A Munchkin’s Birthday & A Workout

We officially have a 2- year old in our house! Happy 2nd Birthday to my sweet, independent and often times bossy, Claire!  

Being a mom to a little girl has really change me and my views.  As a female, it is extremely important for me to take care of myself, to love myself, and to respect my body so that she does the same to hers- this is what has driven my increased passion for health & fitness over the past couple of years.  For me, it is more about the muscles I gain, the weight I am able to lose, and the pants I can fit into:  it is about the confidence and emotional peace I get from a sweaty workout and fueling my body with healthy fuel.  As a teenager and into my college years, I had extremely low self confidence- I don’t want her to ever feel like this.  It is part of my job as her mother to do whatever I can to make sure my daughter feels good about herself on the inside and out– not just today as she turns 2, but forever.

In our house, I like to make birthdays extra special- so that is what we will do today!  Claire already had a “Splash Bash” at the neighborhood pool with her friends.  We did this early “just in case” her new brother or sister decided to make an early arrival. (Who was I fooling?)  So today, we will make the day “all about Claire”: pancakes, the apple orchard, the park and pizza for dinner.

My husband and I bought an old, handmade wooden play kitchen off of a virtual garage sale site for her birthday gift.  We spent a weekend refinishing it for her.  She will also get two special books.  The books come from a list of picture books that show strong, confident girls as characters and in the message.  I started this for her first birthday and is something I plan to continue each year.  We also bought her a new pair of “fast shoes” for her birthday.

Happy Birthday to my favorite little 2 year old munchkin… you know how to bring a smile to your Mommy’s face! 

It may be all about birthdays this morning, but we can’t get away without a “Workout of the Week”.  This workout I dug out of my fitness journal from right after I had Claire.  I remember struggling through this workout just 15 days after I had her.  I had written in my journal that I couldn’t do a lot of the exercises for the given amount of time.  This just shows that with persistence and hard work, you can reach your fitness goals.  No matter where you are in your fitness journey- try to do as much as you can.

 What special things do you do for your munchkins on their birthdays?
What did you think of the WOW?  How will you incorporate it into your week?

(Don’t forget: commenting on a blog post will enter you into the drawing for our very first giveaway at the end of the month!)

Surround Yourself with Positive People

What a great three-day weekend it was!  We had visitors all weekend and it was great to be with family & friends before this baby decides to make his/ her grand appearance.  On Saturday, despite a few location changes, we threw an early 2nd birthday party for Claire and all the kiddos seemed to have a great time.  Sunday was spent relaxing with my family and doing some things around the house.  On Monday, my wonderful husband let me have a whole morning and afternoon to myself: a nice workout, lunch with a friend and a pedicure.

(Still not sure how my little girl is almost 2, and she LOVES the occasional treat! )

Despite throwing a birthday party and enjoying some relaxing time with family and friends we still managed to MOVE this weekend.

I am continually reminded of the important to surround myself with people who are encouraging to my lifestyle.   Last week I blogged about tips for a fit pregnancy and this exact thing was one of my tips.  This weekend I couldn’t help but think about how true that was.  No matter where you are in your fitness journey (or any journey for the matter), it is so important surround yourself with people who encourage your positive behavior and/ or change.

On Sunday, my family set out for a run.  We are all in different stages of our training: my husband is fast and is training for a sub 1:40 half marathon, my mom’s significant other is training his first full marathon (at the age of 55-impressive!), my mom is training to lead a sub 2:00 half marathon pace group, my sister hasn’t run since her half in April, and then there is me who does what I can at 38 weeks pregnant.  Despite the different levels, we all set out and did it together.  We put Claire in the stroller, and grabbed a bike and all set out together.  Josh and Thom went ahead of us girls and reached their goals.  Although at 38 weeks pregnant, I am slower than my mom, she stayed with me and encouraged me the whole time.  My sister and I took turns riding and running.  I ended up doing a total of 5.59 miles, and 4 of those were running, which was the most I have done since my third trimester.  As we finished the workout and neared our house,  Josh stood on the corner and waited to cheer each of us on.  I am so thankful I have a fit family that can be together and put our health and fitness first.

