I'm doing the Back-to-School happy dance!

Well, we are far from having our morning routine down to an exact science, but just dropped the girls off for the first day of school. We had the standard new outfits, new lunchboxes, and photos on the front step. It’s a day for new beginnings, new habits and new opportunities.

This fresh start isn’t just for the kiddos. Forget about the four seasons, there really are two seasons of motherhood – summer and back-to-school. The back-to-school season is an outstanding opportunities to refocus your wellness objectives. This week, when you’ve got plenty of quiet moments, think about your current wellness state. Where are you at? Has the summer season gotten you way off track? What are your wellness goals for the fall? How can you raise your personal best? I know you’ve probably got a back log of household projects and errands. My house is just a wreck. Hey, the kids are gone, and while we need to smartly manage the day to maximize our time before pick up, there is ample opportunity to carve out a “wellness block” out of each day. What can you capture and maximize the value from this time each day? This is a wonderful time to join a fitness class, go power-walking with a neighborhood buddy, or dust off that home gym equipment and get after it. Today is a great day for planning and dreaming. How can you use this back-to-school year to redefine your personal best?

Wait, what’s that sound, only the hum of the washing machine. Ahhh the peace and quiet! Until 3:00 at least :)

Timberman Rocks!

Just got back from participating in the Timberman 70.3 (Half-Ironman) – How Awesome! Located in Gilford, New Hampshire, the Timberman is ranked one of the best triathlon experiences in the world. This was actually my first trip ever to the northeast, and it was gorgeous. What the small towns of New Hampshire lacked in fine dining and accommodations, they more than compensated in incredible trees, rolling hills and clear, blue lakes. But let’s just say a Dallas girl is not quite accustomed to a two mile long hill climb! I’m now jealous of the super cool running and biking options enjoyed by all you Optimoms who live in New Hampshire, Vermont and the like.

I made the trip with my posse of triathlon friends. I love to treat myself to one long weekend a year to travel to a new race. It’s an outstanding way to motivate myself during training and explore the U.S. (and beyond!). Undoubtedly the destination race is always my favorite event of the year because of that outstanding combo of friends, sport and adventure.

Let me just confirm that we are “recreational” triathletes only. When it comes to the half-Ironman distance, my primary goal is to finish to the best of my ability. I approach every race as a great accomplishment, life experience, and opportunity to redefine my personal best.

Holy Cauliflower!

Bottom line – I love lots of veggies, but I’ve always hated cauliflower. I’ll routinely pick it out of stir fries or omit it from recipes. Went out to for a nice dinner recently, and there it was on the menu – cauliflower mash. Now I have heard on many occasions that this tastes just like mashed potatoes. Given my dislike for cauliflower, I figured that I was the ultimate judge of this twist on the calories dense, high carb, white mash potato.

Oh my goodness! I was delicious! It was served as the bed to a lovely almond-crusted trout. It was true – cauliflower can masquerade as mashed potatoes! So here was the next test – preparing this at home. Went the Internet and found a wide range of recipes. Everything from a South Beach version that was super clean (and a little blah, even by my clean eating standards) to a restaurant version from Ruby Tuesday that included heavy cream – seriously, why bother with the cauliflower.

I settled on a recipe from Food Network. You’ll find the link below. I thought it was a happy medium. It included parmesan cheese and garlic for flavor. OK, that’s pretty harmless. So off I went to prepare Sunday dinner – salmon, green beans, cauliflower mash, and some fresh bread. And yes, we were even all going to sit around the table to eat it together.

Holy Cauliflower – it was awesome! This is my new favorite food, and the thing new recipe that all my mom clients have to hear about. A few tips from the recipe. I omitted the butter from the top when serving – duh? I didn’t have any chives around, so that’s optional. If you have one, a food processor is excellent for preparation. After all my enthusiasm, last week one of my moms made this for her family that includes 2 boys ages 9 and 7. Half way through the meal, she was getting feedback that the meal was great. Now, she had failed to mention the mashed potato swap. After a few more questions, her husband finally inquired if she had put something in the mashed potatoes. So great!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_26612,00.html

Go Moms Go

The neighborhood moms did it! On Saturday they competed in the first sprint triathlon. The best part - not only did all of them successfully complete the race - but they had fun! Bonus - on one of the moms really rocked it and placed third in her age bracket. The moms made it a family affair. Dads and kids came out to cheer them on. Then later that day, after some showers and much deserved rest, the families got together for a backyard bbq.

