Posts Tagged ‘child’

Attention! General On Deck!

Tuesday, May 21st, 2013

When you get advice from a four-star general, you’d better sit up and take notice, right?

But did you ever expect to get health and diet advice?  From General Colin Powell?  (I didn’t think so.)

I didn’t either, but through Laura J. Wellington’s new book “The Four-Star Diet: Based Upon the Wisdom of General Colin Powell & Other Ridiculously Brilliant Leaders,” that’s exactly what I got.

 

The Four-Star Diet, by Laura J. Wellington

The Four-Star Diet, by Laura J. Wellington

 

Laura created an entire way of looking at food and health from a Powerpoint by General Colin Powell entitled, “A Leadership Primer.”  I can only imagine the power that his original presentation had with its audience, and the book is bound to have a similar impact on readers.

Each chapter extracts a quote from Powell’s slides and builds it into a lesson on self-care, health, discipline, nutrition, or some other aspect of overall wellness.

It’s pretty remarkable that his words have such a versatile appeal.

Pros:

  • It’s a quick and easy read, easily digestible *ahem!* by chapter.
  • The author’s delivery is friendly – you’ll feel as if your next-door neighbor is talking to you in the front yard.
  • The book makes some excellent points about the “battle” against excess weight and poor health — and calls on readers (mainly targeted at moms, it seemed to me) to be the leaders toward good health in their families.
  • Laura herself is quite an inspiring leader.  She was widowed young, with five children to raise — but that didn’t stop her from founding six companies of her own and consulting with dozens of others.  Just knowing that a hardcore mom’s brain was behind the book was a giant plus for me.
  • The Four-Star Diet isn’t any kind of eating plan at all.  You won’t find a recipe here – not even a recommendation to cut out or increase any certain type of food.  It’s much more strategic than that.  It’s about crafting your viewpoint on health in a way that enables you to make the choices that work for you and your family.
  • I enjoyed the way each chapter opened with the Powerpoint quote directly from the General, then the author’s brief translation of it, and finally a broader story to round out the lesson.

 

Here’s one of my favorite Powell quotes from the book:  “Never neglect details.  When everyone’s mind is dulled or distracted, the leader must be doubly vigilant.”  The second I read this, I realized its connection to the benefits of meditation.  A leader must keep a sharp, focused mind — the kind of trained mind that comes from regular, disciplined mediation.

 

Cons:

  • I was lucky enough to have been given an advance reading copy for review, so I have every confidence that the typos and other minor glitches (hello! grammar nerd here!) have been worked out before final printing.
  • Health connections to the leadership quotes can sometimes be a stretch.  I only felt this for one or two of the 20 chapters, though — and after all, stretching is good for us!

 

Another of my faves, which I think can be extrapolated to parenting overall — probably to all of life:  “Don’t be buffaloed by experts and elites.  Experts often possess more data than judgment.  Elites can become so inbred that they produce hemophiliacs who bleed to death as soon as they are nicked by the real world.”  WOW.  Isn’t that so true?!

 

I think it’s just brilliant to take a leadership primer and lay it over the frame of leading a family to better health choices.

Have you made similar connections between seemingly-unrelated topics — especially those that have improved your health and fitness?  Tell me about it in the comments below!

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Do you have the “D” factor?

Wednesday, May 8th, 2013

Confession time:  I dragged my feet on this post and seriously thought about not writing for you this week.

There is SO much going on right now, with the end of school for my kiddos and some fabulous (but time-consuming) new developments at ClickAClass.  I was tempted to give it the old “I just don’t have time” excuse….the “I can’t make it perfect, so I won’t make it at all” excuse….the dreaded “one time doesn’t really matter” excuse.

And then I realized that NOT HAVING TIME this is one of the top three reasons that most moms give for not exercising.  Probably in the top three for anybody at all.  And it’s not good enough. 

Actions speak louder than words.  What you do matters more than what you say.  What basis do I have to coach and cajole you, saying “if it’s important, you’ll make the time” — when I’m not doing the same myself?

(Answer:  none.  No basis.)

So, I’M HERE.  This post isn’t perfect.  I can tell already that it’s a little aimless, a little stream-of-consciousness.  The grammar stinks.  I’m using improper ellipses and plenty of sentence fragments.  And already I can tell you that I won’t take time at the end to proofread it because I’m practicing the fine art of putting it out there and then letting go.

