So summer is quickly coming to an end in Phoenix.  While the days are still hot, the kids are going back to school and my next wave of college freshman are leaving their homes in Phoenix and heading off to places around the country.  I have committed to running the Phoenix PF Chang’s Marathon in January and I am preparing for my long training days.  This summer has been quite successful at getting back into shape and losing some pounds.  I committed to five days a week at the gym and enjoyed my morning spin classes, lifting, and/or eliptical training.  On the weekends, I usually got in a good run before the sun was high and the 110 degree day made it impossible to go outside. 

Phoenicians have it tough in the summer when the kids are out of school, unlike most areas of the country we are forced inside most of the day keeping our kids out of the hot sun.  I found lots of indoor activities for my busy three year old to participate in and was happy that many business owners focused on opening their spaces to their young clientele.  We regularly frequented a cheer gym who had a bouncy house and use of their equipment open to the public twice weekly for a cheap $3 visit.  We frequented the story-hour at Barnes and Noble, participated in the Little Gym, went to library activities, and took regular trips to the mall.  I do believe the mall became my sons favorite summertime treat.  We rode the elevators and escalators for hours and played in the mall play place.  In addition, the mall frequently had kids activities (car racing was our favorite), music, and entertaining fountains all in the cool (almost cold) airconditioning.  As long as I stayed away from shopping, the mall was a free entertainment venue! The Phoenix Zoo had Friday and Saturday evenings open with lots of water play, bouncy houses, and slides to entertain too!  Overall, summer could be a bust when it is so hot, yet you can find cheap and/or free options to get your family out and moving during those hot days.  Finally, our true family favorite is the swimming pool.  Whether you have a pool in your yard or you head to the local pool, swimming cools you down and keeps your kids active.  My son became increasingly water safe and enjoyed countless hours playing in the water.  Get yourself and your children outside as the summer quickly comes to a close!

photo by PaulaVK

So wherever you are in the country, Spring is either there or just around the corner.  Most of our children have a little bit of Spring Fever.  My son is obsessed with playing outside, actually he is obsessed with riding his tricycle.  Everyday he pretends to be the UPS man and delivers packages down the street to one of his friends houses.  He has improved so much on his tricycle and flies down the street pedaling as fast as he can go.  He has even take to riding on driveway slopes and occasionally crashing into curbs.  Also, my son enjoys playing with a soccer ball and kicking it in the street “it goes farther…”  Of course, it also gets mommy running after a ball before it rolls to far away, a little extra exercise for me!  Whether it is the park, the backyard, or the driveway, get outside with  your child.  Learning motor skills is essential to your child’s development and allows you time outside with your child to get you moving too.

I recently was introduced to a new site called ebeanstalk.com that discusses toys that are beneficial to your child’s development.  They actually brought in a host of experts to discuss why certain toys are better than others and which work at different times in your child’s life.  I am impressed with their panel and the interesting articles they include in their Expert Advice.  Physical Therapist, Deanie Barth contributed a great article on “Achieving Gross Motor Milestones and Play Skills through Summer Time Fun,” she discusses different toys for kids at different age milestones.   Check out their site, it is great to have recommended toys for each age group.

Overall, I am excited that my son finds playing outside so much fun.  As a kid I remember playing outside daily and having all our friends outside too.  It is good for their physical fitness and development and establishes a lifelong love for the outdoors.  Get outside with your child and have some fun!

photo by Rail Life

Today our family went to our first art festival with our son.  Now, I didn’t see a lot of the art, but I did get a chance to see things through my son’s eyes.  We got a lot of walking in with our son leading the way and dictating our travels.  We also got a good workout dancing to some great live music.  It is so important to introduce our children to different things, including different art forms, music, food, and activities. 

We started our day riding the “light rail,” Phoenix’s new commuter train that opened in December.  This was the third time our son has ridden the train, yet he had the same excitement that he had the first time.  We rode the train for about 15 minutes and ended up at the far end of the art festival.  The first hour we simply played by the water fountain and ate kettle korn (OK not the best thing for my diet, but delicious all the same).  Then, my son decided it was time to explore.  He was fascinated by other kids getting their face painted, enjoyed a booth of animal photography that was amazing, and gave the juggling street performer about five minutes of attention.  We soon found the children’s area where he was able to do arts and crafts and play with a bunch of pool “noddles.”  My son was disappointed that the noodles did not include a pool and began to search for a body of water.  We got some great exercise going down some stairs that served as an escalator and jumping back up those same stairs.  We ended our “children’s time” dancing to a trio of stings player and being fascinated by a cello.  On our way to find lunch he was given some stickers which he used to decorate his shirt and mommy.  We soon ended up at a Mediterranean restaurant staying healthy with chicken, humus, and pita bread.

