Fit Momma Wish List: "Born To Run" by Christopher McDougall

Holidays are coming!  Here's another addition to the ever-growing "Fit Momma Wish List":

In the long (OK, not so long) history of Trainer Momma I have recommended a grand total of one -- count it -- one book.

There are many reasons for that, but most of all, if I'm going to recommend something for you to read in your little window of spare time, I've got to believe in the book and its message 100%.

I've have officially found another book that has inspired me like no other book has in quite some time and it definitely has earned a place on the Holiday Fit Momma Wish List.

The book is called "Born To Run:  A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen" by Christopher McDougall.

Wow.  Where do I begin?

It is the true story written by a journalist who set off to figure out why his foot hurt when he ran.  His quest landed him in the Copper Canyons of Northern Mexico running with the Tarahumara Indians along with the top ultramarathoners in the world.

The author is an excellent writer (that is a must for me) and pulls together an incredible cast of real-life, colorful athletes whose talents are mind boggling.  I was in awe of Scott Jurek, cracked up at Barefoot Ted, admired Caballo Blanco for his authenticity, couldn't get over how Jenn and Billy could pull their runs out of a hat, and was intrigued to learn more about the quiet Tarahumara Indians and their ancient cultures.

Mr. McDougall  pulls in tons of history of the sport of ultramarathoning and gives us mile by mile accounts of some of the craziest, most intense races of all time.  He digs into the ancient past of certain tribes and convincingly explains the theory that we are all truly "Running People".

There has been boat loads of research done for this book and the author has an easy, entertaining way of explaining it all to all of us non-scientists out there (my hand is raised).

He does jump right into the middle of the barefoot running debate and it is quite obvious where he stands on the matter (he's tossed his Nikes, let's put it that way).  He puts some interesting ideas out there why our feet hurt, our knees hurt, our hips hurt when we run.  It's not because we aren't meant to run, only that we are running the wrong way.  He argues that we are all born to run if we just get back to our roots and run like we used to.

More than anything, this book dishes out so much inspiration that it makes you want to just close it up, step outside your front door, and just run.  And run. And run.

I will admit, I have done just that for the past few weeks since I finished the book.

I still can't say I'm even remotely interested in running an ultramarathon, or a marathon, or a half-marathon -- but during the short distances that I do run a few times week I find myself much more relaxed and settled into the rhythm of running.  I am actually enjoying running for the first time.  Ever.  That's a far cry from my jogs -- or more accurately termed "hobbles" -- that I used to take.

I must mention, since this is a G-rated blog, there is occasional "rough" language in the book.  Despite that, I still highly recommend it to anyone.  Runners or non-runners alike.

And who knows -- even though I am HUGE fan of my Newtons, after reading this book, I'm just that much closer to getting me a pair of these babies:

How about you, Fit Mommas?  Have you read "Born to Run"?  What did you think?  

** Full disclosure:  I was in no way paid or compensated to read or review this book.  The Doc shoved it under my nose and insisted I read it.  I'm very glad I did.

You can find "Born to Run" in my Trainer Momma store.  It is listed in  the "Favorites" tab under the Trainer Momma header or you can link to it here.

Fit Momma Wish List:

Heart Rate Monitor

Adjustable Dumbbells

Gym Membership

Shoes

Workout Clothes

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Fit Momma Question: Starting. AGAIN.

Don't miss my Trainer Momma Giveaway!  Enter here.  Your chest will thank you.

This email could have been written by many of us at some point in time.

A little background:
This Fit Momma successfully dropped 35 lbs. over a period of several months with genuine hard work and awesome eating habits.  However, due to some circumstances and some bad decisions, she has recently gained back most of that weight in a very short period of time.

Here's her question:

How do I mentally get back on track?????  I am VERY disappointed in myself b/c I worked soooo hard and now I have nothing to show for it. More importantly this is not the lifestyle I want to live. I do not want to be a so called "yo-yo dieter" my entire life.

So, you at the bottom and looking back up that mountain again. The same old mountain.

I believe this is a gentleman at the bottom of this mountain.  Why does he crack me up so much?

From Drop Box

Isn't it crazy how blasted hard we have to work to lose it, then how ridiculously easy it is to gain it back?   No justice in that, I tell you.

Let's take a step back, though. You said that you have nothing to show for all your hard work. I disagree. You have a lot to show for it:

Knowledge
You know exactly what you had to do and how to do it. You know how many calories to eat.  You know how to control your portions.  You know how to ease into your cardio routines, then push yourself.  You know how to lift weights effectively.

You don't have to relearn that info -- now it's just a matter of doing it again.

