The Physical and Mental Workout in Potty Training

I am fully immersed in the trials and tribulations of potty training right now with my 2.5 year old. Boy, it is yet another adventure, I'm quite confident I'll embark on many more with him.

It's a mental workout trying to stay one step (or should I say potty-thought) ahead of him as I watch him like a hawk attempting to interpret his movements, breathing, leg positioning, etc ... to see if he might have to "go" and determine if I should ask him just that for what feels like the 50th time in the last hour and then swooping down if he doesn't give me the heads up to put him on the potty.

I think my son has a love-hate relationship with the chilly piece of porcelain. Occasionally, he'll shriek and sprint off the other direction: it's amazing how well he can move with his blue jeans around his ankles ... I seriously need to consider him as a teammate next time I'm in a three-legged race. Other times he loves going to the potty, and will hang out with, talk to, and observe every detail of the shiny handle and smooth white basin in front of him (he likes to sit backwards).

It's definitely not the same as StrollerFit class, but the bonus physical workout for me comes with him getting excited about "going" and then my need to check before removing him, offering a good bicep curl, and sometimes an added squat. This can be repeated up to 6 or 7 times per visit.

I do believe he's in the final phases of "training", as he's no longer wanting me in the room until he's "done". So when during one of my many walk-bys during a potty-break today, when I asked him what he was doing (he was really taking his time - the more power to him!), he told me "I'm just relaxing", I had to walk very, very fast out of ear shot, and just laugh.

I guess dad has helped out in this potty training after all!

Don't Wanna Workout? Been There! Here are some tips ...

With an infant and a toddler in tow, it can be a challenge getting motivated enough to bundle them up for the cold weather to get to StrollerFit class at Pinnacle Sports or Summit Mall (though we all LOVE it), and sometimes I really have to talk myself into hopping on the treadmill or doing some strength work at 9p with all the verve I had mid-day while the kiddies were awake!

We all have our reasons why we say "but I don't want to" or "I can do it tomorrow ..."

BUT HERE ARE A FEW OF THE TOP REASONS I USE TO JUST DO IT. Put a few of these in your mind-file next time you start excusing yourself from that planned workout. They help!

1. I know it’ll make me feel better physically and mentally. Maybe lessen the intensity or duration, but just get that workout in. The post workout high is worth it

2. I like to set goals and create a plan. Small goals are great steps, and a plan helps me to stay focused and committed.

3. The dishes in the sink aren't going anywhere, neither are the dustbunnies on the floor. Get the workout in ... I'll feel better when I'm folding laundry and sweeping later.

4. Some days, I'll pass someone using a cane and I just think "Katie, use your body today… because you CAN"

5. If I don’t feel like doing whatever I have scheduled (run, cardio, strength, StrollerFit class, core work, you name it) I tell myself to at least do it for ~10 minutes, then if I feel like quitting I can. And most times I end up doing the whole workout. Sometimes I'm so happy I did it, I add a bit more!

5 things to put on your to do list this weekend

Are you working on your weekend to do list?

Here are a few things to be sure you add to it:

1. Be active! Get your heart rate up and sweat!
2. Take time to be thankful for all that you have in your life.
3. Be kind to others.
4. Eat veggies with every meal and snack on fruit.
5. Spend at least 20 minutes building core strength.

Make it a marvelous weekend!

Back in the StrollerFit Saddle Again!

It's been one heck of a ride, these past 4 months. Between partial bedrest, the early birth of our beautiful daughter, the holidays, everything postpartum including minimal and intermittent sleep, and still lovingly re-exploring the world with my toddler son, the past few months have been a whirlwind of random memories that I'm still trying to line up.

BUT ... I'm back, baby! Our StrollerFit students are feeling the brunt of my surges of cardio-energy, and I'm participating right along with our StrollerFit Akron/Medina students in the 8-week mommymuscle challenge to build stamina, strength, flexibility, and balance. I love burning calories with our StrollerFit moms.

Wendi had her little boy last week, and everyone is beautiful and healthy. She is already itchin' to come back, and I keep reminding her that she needs to enjoy this time ... and get cleared for exercise by her doc, first!

