Happy Mother's Day!

God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers. ~Jewish Proverb

I love this picture of my mother. This was taken when my eldest daughter was about six weeks old. The smile on my mother's face is not for the benefit of the camera. She was quite simply in love with this little girl that she was holding. My daughter had done nothing to earn her love other than being. Lauren was a delightful baby. She smiled easily and warmed to friends and family very quickly. However, none of that mattered to my mom. As much as I love this picture of my mom and daughter, I know that that expression on my mom's face is universal. Look at any mom holding a baby, and you will see them gazing at the baby with a smile. Yes, there are sleepless nights and dirty diapers (thank goodness for grandmoms!), but the fatigue and mess will fade away with time- the love endures.
My mom has showered Lauren with love since the day she was born, and they share a special relationship that each of them value. The dynamic has changed as Lauren's world has expanded; however, their Monday night dinner dates are sacred to both of them.
Every year my sisters and I try to figure out what gift we can give our mother to celebrate her and all that she has done, but when I look at this picture, I know that her 4 daughters and 9 grandchildren are her greatest gift. I am very grateful that I will spend this Sunday with my mother, 2 out of 3 sisters, and 6 of the 9 grandchildren.
To all the moms to be, moms, and grandmoms, have a wonderful Mother's Day, and enjoy the moment.

For you. Listen and smile!

Are you Trying to be Wonder Woman?

She can do it all... have a fulfilling career, raise bright well- adjusted children, be an attentive wife, stay fit and trim, keep the house clean and tidy, have a passion for volunteering... she is wonder woman- Many women feel pressure to be all that and a bag of chips. Check out this article to get some perspective on how to appreciate what you have and stay out of the rat race.

BREAK THROUGH THE PLATEAU

Be a Fit Mama is hosting Advocare's 24 Day "Break Through the Plateau" Challenge and is looking for participants and hosts. Average weight loss is 10lbs and 10 inches in 24 days. Here is the really cool part; you can do this with a group, you can do it by yourself, and you can do this long distance.

This is not a diet; This is a program that will teach you the foundation of nutrition and equip you for a healthy lifestyle. The 24 Day Challenge is a great way to...

• Break through a weight loss plateau


• Get fast results for an upcoming event


• Get lean for bathing suit season


• See better results from your current workout

Participants will receive ...

• FREE 24 Day food plan with healthy recipes


• FREE coaching and accountability


• Food diary to keep track of what you are really eating


• Gift for completion of 24 Day Challenge


• Free lifestyle questionnaire
• Sample Pack of nutritional products
  

Hosts will receive all of the above, PLUS

• Promotional materials


• Coaching on how to conduct a 24 Day Challenge


• Income opportunity- could be a little, could be a whole lot
  

See how the program has helped this mama get fit.

To request complete program details, please reply to nextlevelkc@gmail.com with best contact number and the best time to reach you.

Running on Empty

Cars have a very handy gauge to tell you how full your gas tank is. F=full E=empty. In my car a little warning light comes on when I am getting close to needing more gas. I often ignore the light the first time I see it... just one more trip to the store, just got to get my kid to soccer practice. If you run out of fuel, that is it; your car does not have a fuel reserve. Now imagine if you had no gas gauge and you had to estimate when you might need gas. That is what many of us have done with our bodies; our hunger gauge is no longer in sync because of coffee breakfasts and skipped meals. In turn we wonder why we are lethargic and can't stop eating in the evening.

Our bodies are complex and wonderful organisms. We don't give a second thought to our digestion, blood sugar levels, and energy until they are compromised in some way. What if you could help your body stay healthy through food? What if you shifted your thinking away from weight loss and calories and toward nutrition. Many of us treat our cars better than our bodies. We make sure our car gets the right type of fuel, we get the oil changed, we buy new tires, and we make sure our car is in proper alignment. Do you do that for yourself?

I am not going into the science of why you need to fuel your body properly- I can provide some links for that. What I do want to emphasize is that your body depends on you to provide nutrition, and lack of nutrition over time may lead to chronic health problems.

So here are some guidelines on how to nourish yourself throughout the day... A colleague of mine, who is a dietician, recommends these guidelines.... 5 small meals throughout the day with a minimum of 10 grams of protein and a maximum of 30 grams or carbohydrates.

This is what a typical would look like following those guidelines...

7:00 am breakfast- Protein shake
10:00 am snack- 1/4 cup of almonds and a piece of fruit
1:00 lunch- chicken breast and steamed veggies
4:00 snack- 1/2 cup of cottage cheese and 1/4 cup of strawberries
7:00 dinner- salmon filet and stir- fry veggies

Your body will thank you. You will chase away the swings in energy, and you just might find your clothes getting looser

Ever wonder why you crash in the Afternoon??