Self-discipline is easily one of my personal core values.  I grew up in a physical discipline (ballet); my parents taught me the power of discipline at home (do your homework first, then play…dinner first, then dessert….brush teeth, then go to bed…); yoga and other studies since have given me peace through self-discipline of the mind and heart (keeping the mind steady…keeping quiet unless there’s something kind and valuable to say…).

Self Discipline Cat and Dogs

 

It takes work.  It takes practice.  It’s not easy and it’s rarely perfect — but that’s life, right?  Self-discipline prepares you for all of life.  And when I look back on my life, I want to know that I did my best as many times as possible.

What about you?

What role does self-discipline play in your life?

If you could change that role, how would it be different?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted in Admin/Misc, Family, Health and Fitness | 7 Comments »

Are you missing the point of “mastery”?

Wednesday, May 1st, 2013

I’m excited to bring you a guest post this week from Master Curtis Mast, the founder of Atlanta’s United Tae Kwon Do.  Master Mast is a Kukkiwon certified 6th degree black belt (Dan) and has been studying Taekwondo for over twenty years.  His background boasts a unique blend of both traditional and sport Taekwondo.

Sure, we have a personal connection — he’s a neighbor, friend, and my childrens’ Taekwondo teacher.  But his most recent blog post struck me as so universal that it’s bigger than an acquaintance, and I have to share it with you.  In it, he talks about what it means to be a master.  When can you truly say you have “mastered” anything? 

Running?

A form of dance?

Parenting?

Training clients?

A foreign language?

Writing?

You see how this can apply to almost any skill?  I can’t think of a single thing that can dodge the question, “what achieves mastery?”

In his post, Master Mast says, “A true Master can make a front stance with a low block look just as a amazing as breaking bricks, or effortlessly defending against an attacker.  With each block, stance or kick, a Master is always looking at how to make it better.”  This reminds me of a quote I loved growing up.  Of course, now I can’t remember the exact words or who said it – either Balanchine or Baryshnikov, I think — something like “a real dancer can break a sweat just standing in first position.”

So, please read his post in this spirit, all the way to the surprise ending – and ask yourself what you’re trying to master, and what mastery means to you.  Then, go out and DO it!  Use “not only…muscles and tendons, but…spirit and being” — there’s no other like yours.

 

Master Curtis Mast of Atlanta's United Tae Kwon Do

Master Curtis Mast
of Atlanta’s United Tae Kwon Do

I’m frequently asked to recommend a book for students, and my answer is always the same: “There is no best Taekwondo book.  You must find one that resonates with you”.  There are hundreds of books out there.  And each has just a little gem buried inside if you’re willing to look for it.

I’m constantly trying to find another great Taekwondo or martial art book.  Something to build my library.  Something to inspire me.  Something to help me grow.  Something to fill the empty space of knowledge that seems to actually grow in me year after year.

Used bookstores are my favorite hunting grounds.  Musty smells, dark wood shelves, dust, and dog-eared pages. And most importantly, no Starbucks.

I recently came across Clearing the Clouds; Nine Lessons for Life from the Martial Arts by Stephen Fabian.  A light, thin, quick-read paperback, this little wonder is truly a gem and pleasure to read.  The author shares his personal journey through life and martial arts, and offers as the title suggests, nine lessons of personal improvement he has learned from the martial arts.

Clearing the Clouds got me thinking about what is means to be a Master Instructor, and how I got to where I am today.  It was only yesterday I was a 16 year old, non-flexible, stiff as a board, but highly motivated teenager training in the driveway in Rome, NY, with my one-day-to-be-father in law as my first instructor.

Fast forward a couple years, and I was a black belt.  Then, I blinked and I was moving up the ranks.  2nd degree, 3rd degree.  It was when I
was a 3rd degree, on a trip to Korea that I knew I wanted to become a Master and one day own and operate my own school.

According to the rules of the Kukkiwon  anyone holding a 4th degree black belt (DAN) or higher is entitled be called Sa Bum Nim.  Loosely translated this means, “Master Instructor” or just ”Master”.  So how does one become a Master?

For me, the title of “Master” held a mystical and magical meaning for many years.  Men and women I that trained under that were so far more physically gifted than I.  They were amazing; Inspiring; Life changing and in some cases life-saving.

