Stroller Mates ~ Stroller Exercise

Stroller Mates is a stroller fitness workout program where you are able to workout WITH your child.  It is such an awesome program because you not only get to spend time with your favorite workout buddy, but you are able to integrate learning opportunities into your exercise routine.  When I had my first child, I was desperate to get back into shape after all of the changes that my body had been through.  I tried to go to the gym, but since my son was nursing, and was ALWAYS with me, going to the gym was not an option.  I say it was not an option, because I actually did try to workout at the gym, only to have the nursery workers page me after a few minutes because he was inconsolably crying.  Of course I felt guilty for having put him through such torture, and thus ended my working out at a gym.

So then I began walking and running.  Which is great, don’t get me wrong, but I still felt like I was missing something.  I ran a half marathon when my son was about 9 months old, and it was awesome!  However, I still had a few more pounds of babyweight left to lose!  It wasn’t until I began a stroller fitness routine, that I was able to finally shed those stubborn last pounds.  While I had the cardio that I needed, I was not incorporating strength training into my workouts.   With the stroller fitness workouts, I was able to get a full workout while my son was right there with me, and was finally able to part with those famous last few pounds!

Ok, as pathetic as this may be, I sometimes use my miles as a reward for various household chores.  On several occasions, I have rewarded myself with running a mile after each bathroom I clean.  SO, by the end of the day, I have 4 sparkling clean bathrooms, and some serious calories burned!

To be honest, I usually only make it through 3 bathrooms in a day before there is a child to be picked up, or some other type of domestic duty that derails my efforts.  Don’t worry, if you are lucky enough to have some help cleaning your bathrooms, and that is one chore you don’t have to tackle, this method works with other tasks as well.  Laundry, dishes, organizing or any of the myriad of many household activities that we experience on a daily basis.  Did you like that?  We get to EXPERIENCE these activities daily – hehe .

Anyway, this is something that works for me, and helps me to get some exercise as well as make an attempt at keeping my home habitable!  Hope it helps you too…

OK, I know for me, one of the most difficult things about working out is having the motivation to get going.  Once I’m going, the working out is great!  And after the workout, I ALWAYS feel glad that I have worked out.  I am always telling people that you never say ‘I wish I hadn’t done that’ after working out.  Maybe after eating a piece of chocolate cake, but NEVER after working out!

So, the question is…  How do you GET motivated, and how do you STAY motivated???  Well, I have a few suggestions of things that have helped me, and the moms that I know:

1. Find some workout partners.  Whether this is a class, or a walking buddy, working out is always more fun, and usually more effective with someone else.  I know when I am running with a friend, I will push myself through the hills that I really want to walk so as not to slow the other person down.  If I’m by myself, well, let’s just say the hills probably win that day…

2. Set some goals for yourself, and WRITE THEM DOWN.  The act of writing them down gives you a point of reference, and allows you to actually see what it is that you intend to accomplish.

3. Share your goals with others.  Once you let other people in on your goals, you will feel an extra bit of motivation to accomplish them.

4. Use social media! Put up a post on Facebook about going for a run.  If you invite others, you for one have to at least show up!  Even if no one else shows, your not going to turn around and go home after doing all that work to get ready – right?

5. Start early.  The beginning of the day is usually the best time to exercise, and more often than not, if you wait till later in the day, it’s just not going to happen… just sayin’…

6. Keep it regular.  Integrating a workout routine into your day is important.  When you schedule an appointment, you will make every effort to be there on time.  So why not incorporate exercise into your schedule?

7. There’s an app for that…  There are tons of great apps that will help to keep you get and stay motivated….  What are your favorite apps that help you stay in shape???

Remember a couple of months ago when you were so fired up about getting in shape, eating right and losing weight?  You probably started off pretty good, and said no to the fried food, skipped out on a few desserts, and revved up your fitness routine.

And now?

Don’t worry, you are not alone.  Slowly, those desserts creep back into our diet, and we start losing our motivation and skipping those workouts.  It happens to all of us!

The question is, are you going to get back on track, or be satisfied sitting on the couch watching The Biggest Loser while eating cheese puffs?

OK, that was kind of a no brainer!  The good news is, now is the BEST time to get back into shape, and become a healthier you!  Spring is here, and there is no excuse to keep you from getting out there, and getting fit!  Good luck, and let us know what your plans are to become a healthier New YOU!

Who wouldn't want to workout in this weather?

One of the most frequent questions that I get about Stroller Fitness, is ‘What kind of stroller do I need?’.  That is something that I struggled with as well before the birth of my first child, and again, when I had my daughter.  With my son, we agonized over which stroller to get because I knew I wanted something I could run with, but I didn’t know what I didn’t know!  Since this was my first stroller purchase, I was kind of shooting arrows in the dark.   So, we ended up getting a fun Jeep stroller that looked really cool, and had a hook up for my i-pod.  Then, I realized once we got it home, that it said ‘This is NOT a jogging stroller.’  Apparently I hadn’t seen that before we bought it!  And, since this was our first child, and I was nervous about everything, I convinced my husband that we HAD to take it back, and get a proper jogging stroller!  We ended up getting a Reebok which served us very well, and took us many miles.  Now, in retrospect, I probably would have been able to travel all those miles with the Jeep, I just wanted to be on the safe side.