Confidence
You've done it before and you can do it again.

I began my journey on December 1, 1998.  That meant all the holiday traditions (traditions = tons of food) I once participated in where slightly altered.  Amazingly, for the first time ever, I lost weight. During the holiday season!  It was a Christmas miracle, I tell you.  I cannot emphasize enough how much that did to put some jumper cables on my confidence level (which had been at bottom of a nasty, sticky dumpster).

I love to encourage people to start on their journey to better living at this time of year.    That's right:  right before the holidays. It will put you at such a better starting place for the turn of the year.  You'll be half way up the mountain instead of at the bottom looking up again.

You'll be just like Wonder Woman with her awesome wrist cuffs fending off all the Halloween candy that is about to come pouring into your life.

Desire
You know what it feels like to be there and you want to be there again. You remember the clothes you wore, how fast you could run, how it felt to lift that weight, what it felt like to walk into a room, and how it felt to control to food instead of it controlling you.  Jump onto the back of that fierce dragon of desire and ride it towards healthy behavior changes (was that dramatic or what?). This alone - DESIRE - is a big motivation.

A few more thoughts:

Going to Extremes

You are going to be very tempted to break out the whip and go hard core, possibly depriving yourself much needed food while demanding a lot from your body. DON'T GO THERE. That is as equally punitive as overeating and gaining weight is.

Remember you have TIME. Slow and steady.  This is no race -- give yourself a solid 4-5 months to get this weight off, NOT FIVE WEEKS. I say this only to protect your body. It's the only one you've got, and you need to treat it with care and good health. Starving yourself and working out extensively does not qualify as good health.  You will break down at some point. If you do that, then you'll be back where you started.  At the bottom of that mountain.

Embarrassment
For a few months, you may have felt like one hot momma sporting the bod you worked your tail off for.  Now that is gone and well, you may feel a bit self-conscious about this. I've felt those feelings. But, if you don't go back to the gym, you'll stay where you are and you've made it clear that is not an option. Leave you ego at home, throw on some workout clothes, put your head down and get to work. There's no other way around it. Just remember this feeling, however. It is a good motivator to not put yourself back in this position in the future (barring pregnancy :).

OK, you know the real "you" is in that body -- Pull it out and treat it right. Eventually how you look on the outside will match what you know you are on the inside: a healthy, happy, confident woman and mother.

Plus, the view from the TOP of the mountain rocks:)

What about you, Fit Mommas? Have you ever been in this situation?  What did you do to get "it" back and start living healthily again?  Comment below and tell us WHAT WORKS!

Related Posts

The Feeling

Resolutions

Fitness Goals Revisted

Let's Tackle the Why

Moderation:  Just Be Nice

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Moderation: Just Be Nice

Our body.

It really is quite amazing, really.

It houses what makes us “us” -- our thoughts and dreams, enables us to make memories, have meaningful experiences, and develop worthwhile relationships. It is a complex gift that asks for only one simple thing:

CARE.

The interesting thing is, in this world of use-it-up-and-throw-it-out, this is the only body we get. There is no such thing as disposable bodies and there are no trade-ins. Although at times we feel perhaps we got a jalopy Ford Pinto versus our neighbor’s sleek Porche model -- it is what it is. We work with what we’ve got and it will pay us back in huge dividends on a daily basis.

So, why do we at times - - or maybe all the time -- go to extremes when it comes to caring for ourselves? It seems to be everywhere lately:

Fad diets.
Binging.
Starving.
Health trends.
Gorging.
Sedentary lifestyles.
Injury due to overtraining.
Purging.

On one hand, we take advantage of our bodies by giving it diets of unlimited soda, cheese-crusted pizza and white chocolate macadamia nut cheesecake. We don’t exercise very often, if at all. Then, we don’t like the result. We have no energy, have extra weight, perhaps our bodies are rebelling and not functioning smoothly like the good ole' days. We feel like we want to stay in our house since there’s really no clothes that fit anymore anyway. So then what do we do?

Swing the pendulum to the other extreme.

We determine that no matter what we will get this weight off. Whatever it takes. Starve ourselves. Skip meals. Take shots or drops instead of food. Pop pills that make us go running to the bathroom and have to change our pants a few times a day. Punish our bodies by withholding essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. OK, perhaps we did lose a few - or a lot - of pounds. But what have we learned?

Nothing.

After trying either or both of these lifestyles, what lifelong habits can we take and use on a long term basis? Nothing. Nada. We just swing from one extreme to the other, never moving forward, just side to side. Then, inevitably, after our body has endured all the abuse it can handle, we start stumbling backwards.

