Think you need to join a gym to workout?? You don't! One of my favorite parts of Stroller Strides is the fact that we are outside- another favorite part is that the exercises we do can be done ANYWHERE- you don't need fancy equipment or a huge chunk of time. In fact, once you learn a few basic moves you can get a great workout in without leaving the house. People look at me like I'm crazy when I say it, but you really can get a great calf workout in while standing in line at the grocery store (just do some heel raises (toes in, toes out & parallel feet)).

Lean Mommy is a fantastic resource for workouts that can be done; with your stroller, wearing or holding your baby or my favorite chapter "The Mom-just-has-a-minute Workout". Here is a move we can all do (once we've gotten the OK to start exercising again). If your baby is too big for a front pack, through them in a backpack or a big kid can just ride 'piggy back'.

Now, I don't mean YOU literally- especially if losing 100lbs would put you back at your 1st grade weight. :) Imagine you were 100 lbs overweight- think you could lose it? On your own? Using only diet & exercise?

And she started the amazing social networking site, bookieboo, which I've told you about before. Bookieboo has become this amazing place for real moms to talk to each other about their struggles, successes, goals etc. There are over 40 fitness, wellness & lifestyle contributors on the site, including Stroller Strides' own, Lisa Druxman. If you haven't been there- check it out, become my friend & a part of the Stroller Strides group.

In addition to Bookieboo, Leah and Fiona (The Bantering Blonde), have started a radio show called MomActive. Their show will focus on staying fit & living a healthy lifestyle- all while being a mom! Don't miss their 1st show Friday 6/19 at 11am PST.

My all-time favorite quote from Leah is one that I completely identify with:

"I don’t do the exercise for me, I do it for my family. I’m a better mom and person when I’ve worked out. I’m more patient, loving, and of course have more energy. The days I haven’t exercised are like mornings without coffee…I’m an absolute shrew. I do it for them, and that is my motivation."

If you're on twitter make sure you are following me and Leah! She is hosting a twitterparty on Thurs 6/18 5-8 PST to celebrate the new show- so 'tweet in'.

Google any ‘diet’ and you will be offered hundred of quick fixes- promising to help you lose that weight FAST! Google ‘healthy weight loss & maintenance' and I can pretty much guarantee you will see the word “food diary”.

Ah, the food diary- if you want to lose or maintain a healthy weight- you really can’t do it without a writing it all down.
Why? Because you need to be accountable and knowledgeable about what and why you are actually consuming. According to Lean Mommy:

“Making small changes is actually easier than dramatic overhauls. But changing patterns and habits does take focus, patience and practice. You won’t get a quick fix this way. But you will get lasting results” (p. 24).

A food & fitness diary is the cornerstone to understanding yourself and from that understanding- making changes.

What is a Food & Fitness Diary?
- All you need to start this diary is a notebook. The most effective diary has the following entries: Day, Time, Location, Feeling Before, Hunger Scale, Meal/Activity, Food & Portions, Other People, Feelings After, Hunger Scale. Click here to download an example.

- You do not need a fancy “food diary”, but if you want one, Lisa Druxman uses & recommends FitBook

How do You Use a Food Diary? Identify
- Write down what you eat IMMEDIATELY after eating t
- Be detailed & honest- do not ‘forget’ to add things like “finished baby’s grilled cheese”
- Fill out your diary at least 5 days/week for 2 weeks

Ok, I wrote it down, Now What? Analyze
- Look at what you wrote down: are there any patterns? What triggers eating or skipping exercise?

I don't know if anyone out there is like me, but I'm a bit of a slacker when it comes to Father's Day and now that I have to worry about my dad, my father-in-law and my husband- sheesh! Thankfully, a Fit4Baby mama-to-be is coming to the rescue of all us slackers.

Join us at the Wine Loft on Thursday at 6pm for a Stampin' Up! party.

Sharon will have 5 different designs for us to create cards with- each card is $1. What an easy, fun way to get all of your Father's Day card issues out of the way! :)

The Wine Loft, despite it's name, offers many different beverages- so if you're not into wine or alcohol in general you'll be OK!

Please RSVP to Beth, so we know how many folks to expect!

Quick! What is the most powerful tool used to create a healthy lifestyle?
The food you eat? No.
How much you workout? No.
More powerful than any food you eat or any exercise you do, are your feelings about yourself.

Think about that for a minute. The MOST powerful tool you have to change your life- is your brain and how you feel and think about yourself.
Ever hear of a self-fulfilling prophecy? Basically, if you think it- you will achieve it. You think you’re a fat, ugly, loser? You’ll become one. Think you’re a fit, fabulous, fun, energetic & healthy woman and mom? You’ll become one.

Sounds simple, right? Just change the way you think about yourself? Well, if you’re anything like me, the way you think about yourself is something that began early in your childhood, was magnified 10 times in adolescence and young adulthood and is now simmering beneath the surface. What can we do to change how we think about ourselves? Lean Mommy gives us some ways to start:

1. Focus on Strong Points
If you’re going to pick apart your body, pick a part and think about how much it does for you. I have big legs, but MAN are they strong. They help me run up hills, play ‘froggie’ with my daughter and entertain my family with my ‘beautiful’ interpretive dances.

