Healthy Momma Challenge!

And so it begins! The challenge is on Dallas SS Moms.
Stroller Strides® Healthy Momma Challenge
Summer is here! It is time for Mothers and given our importance in the lives of our families, it is in the taking care of ourselves that rewards should be paid! Stroller Strides® has created a personal challenge to motivate you to make time for your MIND, BODY and SPIRIT…it is your strength and vitality which makes you beautiful! This month-long challenge will give you the focus and drive to take time for yourself!

Keeping a “score card” of your successes, you will track the points you earn through daily activities. For example, points are rewarded for attending Stroller Strides classes, exercising on your own, taking time for yourself reading a book or taking a bath, keeping a personal journal, eating fruits and vegetables, and many other activities. The mom to collect the most points will win prizes! After four weeks of this challenge, you will be exercising more, eating your fruits and veggies each day and feeling great about yourself and your new healthy habits! This challenge can be an individual journey or you can join forces with friends for a team challenge.
In addition to your daily activities, you will be receiving four weekly emails with ideas to earn more points. They will be geared to motivate, inspire and connect!

SO WHAT COUNTS TOWARD EARNING POINTS?
There are 3 categories in which to earn daily points.
MIND
As moms it is important to keep our minds healthy and sharp. You can earn MIND points by taking the time to strengthen your mind. Activities like reading a book, learning a new skill (i.e. knitting or scrapbooking), or taking/teaching a course are all included in the MIND category.
BODY
Getting physical activity everyday is essential! By attending Stroller Strides classes you can earn you maximum BODY points, however if you cannot attend classes, you can still earn points by doing any form of aerobic exercise that adds up to at least thirty minutes a day. Suggestions include walking, tennis, running, dance, swimming, etc. Weight training will also earn you points.
Other ways to earn BODY points are with healthy eating. Earn points for eating fruits and vegetables, (other than potatoes or dried legumes like refried beans or bean/pea soup as they are considered starches). A vegetable serving is equal to: ½ c cooked vegetables, ½ c raw chopped vegetable, 1 c raw leafy vegetable, or ½ c juice. Fruit serving size would include: 1 whole medium fruit (about 1 cup), ½ c canned fruit, ¼ c dried fruit, or ½ c juice. Also, drinking at least 60 ounces of water every day can earn you points.

Finally, keeping a food journal can earn you points. You must record everything you eat, when you ate it and how much was eaten.
SPIRIT
Connecting with your spirit-life will help make you more of a complete person. Earn SPIRIT points by spending time meditating/praying or silent time. Connect with your inner self and learn what you are feeling and thinking. We recognize that people have different ways of expressing their spirituality yet a healthy spiritual life is an essential part of your well-being. Points in this category can be earned by participating in the meditative benefits of yoga, prayer and time in silence.
Also a keeping a daily journal can help you track your progress.
Good Luck, and Great Strength!

Stroller Strides

After having Clover, I wanted to get back into shape quickly.  I wanted to, but didn't.  I was breastfeeding so I felt like that was my excuse for not working out, for not really doing much else, but b'feeding and watching the entire run of the show "Las Vegas" on TNT.  Well, after 3 months the big boobs and the big butt had to go.  I mean HAD to go.  So, I contacted a few programs in town where I could take Clover and still get a workout.  I sent emails, and even called to get started doing, what looked like a workout class with baby and stroller.  These people did not call me back.  What?  I finally wanted to do something and now I can't even get someone to call me back.  Great.  

Well, I found Stroller Strides (actually my friend Nicole found it years earlier) and I checked out the website so I could enroll in Dallas.  Well, NO classes in Dallas!  This was just unacceptable and I had to do something about it.  After years of being in the business world and working my a** off for a million hours a week, always striving for success and the next promotion, now being home everyday watching tv?  I knew something had to change, and perhaps this was the opportunity.  

So, I contacted Stroller Strides.  The Dallas franchise was available for purchase.  What an opportunity, and what perfect timing.  I had to do it, I had to convince my husband, that I had to do it.  Convincing my husband should be easy, after all, I got him to agree to name our daughter "Clover" after he squashed it very early on (I'll tell you that story later).  

So, I want to buy this franchise, now what?  Well, as with many things in life, "Much easier SAID than DONE".  But you know what? I'm ready, I'm completely able, confident, and strong...but was I "mommy strong"?  That's a whole different level.  The jury is still out, but I am very happy to say that I have almost completed my new business "task list" and my grand opening class in next week.  Clover has been a great assistant.  She's allowed me to do some work every day, and the most important thing for me was and always will be making sure she's happy and comfortable-no matter what.  This is a balance.  Finding that balance will be forever and ongoing, but I will do it.  I will do it for her, and for me.

So, Stroller Strides of Dallas (powered by Mommy Strong) is born.  I have the first event next week and I am ready.  I just hope everyone else is...

Hurry up, don't be late!

So, have you ever seen people on the road speeding up to stop at a red light?  What about the people in their cars cursing at the red lights, or at other drivers because they didn't go at a yellow light?  These are the people who just didn't allow enough time to get where they're going.  Haven't you ever done this?  I totally have.  No more.  I'm deciding right now to stop the cycle.  I bet, at the grocery, at the UPS store, Target, where ever you go, I bet the people you see who are rude to the employees, and those who are always in a big time hurry, I bet if they just left their house 15 minutes earlier, they would have had a much more pleasant and fulfilling day.  

I love to sleep.  LOVE to sleep.  This has always been my excuse for waiting till the last minute, or 5 minutes past the last minute, to leave my house to get somewhere.  This is crazy.  I am more likely to speed, get upset at traffic lights, blame those on the road in front of me, and then just generally be in a bad mood, then those smart people who left the house 15 minutes earlier.  

Now enter baby.  Once you have a baby you need to add 15 extra minutes onto the timeline for EVERYTHING you do.  You have to do this when you get married, too.  I'll never forget when a very wise woman say to me and my husband (when we were 15 minutes late for the meeting) "You need to stop planning for one, and start planning for two".   She was right.

Now I've decided (after I got a speeding ticket for this very problem of mine) that I no longer want to be in a big hurry, when I could have avoided the stress, and possible anger at those who had nothing to do with my poor planning.  I am happy, healthy, and very capable of getting my butt out the door 15 minutes earlier, because I will not get the green lights all the way there.  I encourage you to also make this commitment to yourselves and your families.  Just give yourself enough time.  Help your family to see the importance of taking it slow, and enjoying the journey, instead of always racing to the finish.  Don't be one of those people who's angry at the world because they didn't leave the house 15 minutes earlier...