How to Encourage Kids to Eat Healthy & Be Active

OOPS, so I haven’t blogged all week. I feel bad about it. I really enjoy blogging and it helps keep me sane. But sometimes, life gets crazy and there aren’t enough hours in the day to do what needs to be done and work, laundry, dishes, all these things tend to pile up on you…BUT, that’s for another blog post because I finally did carve out some time this morning to share a bit of my family life with you.
Most of you know, I’m a mom of two kiddos! I blog about them a ton, especially when it comes to doing fun stuff together and going on family vacations and adventures! Today, though I want to talk about how important it is to lead by example and how to encourage kids to eat healthy and be active. When I started this weight loss journey and began exercising regularly I did it for me. I mean, yeah, I wanted to be able to run around with my kiddos and not be out of breathe, I wanted to be a good example to them about eating healthy and keeping active. But guess what? These things don’t happen by osmosis. Kids don’t just become interested in eating kale chips because you are. They won’t trade video games for jumping jacks because you tell them they should be more active. Nope. You have to engage children. You need to get out there and do these things with them. They not only need to see you go for a run, they need you to invite them to join you. It took me a little bit to realize that while I was enjoying the benefits of a healthier, more active lifestyle, my kiddos weren’t as involved as I wanted them to be. So, I made a conscious decision to change that! And for the past year or so, we’ve been making changes for the kiddos too!

Here are a few things we do & you can use to help you and your family eat healthier and be more active:

Making easy Lexi's Clean Kitchen no-bake nut-free Powerbites! Check out the recipe :) Kids love these! — Making easy Lexi’s Clean Kitchen no-bake nut-free Powerbites! Check out the recipe 🙂 Kids love these!

Cook together! Having my kiddos help me cook dinner or a healthy snack helps a ton when trying new things. It doesn’t mean they’ll love it, but they will at least try it because they helped make it. And, even if they don’t like a certain dish or vegetable, it’s still a great way to spend time together and talk about the benefits of healthy foods verses junk food.
Make Exercise Fun! Kids are kids. You can’t pop in a workout DVD and expect them to love the burn! You gotta make it fun for them and for us, that means taking it outside. Whether we’re going on a family hike, a bike ride with daddy, or a 1 mile run I like to let them know we’re not just having fun but also exercising. We’ll do fun little “boot camps” or challenges at the park. Jason & Diego will play football or basketball. The important thing is to stay active!

Be Sneaky! Yup, I am not above tricking my kiddos into eating healthy. I mostly do this by adding spinach & chia seeds to all our smoothies and making fresh juices with both fruits & veggies! Smoothies are usually a few spoonfuls of greek yogurt, a banana, milk, berries, a bunch of spinach, and a tablespoon of chia seeds. One of Elysse’s favorite juices is made with 5 carrots – 1 cucumber – 4 celery – 2 big handful of grapes! It’s fun to experiment and try new combinations and of course, have the kids help 😉
Share your Passions! I love to sign up for races and my favorite are obstacle races and lots of times my hubby runs along with me. It’s fun to take the kids to watch us run and cheer us on. By race day, they are super excited because they saw how much we trained for that day. They see us put in the work and then see the results of our hard work. Nothing like your kid see you succeed and be proud of you!
Get them Involved! Not only do we sometimes take the kids along to see us race, we also sign them up for their own races! Of course, there is nothing competitive in these races, it’s just a ton of fun for them and that’s what we want. There are lots of races that have fun 1 mile family runs or are kid/stroller/walker friendly. We want our kids to enjoy a healthy, active lifestyle now and as adults!

How do you encourage your kids to eat healthy & be active? Feel free to share your tips too!

Workout Wednesday | Survival Tips for Going to the Gym Alone

Earlier this week on my facebook page I asked if wether people preferred to workout alone or with a buddy. I asked because a few weeks ago my husband and I were talking about it. Turns out, I prefer to workout alone for the most part, while he needs a buddy. As for the responses to my question on facebook, most people said they were ok with both. Exercising or running alone was seen as “ME” time, while working out with a friend was also motivation to work a bit harder or a nice distraction from the miles ran.

