Summer Set Up: Snacks

If you’re counting down until school lets out and your kidlets are home for the summer, it’s time to start thinking about how you’ll answer the regular plea, “Mooooommmmm, I’m hungry!”

I have a few ideas to share today.

First up, yogurt pops.  If you live in a hot climate, or even if you just like to pretend you live in a hot climate, cold snacks are a must-have for summer.  Yogurt pops are easy to make:  simply blend any combination of 2-3 cups of your favorite fruits (and vegetables!) with a cup of greek yogurt (add a bit of water if necessary for blending), pour into popsicle molds, and freeze.  Kids love to help choose the flavor combinations– my oldest keeps careful records of what he likes and doesn’t like– and throw the foods into the blender.

As you see in the photo above, my taste testers take their job very seriously.  The yogurt pops shown are a kale, strawberry, orange, non-fat plain greek yogurt variety.  (To be honest, they got a ‘Yum But Not Your Best Creation Ever’ rating.)

My big kids use Groovy Ice Molds which hold about 1/2 cup each.  That’s a sizeable treat, and the way the holder is shaped keeps it from dripping in case someone doesn’t eat it fast enough.  For my daughter, I use push-up pop type molds– these are by Norpro and are BPA-free silicone.  If we want to take yogurt pops to share with friends at the park, I have used Zipzicles– this genius idea is simply a go-gurt shaped baggie.  While they work great if you want a throw-away option, I have not had good luck washing and reusing them like the company suggests is possible.

Another favorite snack around here is cottage cheese pancakes.  I can make a big batch of them rather quickly, and they keep well in the fridge.  My kids will eat them cold, though I suggest warming them in the microwave.  Sometimes we give them a little schmear of preserves or peanut butter.  The best part is that even my carbaholic middle kid thinks that he’s getting away with a real treat by eating these.

Living in a hot climate means I need portable snacks that can stand being left out for a few hours.  Usually this means trail mix.  I put out a variety of options– multigrain cheerios, cashews, almonds, pistachios, raisins, dried blueberries, sunflower seeds, shredded coconut– and let my kids each make their own mix.  Not only do they like choosing  the proportions of their mix, but it absolves me any responsibility when they later claim they hate their snack.

(This happens to you, too, right?!)

How do you keep your kids’ tummies happy and healthy during summer break?

The product reviews included are my honest opinion.  I was not asked to review these products, nor did I receive any compensation for doing so.

Summer Set Up

If you’re like me and counting down the number of days until your kids are out of school for the summer, you’re also likely starting to think about just how you’re going to continue your wellness program while juggling your additional responsibilities.

First of all, break out your calendar.  Scheduling in your workouts is one of the best things you can do to actually follow through on them.  Committing your time to your workouts demonstrates your strong self-care practice.   Even if it means waking up 30 minutes early 3 days a week, go ahead and make sure you’re taking time to be nice to your body.  Block out your workout time…..now…..before it all gets filled up with other activities.

The next step is to determine what you are going to do during that workout time.    Are you training for a particular goal?  Do you just want regular exercise to keep yourself healthy and happy?  What kinds of workouts really motivate you?  Those are the workouts that you’re going to follow through on.

If you have the time blocked out for exercise but need some direction with what workouts to schedule, check out Balance Virtual Bootcamp.  I’ll be running a summer session beginning in mid-June, with three workouts per week for eight weeks coming right to your email inbox.  If you’re interested in being notified when registration for the virtual bootcamp is open, sign up on the information page.

Do you live somewhere the summer heat is miserable?  Get into the water!  Check out the water workout I posted a few years ago.  If you have older kids who like to swim, you can always tread water while they play around.  I find my kids love it when I judge a diving contest or time them swimming underwater– all things I can do while getting in my own workout.

If you like water and enjoy yoga, I’ll be offering Aqua Yoga classes on Saturdays starting in June.  Fill in this form if you’re interested in more information, and I’ll send you the details.

