February News

January was a busy month! We're two weeks into our mommymuscle challenge, and the exercises are getting more and more challenging. Can't wait to see everyone's results.



This month I launched a "Level 2" Restore the Core class to help challenge the ladies who have been taking Restore the Core for a while. We've been focusing more on the Mobilize and Energize exercises. In March, I'll be able to teach Restore the Core Power, so I can't wait to see what happens when we add the muscle bar!

I also starting teaching an additional StrollerFit class through the Arlington Recreation department. Every mom in the class is brand new to StrollerFit and it's such a great feeling to see the ladies react for the first time to "Crazy Mommies," "Monsters," and the "Choo Choo."

Also just received the training materials for mommymuscle Sculpt...it's a 45 minute strength training class that uses the muscle bar and it suitable for mothers-to-be, new mothers (who can even "wear" their babies in a front carrier), and basically any mom who's interested in building strength. Hope to launch this program within the next few months. Watch out ladies!

Lots of social stuff going on this month too...we need it because winters in New England can be tough. Very excited about the Moms Night In Cooking Class with German Lam. Hoping to learn, as Nicole says, "dinners that are easy to put together while watching a toddler when you are hungry after work that make good family meals that are not very many WW (Weight Watchers) points." Can definitely relate to that!

We're also starting a book club this month...reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett. It's SO good and feels great to read something other than parenting books!

Finally, for the kiddos, we're going to an Open House for the Belmont Kidspace, a great cooperative playgroup that meets in the afternoons. Perfect! I always need something to do after nap.

Waltham Day of Play

Here's a video of us at the Waltham Day of Play!

(We're at the beginning)

January News

Happy New Year, everyone! So much to talk about..

First off, winners of the Fitness Takes No Holiday challenge:
1st place...Marisa
2nd place...Emily
3rd place...Eri
Prizes were donated by Together in Motion, Music Together, and Magic Beans. Great job ladies, and I'm proud of everyone who took time out for themselves and exercised!

I'm super excited for our next challenge, which is totally different. Are you ready to take your fitness to the next level? It's very important that you sign up for one of the "pre-screening" slots during the first two weeks of January...during this time I will administer a few short fitness assessments (results are kept between you and me)...then in March I'll administer them again...and you'll be amazed at the results. Ideally two moms will sign up for each slot, so one can keep an eye on the kids while the other focuses on the "tests." The slots can be found on meetup...to get your first choice, don't delay!

Restore the Core
New eight week session begins Wednesday, January 6th at 7:30. Cost is $80 ($70 if you have a current SF membership). Sign up the first night of class.

Moms Night Out
Join us Friday, January 8th for Indian! This place came up at the last Moms Night as having the best Indian food around. Bring a friend...she doesn't have to be interested in StrollerFit...just someone who could use a night out too! All the details are on meetup

Mom and Tot Book Swap/Play-date
Wednesday, January 20th at my house, starting at 3:00. Bring two books: a gently used kids book that you're tired of reading, as well as an adult book you're ready to pass along. We'll enjoy tea, hot chocolate, and a relaxing afternoon together. Feel free to come late if you're working, baby's napping, etc. We'll do the swap around 4:00.

Please let me know if you have any ideas for future play-dates or moms nights!

Here's to an awesome 2010,

Catherine

Restore the Core can also help with bladder control

Guest Author: Mary Beth Knight, President of StrollerFit

Many women experience bladder control issues during pregnancy and after childbirth. Our babies sure are cute, but do we have to suffer? NO!

The pelvic floor, or a weak pelvic floor I should say is the reason for such problems. If the pelvic floor muscles lose their strength the bladder loses control.

Did you know that there are TWO types of muscle in the pelvic floor? One is slow twitch and its job is to support the pelvis for long periods of time, just like your calf muscle which allows you to stand for long periods of time.