So get ready for weekly posts, at least, on all kinds of topics from money saving tips to green fitness and more peppered with my daily-family adventures. Feel free to share ideas or bring up some good topics yourselves!

DID YOU KNOW? 4lbs in 2 months? Uugh!

The average American will gain four pounds between Halloween and New Year's Day. Doesn't sound like much? It's just about enough to push you up to the next clothing size!

YOU don't have be average! You can have that extra cookie, you just need to work for it! The bottom line for keeping weight off this holiday is remembering that you have to work off what you put in. Make it fun - something you look forward to - a place and time where you can be social as well as burn calories, have fun, special time with your child ... Think of fitness as the holiday gift you give yourself.

In order to keep us all motivated, StrollerFit is holding a special event Nov 23-Dec 31 called Fitness Takes No Holiday. We're giving away prizes for highest attendance (as if not seeing your waistline grow is not reward enough). Check it out at our site! We're sending weekly emails out with great motivating tips, too. If you haven't already received the first one, email us, and we'll put you on our list.

You and your family will be super-proud. A happy mama makes for a very happy family!

As many of you are aware, I am coming up on my due date (around the holidays) and the wee-one may join us sooner than any of us expect! Let's keep our fingers crossed I'll make it as late in the year as possible ... and Wendi is due to deliver in February. In anticipation of our growing families, and our growing number of students, we have added 2 new members to our Instructing Team!

We are thrilled to welcome Claire Periard as a StrollerFit Instructor in Training. Claire began with StrollerFit, along with her daughter, Mia in early summer and has been an avid StrollerFit mom ever since! Her background in Collegiate Sports and some Coaching experience make her a great fit for our moms! Expect to see her jumping in on Monday and Friday classes in the near future!

We are also thrilled to welcome Erica Graffein, mother of 2 collegiate-age kiddos, who was one of our very first Restore The Core Students. Erica has been a pillar in the Restore The Core classes for over 10 months! She's personally experienced the positively wonderful changes that Restore The Core brings to a woman's body, has months of one-on-one workshop experience, and will soon be leading our some of our RTC classes!

Visit one of our classes! Click HERE for a full StrollerFit and Restore The Core Class Schedule in Fairlawn and Medina. Next time you see either of these talented ladies, share some kudos and welcome them aboard!

Fitness for the Holidays

Whoa! It's been a whirlwind of a month, my apologies for not getting here sooner! We took a short, but very enjoyable trip to FL to visit the family (see pic of my son, hubby and very preggo self), celebrated my son's 2-year birthday, dressed up for Halloween, had an uber-fun month with StrollerFit; welcoming new student, Missy Littlefield ... and lots more!

The docs and midwives have put on hold with many of my activities due to the unchanging previa with this pregnancy, but each week I'm able to carry this little one is one week closer to a healthy and happy new addition to our family, and I'm so very grateful for that. This "down time" that everyone keeps telling me I should be enjoying has forced me to reflect on how marvelous it truly is to be able to be an active, healthy person.

I say, to all the admirable women who can, want and/or have been staying active:
DON'T LET ALL YOUR HARD WORK GO FOR NAUGHT THIS HOLIDAY ... OR IF YOU KEEP SAYING "I NEED TO START GETTING ACTIVE", DO IT NOW!

Don't create a bigger challenge for yourself by saying "Oh, I'll get serious after the new year". I say Bah Humbug to that train of thought!

Why make it harder for yourself to feel great and be confident?

There may be a flurry of activities filling up your calendar, but make time for yourself and your health this season. Your family will appreciate it!

A Happy, healthy and well-balanced mom is the best gift you can offer to your family.

Check out our schedule for Stroller Classes, or if you need an hour to unwind, relax, and build some core strength, check out our Restore The Core Class on Mon & Wed nights from 7p- 8p at Pinnacle Sports. Moms are raving about how much better they feel, how they are sleeping better at night, and how much their hubbies are loving it all!

In Good Health,

Katie

StrollerFit Convention!