Fitness, families, fun, camaderie among moms. Just doesn't get any better than that! The emails are already flying about their next race or challenge. There are so many fantastic events from triathlons to a wide range of cycling and running events. When you are training for an event, especially in the company of friends, you almost forget about all the great exercise and fitness strides you are making. Being physically fit doesn't mean you need to be a slave to the gym. Find opportunities like this to make fitness an event shared among friends.

Experience the produce of the season

Jenn, a good friend of mine, just delivered a great gift - she and her daughters had made a little day trip to head to the blueberry fields. Now there is some wholesome family fun. She brought me a huge, 15 lb bag of beautiful, plump, juicy berries. Summer is an incredible time of year to experience the produce of the season. Remember the goal is to consume five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day. For me, this is so much easier in the summer when I can make myself a big bowl of strawberries, blueberries and peaches. Even better, top that off with a little yogurt and granola.

Like Jenn, make selecting the produce an activity for you and the kids. Kids love to experience new adventures. How about a weekly trip to the farmers market, produce stand or local produce farm? Depending on your geographic region, you might even be able go out and pick produce from the fields. Also, keep in mind, that many fruits freeze wonderfully. I broke down my giant bag of blueberries into 1 or 2 cup servings in freezer bags.

Step two, make preparing the produce and activity for you and the kids. During the heat of the afternoon, let the kids help you wash the produce and assist in the preparing it for dinner. I'm going to have my girls help me make blueberry muffins. My kids are picky eaters, so any opportunity to make healthy foods fun is a great option.

mom power!

Nothing better than moms getting together for their first triathlon. We've got a local sprint triathlon coming up at an awesome facility just about 10 minutes from our neighborhood. What an awesome opportunity for a group of moms to band together for their first-ever triathlon! I joined them for their initial planning session several weeks ago. We had all different skill levels - ranging from no experience biking, running, or swimming (gotta love the spirit there!) to another mom with marathon and high school swimming background. Definitely some nerves about the race concept, but awesome support, camaraderie and sharing.

Ever since there's been weekly e-mails on training schedules and updates. The moms have been meeting every Friday morning at the neighborhood pool for swim practice. Everyone brings their kiddos and they hangout on the playground while the moms get in some laps. Also been buddying up on rides and weekly brick practice. Now we're 2 weeks from race day!

Any opportunities like this in your area? A sprint triathlon is totally doable for your typical mom. It's generally about a 300 meter swim, 12-15 mile bike and a 5k run. It's all about you and the accomplishment - no worries about times or places. You can google a triathlon calendar for your city and check it out. I bet you know some moms who would love the challenge! I'll let you know how the girls do!

Oh yeah, that blog! Here come my mom excuses!

Oh my goodness - where should my excuses begin? I've got a list of awesome mom excuses as to why I haven't blogged in months. Well, the end of the school year was nuts with parties, teacher gifts, end-of-year projects. Then we rolled right into summer with swim team, busy kids, carpools, camps, vacation bible school. And just to make things more insane, we adopted a baby lab for Reese's 10th birthday from a local shelter. I know - pushover - but more on this later.

No lie - every day for the past month I've said to myself, "I really need to blog today." Funny thing is, I really love to write on this blog. It's just amazing how easily things put pushed aside or put off - even things we enjoy - because as moms we're so busy that the days gets away from us. Hey, even this Optimom is big time guilty of this! This is exactly what happens so often with fitness and nutrition. We know that we need to work out - hey we even want to workout - but one thing (and one excuse) leads to another and it keeps getting put off day after day after day. It's just so easy to justify our decisions when we are such super-duper moms and there is so much on our plate.

I've been listening to myself and all my excuses as to why I've been too "busy" to blog. It's just ridiculous, but you get caught in the cycle, and those excuses sound pretty darn valid! It doesn't take more than 15-20 minutes to sit down and write an entry because I'm always thinking about moms and wellness. Just like it only takes you 15-20 minutes to get in an effective strength workout everyday. The key - break the cycle of excuses. That's exactly what I'm doing today! I've admitted that I have a problem :) and today I'm breaking that cycle of ridiculous excuses and rationalizations.

Look forward to talking with you soon!

Cooking for One

Family members are all over the place. With so many sports, activities, meetings, youth group, business travel and various friends, it’s not uncommon for the family to be in different places at dinner time. On Friday evening, Chuck was at a business function, and the girls were in sleepover mode with friends. The girls wanted to order a pizza, and Chuck would be eating out. That left me. Now it may seem like the “easy solution” would be to grab a few pieces of the girls’ pizza. Oh no – go back to the posting on the 4th. Instead of viewing this situation as, “Well, why bother cooking for myself.” “It doesn’t make any sense to cook for one.” “Everyone else is busy, so why cook.” Etc, etc, I’ve heard all the rationalized excuses.