We do this over and over.

I am a declared moderationist (I made that word up). I advocate a pleasant, safe, smart, right down the middle approach.

It’s just the basics:

Move
Move enough. Move often. Challenge your body. Workout smart, not just hard.

Eat well
Eat nutrient dense foods. Eat real food. Eat lots of plants. Eat often. Drink tons of water.

Rest
Go to bed.  Take a nap. Give your body time to restore and recover.

I know, I know -- there are a tsunami of excuses.  After using all of them, I stubbornly come back to the same place:

The moderate middle.

Instead going months at a time eating only 500 calories or binging on 3,000 calorie meals, how about we just eat a moderate, reasonable 1,500 - 1,800 calories all year round?  Of course, treating ourselves when appropriate, reducing calories when needed -- but overall being smart, kind, and just plain nice to our bods.

Taking care of the bodies by utilizing the basics, we nurture, not punish our bodies.  That's the least we can do for such an amazing gift.

Hey Fit Mommas -- what you do think about why we tend to go to extremes?  Have you found a comfortable place in the healthy middle ground?  Comment below and tell us WHAT WORKS.

Related Posts:
Fad Diets -- The Gig Is Up
Health Trends Drive Me Nuts
The Tree:  Essentials of Fitness

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Like Mother, Like Daughter, and So On...

This weekend I had a "Mothering Moment".  

You know, one of those times when your heart feels like it is going to burst out of your chest cavity?

My daughter and I did a race together.  

And to even make it sweeter, my mother did it with us.  

It was a three generational memory.

The three of us all participated in the annual Gatormania Open Water Swim.  My nine-year-old did the quarter-mile option and cheered on my mom and I while we did the one-mile swim.  

Then I cheered for both of them when they placed first in their age groups.

When I became a mother no one told me about this part:  

the overwhelming 

love, 

excitement, 

pride, 

joy, 

and delight 

when my child accomplishes something new and challenging.  

WOW.  

I bet it will be even double awesome when I'm a grandma and have grandkids.  

I'll go ask my mom.

Related Posts:
Have You Tried This?  Open Water Swimming
Why I Workout
Top 10 Reasons You Need To Swim Some Laps Today
Family Fitness:  Swim Fit
Sergeant Mom

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Success One Inch at a Time

We did it, mothers. We pulled off a 360-twist into a reverse alley-oop SLAM DUNK of a summer. This morning, after a rushed and marginal photo:

I delivered each child to their respective new classrooms complete with new lunch boxes, new shoes, and a kiss and a smile.

Then I went home and couldn’t help but pull one of these:

YEEEEHHHHAAA!

Now that the kids are in school, do you hear that knocking at your door? Those are your fitness goals   and THEY’RE BACK! The last time they came for a visit was waaaaaaaaay back in January. It’s time to welcome them back into our lives.

Since the kids and some of us are going back to school, let’s assess where we are with those goals using the old fashioned ruler analogy:

Fitness

If you are looking at a ruler, what number would you be at when it comes to your activity level? How are you doing? Are you at a 3? 0? 8? We all are at different places and that’s fine. Now, instead of unrealistically committing to jumping up to a 12 tomorrow, just decide to move up ONE INCH. That’s right, just one small change. That may mean walking the kids to school. Or it could mean adding some HIIT to your workouts. It could mean finally lifting some weights or working on your flip turns in the pool.

Just one change.

Nutrition

Now assess your nutrition on the ruler. Where are you? Decide on one change you can do today, then repeat that change tomorrow. It may be drinking that gallon of water a day, measuring out your cereal to see how much a serving is, or eating a serving of vegetables at dinner. 


Make that one change today, then repeat it tomorrow. Then the next day and the next, etc. Pretty soon, those changes won’t be foreign or new. They’ll become a part of who you are and --dare I say it -- a new habit.

I’ve learned that one small change can lead to big and permanent results -- that is what we are going for.

One change I made a few years back seems small, but was major for me. I love yogurt. Plain yogurt.  I was raised on the stuff and love it the bitter sweetness of it. Sweeten it with some stevia and it suddenly becomes my ice cream. I used to eat it religiously before bed NO MATTER WHAT. I would eat 5-6 small meals a day, then have this beast on top of all of that. It didn’t matter what time it was. If I was out on a date with the Doc and at Outback Steakhouse complete with a huge seven-layer chocolate cake dessert, I’d come right home and down that yogurt. Every night.

