Mommy's Workout Buddies

A few weeks ago a reporter from a local magazine came to Stroller Strides to do a story. Well, they came back on Friday to do a photo shoot for it. My boys looked fab in their new gear!
The story should be in the February edition and you can access it online. I'll post a link when it runs.

Battling the holiday bulge!

The average American gains 5-7 pounds during this holiday season - ugh! I know we are all looking at ways to avoid that, but let's be realistic about it. To vow that you won't eat a single cookie is, most likely, just sitting yourself up for failure. Then you'll feel bad that you "cheated" and will eat the whole plate of cookies! Instead of not eating any holiday treats, strive to limit your portions, be aware of what you are eating, and choose wisely. SparkPeople evaluated a bakers dozen of cookies and ranked them according to calories and fat grams.
Here they are:
Meringue (25 calories, 0g fat)
Fortune cookie (30 calories, 0g fat)
Biscotti (65 calories, 2.5g fat)
Oatmeal raisin (95 calories, 3.5g fat)
Sugar (100 calories, 3g fat)
Macaroon (100 calories, 6g fat)
Chocolate chip (110 calories, 6g fat)
Gingerbread man (115 calories, 5g fat)
Gingersnap (120 calories, 3g fat)
Peanut butter (125 calories, 6.5g fat)
White chocolate macadamia nut (140 calories, 8g fat)
Peanut blossom (150 calories, 8g fat)
M&M cookie (200 calories, 8g fat)
(See the entire story by clicking here)

Fitness Magazine also offers a great resource for parties. They have compiled a list of the ten healthiest party foods.
The top ten are:
Bruschetta
Smoked Salmon on Toasts
Salsa
Guacamole
Shrimp Cocktail
Vegetables and Dip
Chicken Kabobs
Sushi
Fruit & Cheese
Red Wine
Mixed Nuts
(See the entire story by clicking here)

Another way to battle the bulge is to make sure you keep moving. I know everyone is busy this time of year, but make time to exercise. Of course, Stroller Strides is a wonderful option for a total body workout. Plus, it offers the chance to chat with other moms about where the best shopping deals of the day are!

Colors!

Friday was our first "color" class. We are working our way through the rainbow, so Friday was "RED". It went really well, the kiddos were pointing out things they saw in the mall that were red!
I am really excited about adding these themed classes to Stroller Strides. It adds an enriching, learning activity for the kids while the moms are getting their workout.
Check out the website for the schedule of colors. After we get through the colors, we will be starting the alphabet!

It's been a long time...

Wow! I can't believe how long it's been since I've blogged on here. Since my last post, Rigley was born (July 27) and we have started Stroller Strides classes back up after my maternity leave. YEA!
I am so excited to be back teaching. I've got a great group of mommies coming out and we are having a wonderful time. I'm looking at adding another location where we can be outside more, so stay tuned to see where that will be!

The Great Example

Not only do I get to spend time with Brighton while I do Stroller Strides, but he is learning so much! He has learned so many songs, but even more importantly he is learning that exercise should be part of our lives! Just a few weeks after we started Stroller Strides, he was doing push ups against the wall at home! A few days ago, he picked up a length of string that Donovan had been using and said, "Mommy, I do exercise!" and proceeded to hold the string and raise and lower his arms! I wish I could have captured it on video - so cute!

KY3 Ozarks Today

Springfield Stroller Strides was on KY3 Ozarks Today this morning. In case you missed it, you can view the video by clicking here.

My first post!

This is my first post on the blog for Stroller Strides of Springfield! I guess I will tell you about myself and why I absolutely love Stroller Strides!
As an undergrad, I thought I wanted to go into corporate wellness. So, I have a B.S. in Business Administration with a Health & Exercise Science minor. I had also gotten my national group fitness instructor certification while an undergrad. However, before my senior year, I decided that I wanted to go into public administration instead. So, I let my fitness certification expire and went and got a Masters in Public Administration. After graduating, I worked three years in public finance and then we had our first baby! I couldn't leave him with someone else, so I quit my job and stayed home.
I had gained quite a bit of weight with my pregnancy and wanted to get back in shape. Up until my mid-twenties I had never had to work very hard to stay at a healthy size. I was always pretty active in dance and aerobics, though. After the baby, I found myself at home and out of shape. I bought the post-natal workout DVD's and thought that would surely be the way to go. I soon found out that making myself workout at home was not going to work for me. The baby needed me or there were dishes to wash or laundry to be done.
I started looking into mommy and me fitness programs and found there were none in the Springfield area. I was disappointed, but then I started getting excited! I could bring a program to Springfield! I looked at different options, but Stroller Strides stood out high above any others. I signed on and started training and studying for my national certification. I took and passed my American Council on Exercise Group Fitness Instructor exam in mid-November. Things were looking good for a January start. Then, in late November, we got a huge surprise...we found out we were expecting again! My morning (noon and night) sickness set the opening back until late March/early April.
Stroller Strides has been running classes in Springfield since then! I am amazed at all of the benefits it offers to me as a mom. The best part is that my son comes with me and I get to interact with him while working out. Also, he's meeting other children and learning about physical activity. After just a week or two of class, we were at home and he started doing push-ups against the wall and counting! One of the best things for me as a stay at home mom is the interaction with other moms - adult conversation, yea!!
Another great part about Stroller Strides is the Luna Moms Club, powered by Stroller Strides. I'm meeting some great moms and Brighton is getting to know their wonderful children. The kiddos get to play and the moms get to chat a bit.

Stroller Strides classes are offered MWF at 9am at Battlefield Mall. Click the link at the right to get more information.

Luna Moms Club is free to join and offers Friday playgroups, a monthly Moms Night Out, and a quarterly Mommies with a Mission event. Check out our meetup.com site for details.