Mastery is built from the very first day. The practice of basic techniques over and over again.  Basic techniques lead to intermediate techniques.  Intermediate techniques lead to advanced techniques.  But all throughout the training, the basics are never forgotten, never consigned to oblivion.  A true Master can make a front stance with a low block look just as a amazing as breaking bricks, or effortlessly defending against an attacker.  With each block, stance or kick, a Master is always looking at how to make it better.  Fabian writes, “Ultimately, this is the way to Mastery;  the enduring process of discovery and knowledge, applied in the forging of stronger and better technique, form and self”.

It is through the repeated practice, persistence, self-discipline and rising-up and returning after failure and frustration that we work toward
Mastery.  “Not only is true mastery in the application of form and technique possible only with a deeper mastery of the self, but  it is through the long and challenging process of mastering an artistic Way that the self can and must be mastered.  Resolve and courage result from frequent confrontations with and efforts to surpass our limitations and weaknesses…By daring, time after time, to confront and exceed our deficiencies, debilities and pain we forge a stronger, more resilient and less perturbable spirit.” [Fabian]

I’ve written before that to move the the next level of Taekwondo, one must perform a technique not only with muscles and tendons, but with spirit and being. “To Master the Way is to become an artist in your heart and soul.”  [Fabian]

We study a Martial ART.  The art is supposed to be beautiful.  Supposed to inspire.  “A technique is not just technically correct, but also full of beauty and meaning…Eventually, the punch, sword cut, brush stroke, or musical chord becomes effortless and richly expressive, a delight to the senses and soul of performer and spectator alike.” [Fabian]

But so what?  What are you doing with that talent?  “All of the effort we put into our own personal development is worth nothing if is isn’t somehow put into use for the benefit of others”. [Fabian]

The true meaning of being a Master, is not what you are called, but what you have become, and what you offer your students and give back  to them.  Do you care for them?  Motivate them?  Encourage them?  Support them?  Inspire them?

THIS is what it means to be a true Master.

Reposted with permission – original post here.

Did you enjoy this post?  Please tell Master Mast!  Go “like” Atlanta’s United Tae Kwon Do on Facebook, comment here, or click to tweet:

What have you truly mastered?  Or what would you like to master?

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Grow Your Brain (and Biceps) With Screen-Free Week!

Monday, April 22nd, 2013

 

Screen-Free Week — also called TV Turnoff or Digital Detox – begins on April 29 this year!

 

Originally the brainchild of a non-profit environmental and anti-consumerist firm in British Columbia, Screen-Free Week later came under the wing of another organization urging people to use electronic screen media responsibly.*  The movement has undergone a few name changes to keep up with the changing face of our media, but “screen-free” seems to capture it for the foreseeable future.

 

In 2010, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) became the home of Screen-Free Week at the request of the Board of the Center for SCREEN-TIME Awareness (CSTA), which ran the initiative since 1994 (first as TV-Free America). CCFC launched a new website and developed a new Organizer’s Kit, fact sheets, and other materials for Screen-Free Week 2011 and beyond. The Screen-Free Week Organizer’s Kit is available as a free download.*

 

Over 70 other organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Heart Association, the American Medical Association and the YMCA, support Screen-Free Week and multiple countries thoughout the world participate annually.*   The White House supports limiting screen time via its Task Force on Childhood Obesity and the “Let’s Move” initiative.  And the CCFC has a free, handy organizer’s kit.

Now you have the background on it — what will you DO about it?

What are your current boundaries around screen time for yourself and/or your family?   Exactly how many screens do you have in your family?  Um, YES, smartphones count — as do tvs, readers, tablets, laptops, monitors, and all the rest.  If it lights up and shows you a picture, it counts.  (Bet the number will surprise you!  We have only 1 tv, but a total of SIX screens!  Whaaaaat??  That’s nuts, y’all.)

 

Your brain is still reeling just from counting the number of screens you own. 

You need ideas about how to turn them off without losing your mind, and you’ve come to the right place.

 

Yes, of course I have suggestions — and of course, they involve getting up and moving.  You wouldn’t recognize this as my writing if I didn’t throw those in, right?!  Try these on for size:

1.  Play Spin-Fit instead of sitting on the sofa!  It’s springtime, and there’s no more perfect time to be outside!

2.  Get the family involved in making dinner.  Even moving around the kitchen is still more MOVING than sitting on the couch.