There is also fast twitch fibers found in the pelvic floor, and these fibers act as an "extra closing force" to prevent leakage from the bladder when you sneeze, laugh, cough, lift heavy objects or have to "hold it" before finding a bathroom near by! IT is these muscles that can be damaged and forced to become inactive during and after childbirth.

The fast twitch fibers of the pelvic floor fire as a reflex. Meaning, you don't think about contracting them, they just do it. Before childbirth, if you had to sneeze, these fibers contracted prior to your sneeze to prevent leakage. However childbirth and something called "reflex inhibition" can render these muscles useless after the baby is born.

Reflex inhibition is a protective reaction the body has towards injury. Your pelvic floor muscles were injured during delivery, if allowed to be called into action before they healed from the birth, further damage to them could have taken place. Therefore, to allow them to heal, the body shut them down... but what happens to a muscle when it isn't used for a long period of time? We lose it!

This is exactly why we HAVE to retrain the pelvic floor, and every other muscle that was mistreated, underused or overused during pregnancy!

Not only does pregnancy and childbirth weaken the pelvic floor, but so does being overweight! Every extra pound that a woman carries is felt by her pelvic floor. Extra weight causes the pelvic floor muscles to fatigue and increase the risk of incontinence.

All of this information was taken into consideration for the exercises found in restore the core. It is why we place a the mommymuscle fit 'n fun balls between our knees and squeeze them!

Women all over the country are able to run, jump, sneeze and hold it! If someone you know has these issues, RTC can solve them! (but only as long as they CONTINUE to perform the exercises) the issues will return after a few months on not exercising the muscles!

Hope that gives you some insight into why RTC really helps with bladder control!

Do you refuse to sacrifice your Weight, Health and Sanity During the Holidays?

With the craziness of the holiday season, sometimes your health, weight management, and sanity take a back seat. But it doesn't have to be that way! I just purchased an amazing program from a favorite health counselor and she was gracious enough to let me pass along a few tips that resonated with me:

1. The average person puts on 5 pounds from Thanksgiving to New Years. Doing the math, that's 500 calories a day (a skipped workout, a few drinks, or some holiday goodies, and it's easy to see how that adds up!)

2. Her program gives really practical solutions to combat that weight loss, but the one that resonated the most for me was having a well stocked kitchen full of healthy foods. Greens will help reduce sugar cravings because they have magnesium in them. If you find your sweet cravings are totally out of control during the holidays, make sure your meals have some sort of sweet veggies in them, like cooked carrots, sweet potatoes and turnips. If you find yourself hungry a lot during the holidays, making soup is crucial to helping fill yourself up.

3. Some of the things that make the most difference are the easiest to do. Drink tons of water and SLEEP! Now I'm a bit of a night owl, but I'm trying to go to bed earlier these days because lack of sleep adds to more sugar cravings.


I highly recommend this program! It helped me feel organized and optimistic about the holidays. If you want to know more, it can be purchased here:

Supporting your Immune System from the Inside Out

Guest author: Joanna Silverman

As a mother, I am well aware of the fear and concern surrounding the H1N1 flu. Everyday the news media is covering some new aspect of this flu. As a health counselor, I have been surprised by the prevention tips that have been presented. Much of the recommendations have had to do with tips on how you can externally prevent catching the flu: washing hands and covering mouths when coughing or sneezing. I work hard with my clients and my own family on building a healthy immune system through diet and lifestyle. In all of the media/board of health recommendations there is little-to-no mention on how we can support immunity from an internal perspective. It was discovered years ago that coming in contact with a germ does not necessarily mean that an individual will be inflicted with illness. Developing an illness, or the severity of an illness, depends on the strength of an individual's immune system. If the strength of an immune system is an indicator for catching the flu and the level of complications surrounding the flu, why are we not focusing on ways we can strengthen our immune system?

Am I concerned that my daughter will get the H1N1 flu? I am, but I sincerely believe that I have control on how it will impact her. The most important thing we can do for our family is to support their immune system, so the body will be strong and ready.