Somehow, as a society we have been trained that the key to weight loss is counting calories. What really contributes to living a healthy lifestyle long term is paying attention to WHAT you eat (nutritional value vs. calorie counting) and WHEN you eat. This is a great visualization of why we crash after a big meal and crave sugar. Stay tuned for ideas on how to eat throughout the day to keep the sugar cravings away and boost your energy.

PAY ATTENTION!

Several years ago Oprah came to town on a promotional tour, and I went with a group of girlfriends to see the queen of daytime TV. I don't remember much about Oprah, but what I do remember is her lasting message of "pay attention". She talked about the importance of listening to the whisper that you hear in your mind. If you ignore it, that whisper will soon become a yell, and if you continue to ignore that voice, eventually it will bang you on the head and knock you over. This little whisper is the voice of truth; the voice that you know instinctively is right. So, this week I have received this message via email and text.

"To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did."

Hmmm... I am thinking there is something to that message I need to pay attention to before it knocks me on the head. So, I have to ask myself what do I want to get and what am I willing to do to get it?

I don't know what the voice in your head is telling you to pay attention to, but the voice in my mind clearly says, "just getting by is no longer good enough". Please, don't misunderstand me; I have much to be grateful for- 4 beautiful bright happy kids, a wonderful husband who is also an exceptional father, as well as 3 sisters and a mom whom I am proud to be friends with. Believe me, there is much good in my life. However, this voice cannot be quieted and refuses to be ignored. The easy choice would be to ignore the voice 'cause from the outside looking in, my life just just isn't that bad. But, I must pay attention to that voice 'cause I know ,in my heart, from the inside looking out that, I have the power to make the ordinary extraordinary.

The Myth of Time Management

Oh, the shelves are crowded with books about time management. You cannot manage time. It ticks away whether you manage it or not. You can manage your money... put it under the mattress, save it, spend it, invest it. You can do anything you like with your money. Time is different. You cannot invest it in stocks and watch it grow. You cannot save it for another day. All you can do is decide what you are going to do at this moment, and that is my focus- how to decide what to do right now because right now is an expiring option.

I have been reading and listening to some great entrepreneurs, and in one form or another, they all discuss the fact that in order to accomplish your goal, you must exchange activities that do not bring you closer to your goal with activities that do. It sounds pretty simple; decide what is important to you and do that. So, I must change my activities.

I do not know who is on American Idol or Dancing with the Stars. I wish I had seen one episode of Glee as everyone seems to really like it. TV is not my time drain. This little slim box that connects me to the whole world is my time drain. I believe I must check email to see what offers Barnes and Noble, Nordstrom, and Land's End have sent me. But, oh- the worst is FACE BOOK. Who has posted cute pics of their kids? Who responded to that very clever comment I made? What events have strangers invited me to? What fan pages have I been asked to join?... and I don't even play games on FaceBook or send stuff. So, in the interest of having more time to focus on helping others become Fit Mamas and more time with my kids, I am going on a Face Book diet.

I am not going cold turkey- that would be like telling me to give up chocolate completely. What I am doing is allowing myself to check in once in the morning and once at night. So, if you see my name pop up during the day, you can gently remind me to get off line NOW.

What are you willing to exchange to get one step closer to reaching your goal?

Is an Apple a Day Enough?

How many of us grew up learning the food pyramid... grains on the bottom, followed by fruits and vegetables, dairy, protein, and fats on the top. I was raised on the idea that if you follow the pyramid, your body will get the nutrition it needs to be healthy. I am not going to delve into the validity of the pyramid; however, what is interesting to me is the nutritional value of the food we eat TODAY.

Consider this...

• "The quality of our food is declining with mass farming, soil quality issues, transportation and artificial ripening. Plus, our food now contains other chemicals like preservatives and pesticides that may affect our health."

• "According to the USDA and Nutrition Security Institute, the amount of calcium in an apple before 1992 has now decreased by 50%. That’s means you would have to consume two apples to get the same amount of calcium."

• "How about chicken? Not so good either… The amount of Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and other minerals has decreased by 60% or more over the last 18 years."

• "...if you are getting enough vitamins and minerals from your food, you may be eating too much. Talk about a catch 22!"

So, how does the average woman living an active life ensure that she is getting complete nutrition- not just hitting the minimum standard, but getting the right nutrition to help PREVENT chronic disease? The Journal of the American Medical Association recommends that "all adults take one multivitamin daily. This practice is justified mainly by the known and suspected benefits of supplemental folate and vitamins B₁₂, B₆, and D in preventing cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoporosis and because multivitamins at that dose are safe and inexpensive."