3.  Turn the music up and dance it out!  Remember the main characters’ “therapy” on Grey’s Anatomy?  A good ol’ fashioned dance-off really will cure what ails you.

4.  Play charades.  Bonus points for depicting ACTIVE scenes!  Try Twister, Flippity Frogs, Cat In the Hat’s I Can Do That, or Don’t Scramble The Egg too!

5.  Go for a walk.  Walk to school.  Walk to your after-school stuff.  Or just walk around the block.  Bonus points for a follow-the-leader “wacky walk” game while you’re out!

6.  Take a new class!  You can even do it at a discount (in the Atlanta area) if you check out ClickAClass.com!

7.  Let your kids be the boss for a change.  Let them be “Simon” in Simon Says and see if you can keep up with their crazy antics.  They’ll love getting to order you around, and you’ll get a workout without feeling like it.  Or, get together and try these dare-you-to-keep-a-straight-face challenges!

8.  Head down to the park — and don’t just sit there, play along!

9.  Check out some other ideas from my friends at Nourish Interactive.

 

I could go on, but now it’s YOUR turn!  Tell us in the comments below how YOU will approach Screen-Free Week.

Will you participate at all, and if not, why not?

If so, what will you do differently — and do you think it’s sustainable for more than just a week?

 

 

*Wikipedia on Screen-Free Week

Note:  this post contains some affiliate links from people/products I know personally and trust with complete comfort to recommend to you!

 

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Chia’s Best-Kept Secret: Cousin Mila

Monday, February 25th, 2013

You’ve heard of chia, right?  (No, I don’t mean “chia pets,” fellow children of the 70′s, although it is the same plant.)

I’m talking about chia, an ancient seed named for the Mayan word for “strength.”   Chia is a whole, unprocessed food chock-full of protein, omega-3′s, fiber, calcium and more — and it can be used by the body in seed form (unlike flax).  The USDA gives some more background on the plant itself here, and this page shows the USDA’s nutritional analysis for dried chia seeds.  WebMD says it’s one of their top 5 hunger-busting foods.

 

“Use chia seeds in foods, not as a supplement, but as an alternative to processed grains like white bread because it is a much healthier whole grain that is great-tasting in foods like muffins,” suggests Michael Roizen, MD, co-author of You Staying Young.

In the book, Roizen and Mehmet Oz, MD, recommend two daily doses, each consisting of 20 grams (a little less than 2 tablespoons) of chia seeds. The authors also note that the antioxidant activity of chia seeds is higher than any whole food, even blueberries.”

Source:  WebMD.com

 

I had the opportunity recently to try Mila, and I have to say I’m impressed.  Mila is a proprietary blend of chia seeds, grown and harvested ethically, and ground in an exclusive method that preserves nutrition and enhances bioavailability (and texture, too, if you ask me).  During our winter break, we were out of town and I didn’t take any with me — and I missed it!

 

Mila Logo

 

I know you count on me for real-world reviews, so that’s what follows.  I’m really enjoying Mila, and I’m almost at the end of my first supply, so I plan on buying more.  Here’s why:

Pros:

  • It’s a nutritional superhero:   protein, essential fatty acids, calcium, vitamins, fiber, minerals and antioxidants all in one tidy, mighty little package.
  • Health benefits include improvement of cholesterol levels, blood sugar control (important for anyone, not just diabetics), sustained energy, and reduction of inflammation.
  • Chia is more bioavailable than flax (even in whole-seed form) and is more shelf-stable — you don’t need to refrigerate it.  Apparently, it’s also heat-stable** — meaning you can throw it into a baked recipe without losing health benefits, as you would with flax.
  • As one of the rare plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids, it’s vegan, vegetarian, and omnivore friendly.
  • It makes a great addition to just about any smoothie or juice, especially the green ones.
  • It’s affordable.
  • It’s sustainable and ethical.
  • If you’re into it, you can even turn it into a tidy income stream by becoming a distributor.
  • The whole family can enjoy it — even the pets!  There’s a whole marketing line directed toward veterinary usage of Mila!
  • It’s REAL FOOD.  I can’t overemphasize the importance of that:  it’s the actual food that came from the earth — no isolates, no synthetics.  It’s plant-based protein, omega-3′s and more, which are incredibly important for overall good health PLUS a host of medical problems.

