Mom’s Zone Health & Fitness

Spring is near and the weather is beautiful and I am going to use this time on this blog to vent a little.  Since being in the fitness industry for so long the biggest issue that constantly arises out of moms or clients is “I just don’t have time to exercise”.  If anything drives me nuts it is that phrase! 

Exercise is something you must make time for!  Not only for your physical well-being but also for your mental well-being is exercise important.  Especially as a mom I know that I need to get in a good workout at least 3 times per week so that I can feel good and be a better mom.  Exercise has proven to reduce stress levels, blood pressure, reduce depression, and several other heath benefits!

Okay, so I am not just going to vent I am also going to give you ways to incorporate exercise into your busy life (notice I said – incorporate, the time is not going to come o you, you have to make it).

1. Of course Stroller Strides is a great way to get in a workout, spend quality time with your baby and meet other moms! ( www.strollerstrides.net/chandler)

2. Play with your children!  I have done it too.  You pick up a starbucks and then go sit on the park bench and watch your children play.  FORGET THE COFFEE AND PLAY!!!!  Get up and swing with your child – see who can reach the sky first, play tag, race, anything, get a great workout in and make wonderful memories!

3. Go for a brisk walk.  I see moms out all the time walking like they are window shopping.  When you are walking for exercise, make sure you are walking quickly in order to get your heart rate up and your blood flowing!  You should be able to say five works comfortably but not carry on an entire conversation.  When you are walking think of a child that has just been told not to run at the swimming pool – you know a walk tat is almost a run.

4. At home with your baby try to incorporate the font carrier while doing squats or lunges.  You can also get in a ton of sit-ups and push-ups while you are having tummy time with your baby.

I would like to invite all of the readers to email me either publicly in this blog or privately, at hvanacour@strollerstrides.net, with other ideas if what has worked for you in MAKING TIME for exercise or what is your biggest challenge with making time for exercise and I would be glad to help you work this out!

Remember, Spring is almost here and summer shorts are right around the corner.  Ad exercise to your spring cleaning list and MAKE TIME!

Fitness is a Family Affair The benefits of exercise are enjoyed by children as well as adults. Physical activity can help:

• Prevent high blood pressure & high cholesterol
• Strengthen bones
• Ward off heart disease and other medical problems
• Relieve stress
• Maintain or achieve an appropriate weight for height and body build
• Reduce risk for Type II Diabetes
• Provide a healthy outlook on life

The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages regular physical activity for children aged 2 and up on most, if not all, days of the week for an average of 60 minutes a day. Regular activity is considered most important for obtaining health-related benefits, even if it is not vigorous exercise. Youth are inherently fit; current recommendations focus on making sure children stay active instead of retreating into a sedentary pattern.

Recommendations for youth fitness focus on promoting a variety of activities that are fun and can be easily incorporated into a child’s lifestyle. These activities can include team sports, individual sports, and recreational or lifetime activities, such as walking, bicycling, and swimming. Any form of physical activity that is regular, enjoyable, and sustainable is the desired endpoint.

Exercise will be most enjoyable, and thus, beneficial, if it is part of a family experience. Fitness should be a family affair and should be promoted as a fun, healthy way of life. In addition to regular physical activity, a healthy, balanced diet filled with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will help your children maintain fitness levels and healthy body mechanics.

Most New Year’s Resolutions are based around getting in shape or losing weight. People set the same goals year after year only to give it up by February. With the challenges of motherhood, chances increase that resolutions will not be kept. Stroller Strides encourages its moms to set better goals. They suggest that you set goals for throughout the year, not just at New Year’s. So, when your baby is taking a nap, mom should sit down with pen and pencil to clearly focus on what she wants to accomplish.