I must admit it was not JUST plain yogurt. It grew from plain yogurt to adding many "healthy" goodies: almonds, granola, walnuts, Kashi cereal, craisins. It was very comforting to me and frankly, I knew I could pass up sweets all day since I knew I’d get to down that huge yogurt before bed. I justified that it was healthy. However, once I figured out the calories and it was well up to a whopping 500 calories or more. It was getting out of control.

After baby #3, I had a trainer beg convince me to not give up the yogurt, but just change the time I ate it.  Instead of right before bed, he wanted me to move it to a meal or snack.  Now remember, eating before bed is not inherently wrong, but I had definitely eaten enough calories during the day and this yogurt was just extra calories-- A LOT extra.   I was scared to make the change since I’d been eating this same thing for as long as I could remember.

It was a tradition!
It was my treat!
It was my pacifier!

I finally moved it to my afternoon snack, and I reduced portions so it was around 250 calories. Before bed that night, I had a small glass of milk instead. Guess what happened? I slept better since my stomach wasn’t churning this mammoth yogurt concoction all night. And, I dropped another 5 lbs since I wasn’t adding on a huge 500+ calorie bedtime "snack".

ONE CHANGE BRINGS BIG RESULTS.

After you have moved up one inch on your fitness and nutrition rulers, then decide on another small change. Little by little we can make our way to better habits, more results, and just plain feeling good.

OK, Fit Mommas, I know you are feeling it!  What small change are you going to make today?  Comment below and give us some ideas!

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Why I Workout

I get this question all the time at the gym:

"What are you training for?"

Typically, the only answer I can give them is:

"Motherhood."

Exhibit A:

These three give me a lot to keep up with.

I'm glad that I can.

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A Bit of Inspiration

This is the week o' family:

5 adults.

7 kids.

1 dog.

I am happy to report I have family in town for the next 2 weeks.

I couldn't be happier :)

However it makes things a bit wild around here.

I may skip a post or two the next few weeks.  Lo siento.

And if you were so gracious as to email me with a question, I surely have not forgotten about you!  

I will get back with the Trainer Momma groove after I wipe my tears when my family drives away next week.

But for now, I'm enjoying the chaos!

Just a little inspiration for the day...

I have been following Asics ads for years.  They are brilliant, funny, and motivating for me.  

Maybe they will be for you too:

courtesy of www.asicsamerica.com -- Click on the link to see more...

Time to clean the kitchen, finish the laundry, bath the kids, read books, scriptures, prayers, bedtime, talk to grown ups, and fall into bed.  Whew -- a full life is wonderful, isn't it?

BTW-- Asics in no way asked, contacted, or compensated me for this post.  I just love their ads, that's all :)

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A Silent Conversation

THIS IS IT, GIRL:

The final hours of the 

Trainer Momma 

Amazona Gift Card

GIVEAWAY!

There will be 4 lucky winners this month --

So click here to enter before midnight tonight!

Spread the word!

Recently on one of my Saturday morning runs ("run" is a stretch -- the term "jog" would definitely be more accurate) I stayed in my neighborhood and ran the 1-mile loop several times. This is very unusual for me, since I have an aversion to running in circles. It too closely resembles my life and chasing my young children around. I prefer running away. Yes, it is symbolic for me. And it is symbolic that I choose to turn around and come home. So far... :)

But, enough of the Pysch 101 and onto the rest of the story...

This particular day I did run the loop since it was going to rain. In fact. it did rain. I needed to be close to home just in case I needed to head for cover if a gorgeous Texas downpour snuck up on me unexpectedly.

On my first loop, I came across another gal running the circle in the opposite direction. I shamelessly stared right at her. I have this thing that I picked up in college -- I refuse to ignore people. Let’s not pretend that we don’t see each other. That’s just odd. I will acknowledge you with a smile and eye contact and you return the favor. I have found if I stare long enough, I can catch their eye and maybe we’ll share a human moment. As you can tell, it has become somewhat of an amusing game for me all these years later (I’m not creepy, I promise).

Sure enough, she was staring hard at the ground as she was running; ignoring me more than a passenger sitting all by themselves in an aisle of a crowded Southwest flight. But, finally, there it was -- the flicker of the eyes. I flashed a smile, and she raised her eyebrows a bit surprised and ran past. GOTCHA!

Round two. There she was again. This time she was warming up to me and her focus not nearly as evasive. I gave her another smile, the “runners wave” (which just is a solid lift of the hand--no waving BTW) and she smiled back.

Round three. It had started raining. Really raining. I loved it. I actually really enjoy running in the rain since I grew up in the desert and was completely precipitation deprived until we moved to Texas several years ago. By this time, we had each been jogging for at least 40 minutes and were feeling strong. As we were passing each other, we gave each other a warm, familiar smile -- but this time it was filled with much more than courteous acknowledgement. Behind our smiles, our eyes communicated this:

We get it.