 

Cons:

  • You can’t actually hide it in everything.  Chia may be a superhero food, but my kids have the superpower of detecting even the tiniest fleck of a healthy addition to their foods, so in lighter-colored or very smooth-textured foods, they found it.  (The good news is they sometimes ate it anyway, believing it was “fairy dust” or “ground-up dinosaur bones.”  Why are you looking at me?   I didn’t tell them that.  Okay, I did, but don’t judge me.)
  • While it’s affordable for many, it may still be out of reach for the lower income brackets — but then again, so is plain chia, flax, and most other good food.  Don’t get me started on why a Coke often costs half the price of a bottled water in convenience outlets.
  • If you start right away with too much Mila (which any consultant will advise you carefully against), it may cause some digestive issues.  Start with a little and build up as your body acclimates to the added fiber.
  • It’s not a weight loss panacea.  This is REAL FOOD, people.  (This is also a definite “pro,” as you’ll see above.)  Don’t use Mila if you expect to drop 20 pounds in a week — go find the synthetic ingredients that are impossible to prounounce if that’s what you’re after.  That said, I’ve found that Mila has blunted my craving for sugary foods (yes, even health and fitness pros crave chocolate), which in turn has cut my calorie consumption — so it’s not out of line to say that you might lose weight by eating more healthfully.
  • (This one’s a little unclear….bear with me.)  Certain people on blood thinners or medication for high blood pressure may need to avoid  chia because it may cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure.  Then again, there have been cases in which chia has helped those with high blood pressure scale back or eliminate their medicines.  As always, folks with a serious condition like high blood pressure should talk to their doctors first before making big changes to any health regimen.  Anyone with a rare allergy to mustard or sesame seeds should also avoid chia.

 

So — have you tried chia?  Share your recipes!

Have you grown your own, or would you?

If you haven’t tried it, what’s stopping you?

 

 

This piece isn’t intended to be medical advice — please talk to your doctor if you have any concern whatsoever about trying a new food.

*I was lucky enough to receive Mila as a gift, but I’m not a distributor or getting any financial gain from this review.

**At the time of this post, I haven’t yet found any information substantiating that, but I’ll keep looking and update you when I find some.  My impression comes from the great big number of recipes recommended that include both chia and baking (breads, granolas, etc.)

UPDATE as of 4/29/13:  I’ve come to love Mila so much that I can’t do without it – and I can’t stop myself from sharing it!  Eating Mila daily, I have more energy and less joint pain than I can remember.  It’s made such a difference in my life that I joined the team!  So, this post now contains affiliate links and easy ways for you to try Mila too!

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Posted in Family, Health and Fitness, Reviews | 11 Comments »

Hit the “reset” button on your workout

Wednesday, December 5th, 2012

I’ve missed you!

I haven’t posted here in a couple of weeks.  It’s partly intentional (trying to step back, take a break and enjoy Thanksgiving with the family) and partly not-so-much (running out of time when higher-priority work got in the way).  I saw a wonderful quote the other day that said, basically, “Every moment is another chance to start again.”

So!  Here I am, starting again.  See — practicing what I preach!  That’s a good thing, right?

Naturally, all this got me thinking of the various times and ways we all start over after a lapse in anything — and also naturally, my mind went straight to exercise.

It is painfully, dangerously easy to make excuses to ourselves when we’ve been out of the workout routine for a few — a few days or weeks or months or even years (yeah, mommies, I’m looking at you!).  We say to ourselves or anyone who will listen, “I haven’t worked out in X number of days/weeks/whatever — I can’t go back now.”

How crazy is that?  Imagine talking to a young child this way.

“Oh, sorry kiddo — you made an extra line on that capital ‘E’.  Better stop learning to write now because you just can’t go back after that.”

“Nope, don’t do it.  Don’t you dare sit down at that piano again after not practicing for a whole week.  Just quit now — there’s no use in trying again.”

Absurd, right?

Same for you.  It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been out of it.  JUST.  GET.  BACK.  IN.  IT.

(Of course I’m going to show you how — no worries!)

You CAN go back, and you must — for your sake, for the kids’ sake, for Pete’s sake.   I know Pete, and he’d do the same for you.