2. Be What Your Loved Ones See
Have you ever seen the bumper sticker “Please let me become the person my dog thinks I am” - well BECOME that person. Your kids think you are the most beautiful, fun, smart person in the world. BE that person. Create a ‘rosy’ picture of yourself- don’t let your kids see you worried or doubting yourself. Don’t talk badly about yourself in front of anyone, especially your children.

3. Look Gently in Mirrors
If you avoid mirrors- stop! Look at yourself, but look at yourself kindly. Instead of focusing on the bad parts- check out how proportionate your body is- your bum wouldn’t look as good on anyone else. :)

4. Keep Scales in Check
Weighing yourself weekly can be a great way to keep yourself on track, or in check BUT if you find yourself weighing yourself obsessively or having an emotional reaction to your weight- throw that scale out the window! As Lisa Druxman says, “your tombstone is not going to read, ‘Judy Smith, mother of three, weighing in at 155 pounds’..”

5. Reframe Self-Defeating Thoughts
Don’t like your body? Don’t let it know that! Trick yourself into loving it by telling yourself you love it- whether it’s daily affirmations in the mirror or just being kind to yourself- respect & appreciate your body & you’ll want to treat it better. Think of exercise as FUN not TORTURE and it will quickly become fun!

6. Watch What You Say
Each & every negative remark ingrains body-bashing deeper. Don’t allow yourself to make negative comments about your body or talk obsessively about dieting or calories. Talk about yourself they way you want your kids to talk about themselves.

7. Change Your Tapes
As we learn in LEAN and as LEAN Mommy describes- Our EVERY behavior stems from the desire to feel good or to avoid feeling bad. Make good eating something you love- make it pleasurable. Instead of thinking about exercise as something you ‘have to do’ think about how you feel afterwards.

You came out of pregnancy with a different body. And I’m not just talking about the things you immediately think of (boobs, belly, hips etc.). Your body’s accommodations for the extra weight of pregnancy led to adjustments in how you held yourself and if you don’t work to re-balance your muscles this can lead to poor posture for life. This poor posture can add to the daily strain your back experiences.
The work that you do every day as a mom contributes to the problem. Think about your day so far- can you count how many times you’ve bent over? Picked something up? Held someone/something on your hip? Just bending over can be stressful for your spine because discs between each vertebrae get compressed- when you’re tired, distracted or in a hurry you can forget to use proper form when bending or lifting.

What can you do about it? Targeting the weaker, overstretched muscles and stretching the tight, over-active muscles can establish better muscle balance. In addition to muscle balance think about how you lift things- do you use your legs? Do you drop the rail on your child’s crib when you reach in to pick them up/lay them down? Exercises from Lisa Druxman’s amazing book, Lean Mommy and Stroller Strides classes can help get you back into proper alignment, a great place to start is the Chest Stretch and Baby Plank.
Chest Stretch
Starting Position
Stand in a comfortable position, legs staggered, abs engaged, knees slightly bent, toes pointing forward. Grab the ends of the resistance band and extend your arms overhead, keeping your hands in line with the shoulders, elbows soft, palms facing forward (not pictured).
Action
Pull your arms further apart to open up the chest and allowing the band to move further behind your head. Your wrists might rotate slightly outward, but try to keep your wrists in line with your forearms. Breathe steadily. Hold stretch for 10-30 seconds, repeating 1-3 times.

Baby Plank

Starting Position
Begin this exercise by kneeling over your baby with your knees and forearms on the floor. Your elbows should be placed directly below your shoulders. Keep your feet together and your spine (including your head and neck) in a neutral position. Your feet should be touching or no more than an inch apart.

Action
Lift your body up on your forearms and toes, keeping your body as straight as possible. Maintain this position for as long as possible and challenge yourself to longer periods in the plank position. Try to hold the position for 15-30 seconds in the beginning, working your way up until you can hold the position for 3 minutes or longer. Repeat 1-3 times.

After almost 6 grueling weeks of putting themselves & their families first, the mommas have completed the Healthy Momma Challenge!!

And our winning team is: Team Couponsense (Team 3).

Our team 3 winners are: Kim B., Kim M., and Shawn! Congrats ladies!!!!

Overall Points:

Team 3: 10,140
Team 2: 9,278.5
Team 1: 7,145

Kim B. wins a cut & color by Lauren at her new salon Daisy Bedelia's, Kim M. wins a massage from Massage Bliss and Shawn wins a manicure/pedicure. Enjoy it ladies!!

HUGE Congrats to all the Healthy Mommas: Kim B., Kim M., Shawn, Lynn, Heather, Sarah, Jess, Maricel, Patti & Penelope!

Some of these Mommas highlights include: completing triatholons, keeping food diaries, eating healthy meals with their family & without the TV, active family activities, throwing parties, taking time to meditate/pray/be by themselves, spending quality time with their friends, family & partner, going on runs, sitting with their husbands drinking wine & watching the sunset, etc. etc. etc. Doesn't that sound nice? :)

What can you do to put yourself 1st this week? And as my ladies on the Real Houswives of NJ know, "Happy Wife, Happy Life".