Welcome to the new year

Boy am I glad to put 2008 behind me. There have been some really awful things to happen but then there have been some really great things. Unfortunatley, I tend to focus on the bad far more than the good. Brian still has a job and StrollerFit and core are going exceptionally well. We are healthy and happy and looking to 2009 with bright eyes. That being said......I want everyone to comment on the new motto of making 09' mine.

Winner gets a t-shirt. Blog away ladies, I love to hear from you.

Everything in Moderation

We had a party the other night for some of the kids that my older son hangs out with. In my mind I struggled with what to have and do at the party. It was only 2 hours we could get through it...right. Well we decided that party food was fine. Chips, pizza, cupcakes and we made smores'....were the kids going to become diabetic and become obese after one night...doubtful....is moderation ok, definately. The kids had a great time, the food wasn't all consumed and I am sure that the kids went home and went back to their daily routine of eating their colors and drinking their milk. Here is my take. Keep it in moderation. Don't deprive you or your children of things. I had friends in grade school and high school who weren't allowed to have candy or cookies, well they did, they just hid it or when they were allowed they ate the entire box. These kids were as heavy and as unhealthy as kids who ate fast food for every meal.

With Halloween coming, I hope as adults we can all sit back and think. Candy is not bad as long as it is not the entire bag. So let your little ones enjoy a bit, set limits, but don't eliminate. I think all of you will be happier in the end.

Don't make food a taboo. Instead make physical activity a priority. Enjoy life, it is too short.

Fall and Winter Clothes

Ladies,

This is easier to put on here than on constant contact because they have picture restricitons. So here is the fall line:

The sweetest thing capri. The skirt with the capri's underneath. Really cute look. Size m-xl. Cost is $55

Pink shirt is the tattoo shirt. Cost is $40. mommymuscle logo'ed on the front.

The tough girl skirt (blue with black leggings that are attached) retails for $90 our price is $75. The jacket to match blue jacket is very slimming. Cost is $55.

Mojito green gym girl skirt $45

Footloose white tank with green piping to match is$40

StrollerDiva brown thermal with pink rhinestone in StrollerDiva is $25 size down

mommymuscle camo is $18 size up

For the kid: The camo is $12.00 and the tee is $10. Camo is size 12-18, 2t, 3t, 4t. The tee is 2t, 3t, 4t, 5/6j and 7.

Eat like a caveman....

Day one of the newest challenge:

Eat like a caveman.

Try to make 90% of what you put into your body come from the earth. (carrots, apples, lean proteins)...if you can't find it in a garden or a field you probably don't need it. Cut back on processed and sugar filled things. Once you get into the groove you'll never look back.

FALL CHALLENGE

Ok ladies here it is:

Nutrition goals:
1. Eat your five everyday. Five colors in five servings and you will feel great. Eating a variety of colors is a great way to get your nutrients in on a daily basis. Here is a great website to help you and your children get in your fruits and veggies. The best part of the challenge is to have your kids eat their five colors also.

http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/

Also, check out the glycemic index of foods. Here is an easy way to do this.
Did you know that eating foods with HIGH glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) can increase your risk for many chronic illnesses such as: cancer, obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, type 2 and gestational diabetes, and inflammatory disorders. So...what exactly ARE GI and GL? In this blog we will explore their importance in the diet and how to maintain a healthy diet.

GI is used to categorize foods that are eaten with regard to their effect on the relative rise in blood sugar (or glucose). The higher the GI of a food, the faster it is expected to increase blood sugar levels. SUGAR and WHITE BREAD have the highest possible GI sccore of 100. All other foods are scored from 1-100 depending on how they compare to sugar and white bread....(I don't know about you, but that throws up a red flag to me! Sounds like we don't need to eat much sugar and white bread!) I know, they sure taste good. Don't worry, you don't have to eliminate them from your diet. We will talk below about ways to combat those high GI foods! Unlike foods with a high GI that cause spikes in blood sugar - leaving us feeling tired and hungry - foods with a low GI are absorbed SLOWLY in the bloodstream, allowing a slow and consistent rise and fall in blood sugar (our bodies prefer to be in a more 'stable' state such as this....your body functions much more efficiently with a stable blood sugar level.)GL gives us a clearer description of HOW MUCH sugar is available from a food.

GL is categorized into ranges on a scale: 0-10=low; 11-19=medium; 20+ = high. So it's best to take GL into consideration too. BUT neither GI nor GL take into account the nutrients in food, which can be very important too! Take into consideration these examples:Carrots: HIGH GI (92) but LOW GL (4) - they release sugar into the blood stream quickly, but only have a small amount of sugar in the first placeWatermelon: HIGH GI (72) but LOW GL (4) - since watermelon is mainly water, it contains little sugar per servingCandy Bars: with minimal nutrients, these typically have low GIs but at least MEDIUM level GLs - that means quick rise in blood sugar, and little to offer you in the way of efficient fuel

http://www.glycemicindex.com/

2. Keep your food journal and watch for BLT's. Bites, licks and tastes those all add up and once you log those you may find out why your weightloss isn't as much as you think it should be.