“Just saying you want to lose weight is not an effective goal,” said founder Lisa Druxman. “For one, it is not specific enough. But even more troublesome is the fact that that losing weight in itself is not fulfilling. When you set a goal to run your first 10k or accomplish something new, it tends to have a more positive impact.” In Druxman’s book Lean Mommy, she teaches moms how to be healthy role models to their children. Sometimes the goal of being healthy for our children is more powerful than a goal we set for ourselves. Local franchisees, Heather Vanacour & Kristie Wall, will be helping their clients achieve success in 2008 by sharing the following advice:

What does it mean when you say you want to lose weight? Does it mean you want to see a specific number on your scale? Does it mean you want to get into a certain pair of jeans? People don’t set specific or powerful enough goals for themselves, and very often those goals that are set are unrealistic. All of your goals probably lead to the same end result, a happier way of life. Some people want to lose weight so they have enough energy to play with their children. Others want to lose weight so they can look a certain way in the mirror. It is your vision of this lifestyle and your goals that will keep you motivated. Make your vision as real as possible. Keep it S.M.A.R.T. (SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ACHIEVABLE, REALISTIC AND TIMELY). Most importantly, make it powerful and emotional. Now ask yourself, why is this goal any different from those in the past? · Why will you be able to succeed this time? · What obstacles did you have before when setting a similar goal?· How will you overcome these obstacles should they be set in front of you this time? When you can answer these questions, you will be set on course to stay true to your goal. Keep your goal with you at all times. Make it visible so you can stay motivated. Everything we do comes from our need to avoid pain and to gain pleasure. Achieving your goal has to give you great pleasure. And not achieving your goal has to give you great pain. If your goal doesn’t evoke a strong emotional response when read, it simply won’t work.

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukah or Kwanza each holiday is filled with wonderful history and is usually based around celebrating with food.  If you are working to get back into shape or keep your fit figure don’t let the holidays take you off track.  You can still celebrate and enjoy your holidays without the guilt.  Remember the average weight gain from Halloween through super bowl Sunday is a whopping 10 pounds!  That is a whole dress size!  Take a look at these helpful tips to survive the holiday season and not become a statistic.

1. Find out what types of food will be at the event.  This way you can plan the rest of your day accordingly, make your choices ahead of time, and not eat impulsively.
2. Fill your plate with lots of fresh vegetables (not the creamy kind!).  Start with the vegetables then move on to your favorites, this way you will not be as hungry and less likely to overeat.
3. Learn to say “no thank you” Just because everyone is offering cookies and candy you can pass politely.  If such items are left at your home simply pass them along at a party or even throw them out.
4. If you are cooking try not to nibble all day.  My favorite tool while I cook is a stick of chewing gum.  When you have gum in your mouth you are less likely to nibble.
5. Try something new!  There are tons of great light cooking magazines out there.  Try a new recipe – you never know it could become a favorite!
6. If you are not cooking, offer to bring a side dish.  This way you can bring something that you know you can eat.
7. Have a healthy snack or a salad before going out.  This way if there aren’t many good choices you won’t be very hungry.
8. Make time for YOU!  Make sure to cut out time each day to exercise!  Not only will it help keep the pounds away but also make you feel great in that little black holiday dress!

 Have a happy and healthy holiday season!

As mothers we are responsible for how well our children eat and how much activity they get in each day. Are you a model mom when it comes to fitness and nutrition? I am not asking you to become a fitness guru and overhaul your entire kitchen but I am asking you to think about giving the gift of good health this holiday season and taking the time to look at your families’ lifestyle.

Ask yourself these questions

Does everyone in your family exercise regularly (at least 4x a week)?

Do your children workout with you or stay in child care while you workout?

Are you constantly stressed or battling post-partum depression?

How many times per week do you find yourself in the local fast food drive through?

Are you concerned about today’s youth and the shocking raise in childhood obesity?

Start your Holidays off with a plan of HEALTH!!

Yes, it starts with the Halloween candy and ends Super Bowl Sunday with the chips and nachos! Go into this holiday season with a game plan that will transform your family into an even healthier family by the New Year.

Get the whole family moving!

If you answered yes to the first question then you are off to an awesome start!! If you are not exercising at least 4 times a week then we need to find a program that fits your schedule and your families. The following is a sample of ideas to get the whole family involved:

1. Plan a family fun night at least one night per week. This night can be in your back yard or at your favorite park. Get out the kids toys play ball, tag, jump rope or even just swing or play on the jungle gym. Whatever you do try to keep everyone moving for at least 30 minutes.

2. Check out mommy and me exercise programs such as Stroller Strides. These programs offer fitness for parents or caregivers and you can bring your children with you!

3. Find a gym or fitness center that offers programs for you and your children. Make sure that while you are working out your children are not just sitting in front of a television set.

Plan your meals each week!