Overall, the art festival was a new experience for all of us.  Allowing our son to lead the way, we were led by his desires and enjoyed the atmosphere and freedom to explore.  Other then the food we ate, the festival and three hours of entertainment were totally free.  I highly suggest researching your own community to get out and enjoy new activities.  In addition, the walking is a great workout and other kid’s activities usually get you dancing and active.

photo by Bigcountry15

There are always many ways to workout.  As a mom, it is a struggle to workout and spend time with your child.  This past weekend my husband and I took my son to the zoo.  Now, walking around the zoo with my son is usually a workout.  We always start in a stroller, but quickly move on to him walking/running around the zoo.  We are members at our local zoo so he knows the area quite well.  I discovered this past weekend that our zoo actually has a fitness walk as part of it’s program.  This walk takes a certain path and has you do certain exercises at each stop.  It is a fun way to entertain your family, see the animals, and get a workout in.  Now, you don’t need a set schedule from your zoo, you can put in short bouts of exercise at each stop.  I found that doing lunges by the giraffes and doing squats by the rhinos may make you look funny; but it was well worth it!  Like usual, my son joined in and had a fun time exercising with mommy, now if I could only get my husband to take part!

I have also talked about the importance of group exercise.  If you are embarrassed to do push-ups by the monkeys alone, you can always enlist a friend to join you.  Our zoo also allows a local Stroller Strides to do group workouts at our zoo.  These early morning workouts are similar to other “mommy” workout groups, yet they mostly focus on fitness walking at different speeds.   Our zoo also has a great playground, we get out there and swing like the monkeys on the bars, do pull-ups like the apes, and run like the zebras.  If you pretend to be an animal with your child, he/she will enjoy it immensely and you will get a great workout.  Whether it be at the zoo or a local park, get out there and get moving.  There are no excuses to get a workout in while entertaining and spending time with your child.

This month our Amazing Active Mommy of the month is Christie Bruner, she is one of my former swimmers who is dedicated to fitness and being a great mom.  Christie was an All-American swimmer at Truman State and now owns her own Strollerfit franchise in Florida.  Christie has some great ideas for active mommies and will also write an article for our blog this week about heart health. 

My name is Christie Bruner and I live in St Petersburg, FL.  I have lived here for six years with my husband, Dusty.  We were both college athletes and have always lived pretty active lives.  I received a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science.  When we were blessed with our first baby three and a half years ago our lives just got turned upside down!!  Luckily I found a wonderful program called StrollerFit while I was still pregnant and started training to be an instructor as soon as my daughter was born.  StrollerFit is a great workout for new moms incorporating cardio & strength training all while providing a fun, developmental experience for the kids.  I bought the StrollerFit franchise when I found out I was pregnant with my second daughter, and I decided that this would be my stay-at-home career while my children were young.

1. How do you handle working and raising your children?

Since I own my business and work from home, it is so hard to separate “family time” from “work time”.  I have a three year old daughter and a 15 month old daughter – and I want to spend as much quality time with both of them as possible.  However, I do realize that it is because I have the opportunity to work from home and earn some extra income that I can spend my days with my kids.  I’ve been trying to really schedule my day out so that we have play time, meal time, and quiet time (mommy work time).  It’s a work in progress.

2. How do you live a fit life?

It is definitely a lot harder to live an active life after kids come along.  Before I had children, I would take advantage of the wonderful weather and environment that I live in daily.  St Petersburg, FL is full of parks, gardens, beaches and more that beckon you to roller-blade, swim, and run.  While I can’t participate in these activities at the drop of a hat anymore, I try to incorporate my family into these activities that I love so much.  Eating well is also a lot harder when you have to figure in children’s appetites.  I always have lots of fresh fruits and veggies on hand to offer as snacks (another perk of living in Florida!).  It’s almost easier for me to eat better now that I know that I have two precious girls watching my every move – I want to model a healthy lifestyle for them.

3.What is your favorite form of exercise and why?

I am so glad that my “sport of choice” was swimming when I was growing up.  I was fortunate enough to swim through college (shout out to Coach Colleen!) and on to a Masters team.  Swimming is truly a lifelong sport, and is so healthy for all people in all stages of life.  I don’t have the opportunity to swim all that much right now (our pool needs to have a daycare!), but I love it every opportunity I get.  Whether it’s been six days or six months since I last swam, I get such a total body workout each time.  Since I’ve been swimming for so long, I know how to tailor a workout to get the greatest benefits – whether I want to just get a great cardio workout (4 x 500s) or to focus on my core (25s dolphin kick on your side).