Instead, view this as an opportunity to treat yourself to a lovely little meal. It’s essential to remember that cooking for one can be delicious, healthy, easy and efficient – it’s just about being prepared. I had a few sweet potatoes in the panty, and some leftover fresh green beans that had already been cooked in the fridge. That morning, while I was out running errands, Whole Foods was already on my agenda, so I picked up a small (about 1/3 pound) piece of cod that was on sale. In the bakery department, I treated myself to one fresh cornbread muffin. On Friday evening, there was about 5 minutes of prep time. I put my sweet potato in the oven. I put a little sea salt and pepper on my cod, tented it in a piece of tinfoil and stuck that in the oven. Warmed up the green beans in microwave. The piece of cornbread was ready to go. You just can’t get much easier. This was awesome, nutritious (ok, maybe the cornbread wasn’t perfect), and with no hassle whatsoever. Eating healthy when you’re on your own just doesn’t have to be some difficult, time-consuming ordeal as long as you are prepared!

How bad habits get started

We have the best of intentions. Eat well, exercise and live a wellness-focused lifestyle. Occasionally, we cut ourselves a little slack, maybe indulge in a little but too much good food and wine, or rationalize why it’s OK to skip a workout here or there. But if we don’t keep this behavior in check, it’s where bad habits start.

Take my trip to China for example. I was naughty in the food department. Our hotel had a fabulous breakfast buffet of Western, Chinese and Japanese breakfast items. Since, we didn’t know where our next meal was coming from (and our bodies thought it was dinner with the time change), I ate a BIG and I mean BIG breakfast. Of course, since I was in China, each morning I had to have the Chinese doughnut of the day, and loved the fried (yes fried) Chinese milk buns that I dipped in honey. Hey, this was great, and boy was this pretty awesome compared to my ultra-regulated breakfasts at home. Take dinner for example, I had beer every night and frequently ate fried food. There was seldom bottled water in the restaurants, so beer was the “safe” choice. Hey, this was refreshing after a tough day of site seeing! This all bothered me a bit at first, but by week 2 I was in the groove.

My eating was in “vacation mode.” When I got back, it was hard to immediately shift back into the old routine. I was hungry and missed all my sweet treats! Last Saturday morning, I treated my girls to doughnuts, and I actually considered having one. I practically had to shake myself silly. This is exactly how bad habits get started. Oh, one little doughnut won’t hurt! Ladies, this is like a ball rolling down hill, it only picks up speed.

This topic frequently comes up with clients. It’s so easy to go from vacation, to holiday, to special occasion, and before you know it, you’re 5-10 pounds overweight, with bathing suit season around the corner. I’m in week 2 of my vacation detox, and am feeling on track, and a little shocked at how bad I allowed myself to eat! How about you…have you allowed any bad habits to sneak into your food routine?

Back from China!

If you ever have the opportunity, China is an incredible place to visit. The people, culture, history, food, and (last but not least) shopping are absolutely outstanding. As we explored Beijing and Shanghai, I also had my eye on their approach to wellness.

In 2 weeks, I saw one obese Chinese person. It certainly was a combination of factors – activity level, food and culture. A few observations….Due to traffic and costs, the typical Chinese person walks or rides their bike everywhere. That’s right – forget about the drive-thru, carpool and searching out the closest parking spot. Exploring Beijing with our local guide, I walked my booty off. It was actually refreshing not to be so dependent on a car. How would American wellness be impacted if there were full bike lanes (the same size a normal car lane) on every road and highway? How incredible would it be to have the option to ride our bike to the dentist or the bank?

According to our guide, the Chinese retire in their 50s. Then they spend their days at the park exercising and socializing with friends. The parks even have exercise areas with "park versions" of exercise eqiupment seen at your local gym. I found it hilarious that other "exercises" include singing and clapping. I saw many, many Chinese practicing Tai Chi, Kung Fu and flying kites. Interesting because not customary at all for adult Americans to hang out at the park. What a wonderful social outlet for adults, especially those retired and older. If we saw some guy at the park flying kites, we'd assume he was some kind of freak!