We are so lucky to move.

We are so blessed to run in the rain.

Waking up at 6:00 AM on a Saturday morning is SO worth this.

You could not pay me to still be laying in bed and miss THIS moment.

Now that I’ve experienced this -- the run, the rain, the workout -- I can handle anything this weekend.

This is living.

I didn’t see her again after that brief silent dialogue we shared -- but I knew that she knew how I feel about my love affair with exercise, since she felt it too.

No, I have not always felt this way about exercise nor  do I do a grand jete out of bed each morning as I anticipate my workouts.  However, during the course of the workout -- I morph into a happy, awake, alive woman, wife, and mother. Ready to start my day.

 And afterward, you just might catch me doing a tour jete or two :)

How about you, Fit Mommas?  Have you developed a positive relationship with exercise and healthy living?  Has it been a process?  Comment below and let us know!


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Working In the Workout While Traveling

Yet another installment of how to "Travel Fit Momma Style":

5:00 AM: “Good morning, Mom!” Thanks to the two hour time difference, being in the anti-daylight savings state (Arizona), and excuses for blackout curtains my kids were up bright and early.

5:01 AM: Decision made: I had to workout. I had sat in one place for fourteen hours the day before driving half way across the country. I had been up all night with a sick kiddo. I am a notoriously horrible sleeper in hotels. I had another eight hour road trip ahead of me. A workout was calling my name. However, desperation had already started to set in. The night before my plan had been to head to the hotel’s small gym downstairs. The kids were up so blasted early my scheme was foiled. I had no husband along for the trip, and just didn’t feel good about leaving the kids for that long (yes, occasionally I do have a conscience).

5:10 AM: Put on the workout clothes. Just having the clothes on was motivating for me. Even if the how and what of workout was still murky, I still knew that I would find a way.

5:11 AM: Find Saturday morning cartoons. Hallelujah for the hotel TV on a Saturday morning. That’s all I can say.

5:15 AM: The warm up. I warmed up by jogging in place, doing jumping jacks, and knee raises for a minute each. I was also concocting my workout plan. It was another creative, “Plan A,B,C didn’t work so now I’m on about Plan Q” workout. Moms are pros at pulling another idea out of the hat.

5:18 AM: The stretching. I did ballistic stretches and static stretches for about 2 minutes. I also gave my kids the lowdown about how mom was going to leave, but be right outside of the room for a little while. We came up with a plan, made sure the cartoons were on, put the oldest in charge, and I was ready get my heart pumping.

5:20 AM: The workout. I just started running in the hallway on my floor of the hotel. The hotel I stayed in was fairly small, and I could run by our room at regular intervals every minute or so to check on the kiddos. All was quiet minus the buzz of the television. I started to throw in some sprint and recovery runs here and there.

5:25 AM: The stairwells. Ah, my gym away from my gym. At each end of the hallway there matching 3-story stairwells. I ran to one end of the hallway, went down then up the three flights of stairs, ran to the opposite end of the hallway, and ran down then up those flights of stairs. During the run/sprint down the hallway I could check in on my kids. All were still hypnotized by the blare of the cartoons. And I was breaking a sweat.

5:35 AM: Ran by the room. The three-year-old was crying and trying make a break for it (see why I didn’t want to head to the gym?). I knocked on the door, gave my kids our ultra-top-secret family password so they knew I wasn’t the Boogie Man, and grabbed the crying kiddo. I now had a new workout partner clad in camo PJs.

5:35 - 5:45 AM: Continued to run staircases and hallways with the three-year-old in tow. He was laughing his head off. So was I. My stress, lack of sleep, anxiety of the drive ahead was melting away.

5:45 AM: My other kids and their cousins could hear the fun that my little one and I were having in the hallway. Running! Stairs! Races! Yippee! For the last five minutes, we were wildly running and chasing each other up and down the hallways.

5:50 AM: I suddenly realized that it was not even 6:00 AM and my children were waking up the entire hotel. Yes, we were THAT family. As I herded them back into our room I smiled with relief. I had miraculously snuck in a 30 minute workout full of intervals and lots of sweat. SWEET! Plus, I had some fun with my kids during a high stress weekend. And woke up our entire floor, but we won’t talk about that.

8:00 AM: Breakfast. I overheard someone saying at the complimentary breakfast buffet, “Did you hear all those people running up and down the hallways so early this morning?” I felt guilty, OK, no I didn't.   More than anything, I felt calm and ready to hit this last big travel day.