3. Watch your sodium intake. It makes you retain water and it causes you to be more likely to have high blood pressure.

Fitness Challenge:

1. 12 minute mile for ALL by the end of October.
2. If you can do a 12 minute mile, look to drop 3o seconds to 1 minute off of your mile time.
3. Attend 80% of all StrollerFit or restore the core classes offered.
4. Check you BMI (body mass index) and try to drop it by 2% by the end of October.
5. Try to lose 1 inch around your waist, biceps and hips.


good luck!

The first day of school

Well the first day of school went EXCELLENT. Jake didn't cry..yep I did. He was so grown up. On the way to school in the car, he told Max not to yell for him in the car because he wouldn't be there...but he was coming back. It seemed like an eternity until pick-up time...when he came out he proclaimed that he was good today and he was so proud of himself. Max had a tough time without Jake. He freaked out in childcare at the YMCA and yelled for Jake a lot of the time. All in all a great day. Congrats to Griffin who also did well today.

Jake's new personal best

Well folks...Jake is hot on the tail of some of you for an average mile time. He ran the Harvest Home 1 mile before the race in 11 minutes. I couldn't have been more proud. He didn't stop...he thought about it but a very kind Cheviot policeman told him to keep going so he kept at it.

On another note: Thank you for all of your prayers for Brian's mom and his family. The surgery went well. They removed her spleen, part of her colon, the lining of her liver, the lining of her diaphragm, her omentum and a pelvic tumor. The masses have been sent off to be biopsied and hopefully by Monday or Tuesday they will know what they are dealing with. She is in the ICU but is expected to be out by the end of the weekend to a normal room. She will be in the hospital for about a week and a half.

The times are changing

As I sit here and blog about this, I am thinking that most of you are going to think that I have lost my mind. My youngest will be one in a matter of minutes and my oldest will start pre-school in a couple of weeks. So my mommy role is changing a bit and quite honestly it is freaking me out. Forever, I have been able to control who my oldest talks to, spends time with, plays with and how he behaves. Now I have to let go a little and let him go to school. Questions are pouring into my head. What if kids are mean to him? What if he is bad? What if he uses the poopy word at school? What if he doesn't have the right shoes? What if he has an accident which he hasn't done in almost a year? What if he does something that makes people think I am a bad mom. What if, what if what if? I have a problem with worrying about things I can't control and this is one of them. I am also going to miss Jake for the hours he is gone. Jake and I have been business associates for three years. He has always come along with me to Strollerfit, sometimes to restore the core and often times to the office. His schedule has been modified to meet mine and mine to his. I think my problem is that sometimes I need Jake, more than he needs me. The same goes for Max. I gave up my profession, the ability to contribute financially to our family income and my identity as a professional to be a MOM. I wouldn't trade it for the world, but as my kids become more independent, they will seemingly need me less. That kind of freaks me out.

I addressed this with my friend, Sarah, who recently moved to Nashville. I can pretty much tell her anything without her thinking that I am going nuts. She said some of the same things. She has stayed home for 10 yrs... all the time running errands with her kids and planning her day around them. When they moved she found out that her kindergartner would be going to school all day. She said she flipped out. What was she going to do with only one kid at home all day.

A mom's role changes on a daily basis and milestones cause moms to change more. I guess the one thing that remains is that the day we all became moms we knew the most important job was to love our kids no matter what. I do know that I am good at that job.

In health,

Katie


www.strollerfit.com

www.hiptobemom.com

Medal Count

Anyone know the total Olympic medal count for the USA? Oh yes and I have been leading all of you down the wrong path on blogging...you have to sign into my acct to blog so if you are interested shoot me an email and I will give you the proper sign in...sorry...beginner blogger error!

A word from Sarah in the Western Hills class

Hey all...see below...Sarah wanted me to forward this to all of you.

Hi Katie,

Not sure if you remember me talking about how I had to go to an orthopedic surgeon a few weeks ago...well, I did and my MRI shows severe stress injury. He said I was about 2 weeks from a full blown fracture and being on crutches for 3 months.

Unfortunately, this means I won't be able to continue with StrollerFit for at least a few months. I am not allowed to do basically anything for a month. I am only allowed to walk (short distances) and do upper body/core strengthening.

I see him again in a month to see if there is improvement and if so, I will have to complete his "back to running" 8 week program to get my legs and knees strong again.