4. How do you motivate yourself?

Hard question – sometimes I don’t feel very motivated at all!  I teach five StrollerFit classes a week, and I think that really helps me get out of the house and get going.  I know that other moms are there counting on me, and I want to bring something new and exciting to them every day.  It makes me be accountable.  Again, I know that my girls are watching my every move and I don’t want them to remember mommy watching Oprah every day when they were growing up.  I want them to remember being outside, having fun and being active.  Making active play-dates also helps – instead of just meeting at a friend’s house (and inevitably watch TV), I’ll make plans to meet friends at the zoo, go for a walk or attend a dance class.

5. How do you encourage your children to be active? What activities do you do as a family to stay fit?

I’ve been involved with my business, StrollerFit, since before my first daughter was even born.  I began attending classes when she was five weeks, and started teaching when she was six months.  Since StrollerFit has always been a part of her life, and a part of my life as a mom, it has been easy to live an active lifestyle.  Both of my daughters have grown up accompanying me to class, watching moms workout and have fun.  They think of being active as an enjoyable part of life.  I am so thankful that I was able to raise them in an environment such as StrollerFit.  My girls are both busy-bodies and can’t sit still to watch a movie or do indoor activities for very long, so we are always outside playing.  We take family bike rides on the weekend, pack picnics to bring to the park, and spend afternoons playing Frisbee at the beach.  Being active has become a natural, easy part of our lives.

6. What advice do you havefor other moms on staying fit and active?

My biggest piece of advice is to find other moms in your area.  Before kids, moms usually don’t have any “mom friends”.  It is amazing how much your life changes after baby, and how your friends without kids just can’t relate.  If you can find a group of moms to bounce questions off of, get together for play-dates, and bond with – you will be a happier, healthier mom.  When you get together with other moms, you’ll be more likely to participate in fun activities that will keep everyone moving.  You’ll be able to motivate each other to stay busy and try new things.  Consistency is key for new moms as well.  If you can get on a schedule of working out – whether it’s going to the gym every day or just going for a walk after dinner with the family – once it’s part of your daily routine it’ll be easier to stick with.

Thank you Christie for all your wonderful advice and ideas, check back this week to read Christie’s article on heart health.  In addition, Strollerfit is a national chain and has franchises throughout the country.  If you are looking for other active mommies to workout with check them out: www.strollerfit.com

photo by lalaland

I often here the complaint from other women that they do not have time to workout or they feel guilty working out.  As mothers, we feel pulled in so many different directions and fitting a workout into our day is a struggle.  I have talked in the past about workout guilt and trying to spend as much quality time as possible with your child.  I have committed to early morning workouts prior to my son getting up during the work week.  But weekends always pose a challenge because of activities and family time.  This weekend, I found an easy solution for the weekend workout, take advantage of the nap!  Now on the weekends, my husband looks forward to nap time for his own nap or a little down time with the computer, I on the other hand took that time to get in a workout.  Saturday, I got a good 40 minute run in and made it home just before my son woke up from his afternoon nap.  Today, I actually got to be “mommy” to the dog and took her on a short hike up the mountain trail behind our house.  It is a steep quick trail, but it got my heart rate up and I got both the up and down benefits of hiking.   The cross-training benefit of switching up my workout is important.  I have talked about getting stuck in a rut and hiking in the mountains gives me the occasional opportunity to enjoy nature while exercising.

Finding time for yourself in our busy lives is always a challenge.  It is so important to take “mommy time” when you get a chance.  I was actually suppossed to make a mom’s day out today at the movies, unfortunately I ended up at the railroad park for a picnic and didn’t make the movie.  So schedule in some “me” time this week and refresh yourself, get a good workout in, or make that movie you have been waiting to see.  We are better moms and wives when we take care of ourselves in addition to our families.

This past weekend we went down to Tucson, Arizona for some much needed rest and relaxation.  The weather in Arizona is pretty cool right now and is perfect for hiking and being outdoors (with a light jacket on).  So we decided to get in one of the most convenient forms of exercise out there; we went hiking.  My mother lives near the base of the Catalina Mountains and near the state park, so we loaded up our little boy, our dog, and grandma and set out for the trails. 