I’d worked in the workout.

Hey, Fit Mommas, how what have you done on the road to sneak in your workouts?  Comment below to share WHAT WORKS!  


For more "Traveling Fit Momma Style" posts, check them out here:
Traveling Fit Momma Style
Don't Leave Home Without...
Eating on the Road Trip
Eat With Me:  Road Trip!
Travel Snacks for the Rascals

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Traveling Fit Momma Style

I was talking to a fellow workout fiend a year ago and was telling her of our annual Mexico trip as well as the rest of our summer travel plans.  She then proceeded to tell me that she hated traveling.  HATED TRAVELING?  Is that possible?  After I removed my jaw off the floor, I asked to hear her reasoning for her extreme statement.  She replied:

"Because I get out of my routine.  I can't workout.  I don't eat right.  It throws me off big time and it's just not worth it to me."

Wow.  I've thought of that conversation many times throughout the past several months. Yes, a vacation does get me out of my routine.  Hallelujah for that!  I get sick of the routine, dang it!  After doing the same stuff week after week, month after month, I welcome the shake up with open arms.

Many years ago, I was back in Mexico for our annual summer jaunt (I've been going to this same place since I was in the womb.  Literally).  This year was different, however, because it was my first time with a child of my very own with me.  Tressa was nearly a year old and I found myself having a "woe is me" session about my lost freedom.  Gone were mornings of sleeping in.  Gone were the jogs whenever I felt like it.  Gone was the sitting on the beach for hours with a good book.  Gone were the leisurely dinners with the waves crashing in the background.  Now I was up with the sun, trying to keep sand and seaweed out of her mouth, keeping her alive around the pool, and being overly aware of mosquitos and bees.  A bit more stressful.

I remember laying in bed at 5:00 AM as I heard her waking up.  Then I had this revolutionary thought:

I had a choice.

I could choose to just endure this trip, not exercise, and just eat whatever I want.  That choice would make me feel like crap, have no energy, have a stomachache and lead to more pity parties.  Or, with a little sacrifice and creativity, I could still workout, eat well, and actually come to enjoy my new definition of what a vacation was with my baby.

I chose the healthy option.

When I travel (which is not nearly as often as I'd like it to be), making it a healthy experience is just part of the travel plans.  It is a challenge, but a welcome one, and frankly has only enhanced my memories.  My favorite part of Mexico is jogging on the beach, catching a glimpse of the dolphins on their morning swim and watching the sunrise.  Jogging over the Brooklyn Bridge was a wonderful way to view the Big Apple.  Kayaking with the seals in the San Juan Islands is something I will never forget.  A trail run through the forest starts my camping trips off the right way.  Cycling the endless roads in the Netherlands provided me an unforgettable perspective and understanding of that gorgeous country.   Hiking through the Costa Rican cloud forest gave me a great workout and the opportunity to see exotic wildlife like never before.

New setting + new cultures + endorphins = exhilarating memories

I don't view the travel as a time to take a vacation from all my healthy habits  -- just an opportunity to take how I live and apply it to new circumstances and new settings.  I've never regretted it.

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Coach Mandi

Time to play ball.  Spring was on its way and that meant it was time for my six-year-old to spend some time on the baseball diamond.  My dad is a baseball fanatic, both my brothers played some serious ball, even the Doc did a few seasons of little league.  I, however, think I did one season of t-ball when I was eight-years-old.  Baseball and I were virtual strangers.

As I sat in the mandatory parent meeting for the league, the director droned on and on about the rules, uniforms, the season in general.  He finally ended the spiel, then added, "OK, it's time to talk amongst yourselves and decide which one of you is going coach your team."

I hate this part. All of us parents suddenly had the urgent need to check our phones, dig through our purse, or examine our fingernails.  Then, the typical excuses begin to fly:

“I can’t do it, I work crazy hours.”

“I don’t get off work until 7:30 PM”

“I’m going through a divorce.”

“His dad’s in jail and I am handling 4 kids by myself.”

"I'm his grandma.  His parents are deployed to Afghanistan."

I hadn't given my excuse yet -- However, which one should I choose?

I don’t have time?
My plate is totally full as it is?
I have this blog that I need time to write each day?
I work part-time?
I have a three-year-old who thinks he's a teenager? 
My husband is never home and can’t help me with watching the other kids?
Cooking a good dinner every night is a huge priority for me?
I like sitting in the bleachers for an hour while someone else deals with my child and gives me a break?
I haven’t played t-ball, softball, or baseball in something like 30 years, so I’m completely unqualified to coach?
I just really, really don't want to?