Also, it is not customary to eat dessert. Now I have to admit, I’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth, so I wasn’t real excited about this one! At most restaurants, it doesn’t even appear on the menu. And when there was a dessert menu, forget about the chocolate lava cake, tower of cookies, or hot apple pie with ice cream. It was typically fruit or some type of gelatin concoction. On the popular, new shopping streets, we did see Haagan Daz stores popping up. Will this be the start of a sweets addiction? With dessert almost out of the equation, how many calories and fat could we eliminate from our diets?

How many obese Americans do you see in a day or sadly even an hour? After a few days of recovering from some serious jet lag, we took the girls on a zoo outing. The number of overweight zoo-goers (parents and children) was shocking and sad. Just another powerful reminder that we moms need to get ourselves and our families moving. Are there ways that you can add more activity to your daily schedule? Maybe as simple as walking or riding bikes to school?

Off to China!

Leaving with Chuck (the husband) first thing tomorrow for 2 weeks in China. The past week as been insane - ever left the kids with the grandparents for an extended visit? Between getting ready for our trip and micromanaging the girls' schedule - well, I know I don't need to elaborate. The past few days I've been enjoying my favorite foods and doing my best to get in a few "last chance" workouts. Preparing for a vacation is another easy time to let your wellness routine slip - with SO MUCH TO DO, it's all too easy to rationalize there is no time to workout or prepare a proper lunch. I know - I've struggled with this for the past week. Not sure of my Internet situation during the trip, but I'll do my best to check in, if not I'll catch you in a few weeks. I'm totally psyched to experience the Chinese culture, and of course, get a glimpse of Chinese wellness.

Wardrobe Wellness

Anyone catch Oprah on Wednesday? It was a mommy makeover episode focused on frumpy moms who spend their lives in baggy sweatshirts, bad jeans, overalls, pajama bottoms, no makeup, ponytail – you know the look! Certainly, after Oprah’s intervention, the ladies not only looked stylish, but felt confident and vibrant. One of the moms made the comment that she realized that it’s OK and important to spend time on herself. In a funny way, wardrobe is part of wellness – I’d say emotional wellness. It’s so easy to schlep around in sweats – hey I’m just running to the grocery store and picking up the kids from school, why spend any effort on getting fixed up. I think all moms are guilty of this – me included!

Just as healthy eating and exercise gives you energy and confidence, so does fixing yourself up. I know it takes some time to blow out that hair, but after I do it, I sure do have a little more swagger in my step than when I just throw it in a ponytail. I’m super diligent about fitness and nutrition, but I admit that I can get lazy in this department. I’ve been making a conscious effort this year to routinely blow out my hair, and wear “real clothes” – which for me means non-fitness apparel. It’s so hard, but even though it seems like a pain, I’ve really started to turn the corner. I do feel more pretty and more confident when I take the time to wear makeup, style my hair and put on a cute outfit.

What’s your wardrobe situation like? I have had several giggles with girlfriends about the mom’s closest from the Oprah episode. I think our favorite quote was something like, “1987 is calling and it wants its clothes back!” It’s really about establishing a routine, just like with working out or eating healthy. The more you do it, the better you feel, the momentum builds, you feel outstanding and there’s no going back to bad old habits.

Entertainment for your Workout

Getting ready to go out for a run and I’m getting my “entertainment” ready. The I-pod is an incredible fitness tool. Sure, it’s great to have all your favorite music – mine spans Red Hot Chili Peppers to the Bee Gees. But have you experimented to podcasts? There are podcasts on everything and I’m not exaggerating. Whether your interests are Hollywood news, politics, sports, cooking, travel or even learning a new language, there are a mind-boggling number of podcasts on every topic imaginable. Talk about a fun distraction while you are working out! This morning I visited I-Tunes and subscribed to a podcast on the tv series Lost which will discuss each episode. Love that show, but it’s so confusing I’m looking forward to hearing some insights. Can’t wait to listen to it on my run!

I ALMOST talked myself out of it!

I had the best intentions. My carefully timed plan was to head to the gym around 10am to swim laps. I needed to keep on schedule, because I had a car maintenance appointment at 1pm. The morning started out easy enough, got the girls off to school, and returned home ready for a few productive hours. Well, then I got “over-involved.” Imagine that! I found myself in a rare moment of laundry inspiration. The loads were flowing, and I was actually putting the clothes away promptly. Sitting at the computer, I was cranking through e-mails, paying a few bills and taking care of Optimom business. And naturally, I had a call from friend and my mom, so I needed to chat a bit.