I am so depressed about this. I had FINALLY found something that made working out fun, and I was starting to feel my body get more in shape. It was a perfect fit for me. I was crying to my doctor and I think he thought I was wacko, but having a baby totally changed my body and I was finally determined to get it back into shape. I was so excited to start running the 5Ks with you all.

Anyways, sorry this is a novel. I am just very upset about it, but wanted to let you know how thankful I am for everyone's support in the short month I was in the program. It's a great group of women, and I'm sad I can't be a part of it for now. I was going to write on your blog to thank everyone for pushing me, but couldn't figure out how to post. Just please extend my thanks to everyone. Hopefully I will be emailing you again in a few months.

Thanks,
Sarah

Jo Lo...really are you kidding me?

I was just reading a blog written by someone who interviewed Jo Lo. Jo Lo commented that Michael Phleps was no big deal...really are you kidding me? The reason behind this was because she said she is a mom of 6 month old twins and she is training for a triathlon. Ok...here is my beef....Jo Lo has trainers, nannies, nutritionists, coaches...she has it all, so how is she different than any other celebrity. I am sure that Michael has this too, however until recently he didn't have millions and an entourage. So who is she to talk about how difficult training is. Training for any race or event is difficult...but honestly let's celebrate the regular Joe or Jane who has to train and find or pay a sitter or train in the middle of the night or at 4am or better yet who pushes her kids in the stroller while running or who pulls them in a trailer while biking.

www.strollerfit.com

Finally found a punishment that works...

Most of the time my three year old is a great kid. Listens well, sits in the stroller does what he is told. But sometimes he tries to push the envelope and I finally found the answer for what to do. I have threatened to take away toys put him in time out...you name it his little hard head just finds a way to aggrevate the situation more. So yesterday, he kept whining and very quietly I asked him to come to me, I took his hand led him to the corner and made him put his nose in the corner and stand there. Ok...I think he was shocked there was no yelling involved and he stood there and then apologized...super nanny would be so proud.


www.strollerfit.com

Staying the course

Everyday I get up and have the best intentions to workout in some fashion. Most of the time it is StrollerFit class and then restore the core. However, some days I like to power walk with the kids in the stroller and go on an adventure with them. That being said...this week my mom is at home because she had ankle surgery and we are hanging out there all day helping her get around the house and I have made some of the biggest excuses why NOT to exercise.

I am really frustrated with myself, but I just don't have the drive this week...no determination in the words of my late grandpa no pep...so how do you find the drive when it is just not there. I will let you know during the next post b/c I haven't found it yet :)

In health.

www.strollerfit.com

Is there a silver lining to Dara's silver medal?

So as much as we cheered for her to get gold, it just wasn't meant to be. Is there a silver lining? I would say most definately. Dara and the Americans did an awesome job. Dara has defined motherhood by Olympic definition. We should all be proud to be moms. As I always say...believe achieve repeat. Dara did this and she rocks!

www.strollerfit.com

Heroes

My oldest son knew who Michael Jordan was before he was two. He could pick out the Michael Jordan logo on anything even before that. I guess to some Michael is a hero, he could dunk like no one else, he made a presence on and off the court...he was just an all around great basketball player. But I don't know that I would call him an athletic hero. He gets paid millions still for clothing that has the signature jump man and has mansions all over the country.

The olympics have brought about some heroes in my mind. Of course Michael Phelps...who my three year old jumps up and down on the couch and SCREAMS go Michael go Michael and Dara Torres. We had a camp out in my husband and my room last night. Jake was supposed to sleep in his tent but of course ended up in my bed. In the dark with the light of the tv illuminating his face he watched Dara Torres qualify. I explained to Jake that she was a mom, much older than the rest of the field and that she trained very hard to show the world what moms of every age can achieve if they put their minds to it. She is my hero.

I guess hero can be defined anyway you want it to, but the biggest heroes in my life are the moms and dads who everyday strive to raise the best children possible, lead a decent life, have some type of faith and walk an honest path. My heroes definately include Dara Torres, but also all of the moms in my stroller fitness class, StrollerFit and those moms who work daily at being the best mom and role model there is in this world. All moms should get gold medals...if Dara wins gold I think she will have a gold that all moms should be proud of.

www.strollerfit.com
www.hiptobemom.com

I love the olympics

The olympics are could possibly be one of my favorite things. The opening ceremonies always make me shed a tear or two. The representation of nations where shoes are a true luxury is always so awesome to see. I think about the athletes having to struggle to find a way to get to the olympics...but they find a way. I would imagine some of the most impoverished countries trade goats or other livestock for shoes and transportation. I would love to see their faces when they step on the plane for the first time and it was a true thrill to see them walk into olympic stadium aka "the bird's nest" and hearing the crowd cheering. These athletes are truly heroes. Their training is often scattered because of lack of facilities and coaches. They often run on dirt roads with no shoes. Which brings me to this my friends...