The table stayed quiet amid all the chaos that filled the rest of the room.

“I’ll do it.” Everyone's heads turned towards me.

I had the privilege of coaching this little t-ball team of twelve 5-6 year old boys for the past 2 months. When I volunteered, I just took a big sigh and added it to my endless list of things I commit to.  In the end, however, it surprised me how much I enjoyed this experience.

Some of the ups:

I learned how to play baseball.

Everyone called me Coach Mandi.  It rocked.

I was able to set the time, day, and location of practice. This was AWESOME for this mother of three. In the future, I will be very motivated to coach for this reason alone. It actually simplified my schedule in many ways.

I worked with different parents from all walks of life: from lawyers and mechanics to DJ's and hairdressers. These parents were not sideline parents at all;  they figuratively and literally stepped up to the plate and helped me out willingly.  Together we created a very positive atmosphere for our children.

I got to work with 5-6 year olds again. Yes, in my heart I still am a kindergarten teacher without a classroom. To joke with the kids, play with them, see them progress, push them a bit, and discover their personalities put me right back into my teacher mode that has been dormant for the past nine years. To see them hit a line drive or see their toothless smiles as they rounded third base thrilled me every time.

It forced me to leave my house, my kitchen, my emails, and my laundry twice a week and be outside. It was so refreshing and helped me destress at the end of the day. I found myself looking forward to tossing a baseball at practice for that reason alone.

I was able to spend two hours a week with this kid. I can’t remember the last time I got to do that. He is my middle, very mild and gentle child. His needs often are overlooked due to a baby that needs to be fed, or an older sister that needs to be run to another lesson. He patiently plays his middle child role day in and day out.  Only he and I shared this memory together:  Brian, me, and baseball.

The season is over. 

I’ll most likely never see those little, dusty faces again.  

They reminded me of something that I had forgotten:  

Giving of my time and myself does not take away from me.  

It fills me.

Have you ever coached a team for your kids? What did you think? Was it worth it? What did you gain from doing it?

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The Trainer Momma's Momma

First thing's first:

I believe in celebrating motherhood!  So, it's time to get spoiled, ladies:

Have you entered the Mother's Day Giveaway #1?

Have you entered the Mother's Day Giveaway #2?

Have you entered the Mother's Day Giveaway #3?  

Time is running out!  

All giveaways end tonight at midnight.  

The lucky winners will be announced tomorrow.

My dad tells the story when he and my mother were newly married and watching a football game, one of the players kicked a field goal. My mother commented on how ridiculous that was, since anybody could kick a field goal. Dad, in order to prove her wrong, grabbed a football, a tee and drove her down to the local high school football field. He set up the ball and tee at the 30-yard-line, then told her to prove that anyone could kick a field goal. She backed up, ran towards the ball, and kicked that football right through the goal posts. FIELD GOAL! First try. My dad still laughs in disbelief.

When I was a kid, we didn’t get to watch a lot of television. We did have a TV, however for a long time it was an ancient black and white beauty with no remote -- oh my, heavens no. In fact, we had to change the channels with our teeth. Our parents were not into making watching the tube a comfortable experience (hhhmm, wonder where I picked that up from?). Our screen time was very limited, however, once in a while I would wake up before the sun and before my parents. I would sneak out to the living room and watch the Electric Company -- in silence. No sound. I didn’t want to wake anybody up.

However, I could count on my mother being up shortly after me and walk quietly around in the darkness.  She would slip out the back door to meet her running group. She did this every morning.

I also have many memories sitting on the side of the pool watching my mom swim her daily laps in the summer. Every time she took a breath, I’d try to get her attention and yell, “MOM!” Stroke, stroke, stroke -- “MOM!” Stroke, stroke, stroke. It never worked. She was in her happy place:  in the water, tuned out from the five of us.  Just swimming.

The water is still my mom's happy place.

A few weeks ago, my mother joined her Masters Swim team in a competitive state swim meet. At age 61, she entered six events and medalled in all six! I was so proud of her and loved hearing all about her events and races. My only regret is that I hadn’t travelled to Houston with my kids to be her cheering section in the stands.

How awesome is that for my kids to know their grandma is a swim champion?  I want to be like that when I grow up.

(Yep, this picture makes me cry every time I see it.  This is my mom, my older sister on the left and  me on the right.)

My mother is probably the best athlete in our family.  She has always been very healthy, active, and moving.  When I was overweight and pretty much miserable a dozen years ago, I knew who to turn to:  my mother.  Despite ignoring her example and teachings for years, when I needed it and wanted it, her solid pattern of living right was there.   I leaned on that many times when turning myself around.