Planning is key when it comes to eating healthy. Start each week off right by planning your meals. No, you don’t have to become the next Suzy Homemaker and spend endless hours in the kitchen! Simply make it a priority to go to the grocery one day and plan each day’s meals. You can find simple healthy recipes that take less than 30 minutes online or create your healthy meals at My Girlfriend’s Kitchen or Meal Makers. These places always have healthy options and the menus are a crowd pleaser.

In order to keep the munchies at bay make sure that you are eating small portions at least every two to three hours and having healthy snacks. On your meal planning day, be sure to plan snacks by pre-packing sliced fruits or vegetables for an easy grab and go!

Take time for yourself!

If you find yourself feeling stressed and blue, maybe even battling post partum depression, make time for yourself. Find just five minutes each day to meditate or treat yourself to something special. You spend the entire day caring for your family and if you don’t make yourself a priority you are going to drop at some point.

Think of something that helps you to relax, maybe a home pedicure or a bubble bath? Plan each week to reward yourself by indulging!

Remember those little eyes are watching everything you do!

Incorporate Healthy eating, exercise, and meditation and your children will mimic your healthy lifestyle! Be a model mom and raise a healthier generation!

Have a Healthy and Happy Holiday Season!

You have just had your baby and now have the extra “baby pounds” to shed. There are many options out there from personal trainers, group fitness, and even do-it yourself videos. How do you make the right choice? First, as a new mom you need to realize that you are a special population and now have special needs. You have just been through the marathon of pregnancy and childbirth and your body is not the same as it used to be.

Research: Find programs in your community that specialize in the pre and postnatal population. Weather it be a personal trainer or group fitness make sure that the instructor holds either a degree in exercise kinesiology or is a nationally certified fitness instructor. Also find out if they have education in pre and postnatal fitness. Programs such as Stroller Strides™ have instructors who are nationally certified and trained specifically to work with a new mom’s needs (they are also moms themselves).

Gear up: Now that you have found the classes, what are you going to wear? Find a good athletic shoe store that will look at the way you walk and recommend a good pair of shoes. Remember your feet changed during pregnancy and you may walk differently requiring new shoes. If you are breast feeding go to your local maternity store and invest in a good supportive sports bra. If this is not available to you, wear two cotton sports bras for extra support. The rest of your outfit should be comfortable and breathable.

Stroller: There are many stroller options out there and which one you purchase is a personal and financial decision. But no matter which stroller you choose make sure you follow the safety guidelines and use proper stroller form. When walking with your stroller find a comfortable neutral wrist position so that you are not applying needless pressure on your joint, stand up straight, keep your torso tight and your shoulder blades back and down. Using proper stroller form will not only prevent injury but help you to burn more calories!

Have a great workout! For more information about pre and post natal fitness please contact Heather Vanacour, Provider of Stroller Strides™ in Chandler and Gilbert; email: hvanacour@strollerstrides.net, phone: 480.586.6998.

It’s a fact, exercise during and after pregnancy is important for your health and the health of your baby.

1. Regular exercise (at least 3 times per week) is preferable to intermittent activity. Competitive activities should be discouraged.

2. Vigorous exercise should not be performed in hot, humid weather or during a period of febrile illness.

3. Ballistic movements (jerky, bouncy motions) should be avoided. Exercise should be done on a wooden floor or a tightly carpeted surface to reduce shock and provide a sure footing.

4. Deep flexion or extension of joints should be avoided because of connective tissue laxity. Activities that require jumping, jarring motions or rapid changes in direction should be avoided because of joint instability.

5. Vigorous exercise should be preceded by a 5-minute period of muscle warm-up. This can be accomplished by slow walking or stationary cycling with low resistance.

6. Vigorous exercise should be followed by a period of gradually declining activity that includes gentle stationary stretching. Because connective tissue laxity increases the risk of joint injury, stretches should not be taken to the point of maximum resistance.

7. Care should be taken to gradually rise from the floor to avoid orthostatic hypotension. Some form of activity involving the legs should be continued for a brief period.

8. Liquids should be taken liberally before and after exercise to prevent dehydration. If necessary, activity should be interrupted t replenish fluids.

9. Women who have led sedentary lifestyles should begin with physical activity of very low intensity and advance activity levels very gradually.

10. Activity should be stopped and the physician consulted if any unusual symptoms appear.