(Please don’t mind my large sweat spots on my shirt. We are missing the awesome 55-year old who is training for first full marathon- someone had to take the picture.)

My workout on Monday was nothing short of pure encouragement.  I am so lucky to have a gym that is so positive, encouraging and full of people in all different walks of fitness.  My two dear friends, Heather & Farrah, who have been an amazing support system really forced encouraged me at Claire’s birthday party to step out of my comfort zone and try something new.  They both know I am not a fan of highly choreographed group exercise classes and especially not Turbo Kick, but their support was all I needed to get up and get it done on Monday morning.  (The fact that we agreed to have brunch at my favorite spot after AND the workout was outdoor and for a good cause helped as well.)  Once I got to the workout, the 85 plus people kept me going.   So many Y members came up to me and complimented and encouraged me.  My friend to the right of me made a comment about my 38-week pregnant plank that kept me going (Thanks, Brandee).   I even got a shout of from the instructor!  After 30 minutes of sweaty Turbo Kick and 60 minutes of butt-burning Piyo, I was so glad I did it…. and even said I may start to do a little more Turbo!

(My fit-mommy-friends, Brandee & Farrah)

After this workout, there were so many pictures and comments flying around Facebook and Instagram.  There was one that really caught my eye from a lady who lost her son this winter.  She commented about how her friends from the Y really encouraged and supported her through such a hard time in her life.  They welcomed her back when she was ready… and this was her first workout back.  Just a huge testimony of how important it is to surround yourself with positive, encouraging people AND how blessed we all are to have this place as our gym home- it is more than a fitness facility.

(How awesome is this place?  Photo credit of class instructor & master trainer, Julie Voris)

Whether it is beginning a workout routine, changing your diet, saving money or even being a better parent or spouse,share your goals and surround yourself with people who encourage instead of discourage.

Who in your life plays a big role in encouraging your goals?

8 Great Tips for a Healthy School Lunch

Back to school we go (or have already gone)!!!  What an exciting time it can be for both kids and parents, but the busy schedules can also put a damper on our healthy eating.  After spending 7 years in the schools, I have developed a huge passion for advocating for healthy school lunches for our children.  The lunches the schools are feeding are not healthy, and what I am seeing most of the parents pack for their children are not much better.

We eat to fuel our body…. right?  Well, we should.  Cheetos, fruit snacks, fruit juice, lunchables, cups of fruit in fruit syrup, and veggie chips are not fuel for our bodies.  The lunch we are feeding our children is what is going to get them through the rest of the day: help them concentrate, perform their best, maybe run around at recess, stay awake and sometimes even get them through their after-school activities.

Here are some tips to help you better fuel your munchkin:

1.  Balance & Plan: When packing a school lunch, make it balanced and be sure to include a a fruit, a vegetable and a protein (protein doesn’t have to be meat).  Also, take time Sunday night (or when you do your grocery shopping) to decide what you will pack your munchkin each day, this will allow you to balance the intake of his/her food.  After all, we need to let our munchkins live a little and learn what it means to eat balanced too.

(Check out a free version of this menu planner here)

2. Pack Fresh: Fresh fruits & vegetables are always best!  If your munchkin prefers for their fruits to be cut up, rub a little lemon juice on items that might brown.  Fresh veggies with hummus or balsamic dressing for dipping is a great option.

3. Water or White Milk:  Water or milk is always best.  In our house, the rule is: milk for breakfast, lunch & dinner and water all other times of day (I have a two year old).  The older the children are, the less milk they need each day.  When deciding whether to pack water or milk for lunch, also remember Tip #1 and look at what other dairy products you may have packed.

4.  Allow a small treat:  We are all about teaching our munchkins to eat balanced, so allow them a very small treat.  Treats do not have to be candy or complete junk.  How about making a healthy version of a mini muffin?  Pumpkin, bananas, oatmeal, flax, cinnamon, etc.- all flavorful, healthy options for treats.  You could even freeze half of a banana and dip part of it in dark chocolate.  Or how about just 2 strawberries dipped in dark chocolate or blueberries dipped in yogurt and frozen?  When using dark chocolate remember the rule: 70% of cocoa or greater.