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No gym?  No worries!  There are a few in-home workouts I’ve posted over the years on the onbalance blog.  Here’s a high-intensity workout you can do with no equipment.  You can also find a few 10-minute workouts hidden on my website.   For when it starts getting super hot, go back and try my 12 Days of Christmas workout for a good bum kicking.

Best wishes for an active, fitness-filled summer.

Good health and great happiness to you!

Checking In

Just a little post today to see who is paying attention.

(I used to love starting a class with that phrase– sub QUIZ for POST– back when I was teaching college.)

Anyone running the Joggermom Marathon this month?  I told you about it a few weeks ago.  If you’re running, I’d love to hear from you– leave a comment below.  I’ve been running along….15.5 miles so far.  That’s not nearly as much as I normally run in two weeks, but I’ve been busy.  What have I been doing, you ask?

I’ve been in the pool!  My swimming lessons are nearly completely booked through the middle of July.  I’m down to one 20-minute lesson slot remaining, but I’ll happily put you/your child on my waiting list and contact you if I have a cancellation.

Several of my recent mornings have been spent at my boys’ school, where I’m putting my NASP archery instructor certification to good use. I’ve been helping the PE coaches teach archery to 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students.  Can I tell you how much fun this is?  It’s TOTALLY fun!  To see the faces of the kids as they successfully hit the target is such a thrill.  To hear them encourage each other as they try this new activity is even better.  The highlight so far was one not-so-athletic kid’s reaction: “Who knew I was such a great archer!?”

I’ve also been working on my new venture EQUIP Fitness Business Development.  I’m getting all of my amazing content into a deliverable format, and I’m so excited about opening up enrollment in September.  If you or someone you know is interested in working as an independent fitness professional– a personal trainer, swim teacher, yoga instructor, etc– please send this info on to them.

My own training is about to ramp up.  I’ve applied for the lottery of the Falmouth Road Race, one of the longest-running road races in America.  It’s been on my racing radar since my Boston days 15 years ago, and it looks like I’m finally going to be on Cape Cod for this year’s run.  Crossing my fingers I get a place!

And then there’s the reality of my mom life……

In one week, I am babysitter-less for three weeks while our family’s beloved sitter goes off and gets herself married.  She’ll return to be my right-hand gal for the rest of the summer thank goodness!

But it’s three weeks until my boys are out of school.  Next week’s posts will be about how I’m preparing to take care of THEM and ME this summer.

Who will share whether they are EXCITED FOR summer vacation or TERRIFIED of having the kids home all day?  Go ahead and leave me a comment about it.  Your secret is safe with me.

Good health and great happiness to you.

The Pain of Motherhood

I hope all of you moms had a happy mother’s day.  I had a delightful day with my brood– there was breakfast in bed, games of Skip-Bo, a nap with my daughter, running around at the playground, time to sew my oldest a swimsuit, and a nice dinner at a restaurant with tablecloths.

I am reminded that my body contributes to my mothering in so many ways, even now that my gestating and nursing days are over.  Like many of the women I work with, I have nagging minor pains from being pregnant and/or nursing for much of the last decade.  Being mindful of my posture and body mechanics helps me go through my daily activities with greater ease.

If you are a new mom or expecting a baby soon, paying extra attention to some of the repetitive motions of your caretaking can help you avoid some common pains of new motherhood.  Whether you have tightness in your neck or shoulders from nursing or a strained back from carrying that darn bucket carseat around, there are ways you can protect your body.

A few years ago, I was interviewed by journalist Peggy Bourjaily for an article in Pregnancy 360 magazine that addresses the common pains new moms experience.   Take a look for my tips and tricks to keep yourself healthy.  There are some illustrations of simple exercises anyone who has strained muscles from  childbirth and newborn care.

Please do take care of yourself, Mom.

Good health and happiness to you.

(I’d be grateful if you’d take a second to scroll down until you see the TOP MOMMY BLOGS button on the right and give it a click.  Grazie!)

Hey, Mom

I just wanted to write you– yes, you– a quick note to let you know I’m thinking of you.