Wendi is at the StrollerFit Annual convention this week in Cincinnati! We are both very excited to learn and share all kinds of new moves, great ideas, and new creative ways to use our fitness equipment in StrollerFit and Restore The Core classes!

We'll keep you posted, and check out the new moves in classes soon!

The Month of Motivation!

OK! Fall is coming up on us,and it's been way too long since my last post. My sincerest apologies, it won't happen again. As we move forward into this sweet smelling season, it encourages me tor reflect on the year so far ... happenings, events, milestones, and more. I've loved watching my family grow, and know that with each new step my son takes, I'm growing too!

After all, I never imagined myself doing the all-limbs-flailing potty dance in the kitchen for all my neighbors to see with more confidence than a Solid Gold Dancer (dating myself here) to encourage pee-pee in the potty. Now, that takes confidence!

This month we're all about motivation and goals as we move into the last quarter of 2009 and begin looking forward to 2010. What motivates us as moms? As women? What goals did we have for ourselves this year (formally or informally set ... lose weight, build strength, save just a few more dinero each month, explore some new cooking styles, paint the trim on the house, build resistance to brownies, whatever!)? Have we worked towards achieving them? Note - I did not ask "have we met them", this is not a time to beat ourselves up if "life" has taken over and we haven't quite reached the precipice to plant the flag of goal-reaching-success. My question is have we taken at least a few small steps in the right direction. If so, fabulous!

Now is a time to regroup and re-evaluate what we can do to find success personally (physically and mentally) and as moms, professionals, or in whatever other capacity our desire lies. Little things like "I WILL work out at least 4 days a week" or "I WILL try a new dinner once every two weeks" or "I WILL go on a date with my husband this month!" or "I WILL try Restore the Core (yes - blatant advertising) class this month" are great ways to start! Be realistic, and you'll find success. Find success and you'll feel fabulous and want to set more!

So, I now commission all of my readers to chime in! Set a goal, find some motivation, and share it with us! Tapping the sentence out on the keyboard may make it a bit more real ... and let's see how we do!

I'll start: I WILL organize my office this month AND incorporate5 new moves into our StrollerFit classes.

Now it's your turn - let's hear it! We can inspire and motivate each other.

Remember that strong, confident KIDS are raised by strong, confident MOMS!

Health and Happiness,

Katie

Bath Community Day!

A great time was had by all at the
Bath Community Day Parade and Celebration.

The wee ones, moms, and even the dads enjoyed marching in the parade, waving, passing out and collecting goodies (the dads got the hang of it when they figured out they shouldn't throw a bag of Kellogg's fruit treats at kids ... but instead hand them, it hurts less).

The event was much bigger than we imagined, so many people, and really cool demonstrations (I had no idea there were so many people in Bath familiar with the Martial Arts and capable of breaking boards with their fists, it gave me a whole new perspective). There were lots of families and smiles on every one's faces! Love it, love it, love it!

We've already welcomed Joy, a new student, as a result of the Community Day, along with her two youngest, Tess and Madison. Her two older boys are at summer camp, but we hope to meet them again at the picnic this Sunday!

Enjoy some of the pics from the parade, stay healthy, and keep a positive attitude!

Katie

Pregnancy: Ice Cream & Exercise

Mmmm, I just finished a scoop of lite vanilla ice cream that I made yummier by adding a bit of homemade brownie (largely removing all the "lite" I suppose, but making it all that much better). I firmly believe that indulging in something a little sweet occasionally will only make me sweeter!

There's nothing wrong with moderation, and I have to keep that in mind while pregnant, too. Whether it be towards sweets, or what makes them occasionally acceptable (at least to my dupa) exercise. Exercise during pregnancy is wonderful! It boosts your mood, improves you sleep, and can help alleviate aches and pains.

I've recently received the questions "should I continue exercising?" and "should I start exercising?" when I'm pregnant, so I thought I'd share some of my thoughts and experiences. Keep in mind, people, that I am not a doctor, just a mom on her 2nd time around who is working hard, like so many of us, to take good care of herself and her family. My comments are just observations, gained from personal pre-natal experiences, and guidance from other fitness professionals.