The key to going back is patience.  It’s not my strong suit and I don’t expect it to be yours, but it’s critical.  Start small and amaze yourself with the great big gains you will make in only a short time.  Here’s a sample, designed for an average exerciser who had been doing pretty typical cardio and weight workouts.*  You’ll need a stopwatch (check your phone for a timer — mine has one in the clock function) and a set of light or medium handweights.

 

Warm Up – 5-15 minutes

  • Arm swings, hamstring curls, jumping jacks, high cross-kicks, torso rotations (go 15+ minutes if you’re really feeling tight, 5-ish if you’re spry)

Alternate Drills – 8-30+ minutes

Do each exercise for 1 minute:

  • Alternate-Leg Lunges, stepping forward
  • Imaginary Jump Rope
  • Switch-Lunges (start small – even go back to Alternate-Leg Lunges if needed)
  • Push-Ups (try starting in full pushup position – you can always put your knees down when you must)
  • Jumping Jacks
  • Dumbbell Rows in Chair Squat
  • Mountain Climbers
  • Upright Rows in Plie Position

Cool Down – 5-15 minutes

  • Wide-leg stretches, #4 stretch (make your legs into a ’4′ shape), standing hamstring stretch, calf stretch, overhead reaches straight up and to each side.   Finish with several rounds of inhale-arms-up / exhale-arms-down.

Progression:  begin with just one round of the Alternate Drills (that’s 8 minutes — you can do this.).  As you begin to feel better, faster, stronger, aim for 2 rounds, then 3.  By that point, you’re likely ready to resume whatever workout you had done in the past.

 

WHEW!

 

In the immortal words of Jon Bon Jovi, “who says you can’t go home”?  You did it!  A great workout in just 8 (or more) minutes — not bad.

 

So here’s my challenge (you knew it was coming):

Go and DO this, then come back and tell me what you thought and how you felt.

OR, if that’s just a little much now, tell me what it is that you’re hitting “reset” on and how you’ll manage that process.

GO!

 

 

 

 

*Always clear it with your healthcare provider first, before starting or resuming any routine.  The lawyers make me say that, but it really is a good rule of thumb, especially if you’ve been out of it for a really long time or if anything has changed (like having a baby) since your last workout.

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Posted in Health and Fitness, Workout Routines | 6 Comments »

Back To School Sleep Tips

Tuesday, September 18th, 2012

This week’s post is a generous guest offering from Kate Gardes, LCSW — the Atlanta Sleep Coach.  She’s a mom of two and a licensed clinical social worker who discovered gentle sleep coaching while working with a foster family needing sleep help.  

I met with Kate earlier this week, and we talked about the very close connection between good sleep and good health.  Bodies and brains just work better with sufficient sleep.  If you’ve ever pulled an all-nighter for whatever reason, and then tried to work out or puzzle through an issue the next day, you know what I’m talking about.  Sleep deprivation is worse than just feeling terrible.  It has been linked to depression, heart disease, fatigue-related accidents, excess weight (courtesy of crazy brain chemistry that makes you crave junk food), weakened immunity and heightened pain response – among other things. 

So, how do you GET kids to sleep well?  Kate’s Gentle Sleep Coaching method is certified by The Sleep Lady, Kim West, LCSW-C.  Many of you know that I credit her method with saving my sanity in the early days of motherhood.  Thanks to what I learned, I’m proud, grateful, and happy to have two solidly good sleepers!  Read on for more on getting your kids to rest (yes, even older ones!) — which means you’ll sleep better too.

 

 

 

Back to School Sleep Tips

My daughter’s on a crazy school schedule, so she’s already been in school for 6 weeks and is looking forward to a week off.  For most parents, however, this is the time of year when the novelty of the new school year wears off and it’s hard to get your kids out of bed in the morning.  It’s still light outside in the evening, and kids can be so persuasive when trying to talk you out of a regular bedtime.  Here are a few tips to make sure your child is well-rested for his/her school day.