Two years later, when I was getting ready for the birth of my daughter I had another stroller problem.  What kind of DOUBLE stroller am I going to get???  Really, I wasn’t worried about giving birth again, my main concern was which stroller to get…  Luckily, I didn’t have to lament on this problem too long because StrollerFit had just partnered with Phil and Ted’s strollers.  And I literally had a stroller delivered to my door!  It was a single, but Phil and Ted’s has a doubles converter kit, and I have been using this stroller for over 3 years, and still loving it!

Since I have been teaching stroller fitness classes, I have seen just about every brand of stroller, and tested out most of them!  Some are better for running, like The BOB.   Some are more versatile, like the Bugaboo, some are just really cool looking, and some will make dinner for you.  Ok, that’s wishful thinking there, but seriously, there is a stroller out there for everyone!  You just need to decide what your needs are, and then start narrowing your choices until you find the perfect stroller for you and your baby!

Who knew choosing a stroller could be so hard?

Happy Valentines’ Day!

It’s that time of year again.  Love is in the air, jewelry commercials abound, and there are countless opportunities for you to cash in on just how much your ‘love’ is worth!  While it is always a great thing to share your feelings for the people you love, having a holiday just for that purpose seems to dilute the sincerity of it all.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against Valentine’s day in general.  I just think that there needs to be more focus on the meaning behind the holiday, and less focus on all the sugary goodies that come along with it.

I have to admit, I am a sucker for the seasonal sweets!  So, it is important to take some pre-emptive measures to combat those holiday goodies, and to stave off any unwanted Valentine’s pounds.  Here are a few tips:

1.       Amp up your workouts. If you know you are going to be having a few extra goodies, or an extra special dinner, go ahead and start kicking your workouts into high gear.  If you normally run a mile a day, go for 2 or 3.  When you take you next class, give it your all, no slacking!

2.       Buy the individual sized sweets. If you do end up grabbing some conversation hearts, or maybe the red, pink, and white m&m’s, go for the individual packs, rather than the 1-2 pound bag!  At least you will be given a little bit of automatic portion control.

3.       Make your own. If you make your own cookies or cupcakes, you can substitute applesauce for oil, or monitor the sugar input rather than grabbing whatever is on the shelves.

4.       Share! When you go to the classroom party, take all the goodies with you, and don’t come home with them!!!  If you don’t have a school party to go to, wrap some up in cute little bags for neighbors, or a playdate.

Hope these ideas help!  Please share your favorite ways to celebrate Valentine’s day, and how you keep those extra calories away…

Now that you have your goals set, let’s take a closer look at HOW you are going to accomplish these goals.

Whether your goals involve weight loss, eating better, running faster, or financial freedom; you need to put together a plan to accomplish your goals.

Take each goal, and set a date for when you want to accomplish that goal. You also need to set some mini goals along the way.  Make a list of all the things that have to be done to check that goal off of your list.  Put a date next to each of those tasks as well.

Here is an example:

Goal:  I want to lose 20 pounds by the end of the year by eating right and exercising.

Goal: lose 20 pounds

How: eating right and exercising

When: by the end of the year

Mini tasks:

1. Exercise

- Finish 5k101 program by the end of February (www.runningmatemedia.com)

- run at least 3 miles every week (now)

- workout 3-4 times each week (ongoing)

- add workout moves into my day (in line, during commercials)

2. Eat better

- stop eating fried foods (next week)

- drink more water (now)

- cut back on sweets (now)

- track calories ( February)

Alright, you should be well on your way to setting and STICKING to your new years resolutions.

Hope these tips help, and that you have had an awesome start to this year!

Write YOUR goals down today!

Get busy, and get those resolutions down on paper!

It’s not too late for New Years’ Resolutions!

Happy New Year!!!  I for one can NOT beleive that we are starting a brand new year!  I know that in 12 months, I will be saying the same thing and wondering where the year has gone.  But for now. I want to take a moment to enjoy the arrival of a new year, and all of the possibilities that lie ahead of us.

There is no better time than at the beginning of the year to make those annual declarations of renewed health, weight to be lost, goals to be met etc…  Thus, the sometimes dreaded New Years resolutions.

I have a suggestion for you.  How about instead of the standard “I’m going to lose 20 pounds this year”, you put a little thought into your goals for 2011.  So here’s a little lesson in goal setting, or resolutions 101:

1. Be realistic – let’s face it.  If you weigh 150 pounds, losing 50 pounds in 2 months is not a realistic (or healthy) goal.

2. Be specific – HOW are you going to accomplish your goal?

3. Make it measurable – if you plan on losing 20 pounds this year, then that works out to 1.6 pounds per month, or 3.3 pounds if you plan to accomplish your goal by summer.

4.  Be flexible – if your goal is to run a 5k and you have an injury, you are going to need to make some adjustments. Notice, I didn’t say you could give up, just re-assess and evaluate along the way.

5. Acknowledge your accomplishments – be sure to celebrate victories big and small!  This is what is going to keep you motivated to keep going.

6. Set new goals – you want to be able to look back on 2011 and know that you accomplished as much as possible.

7.  Recruit – find an accountability partner to help you stick to those resolutions.  If you are trying to get out of debt, check with this person before making purchases.  Maybe there is a forum that will help you out or a class or program.

Whatever your goals are this year, I hope they lead to a happier, healthier you. May 2011 be filled with much joy and happiness!