First and Foremost, let me say that there is a 2-part golden rule: Follow the individual guidelines set by your doctor, and follow the signals your body sends you!

Once you have the above rule memorized (write it 100 times around your Friday morning decaf-skim-latte if you need to), then you're ready to move on. Ready? Really? OK.

So, I'm preggo ... Should I change my fitness routine?
If you have been exercising regularly prior to pregnancy, then in most cases, if you're healthy and your pregnancy is proceeding normally, you can continue working out with some sensible modifications to accommodate your growing belly. What to do: Stick to a moderate level of exercise and avoid bouncing and jarring motions, sudden changes of position, and beginning in your 2nd trimester, lying on your back.

So now that I'm carrying another little human around with me, I'm ready to take on more! I've been pretty sedentary, but I'd like to start getting some exercise. How should I start?

Sometimes, we start new ventures at the most perplexing times, but everything happens for a reason, and being responsible for another life couldn't be a better time to focus on good health.

First, check in with your doctor/midwife/caregiver about your plans. Then, you'll need to start with gentle exercise (check out some great suggestions from baby.com) for short periods of time (about 15 minutes a few times per week) and gradually work up to a longer and more intense daily routine (about half an hour a day).

Good Activities: Walking is the easiest way to get started on a regular fitness routine and it doesn't require any special equipment other than a good pair of walking shoes! Swimming is another great option during pregnancy because the water helps hold up our extra weight.

Personally, I swear by Restore The Core, the Pilate's-based mat class we offer to stretch and strengthen your core muscles as well as relieve aches and pains. The movements can be modified as you progress through pregnancy, and incorporating it at least 2 times a week will result in stronger core muscles which will help immensely during birth! You can learn more about Restore The Core classes at our website.

In any case, being active is a good thing, but use common sense. Some of the warning signals to take a time out include shortness of breath, dizziness, and cramping (legs are common, but rest at the onset any cramping). Use some common sense, and keep in mind that you're exercising to be healthy and to gain stamina for the wonderful yet exhausting tasks ahead of you ... not to lose weight. That'll come soon enough.

Now go enjoy some of that required dairy you should have each day, in the form of ice cream with whatever yummy topping you'd like.

Good Health and Happiness!

Katie

Picnic, Parade & Pilates

Hi All! It's a rainy morning in Ohioland!

We had the annual Family Picnic on Sunday, what a blast. I officially discovered that it takes 20+ family members to wear my son out for the afternoon, but he sure did have fun! I've put some pics up of him swimming & going down a waterslide all by himself, and one of my Great Aunt Jerry eating a grilled jalapeno popper! Gotta love that spunk! Hopefully you have someone just like her in your family, too.

We're looking forward to the Bath Community Day Parade this Saturday (Aug 1 - can you believe it's almost August?)! Looking for something fun to do this Saturday? Come to the Community Day parade and festival! Looking for something even MORE fun to do? March in the parade with StrollerFit & StrollerFriends! Our kids love it ... I think Lohen has the parade wave down. It'll be so much fun! Post-parade the fire department will be putting on water shows, there will be a dunking booth, home made goodies, fresh roasted corn, free inflatable rides, and all kinds of traditional, summer, small town fun. Call me at 330.903.1317 with questions, if you'd like.

Oh, and I must say great job last night ladies! We had a fabulous Restore The Core mat workout, hope you are all feeling it this morning! Way to widdle the middle!

Have a happy and healthy day!

Katie

My 20-month old plays the harmonica better than I do!

OK - I've known all along my son had some mad skills just waiting to blossom ... but when I greeted him at Grannies yesterday evening, he was standing in his diaper playing the harmonica wiggling his bootie, expecting me to do the same!

While he plays better than I do, it would still be a stretch to refer to it as music, but as his mom, I just couldn't be prouder of the little guy for figuring this out (at least until he gets one at home and proceeds to make me crazy). So, for the mean time, I'll bask in the glory of his first and early dive into musical culture.

I'd love to hear of any party tricks your babies have (human or pets - after all, our babies are our babies!).