So, an apple a day is a start, but don't forget a high quality multi-vitamin.
Source Supplemental Science

A dirty little four letter word...

We all know the usual four letter words that are banned on network TV, and our 10 year old boys will blurt out just to see our reaction, but there is one four letter word that I am eliminating from my vocabulary... BUSY! Ask any mom, dad, single lady, person on the street- how are you? and I am willing to bet the answer is "busy".

Being BUSY is a great excuse for just about anything... I can't work out- too busy. Sorry I didn't call you back- too busy. I want to run a 5K- too busy.

Is there something that you really want to do, but find yourself saying I am too busy?
To me, busy implies lack of focus, overwhelmed, never having a moment of peace. I am not suggesting that we do no work, pull our kids out of activities, and not clean the house. What I am suggesting is that we learn to focus our energy on what is important. Just as a disclaimer, I have not mastered this art- I am a work in progress.

• What are your priorities? Identify them and commit to them. My husband is a great example of creatively fitting exercise into his day. He decided about 6 months ago that he would exercise 20 minutes a day- no matter what! In order to make that happen, he has had to be flexible in what defines exercise. On cold nights it meant walking up and down the stairs; sometimes it was a walk during his lunch hour. Now that it has warmed up, he walks/ runs outside and almost always has one kid with him.
• Learn to say "no". If you are the mom who is the room mom, committee head, PTO president elect, you are allowed to say "no". I believe in volunteering, but there comes a point when you are spread too thin.
  
• Learn to live in the moment- Kids are great examples to follow. I love watching my kids when they are completely engaged in an activity. Sometimes I will catch my daughter playing with Barbies and for the moment, she has brought them to life. I try not to break the magic spell that she has cast.
• Understand that you are not superwoman, and that is ok. I don't know if you remember the ad about a woman who can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan... This ad suggests that a woman can work full time, cook a complete meal, and have the energy to "never let you forget you're a man". Any woman that is doing two of those three is pretty amazing. A woman who is doing all three deserves a gold medal!
  

Rather than live a busy life, I am going to work on living a full life; Full of moments of laughter and love.

I Like to Move It, Move It

The other day I was reading a e-newsletter that addressed the issue of training for a triathlon with limited time and how to incorporate training into our already busy lives rather than seeing it as a separate event, and it got me thinking. Americans live a life of paradoxes; we pay people to clean our houses (physical activity), so that we have time to go to the gym to "work out". We drive to Spin classes- couldn't we ride a bike to Spin class and get a work out that way? Our urban friends walk to get the groceries and mail a letter, while we drive to the park to take a walk. Physical activity doesn't require lycra, spandex, and specialized shoes. Your body doesn't know the difference if you are running through the airport to catch a flight or if you are in a conditioning class. All your body knows is that your heart is pounding and your muscles are working.

Check out these activities and how many calories they burn to get an idea if you are "movin' it". The calories burned are approximate for a 150 lb person.

• Bicycling 12-13.9 mph- 576
• Golf, carrying clubs- 396
• Walk 15 minute mile- 324
• Water Aerobics- 288
• Gardening- 324
• Lawn Mower- power push mower- 324
• Heavy Cleaning- 325
• Sitting and reading- 81
• Sleeping- 45

Dance with your kids, walk to the store, clean your garage, dig in the dirt... just MOVE IT!

This is One Good Egg!

Healthy Lifestyle Tip: The Good Egg
Get thin, get smart. One little oval package helps make both happen. Eggs were reinstated as a health food a while back when major studies cleared them of increasing heart attack and stroke risk. Now there is evidence that people who scramble, boil or poach one for breakfast, as opposed to eating a bagel with the same number of calories, will bypass junk-food cravings and eat fewer calories for at least 24 hours. While eggs are a good source of nutrients and protein, they also make your body feel fuller for longer.

Not only are you smart, waist wise, for eating them; they are good brain food, too. Eggs are packed with selenium, a nutrient that can help keep your memory sharp and your thinking fast. In fact, people who get at least 55 micrograms (mcg) a day of selenium have cognitive test scores that put them in a league with people 10 years younger. Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse – the incredible, edible egg.
Source: realage.com

Mini Meals to boost your metabolism

Wow! I just listened in to a nutrition class that focused on the relationship between what you eat, when you eat and how that has a direct impact on your blood sugar and your metabolism. Here are a few key concepts that I picked up.