Time was started to slip away, and the rationalization began. Hmmm, if I go swimming, I’ll have to wash my hair. Should I shower at the gym? No that’s a pain. Maybe I’ll go running instead, but wait, it’s really cold and windy today. Trying to keep on track, I packed my gym bag. But as I started to do the math, there was just no way I had time to get to the gym, shower, fix my hair, grab a bit of lunch, and get to my car appointment. Since I was on a productive, mommy roll, it was looking very practical, rational and time efficient to just keep on trucking with my to-do list and blow off today’s workout. This is just how easily it can happen.

WAIT! I quickly shook some sense into myself and took a close look at the story I had cooked up. NO GOOD! With so much on a mom’s plate, it can happen so easily – to all of us, no matter how disciplined we think we are! I modified my plans, layered up in my favorite cold weather running gear, and sucked it up for a short run. It felt so awesome – certainly better than paying bills! Next time you hear yourself making up a similar story, try to catch yourself in the act before it gets too late! Your body and mind will be invigorated and thank you for the exercise.

Recruit a furry personal trainer

Dogs can be an outstanding complement to our wellness routine. They force us to get in a little extra cardio each day with walks around the block (whether we like it or not!). So instead of looking at your dog like a little furry pain in the neck - embrace them as your personal trainer! They'd love you for it! And once your dog gets on a walk schedule, they can be darn persistent at holding you accountable! Our family dog Zach walked me through two pregancies and the stroller years for two girls. Leash up your dog today and take it for an extra long walk. Hey your dog won't even care if you throw in some lunges along the way!

Sure, pets can make you crazy! Nothing more infuriating than cleaning up doggie doodoo in the house or a gnawed strip of molding. Great story here that fits the season - a few years back Reese diligently created her Valentines for the second grade class party. They were signed, sealed and complete with a piece of candy attached to each. Ready for school, Reese left them on the counter that night. Zach sniffed out the tasty treats and we awoke to shredded valentines scattered throughout the house. Let's just say, there was a lot of drama! Happily we can all laugh about it now! But you've always got to remember that in addition to helping YOU keep moving, their unconditional love and affection is a wonderful boost to our mental health, especially when we are feeling down or lonely.

Today's post is in honor of our siberian husky Zach. He passed away of natural causes on January 30, a few months short of his 14th birthday.

Count the Minutes

Saw a great Suave haircare ad in a magazine over the weekend. The visual is an attractive woman wearing a large hat made out of assorted clothing items. The copy reads, “The average mom spends 116 minutes a day on laundry and only 7 on her hair.”

As I tossed my hair back in a ponytail this morning, I wondered, “What could they be talking about? Who has time to spend 7 minutes on their hair?” :)

This is an awesome ad because it spotlights how little time moms spend on themselves. Add more minutes for clutter control, packing lunches, volunteering at school, carpooling, etc. There is ALWAYS something that needs done, so no one has more excuses than a mom when it comes to proper nutrition and exercise.

The world won’t end if you push back laundry until tomorrow. But instead, grab that time for a cardiovascular workout that improves your health and burns calories – now that really matters in the big picture.

Guilt-Free Pancakes

Girls I’m not lying here! On a cold winter morning, there is just nothing better than hot pancakes right off the griddle with hot maple syrup. YUMMMM! But while that’s a wonderful image, it’s really easy to over-indulge with way too many calories and bad carbs that leave you bloated, heavy and needing a nap to recover. Not exactly an energizing, healthy way to start the day. Last week at my nutrition class, I met a like-minded mom and personal trainer from Wichita Falls, Texas that shared with the class my new favorite recipe. Here we go:

½ rolled oats
1/8 tsp cinnamon
½ cup low fat or fat free cottage cheese
3 egg whites
½ tsp vanilla

First, blend/grind up oats and cinnamon. Second, add your wet ingredients and blend into nice pancake batter consistency. So easy! I use my hand blender, but any blender or food processor would certainly work. This size batch makes four medium pancakes. On the griddle, I throw in some blueberries to get a little extra fruit. I love Cary’s sugar free syrup. I buy it at WalMart so it’s readily available. It has great flavor and my family can’t tell the difference.

If we conduct a little analysis here, you’ll notice there is no flour in the recipe. Just a wonderful, heart-healthy serving of rolled oats. Roughly, the entire batch is about 280 calories and 33 grams of protein. And, the syrup is only 30 calories for ¼ cup. Glorious!

Check-Up Season

What percentile does your little one fall into for height and weight? Can you flip through your calendar and see notes or reminders for your kids' next medical or dental appointment? I know you can rattle off the answers to these questions! We moms are all over taking outstanding care of kids' health, but not so good about turning the focus on us.