With Mother’s Day on Sunday, I’m thinking of you and all the other mamas I’ve had the privilege of working with over the last five years.  Many of my clients have been women pregnant with their first child.  The anticipation and excitement is always thrilling, and to be a part of the growing family’s well-being is a real honor.  To walk with these women as they transition into motherhood, to hear their stories of changing bodies and priorities, is one of the real joys of being a perinatal trainer.

Ten years ago, I was awaiting the birth of my first child.  I had just met a group of women in an NCT class who would become my family through the first year of motherhood.  There is no Mother’s Day that goes by that I don’t think of these women, half a world away, and how they shaped my mothering.  Having a community of new moms to share our experiences galvanized our friendships for life.

I also think of all the moms of my friends growing up.  There was the mom who let us do whatever we wanted to, the mom who always seemed tired and grouchy but wanted us around anyway, and the mom who always seemed to have it 100% together.  Now, as an adult and mother, I have a tremendous appreciation for those women, who were undoubtedly balancing their own interests and struggles with the needs of their kids (and their kids’ friends) just as I am now.  I am mindful of how my friends’ mothers influenced me and recognize I can have the same powerful effect on my kids’ friends.

So, Mom, this Mother’s Day, let’s be nice to ourselves.  When we get that feeling that we aren’t being a perfect parent for our child, let’s remember how many other mothers are helping us in our childrearing journey.  Taking time to be ourselves– honoring our own interests, separate from our children, and taking care of our bodies– will ensure we can offer our best selves to the mothering community.

Take a deep breath, Mama.

You’ve earned it.

Good health and great happiness to you.

Photo credit: Shannon Cunningham of Photo Frolic

Safety first!

Last Tuesday, I was driving through the UT campus and witnessed an extremely close call between a car and a cyclist.  It was scary for my nine-year-old to see, and it gave us a lot of conversation about following the rules of the road, wearing helmets, and always cycling with vigilance.  We also talked about how scary it is for drivers in these close calls.

Fast-forward to yesterday afternoon, when I was leaving the grocery store.  As I pulled out of my parking spot, a cyclist collided with the rear quarter panel of my car.  He hit with enough force that his torso came over and rolled on the top of my trunk.  I slammed on the brakes, threw the car into park, and hopped out immediately.

Thankfully, the rider wasn’t injured beyond an abrasion on his shoulder.  We were both fairly shaken up, though.

This accident was just that– I was looking in the direction from which he rode, but he was riding in close to the backs of the cars parked adjacent to me.  I couldn’t see him, and he couldn’t see my reverse lights.  He had just ridden down a hill into the parking lot and was travelling fairly fast.  We were both glad he wasn’t seriously injured.

Please, my friends.  You are precious.

Even if there are cycle-friendly drivers who are looking for you, ride in such a way they can see you.

You’re worth it.

Balance Virtual Bootcamp Update

We’re wrapping up Week Five of my eight-week Balance Virtual Bootcamp, and it’s rockin’!  I could tell you all about how awesome it is, how great it is to have a professional exercise plan laid out three times a week for eight weeks, and how easy it is to modify all of the exercises to a variety of fitness levels.  But you know I’d say all of that.

Let me share with you what some of the participants have said:

• I’m liking the variety of workouts so by the end of the week I have hit all the different muscle groups including cardio.
  
• Just want to say how much I am loving this Virtual Bootcamp. The workouts are always challenging, always different, yet they are short enough to squeeze them into the busiest of days.
• [In just four weeks,] my scores have definitely improved since the first tests. I could especially feel a difference in strength!

In addition to the workouts, participants have found a supportive community on our private Facebook group.  We’ve shared ideas for workouts on ‘off’ days, modifications for injuries or illness, strategies for fitting workouts in to busy life, and more.

And because several people have asked already, I *WILL* be running another session of Balance Virtual Bootcamp, kicking off Monday June 17th.  If you want to make sure you’re notified when registration opens:

Subscribe to our mailing list so you don’t miss out!

I won’t share your email with anyone or use it for any purpose other than letting you know that it’s time to sign up for Summer 2013 Balance Virtual Bootcamp!