  • How much sleep does your child need?  Check out this chart to find out.  Then count backwards from the time they have to wake up and that is what time they need to be asleep at night.
  • Notice that I said that’s what time they need to be asleep.  You’ll want them in bed about 15 minutes ahead of time so they have time to settle.
  • Now that you know what time they should be in bed, figure out how much time they need for their bedtime routine, and set a reminder alarm on your phone so that the bedtime routine begins at the same time each night.
  • For little ones, having a picture chart can help remind them what comes next.  For older kids, try creating a playlist on your phone and timing it to the tasks they should be completing during each song.  (Oh, that song means it’s time to brush your teeth!)
  • End the bedtime routine with a book or song to help your child relax.
  • Make sure that wake-up time stays consistent.  Sleeping in on the weekends is so tempting!  But if your child is having trouble waking up in time for school, this can make it much worse.  In the early weeks of a new routine, try to keep wake-up at the same time everyday, regardless of your plans for the day.  After your child has made the adjustment, you can allow him/her to sleep in about 30 minutes.
  • Use blackout shades in the evening to keep the sun from tricking your child into thinking it’s still daytime.  So many parents ask me if they really work.  My answer?  Yes, they really do work!!!
  • Remember that quality sleep is crucial for your child to be at her/his best at school, and make it a family priority to get a good night’s sleep.

In upcoming posts, Kate’s blog will explore new research suggesting that for some children, a lack of sleep can cause attention and learning problems at school.

Did you enjoy this post?  Find it helpful?  Take issue with it?  Let us know about it in the comments below!  And while you’re at it, please show some Facebook love by liking and sharing Kate’s page and the ClickAClass page too!

 

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The Playground Workout – aka, Don’t Just Sit There

Tuesday, August 7th, 2012

Ready for a little tough love?

Brace yourself.

I’m often amazed at the numbers of people (let’s just say it:  usually moms, like me) sitting on the park bench at my local playground, idly watching their children play while they complain about being out of shape.

I get it — believe me, I get it.  I have 2 little ones and 2 businesses and very little spare time.  For me, that means I need to make the most of the time I have (rather than complaining about not having enough of it).  I have the same number of hours in every day that each Olympic athlete has, after all — and so do you.

So rather than sitting, moaning and groaning about your lack of time, why not use it to get the very thing you want?  Put your body where your complaint is.

Here’s the tough love part:  “Get off your bum and do something, instead of bitching about it.”

 

At the park with your kids?

  • Challenge them to a race across the monkey bars (upper-body benefit).
  • Get down on all fours, and bear crawl the width of a field with the kids (full-body workout — you’ll see!).
  • Pushing them on the swings, keep your elbows to the front at shoulder level; on the push, extend hands straight out in front (firms up the “bingo wings”).
  • See who can hop the longest distance – do it on both legs, then each leg separately (for legs and cardio/plyometrics).
  • Flip over your bear crawl from above, and crab-walk instead (full-body workout in the rear).
  • Balance on a swing, holding chains with both hands and lifting your legs straight out to the front while sitting up straight and tall; work toward leaning back and lifting legs to make a V-shape at the hips (abs, abs, and more abs).
  • Bonus points:  get back to the monkey bars for a pull-up or two (upper-body).

….Oh, and in addition to all the body benefits I just mentioned, you’ll also get a giant boost of hugs and kisses from your kids who appreciate that you’ve truly played with them instead of checking emails and all the other stuff you do while sitting on that bench.

Isn’t that so much better than grumbling about your figure?  Yup — and sets a better example for the kiddos, too.  Feel free to gloat among the other moms, still sitting idle — and you can tell ‘em I said so.

 

 

 

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Posted in Family, Health and Fitness | 6 Comments »

How to Start Your Own Moms’ Walking Group — and What To Do While You’re Out

Wednesday, April 18th, 2012

So, let me guess:  you have young kids and the springtime weather is inspiring you to get out and reclaim your pre-baby body but you’re not sure how to do it.  Am I close?

I’m cheering for you – and for your whole family!  The good things you do for your health will benefit your kids and spouse, too.  So, step 1 is giving yourself a generous pat on the back for feeling the inspiration to get moving.

One of the easier ways to begin your journey is to join a group that’s already established.  Stroller Strides  has locations in several states, and their M.O. is to walk with stroller-bound kids and do some toning along the way.  Oh Baby Fitness  (my Atlanta-area favorite, hands-down) offers lots of different kinds of classes, including stroller walks plus water aerobics, yoga and more – many of which include babies.  They have the advantage of providing experienced instructors as well, who are specially trained in perinatal fitness.