• Carbs are not evil- if you do not fuel your body with carbs, your body will turn to muscle to find energy
• Do not go more than 4 hours without eating.
• Being hydrated can help you boost your metabolism 30% (10-12 glasses a day)
  
• Every meal should have no fewer than 10 grams of protein and no more than 30 grams of carbs.... so, what does that mean you can eat?
• brown rice cake and 3oz of sliced meat (get it sliced at the deli counter- your meat SHOULD expire)
• 1/4 Cup of strawberries and 1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese.
• 1/4 Cup of diced apple, mixed greens, 2 Tbsp of almonds, 4 oz of chicken breast
• 1/2 Cup of Greek yogurt and 1 scoop of Advocare Muscle Gain
• 4oz of salmon, 1/4 cup of brown rice, 1/2 cup of veggies
• 25 almonds

I have got some more suggestions which I will continue to pass on. You can email if you have specific questions about how to incorporate these principles on a daily basis.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall....

This weekend I was flipping through a glossy magazine that largely featured advertisements that had to do with health and beauty for women. There were ads for skin treatments, hair extensions, plastic surgeons, personal trainers, etc... all in the pursuit of helping women feel better and look younger longer. What really caught my eye was a series of books that a local plastic surgeon had written that defined ideal beauty in regard to face and body.

This kind of frightened me. As a mom of four, and in particular two daughters, I am very aware that young women are already measuring themselves against unattainable standards of beauty in the media. As my daughter transitions into a young woman, my hope for her is that she is able to keep her focus on her health and fitness, and not worry if her thighs look fat. I am very proud of her. She has taken it upon herself to pack her own lunches and has started joining her dad for nightly runs/walks. As the mom, I feel it is my responsibility to model a healthy lifestyle and take the focus away from the endless barrage of images in the media. Look at any beauty magazine- the front page focuses on "parts"... how to have a flatter tummy, a deeper cleavage, a shapelier tush, cellulite free thighs. There is a great danger that women will equate their beauty with their "parts" when in fact (to summarize Aristotle), we are all greater than the sum of our parts.

He brain /She Brain

Last night I had a 7:00 meeting which means I had to go into event/ food coordinator mode prior to my departure. I had to ensure that my husband would not only pick up my son from soccer practice, but know which field he was on. Then my husband was to deliver our oldest daughter to a meeting. In the meantime, I felt compelled to have a relatively nutritious dinner on the table for everyone. As I was making arrangements, I would call my husband to let him know who was where. When I called him I would start with the conversation with "Hi, honey how are you?" He would reply "fine- why are you calling?"... Huh??? It seemed like a rather curt reply.
He had no time for casual conversation and was only interested in knowing which child he needed to pick up, what time, and what location. Where was the "Hi, honey- how was your day?"

I then had to remind myself that the male mind communicates very differently than the female brain. I base my observations on unscientific findings that I have collected in almost 19 years of marriage and having grown up with three sisters.

• women think have circular thinking- maybe you are talking about your friend in the hospital and you stopped by to bring her flowers. Speaking of flowers reminds your friend about her friend who is picking center pieces for her daughter's Bat Mitzvah. Now instead of talking about your dear friend in the hospital you are talking about a wedding where they had fabulous floral decorations... see how that works?
• Men have linear thinking- If I call my husband to tell him about soccer games, that is what he wants to hear about.
• Women share to share.
  
• Men share to get solutions

I could go on and on, but I believe this video articulates what I am trying to say...

What Can you do in your community to get kids active?

I don't know if you get Newsweek or not, but it highlights Michelle Obama's initiative to tackle childhood obesity, and there were some very jaw dropping statistics...

• In 1955 a "medium" soft drink at McDonald's was 7 oz. Today it is 21 oz
• 8-18 year olds spend an average of seven and a half hours a day multi-tasking in front of TV's videogames, or computers.
• obesity contributes to a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and orthopedic problems
• obesity also contributes to social and emotional problems
• If current trends continue, nearly one in three kids born in 2000 will develop diabetes

Enough of the doom and gloom. After reading the article, I felt compelled to act on an idea that I have been sitting on for quite a while that would allow each of us as parents to do one small FREE thing that would not only help our kids get more activity, but would not make our lives any busier than they already are; a walking school bus!

The concept is basic and one that we all probably did when we were younger without any organization of fancy names... Walk to School! Many parents have safety concerns about children walking to and from school. By organizing a walking school bus our kids will be with a grown up and have a chance to wind down after school. I would love to hear your take on this simple concept.

A Picture is worth 1,000 words!

We know the facts, but this brings it into perspective quickly, doesn’t it? Each cube is a teaspoonful.

Pretty big wake up call!