(photo via YumSugar)

5. Think outside of the sandwich– Often times we think of just sandwiches for school lunches because they can’t be heated up, right?  NO!  Most kiddos don’t mind eating cold food.  Be creative with shredded chicken or turkey- put them in a pinwheel or a wrap.  What about using cucumbers as the top and the bottom and filling the inside with cheese or hummus?  How about a lunch meat roll-up (just make sure you are buying organic, hormone free lunch meat)?  Every kid loves pizza, how about sending some of our grilled pizzas cold?

6. Be creative: Use cookie cutters, fun toothpicks and lots of color when packing your munchkins lunch.  Make it so they have something to look forward to when they open their lunchbox.  How about sticking some fruit or veggies in their water to make it more flavorful?  Or putting food on a kabob?

(Photo via Recipe.com)

7. Experiment at home: School lunch time is not the place to try and give your munchkin a whole new meal.  We want our children to use this lunch as fuel to get through their day and to perform well at school.  Pack items you know they will eat.  Mixing in a new fruit with a fruit salad or combining a new veggie with already liked veggies are fine, but this isn’t the time to try  a bunch of new items at once.

8. Involve your munchkins: Talk to your child about what they’d like to have for lunch and the importance of eating healthy. Ask them what they see in other lunches.  If they talk about unhealthy items, brainstorm ways you could make a healthy version together.  This is a great time to educate your munchkin on healthy eating.

Need some ideas for lunches?  Here are a couple of my favorites:

100 Days of Real Food: The ideas are endless! Head over to her “search box” and you will find multiple school lunch roundups.  

One Fit Widow: The best place to find ideas is her Instagram account.  She often posts pictures of what she packed for lunch for her kids AND she has super-convenient lunch boxes for them.  

How do you ensure your munchkin has a healthy lunch at school?  I’d love to know- leave me a comment!

About the Bloggers: Q & A #3

(Did you miss our Q&A #1 & Q&A #2)

Describe your weekly workout routine.

H:  Right now, my workout routine is a little different than normal since I am 36 weeks pregnant.  Currently, I am just trying to make sure I MOVE each and every day.  I am down to about 4 hard workouts a week: mostly lifting and HIIT.  I do a lot of walk/ runs on the other days.

When I am not pregnant, I am usually also training for some sort of race.  I workout about 5-6 times a week.  My workouts vary between running, heavy lifting sessions, and HIIT classes.  Each week is different for me.  I have a hard time mixing in my heavy lift sessions and it is my goal to make them more of a priority after I have the baby.  I teach Group Exercise classes at our local YMCA anywhere from two to three times a week.

 

J:  I try to stick to 6 days / week …off on Sunday’s (my “day of rest”).  I’m at our local YMCA Monday through Friday doing various group fitness classes incorporating both cardio and strength (Turbokick, PiYo, Athletic Conditioning & Strength + Endurance).  I’ve also recently fallen in love with Les Mills Body Pump, so I take that class at another location on Saturday mornings.  I teach a group fitness TRX class at a local martial arts studio 1 night / week.

What is your all-time favorite workout?

H:  I really do not have one favorite workout.  I LOVE running and training for races- working towards a new PR and the competition within myself makes me love it.  I also love a group exercise class that combines HIIT with free weight intervals- it is my favorite type of class to teach too.

J:  That is a REALLY tough question because I really enjoy SO MANY types of workouts.  Group fitness is where it’s at for me, so anytime I’m with my friends sweating – I’m happy!  A few faves are:  Turbokick, PiYo and Les Mills Body Pump.

What motivates you to keep up this lifestyle?

H: Exercise is my anti-depressant… REALLY!  Coming from a family history of mental illness, it truly helps me  physically AND emotionally.  I feel much better about myself and the things around me when I take an hour a day to move and fuel my with clean, whole food.  My family and friends really help me keep up this lifestyle- it really helps to live a healthy lifestyle when you surround yourself with like-minded people.  I am so blessed that I have a husband who also makes exercise a priority and likes to stay active even while on vacation.  Claire (and this baby on the way) is the number one reason I strive to live the healthiest life I can.  I not only want to set a good example for them, but I want to be able to chase them on the playground, run alongside them at their first 5k, and go for bike rides with them on vacation.