With the hustle and bustle of the holidays behind us (thank goodness!), this is a "quiet" time of the year. For me, January is my personal checkup season. (I've also been on a clutter control and home organization tangent, but that's a whole other story. I'm even threatening to buy a label maker.) Anyway, it's the perfect opportunity for you to take care of wellness checkups or health concerns. Don't even try to tell me you're up-to-date on everything because I won't believe it.

For me, this morning I had the always exciting annual exam at the ob/gyn. Admittedly, I was four months past due, because I was using "the busy excuse." Nothing makes a girl's day like paper gowns and a pap smear.

I also recently had my cholesterol taken - I'll check back soon with my results and more on the topic. So now is the perfect time to kick off 2008 with a healthy focus! As you read this, what pops into your head – are you due for a dental checkup? Maybe an annual skin screen at the dermatologist? Or like me have you been putting off that trip to the ob/gyn? Make a commitment to yourself to call and schedule that appointment now before that “busy excuse” takes over!

Feed your brain

Check out this fascinating fact (especially if you restrict your carbohydrate intake!). Carbohydrates are the primary source of dietary energy for the body. Sure we think about energy to exercise, chase the kids around, do household chores, etc. But what about energy to fuel our brain? Consider this: 130 grams of carbohydrates are needed each day to support normal brain function. Wow! Since one gram of carbohydrates provides 4 calories, that means that our brain needs approximately 520 calories from carbohydrates each and every day just to support brain function. If you're experiencing sleepiness, fatigue or confusion, it may be more than just your kids driving you crazy. Take a look at how you're fueling your body - and your brain.

Look for Nutrition Tips

Just a quick post, because I'm attending a continuing education class this week at the Cooper Institute on the subject of nutrition and providing dietary guidance. It's been a week of crazy early mornings to squeeze in a workout, all day lectures, and managing and juggling the girls' schedules. You know how nuts it is when mom is out of the loop for a few days!

I'm passionate about the subject of nutrition, and look forward to sharing lots of cool info in the coming weeks. It's amazing what a huge impact nutrition has on our long term health and wellness - and our ability to be an incredible mom today and for years to come.

OW that hurts!

As I got out of bed this morning, my quads still ache! I went to a killer "core fusion" class on Friday. It fuses the disciplines of Pilates, yoga, core-conditioning and orthopedic stretching to produce long, lean muscles and a strong, flexible, youthful body. I had not been since before the holidays, and wow, I felt it! I love the feeling of an intense, thorough, time-efficient workout.

To keep progressing, it's essential to find new, challenging way to take your workout to the next level. Whether you are a beginner or the star of your gym, if your current workout feels routine or if you find yourself doing the same program over and over (i.e. OK I'll jump on my favorite elliptical for 30 minutes, then I'll go do my favorite weight sequence), it's time to shake things up. Make it fun! The core fusion class is a specialty class only offered at a spa across town. Is it convenient? No. But, it's cool to occasioanlly check out new places, meet new people, and progress your workout. It's all part of the journey to achieve our personal best. Treat yourself to new workout experiences - it's an incredible mind/body lift.

Happy New Year

Back to reality moms! Rough morning at my house getting the kids up and out the door. When I woke up my 1st grader, all she kept saying was "but it's dark outside?" Oh the joy of sleeping in over the holidays. Now that we're back in the normal routine of school and work, it's also time to resume our normal wellness routine. That's right - no more holiday cookies, indulging in the mid-week cocktails, or grazing on hors d'œuvres. No more blowing off your workout since the kids are home, the relatives are in town, you've got gifts to return, holiday decorations need put away, or just go ahead and insert your favorite holiday workout excuse here.

I'll be heading to the gym (without complaining kids, yeah!) later this morning for a cardio mix of rowing, stair climbing, and elliptical with a little indulgent View watching tossed in. I'm sure it will be packed with the "New Year's Resolutions Crowd." I'm not a big fan of resultions. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves and it's easy to lose interest or let yourself down. Forget about resolutions - it's simple - just take care of yourself! Each day when you wake up, think "what can I do today to improve my wellness?"

It could be taking the plunge to try a spin class at the gym, trying a new healthy recipe, registering for a challenging race, or as simple as calling the doctor to schedule that checkup you've been putting off. This is a strategy you can employ whether you're just getting back at it or you're a fit mama looking to take your life to the next level. It's a positive, empowering mindset that enables you to consistently improve your wellness, build momentum and create a wellness-focused lifestyle. So what small, simple thing can you do today to improve your wellness?