-Kate

We've never had so much fun at a parade!

As many of you know, StrollerFit Akron/Medina participated in the Fairlawn Independence Day Parade. AND WE HAD SO MUCH FUN! Thanks to our StrollerFriends moms who joined us, too!!

First let me say Kudos to the organizers, it was well put together and a much larger event than I thought!

Second let me tell you what an experience is was for Lohen, and I think all the kiddos there. He was mesmerized by the practicing drum cores prior to the kickoff, he loved the fire trucks and the choo choos, and saying hi to all the characters in costume - way more than you get from just watching on the sidelines. The free lollipops the people at the train kept giving him were a bonus, too (although not my favorite part).

All the kids LOVED being the center of attention and waving at all the folks from the community out to watch the parade go by, and I was happily surprised with all the applause we received from other moms, and families in general, for being active, healthy moms! It's so great to feel all that support. SO MOMS ... COME AND JOIN US! I've posted some fun shots from the event.

We're hoping to participate in the Bath Community Days parade, and perhaps in Barberton, too ... I'll keep you posted. If you'd like to join us, let me know! It's so much fun for the kids (and for us, too). Have a healthy and fabulous day! I hope it's as sunshiny where you are as it is out my window too.

Toddlers & Toothbrushes

OK - have you ever met anyone obsessed with brushing their teeth? No? Then let me introduce you to my son. At 20 months, he can't get enough of it, and this morning he made it clear that he feels the need to use a grown up brush, no longer his toddler size one. A 20 minute tantrum ensured when I would not give him what he wanted ... ah, the joys of setting boundaries.

Anyone else run into this?

We're still all smiles as we head off to class this morning, clean teeth and all! Even though it's raining, strollerfit, here we come!

LOVE YOUR NEW MOM BODY!

Check out these moves from our president, Mary Beth Knight! StrollerFit has partnered with BabyTalk and Parenting, the early years magazines, to bring some fitness inspiration to new moms!

10 Minute Mommy Workout

We're thrilled to be a part of such an awesome program. Anyone who is curious about even the idea of feeling great about your post-baby body, getting more energy, and instilling the importance of activity in your baby at an early age totally should visit a StrollerFit class.

It's free to explore, so you have nothing to lose except those pounds .. and there's lots to gain in friendship, confidence, and bonding with your baby.

StrollerFit Classes Now In Fairlawn, OH!

Finally! We're hitting the park with some outdoor classes in Fairlawn at Croghan Park!

On N. Miller Rd, Croghan park is the perfect place to participate in a StrollerFit class, especially when the sun is shining! The trails around the park are uber-stroller-friendly, the pavilion offers some shade, the rolling hills offer us moms a bit of a challenge, and the jungle gym offers lots of activity for the tots before and after class! JOIN US!

If it's raining, we'll still hold class, call our # for rain location at 330.903.1317. Remember to check out our full class schedule at www.strollerfit.com/akron

Classes are sooo much for for the moms and the kiddies, so check us out! Fitness for you, Interaction with your baby, a bit of sun, it can't be beat!!

MetroParks StrollerHike

Hi All!

We had a blast on our hike yesterday. The group was small, but the sun was shining, and it was a great day to take in the beauty on the Towpath/Erie Canal trail, and to enjoy some history. We walked right through a lock, past by the Mustill Store & encountered lots of fellow travellers on the trail.

These trails are so stroller friendly, and the kiddies enjoyed the ride, exploring nature with their eyes, ears, and noses, and interacting with each other along the way, too!

I really hope we have more families joining us on the June hikes! Friends and family members of all ages can join us! The next three hike dates are:

Saturday, June 13 10:30 a.m. Towpath Trail / Mustill Store Trailhead 248 Ferndale St. Akron

Monday, June 2211 a.m. Towpath Trail / Memorial Parkway Trailhead 499 Memorial Pkwy., Akron

Saturday, June27 10:30 a.m. Towpath Trail / Big Bend Trailhead1337 Merriman Rd., Akron

Hope to see you soon!!

Katie & Lohen