J:  I’m SUCH a happier wife, mommy, sister, daughter & friend when I’m working out regularly and fueling my body efficiently.  My husband knows IMMEDIATELY if I missed a workout or haven’t had a chance to workout because I’m GROUCHY!  Also, being healthy for my family is the true “reason” I keep up with this lifestyle.  I want to set a good example for my kids & hang around for as long as possible!

Tell us about your healthy eating philosophy.

H: I believe sticking to a lifestyle that is sustainable for your family, shopping the perimeter, and sticking to whole non-processed foods…. 80% of the time.  There are so many “diets” out there to follow or try, but I believe you have to adopt a healthy lifestyle.  You have to choose something that is sustainable and works for you. I try my best to prepare mostly clean meals, many which fall under the Paleo guidelines.  I would never I am on the “Paleo” diet, but I do use a lot of Paleo meals because they are clean, non processed foods.  For myself, I try my best to limit dairy because I don’t like how it makes me feel.  With all that being said, remember it is all about balance and I do enjoy my fair share of wine, sweets, and popcorn… but I shoot for only 20% of the time.

J:  I try to stick to a clean diet as much as possible – I avoid dairy, as I have a diagnosed sensitivity to lactose, gluten (as much as possible as it just really affects my stomach), and too much sugar.  I’m a salad LOVER and could eat one for lunch and dinner daily!  They can be so versatile!  I also kick off each and every day with Shakeology – – it’s truly my “Mommy Fuel” & I rely on it for my “daily dose of dense nutrition.”  I like to say I’m 90/10 during the week & 80/20 on the weekends – I CERTAINLY believe in living a little!  All that said, I’m a foodie blog LOVER and find tons of inspiration for NEW and healthy recipes via so many great blogs!

Tell us about YOU!
What is your favorite workout?
What motivates you?
How do you eat?

Unplugged: Yes, I survived.

Two weeks ago the family (including my mom) took a blissful 8 day vacation to St. Pete Beach, Florida.  This vacation was a long time coming – life had gotten crazy, we had a very up & down year and I really just hoped and prayed that we’d be able to “get away” this summer as a family.  Needless to say, God was good & we were able to plan this trip.  We were thrilled, too, that my mom was able to join us because let’s face, things are always better when “Mimi” is around!

On our way down to FL we decided to stop and spend the night in Macon, GA & upon getting out of the car I decided to take my beloved (and new) Sony Vaio out of my bag to “check” something online.  (Background – my laptop and I are together constantly – it’s where I do most of my work as a Beachbody coach AND let’s face it, who doesn’t use a laptop or iPad for just about everything anymore?)  I went to turn it on and…..nothing…..no lights, no screen….nothing.  I kept my cool thinking maybe it was just the battery & it needed to be plugged in (still weird because it had been closed up and shut down in my bag for all of those hours).  I didn’t start to really LOSE my cool until plugging the computer IN at our hotel room also resulted in NOTHING.  This is when things started to get REAL and I began to realize the gravity (or so I thought) of the situation.  MY COMPUTER WAS DEAD – I WAS TO HAVE ZERO “REAL” CONNECTION ALL WEEK LONG.  How would I survive?  Could I handle this?  I had to handle it.

And handle it, I certainly did!  While we all know that I could have done a lot of what I thought I needed to do on my phone OR even used my hubby’s laptop, I took this “challenge” to heart and really scaled back my “work-mode” and focused more on being present with my family and truly ENJOYING our vacation together.  Looking back now, I fear that I would have missed the dozens of dolphins that swam by or missed my daughter looking like this:

or this fabulous sunset:

if I had been staring at my computer.  So, stinky as it initially was, my computer breaking was definitely a blessing in disguise.

 While computers and technology are so important in our daily lives….do you “unplug” regularly and “connect” with those in your life who are most important?