Building Your Family's Immunity
A strong immune system requires three important ingredients:
· Exercise
· Adequate Rest
· A Healthy Diet

Exercise
The Lymphatic system is an important part of immunity. It contains liquid, called lymph, which carries necessary defense cells which attack bacteria around the body. Lymph differs from blood because it requires exercise or movement to circulate through the body. Making sure your family participates in at least 20-30 minutes of physical activity a day will ensure that the lymphatic system is actively moving through the body. Another way to support the lymphatic system, especially when fighting a cold or flu, is by massaging your the neck area all the way down to the toes with an oil (sesame/olive) or lotion.

Adequate Rest
Often times an illnesses during cold and flu season correlates with being run down. Getting adequate sleep allows the body to store energy and high quality nutrients that will be drawn on to fight off illnesses. When we are sleeping, the body is renewing and cleansing. The most ideal time for school children to go to bed is around the eight o’clock hour so they are able to get a full 10 hours of sleep a night. Adults need at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night.

A Healthy Diet
It is vital to support the immune system with a healthy diet. Our bodies run off the food we put into it. An ideal diet will look different for each child depending on food allergies/sensitivities; however the strongest immunity boosting diets contain only whole, unprocessed foods. There are foods that support immunity, and there are foods that suppress immunity. For example, processed sugar has a direct impact on your child’s immune system. Eight tablespoons of sugar, which is equivalent to about 2 cans of soda, will lessen your child’s immunity by 50% for about 5 hours. Immunity suppressing foods contain sugar, high levels of salt, caffeine, hydrogenated oil, and additives. Immunity supporting foods contain, whole grains, natural sugars (maple syrup, honey), fresh vegetables/fruits, natural sources of protein ( fish, eggs, beans, poultry, meat), and essential fats (fish oil, olive oil, flax seed oil).

mommymuscle® 8 week challenge

As women influenced by each other, society, and Hollywood, we often live with poor body image and low self esteem. Add into that mix raging hormones, weight gain, and physical de-conditioning that all take place during the child bearing years, and many of us can't stand to look in the mirror. We sometimes believe that pregnancy has ruined our bodies. We tell ourselves that we will never be the same, and judge ourselves by the size of the clothes we are now wearing, as well as the ones we can't wear.

For almost a decade, many moms can stay in this place of distrust and disappointment in their bodies, feeling like a failure and wondering why they can't seem to "get it together" like some women they know.

The mommymuscle® 8 week challenge presents the opportunity for moms to witness MEASURABLE changes in their bodies. Your strength, balance, flexibility, and aerobic conditioning will all improve with dedicated participation in this challenge!

HOW IT WORKS

The mommymuscle® 8 week challenge begins January 18, 2009. During the first two weeks of January, you will make an appointment with me before a StrollerFit® class to take a fitness assessment in the areas of cardiovascular conditioning, core strength, agility, muscular strength, and flexibility. During StrollerFit® classes, we will progress through a series of exercises specifically designed to improve your performance in each of these areas. It is recommended that you come to class at least twice (and preferably three times) per week. However, if that does not work with your schedule, I will have homework cards!

THE INVESTMENT IN YOUR HEALTH

What all participants receive:
* fitness assessment at the beginning and end of the 8 week period.
* a series of progressive exercises specifically designed to improve cardiovascular conditioning, core strength, agility, muscular strength, and flexibility.
* "homework cards" to supplement your class attendance
* motivational emails
* your own mommymuscle® bar with resistance band (retails at $53)

The Cost:

Current members: $59

Returning members: $149 (includes UNLIMITED StrollerFit® classes during the 8 week period)

New members: $199 (includes mommymuscle® balls, 2 resistance bands, water bottle, heavy duty nylon bag, and 8 weeks of UNLIMITED StrollerFit® classes during the 8 week period)