We live in the wealthiest country in the nation. We are offered opportunities for exercise and fitness at every corner. So why do some of us not take that opportunity. Don't you think the athletes from the poor nations would love to have what we have. Just something to think about next time you don't think you want to run or want to instead watch tv. One of the best gifts that America has given us is the freedom to exercise...so do it and stop making excuses.



www.strollerfit.com
www.hiptobemom.com
www.momandbabysport.com

Fat Max is so happy that it is summer. He is truly a great little guy.

Jake loves his 5k races. This one was a 4 miler a

a little too long for three year old legs.

Happy summer. I feel like I have been blogging and not givng info about the goings on. So for those of you who read this for StrollerFit type things...you will have to bear with me. Our summer has been great, well until recently. Jake and Max LOVED Florida and the beach and of course Disney. What a great place to go if you want to feel like a kid again. Jake has learned to jump off of the diving board and swim to the side....this is a HUGE deal because he is no longer crying when he is in the pool. He is a true fish. Jake has also done 2 5k races...and has his sights on whatever we run next. He is such a determined little boy, sometimes it is scary. Finally, he started riding his bike without training wheels....who would've thought that would happen at three?

Max is great. He has the best little disposition and is so easy going. He has a little hot streak when he gets mad and I am going to say he comes by that honestly. Still has only two teeth and will be 11 months next month.

We are going to miss our great friends when they move to Nashville...but it will be a great adventure for them and their family. Also, they have the neatest half marathon in the spring there...there is truly nothing like Tennessee hospitality and kindness. I kind of envy them for their new start and their new outlook on life. However, Jake is going to miss his buddies and I am going to miss my friend. Everyone should have one friend who grounds you, who doesn't let you get out of control, who makes you really mad at times and then everything is fine. It is hard to find a friend like that and as an only child I was super lucky to find her. However, as she has said she will be one phone call away....Cincinnati Bell wireless is going to love us :)

Keep Brian's family in your prayers as his mom goes through this difficult time.

We will be posting more of our late summer adventures. Remember to believe achieve and then repeat. Goals are yours for the taking.

In health,

Katie

www.strollerfit.com

www.hiptobemom.com

www.momandbabysport.com

Life back to normal ?

My mother in law has the big "c". ...for those of you who are confused that means cancer. It is in the appendix (1 % of the population gets this) and it is in her abdomen. They are going to do a procedure in the next month called a de-bulking surgery. They will basically cut out all of the cancer...which means she will lose part of her colon and most likely her spleen...then they will dump hot chemo on the area and treat it. So any keep praying.

But the blog is back about the food:

Exercise: StrollerFit and restore the core

Breakfast: blueberries and a low fat mozerella cheese stick
Lunch: spinach salad no dressing with turkey and blueberries and a tomato
Dinner: Chicken cutlett, cauliflower and beans with a little bit of cheese.

Not bad at all. Hey, MB got my protein in :)

www.hiptobemom.com
www.strollerfit.com
www.momandbabysport.com

No "Lake-ation"

Yep we are supposed to be on Lake-ation as Jake has been calling it, our annual pilgrimage to Lake Norris in Tennessee. As of Friday evening that was cancelled, then on again, now obviously off again. Brian's mom got sick and now is in the hospital...she has pretty nasty infection in her abdomen from what they believe is appendicitis..but they also hinted (ok not really) suggested there is a cancer there too. So my week of relaxation has become a week of worry for my husband and his mom.

However, emotional eaters I want you to know that I have not jumped into the chocolate or crap foods...so that is good. If you can find something good with all of this.

Keep her and her family in your prayers.

Swim lessons, class, where does the day go

ok..since the holiday my eating has stunk with a capital S. I haven't been eating a great deal but the junk I am putting in my mouth is not good.

Today:
Breakfast none
Lunch: cheerios with blue berries
snacked on a few chips, cheetos and doritos...only had a few of each
Dinner: piece of pizza and a beer
more diet coke today than needed.
Exercise: Restore the core

Anyway, how do some super moms do it? Today I had my oldest in swim lessons, my youngest was screaming..I am sure he was hungry but the formula was in the car...all I had on me was a peanut butter and jelly which I gave to my 10 month old...ok all the moms who just gasped I know he is now going to have a peanut allergy but desperate times definately called for desperate measures. I spent the very expensive half an hour swim lesson bribing my oldest to kick and pull with his arms. Funny enough he swam across the pool no problem...are you freaking kidding me. Total overload.

www.strollerfit.com
www.hiptobemom.com
www.momandbabysport.com