When I first joined the gym almost 2 years ago (WOW! I can’t believe it’s been that long already!) I had to go with a buddy, usually my husband but also some friends of ours that would go in the evenings. We tried to go regularly about 2-3 times a week but I found way too many excuses to not go and evening workouts took it’s toll on our family time. Kids ate before us, we rushed to get out the door, put the kids in the playroom, rushed to come home and shower and get them to bed and we would end up having dinner around 9pm. It was not a routine we were accustomed to or one that worked for us. I was paying a monthly membership and I am not one to throw money away so I had to get my money’s worth. I figured I had to find a way to make it work. So, I put my big girl panties on and went to the gym alone one morning after dropping our oldest off at school and my daughter went to the gym’s playroom. I was so scared!!! I did a Body Pump class and although I was sore for days and felt completely inadequate compared to the other people in there, I kinda liked it. I kept going and also tried out a few more classes until I found what worked for me and I created my schedule. Soon, even though I was going alone, I knew I would see some familiar faces in my classes and I didn’t feel so alone. So, if you are scared to go to the gym alone, here are a few suggestions from me, someone who has been there, done that!

Do Research. Check out your gym’s fitness group classes schedule, find a few classes you want to try out, and put them on your calendar.
Be consistent. Don’t give up on a class because you don’t know the routine. It will take a few times of going to figure it out and get into it. If there was something about the class you liked, try it again. Don’t give up.
Make gym friends. We are all creatures of habit and tend to stick to what we know. So, let’s say you found a class you liked and you go for your second try. Stick to the same general area where you were stood the first time. Why do I say this? Because the other people will probably do the same and you’ll start familiarizing yourself with them. I’m not saying you have to become BFFs with the lady standing next to you at Zumba, I’m just saying a familiar face is nice. And, if you happen to grab a juice together and become BFFs, well, you can thank me later 🙂
Have a plan. If group classes aren’t your thing, that’s ok. Put a workout routine together (there are tons of them on Pinterst and I even have a few on my Workout Motivation Board), save it to your phone, and walk in there like you own the place. It’s ok to look at your phone to see what’s next, I do it all the time! Oh and have a backup plan or don’t be afraid to go out of order in case the machine you need is being used.

Well, there you have it. My tips on surviving the gym alone! Oh and I know that I am very lucky to get to go during the day, so if you have to go in the evenings, I suggest going directly after work if you can. This way, it’s done and out of the way before all the demands of home come flooding in 🙂

Running, Cheaper than Therapy | Is it?

I’m so excited to have started this blog earlier this year. It’s definitely helped keep me accountable and motivated in my journey to getting healthy & fit and I hope it’s helped some of you out there to stay motived in your own journeys too.

Getting into running races has been much more than just throwing on a pair of sneakers & running! Honestly, I’m not so sure the saying “Running is cheaper than therapy” is very accurate. I’ve had to make some financial adjustments to account for the race registrations, my never ending need for sports bras and running shorts, protein shakes, and running fuels! Then there’s the hydration belts, compression socks, headbands, and KT Tape! Yup, this running thing has not been cheap. But, I love this newfound hobby/obsession and I’m willing to make some changes for it.

I register for races because they keep me motivated and give me something to focus on. I run and workout because it makes me feel strong. It makes me feel happy. It’s something I do for myself and believe me, when you are a mom, wife, and business owner, doing things for yourself can often take the back burner. Who’s with me?

So, although running my not be cheap, it’s definitely better for me. I have more energy and it makes me feel good about myself. I am happier when I exercise and a happy mom makes for a happier family. I’m making a commitment to become a better person both inside and out and that is totally worth it for me. How about you? What’s your therapy?

Let the Training Begin | Rock N Roll Half Marathon

You know when a new store is about to open and sometimes they have a “soft opening”? They open quietly without the bells and whistles and work out any kinks they may have. Then they have the big Grand Opening a few days later with a bunch of balloons out front and all the hoopla!

Well, that was me last week. I decided to kick start my half marathon training without any big announcement. I really just wanted to get an idea of where I was in terms of my running endurance. The most I had ran nonstop and without obstacles up to that point was about 3 miles. Last week I ran 2 days and had 2 personal training days and 2 P.I.T. (pure intensity training) Classes. I ran my usual 3 miles on Tuesday and Friday I ran 5.45 miles on the treadmill in 1 hr. That was quite the accomplishment for me. I learned a few things that day.

I don’t like the treadmill.
My feet will go numb from running farther than 4 miles.
Running makes me sore. Very sore.
I’ve got a long way to go.
I will get blisters.
I can do this.