Hiking with a two year old is always extremely entertaining.  We used to take our son in a backpack and go hiking quite a bit.  It was a lot of fun until he got old enough that he would get bored in the backpack.  Our son is a mover and now he wants to be out on the trail with us.  So, we headed out for the flat trails to let him explore.  Three things were prominent entertainment on this hike.  First, my son was fascinated by poop, “scat,” on the trail.  Grandma had recently bought him a nature book called Who Pooped in the Desert, so finding javelina poop on the trail was an extremely big deal.  In addition, there was horse poop, dog poop, and some unidentified scat on the trail, he loved it.  Second, my son is going to be a tree climber.  We found an old tree and he actually asked to go in it.  He sat in that tree and even got Daddy to climb up in it.  He played in that tree for at least a good 15 minutes, a long time for a 2 and a half year old!  Lastly, my son is obsessed with water and does not care about temperature.  The Canada del Oro wash had snow run-off in it.  My son watched that small stream flow, bent down and put his hands in it, and generally was fascinated by the water.  He then proceeded to walk right in and soak his calves and feet in this freezing water.  He splashed around for a good 10 minutes and the temperature did not phase him at all, he had a great time and even got the dog to play with him in the stream.  Needless to say, that was the end of our hike as we headed back to the car to change his clothes and get him warm.

Amazon.com

It was a wonderful morning.  I highly suggest getting out for a nature walk with your child, or even on your own.  Being out in the desert, on the lake, in the woods, or even in the snow can be refreshing and relaxing.  In turn, you also get a great workout for free and you can see all the beautiful scenery.  Taking a young child and letting him explore his surroundings is great fun, even if he just wants to look at Who Pooped in the Desert!

photo by novamade

Finding motivation is extremely important.  What motivates you to get out there and get your workout in?  I think one of the most important things we should consider about our daily fitness routines is the example we set for our children.  My son loves to run, do pilates, and play outside.  I think he finds “exercising like Mommy” to be fun and enjoyable.  He loves to race me outside and even wants me to say “take your mark, get set, GO!”   In turn, he will get down on the floor and do downward dog, cobra, and plank.  It is rather cute to watch him get into each of the positions, he actually finds it to be a lot of fun and actually asks me to do pilates with him.  Funny enough, all those moves are actually yoga moves, but that it is ok he knows mommy as a pilates person!  I am excited that my son finds exercise fun, I believe establishing a love for fitness early in childhood is extremely imporant.  In addition, kids need to get at least an hour of exercise each day and getting them outside or doing an activity will establish this goal early on.

So what other motivations do we have?  For most of us we want to be in shape, be healthy, and lose weight.  I recently received a couple of emails from former swimmers of mine.  Some are mothers, others are not, but they each were motivated to run their first marathon.  Two of them will be running races in April and I am so proud of them and their commitment to the training.  It is always hard to get motivated, but having that marathon goal makes you get out there on the road.  You can’t run a marathon without training!  I am considering doing the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon in May as my next goal.  The last and only marathon I ran was a year and a half after my son was born, it was a great goal to get back into shape and an amazing accomplishment.  Now after my miscarriage, I am again trying to lose weight and get back into great shape.  Of course I have already talked about the motivation of workout partners and having a group weight loss goals, but finding that internal motivation is so important.  While my internal motivation is multi-layered, I believe setting a good example and being healthy are the most important.   Of course, there is always that motivation of fitting into the pre-pregnancy jeans, looking good in your favorite outfit, or being in a swimsuit.  So find your motivation and get going!  What is your motivation?

photo by Turtlebee X24

Yesterday, my son was feeling a little better and decided to go exploring.  He got on his tricycle and as I followed him down the street he headed towards the dirt lot at the end of my subdivision.  He had never done this before and I was interested to see why he headed that way.  After telling him to look both ways to cross the road, he rode his tricycle right into the dirt and start off-roading.  Now my son is only 2 and a half, but he wanted to ride around in the dirt and rocks.   He actually looked for bumps and headed over any rock he could find.  Soon he got off his tricycle and began playing in the dirt, he even found the random bug to stare at, he isn’t brave enough to touch them yet!  My son had an absolutely awesome time in this plain old sandlot and loved getting dirty.

I grew up in Michigan, I was always outside and playing no matter what time of year it was.  At the end of my subdivision there was about 20 acres of land that was undeveloped and there for exploring.   The developer of our sudivision had run out of money and left the land vacant.  He had dumped some dirt on this land which we called the “hill” (I think it was really just a dirt pile).  The area became a hangout for all the neighborhood kids and we dominated the area.  We rode our bikes over the “hill” and made paths, hid in the trees, and generally just hung out.   We had a great time and loved the freedom to make our own rules, the memories are amazing.

Of course, I grew up in a small town in the 1980’s, it was a different time back then.  But I still think it is important for our kids to go outside and explore.  In the future, I can only imagine my husband and a couple of my neighbors husbands hanging out with the boys down at the sandlot.  I can see them putting together jumps for their dirt bikes and digging up bugs and playing in the rocks.  My son already pretended to be at the zoo and called a group of rocks the “fire.”   So even if you don’t have a place for your kids to explore, get them outside and have fun with them.  Now in the spirit of exercise, you will get some too while you play.  You will build great memories for you and your child and whether it is winter or summer they will find a way to enjoy themselves!