But what if you don’t have one of these near you – or you can’t get to the class times offered?  You might know my motto – it’s how I founded ClickAClass.com and its parent company:  if you don’t see what you want, make it yourself!  Here are three easy steps to creating your own walking workout for moms and kids (with a bonus sample workout!).

First, gather your team.  Meet them on the playground, at the grocery store or anywhere you frequent.  “How old is yours?” is the new “Come here often?” in this crowd.  Carry “mommy cards” – business cards with just your personal information on them – for when you meet someone and feel enough “click” to exchange information.  If you don’t already know some others, start a Facebook [www.facebook.com] group or a MeetUp  – social media makes it so easy to spread the word and meet real-world people.  (And of course, put your online group information on the mommy cards!)

Next, set up a few walks.  Start with one a week for three weeks.  Aim for 45 minutes on each walk.  I’ve found that’s about the level of commitment that new moms can handle, and veteran moms will be okay with it, too.  Announce it in whatever communication mode you choose.  Start and end at a local park, unless all the participants live very close to each other.  To map out your path, use Map My Run,  which can also help you find other walkers and track your activity.  Another idea is to find a park with a nice paved trail.

Have a plan in place.  If you’re in the city, plan to stop every 3-4 blocks for toning; in parks and more suburban spots, gauge it by your path.  Aim for a toning stop about every 10 minutes or so after a quick warmup.  Your plan will depend on the age of the kids involved.  Very young ones will stay in the stroller, of course, but toddlers and preschoolers will want to get involved!  Consider this another cheer for healthy moms, because kids are always watching and emulating what we do .  If yours wants to hop down and move around, you’re doing something right.

On your toning stops, be sure to include a few exercises each for upper and lower body parts.  Resistance bands are a fun, portable, inexpensive way to use resistance training; you could also use light handweights, but you don’t necessarily need any equipment.  Follow the childrens’ lead sometimes – watch how they move around and try to imitate them.  They love it, and it’s a much harder full-body workout than you’d ever imagine!  (A research study once pitted a professional athlete against a 9-month old baby; after about an hour of trying to copy the baby’s every move, the athlete was toast!)

With that in mind, here’s a sample workout for the hopping-down crowd – kiddos can get down and copy Mommy at each toning stop:

Minutes                     Activity

0-5                              Brisk walking warmup

5-10                            Light dynamic stretching:  arm swings (open wide and cross over chest), torso rotations (feet planted, swing arms to left side, then right; alternate and repeat), jumping jacks, high-knee marches/runs alternating front kicks (kick left leg straight out front, reaching to it with right hand; alternate and repeat).

10-20                          Fast walking – just short of a run.  Focus on keeping abs tight and hips tucked under.

20-25                          Upper body:  wall or bench pushups, kiss-lifts (mom holds child by armpits with mom’s elbows glued to her sides, lifting child slowly in a bicep curl for a little kiss)

25-35                          Brisk walking and isometric toning:  grip stroller handles on the sides, with palms facing each other and pull outward while still walking forward.  Hold for a count of 10, release for 10 and repeat twice.  Then place hands with right palm up and left down; pull up with right while resisting with left (the stroller wheels stay on the ground, moving forward).  Hold 10, release 10 and repeat; switch sides.

35-40                          Lower body:  chair squats (feet hip-width apart, push hips back as if to sit; arms reach high overhead).  Do 15 at a moderate pace, then 5 that are held for 10 counts each.  Then try frog jumps (keeping chest up, bend knees to touch fingertips to the ground; leap up, reaching for the sky and jumping as high as possible; land in starting position and repeat 10 times).  If frog jumps are too much, simply jump from the chair position instead.

40-45                          Moderate walk 2-3 minutes, 2-3 minutes repeating easy version of warmup exercises.

 

That’s it!  Now you have the initial tools to start your own group of family fitness enthusiasts, and there’s no better time to do it than now.

Note:  as with any new exercise routine, participants (especially pregnant and postpartum) should get a doctor’s clearance first. Women who’ve given birth in the last 6 weeks or who are pregnant should avoid twisting motions of the torso and certain other strenuous movements.

 

 

 

Article first appeared at www.myfamilyexercise.com.

Copyright 2012, Jessica Covington and FIT-ology Wellness.  All rights reserved, use with permission only.

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Posted in Health and Fitness | 9 Comments »