds herself sitting on benches at softball games, or parked in front of my laptop writing about my struggles with staying in shape rather than hitting the gym to actually tackle my weighty issues, I found it refreshing to hear about Dara's simple approach to health and fitness.  

My favorite thing about the five week program is that it's not complicated. Which means everything from the food plan, (grab a handful of nuts, drink a smoothie, eat a burger without the bun and so on) to the stretching and resistance exercises, are not tough. Will they make you sore the next day?  Absolutely...but while you're doing it, it's not difficult - which means you'll be more inclined to try it again.  

Gold Medal Fitness takes you through a stretching routine called the Kihara method which uses the body's own resistance to strengthen and lengthen your muscles.   In fact, the more you stretch, the leaner you can be.  And what I loved most about this plan was that it's not as tough as yoga or pilates.  You see, I'm not one of those "Eat, Pray, Love" yoga types who can transcend her mind to another place while becoming one with my body.  

During a typical workout, I'm usually thinking about the things I need accomplish that day, the bills that must be paid and whether or not it's my turn for carpool.  But with the Gold Medal Fitness workout, there are stretching exercises you can do in the privacy of your own home and Dara even offers aerobic and anaerobic workouts that are...get ready for it...fun!  From swimming, to roller blading to biking, I think I can actual adapt to this plan and finally get the lean thighs and calves I've been trying to re-claim ever since my kids were born (incidentally, they are now 8 and 11).

After our workout, Dara sat down to talk about both of her books -- her first book is called "Age Is Just a Number: Achieve Your Dreams at Any Stage in Your Life", and trust me it is an inspiring read -- she talks about her daughter Tessa, who at four years old, has already taken up swimming, tennis, gymnastics and dance - and she offered heartfelt advice to moms on how they can pursue their passion while raising a family.  Take a look...

To find out more about Dara Torres, visit her website and check out Gold Medal Fitness: A Revolutionary 5-Week Program on Amazon today!