I am amazed now when I look in the mirror and see my mother -- I am the same age now as my mother was when I was a child. I know that is obvious, but it simply blows my mind. She made and continues to make such a long term impact on me. On my views of motherhood. On my views of myself. On my views of health.  On my views of life and beyond.  I can only hope to do the same for my own children. I'm sure trying.

I love you mom.  Thank you.

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Saturday's Spark

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One more time...

My article titled "Three Good Reasons to Be a Healthy Mom" is over on Shine on Yahoo!.  Shine is Yahoo!'s online magazine for women. If you missed it this weekend, here it is again...

Three Good Reasons to Be a Healthy Mom

Thanks for reading, my friends!

Training Tips For Moms By a Mom

I've been out and about guest blogging lately.

In an on the spot interview at FitBloggin' a few weeks ago with, I spoke with Carmen, the Chief Mom from  DietsInReview.com, about some training tips for moms. Click on the link to view the video:

Motivation and Weight Loss Tips by the Trainer Momma

Three Reasons Why It's Important To Be a Healthy Mom

Good morning!

Do you need any more motivation to keep moving?  How about eating right?   I'm over at Diets In Review.com this morning guest blogging in their Nutrition and Health section.

Come on over for a gentle reminder on why we are making these healthy choices -- our kids are worth it!

Click here to read "Three Reasons Why It's Important To Be a Healthy Mom".

Home

Well, I'm home from Baltimore and my head is a bit full right now.  I attended the first ever FitBloggin' conference and honestly, I'm really glad I did.  It was quite a hodge podge of bloggers who write about fitness, health, and food from every angle.  

It's funny.  It's like looking forward to summer camp for months, then getting and there panicking  because it suddenly dawns on me that I don't know anyone.  Luckily, I hit it off with several gals and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting other fitness and health bloggers who speak "the lingo".






I made sure to bring one of my favorite food bloggers Dani Spies some of my homemade bread.  By the time I cradled it through the airport, sent it through the x-ray machine (nope, no switch blades hidden in there!), made sure it wasn't smashed in an overhead bin -- I was happy to hand it off to her and let her enjoy it. 

I ran along side Kim during the early morning 5K run (and am happy to report my knees were SUPERIOR, thank you very much!).   She gave me the run down on her coming face to face with Jillian Michael's-- hhhmmm.  Interesting.






I hung out with Gelerah for most of the day and we enjoyed several meals out together as well.  We had refreshing conversations and shared some delicious food.  Thanks, Gelerah, for making it a memorable weekend!

I even ran into Jeff R. from POM (you know, that pomegranate juice in the curvy bottle?) who I remember from my BYU days.  I'm pretty sure I freaked him out when I asked him if he was colorblind (he's the only colorblind person I've ever met) and then started rattling off several of his high school friends who were my buddies at BYU.  And it turns out he hung out with and knows all about my cousins in Arizona.  It's a small world after all!

You know, when I leave my home base (as rare as it is), it really gives me an opportunity to step out of the mad spin of life and assess, analyze, and refocus on what is important to me.  I sat on the waterfront there in Baltimore, watched the boats come in and out of the harbor, and just reflected.  Just thought.  I simply don't do that enough. As moms, none of us get the opportunity to do that enough.  Do you agree?  We wake up, workout, then start meeting everyone else's needs, then fall into bed at an entirely-too-late hour.  I'm not complaining about this, honestly, I'm not.  It's just reality.

Another part of my reality picked me up late from the airport with a welcoming smile and warm arms (thanks, Jared:).  And yet another 3 parts of my reality woke up bright and early to give me big hugs, reports of the weekend, letters written to me during the 2 days I was gone, and automatic laughs.

I like this reality.

Anyway, enough deep thoughts.  I'm refreshed and ready to tackle the laundry and grocery shopping that patiently waited for me until I returned home.

35

Today is a special day.

It used to be that on a "special day", my breakfast would look something like this:



My lunch would look similar to this:



And dinner, needless to say, would look like this:



And guess what? During the course of this "special day", I ended up feeling like this:



After sabotaging every birthday, anniversary, holiday and every other day that I designated "special" -- I have told myself I'm done. Enough.

Now, after 35 years of MUCH trial and error, well, you pretty much can guess what my meals look like on these "special days" (you can find a bucketload of them here).    Clean. Healthy.  It's become my new "special". 

And YES!  I did allow myself to celebrate with a bit of this "special" stuff with some very special friends:

 :)