So this week, I start training for real! I’ve got my playlist ready and the training schedule is on the calendar. I’ve also started a running board on Pinterest. You can check it out HERE! I will be using a modified version of Hal Higdon’s Half Marathon Training Program. His is a 12 week program, but I felt I needed more time than that to get ready, so I’m working on a 16 week program. Most weeks I’ll be running 3 – 4 days, with one of those days being a long run. My first 4 weeks will consist of 2-3 mile runs, with my long run being 4-5 miles. The milage will be increasing more in Sept. & Oct. I’ll have 2 strength training days and 1 – 2 P.I.T classes a week, as well. I’ll get one rest day a week. I’m tired just thinking about it!

Like I’ve said before, I don’t consider myself a runner, so I’m really hoping these next months will change that and I hope will find the runner’s high I hear so much about!

xo,

Jessie

I'll definitely be taking this advice! — I’ll definitely be taking this advice!

My Fitness Bucket List

I love lists. Like seriously! I have lists for just about everything in my life, from vacation bucket lists to grocery lists. I’ve got quite a few list apps on my iphone! I had a 101 things to do in 1001 days. I got about halfway with that! One of my favorite lists right now is our Summer Bucket List! It’s fun for the whole family. Last Monday I even posted about some of my Fitness Goals & Making Lists.

Anyhow, I’ve been keeping a mental fitness wish list since I started on my fitness journey, but I thought this would be fun place to share what’s on the list right now and add a few new things too! I’m hoping this will keep me accountable and motivated to reaching these goals. Do you have a fitness wish list or bucket list? I’d love to hear what’s on it. Don’t be shy 😉

MY FITNESS BUCKET LIST

Do a pull-up (yup, just one for now)
Complete a half marathon (signed up for one in November)
Run a 10K
Complete a Super Spartan race
Move up to 10 lb. dumbbells during P.I.T. class
Do 3 one-handed push-ups
2 minute plank
Learn to ride a bike (Don’t judge me)
Complete a triathlon (hence, the above item)
Bench press my own weight
Lululemon outfit (does this count? a girl can dream!)
Learn to rock climb

Now, it’s your turn? Leave a comment below and let me know what’s on your list!

xo,

Jessie

Exercising for a Good Mood

I’d heard that exercising gave you energy and even helped put you in a good mood . Now, let me be the first to tell you, I was a skeptic. I could not in a million years image how something that was so dreadful and loathsome could make you feel good. Yes, that is how I honestly felt about working out and don’t even get me started on what I thought about the gym!

So, is it true? Does working out give you energy & put you in a good mood? Well, duh! I mean, the scientific facts do not lie. However, I don’t think it really gives the full picture. You see, just because I popped in a cardio DVD every once in awhile did not put me in a good mood. As a matter of fact, if I’m going to be really honest about it, it sometimes (read: usually) it put me in a bad mood. Why? Because it reminded me that I was out of shape, having to use my rescue inhaler 10 minutes into the DVD. Because I worked out from home and ended up being tripped, stepped on, or interrupted by my kiddos. Because if I waited until they napped, they would inevitably wake up early or would refuse to nap all together. And,let’s face it, nobody can properly workout with a crying toddler in the next room.

Ok so are wondering when the motivational part is coming? Here it is. I gave up. Yup, I gave up trying to workout at home and joined a gym. I joined the Las Vegas Athletic Club out of desperation and it was one of the best decisions I have made! You see, it turns out that I needed “my time” more than I care to admit! Although terrified to walk into the big intimidating building, here are a few things that helped me get started. 1) I worked out with a friend or my husband until I got brave enough to go on my own. 2) I tried lots of different classes until I found a few I really liked and Zumba was not it! 3) I put it on my schedule. In time working out became part of the routine. It did take a good amount of time, maybe 4 months or more for me to figure all this out, but once it became a habit, a regular part of my day, I started to see results. Not only in weight loss, but in my energy levels and mood. I noticed that I was able to wake up earlier and tackle some work before the rest of my family woke up. I also realized that on the times I couldn’t make it to the gym, I was cranky by the end of the day. I had less patience and really needed a drink (yikes! Did I just admit that to everyone?!?)

Of course, I’m not saying that everyone needs to go join the gym right now. I’m just sharing my story and what worked for me personally. The point is that you can’t give up. Exercise and a proper diet will give you the results you want. You just have to be willing to make some adjustments, commit to it, and find something you enjoy. It will take time to find what works for you, but once you find it, you’ll know. I’d love to hear what you’re doing to get regular exercise into your routine? Don’t be shy 🙂

xo,

Jessie