Six Healthy Habits I'm Happy I Stuck With (Part Two)

I believe in the power of movement, nutrition and physical activity on your mental and physical health and know that it’s important to start that education and those habits young. Looking at my daughter as a six year old, understanding how to take care of her body and having the confidence to be a physically active kid really warms my heart :)

And that brings us to part two of the Six Healthy Habits I’m Glad I Stuck With (as a reminder this post came about after reflecting on my daughter turning six, click here for part one).

4. Eat Dinner (or one meal) Together Every Day: Experts have proven the importance of family meals, not just for nutrition, but for a child’s self esteem, academics and more. Since she was in a highchair, I made sure that if she was having dinner, I was in a chair right next to her having dinner too. I also have gone a step further, and other than when she didn’t have teeth (although I gave my best shot at baby led weaning), her and I have always eaten the exact same meal. In some ways this goes back to the idea of there shouldn’t be food “made for kids”, but I also do it because it gives her exposure to new foods, it models healthy eating without forcing it, it creates less stress for me to have to make and clean up two different meals, and it gives us an opportunity to discuss what we’re eating. Sure this means sometimes the meal is more basic than I’d like or more flavorful than what she’d like...but I always make sure to have one thing in the meal that both of us will enjoy. Where does that leave us now that she’s six...with a consistent evening routine and a lot of interesting dinner conversations. I’ll treasure these moments because I know when she’s older and gets involved in activities this may become harder.

5. Choose Vocab Carefully: I cringe when I hear the terms “good” food or “bad” food the same way I do if I hear the term “good kid” or “bad kid”. Eating ice cream shouldn’t make you feel bad or guilty and can lead to unhealthy behaviors (I’m sure many of us can relate because that was more common how we grew up). It was important for me to have her understand that a healthy diet can include all food, and that some foods should be eaten more than others. My approach was to have her understand the impact certain foods had on us. For example oranges have vitamins that help you not get sick and donuts have a lot of sugar, which can make it hard for you to sleep. Where does that leave us now? She has a sweet tooth like me so she’ll still ask for the ice cream (as the ice cream truck seems to have a permanent home on our block), but she understands when I say no to all of the items in the checkout line, that it’s because I’m looking out for her health. Although she may not be happy with not getting ice cream every time she asks, she doesn’t feel like she’s eating something bad or forbidden when we do indulge.

6. Anatomy and Physiology Lessons: Okay, I know this isn’t difficult for me given my field, but my daughter’s only six so the lessons have been pretty basic. My main goal is her having an understanding about how her body works so that when I make decisions for her health or she makes decisions on her own, it’s an informed decision and not just “because my mom is making me or told me so”. It started with very basic day to day stuff, like making sure we grab our water bottles before we leave the house because our body runs on water. Or put your hand on your chest after running around and feeling how fast your heart is pumping. It’s also using appropriate names for body parts like vagina or perhaps a bit extreme, “abrasions” instead of “boo boos”. It’s been simple to provide her with this information as we go through our day and now that she has some understanding she is very comfortable talking about all of her body parts. What impresses me the most is that she’s moved down the spectrum of behavior change from having the knowledge, to having a positive attitude about health, to now making decisions that she feels are best for her. These decisions range from going to her room to lay down when she’s feeling grumpy, to drinking more water when she is sick, to asking me which foods on her plate will give her the protein for strong muscles.

As I mentioned in part one, this is somewhat unsolicited mom advice, and what works for me, may not work for you. But, as I’m sure you know from experience, habits learned at an early age (for better or worse) tend to stick longer and are easier to adopt. So if there is something that’s important to you, a healthy habit you want your kids to always know…then keep at it. Find a way to have a healthy family.

Need help getting yourself healthy, so you can be the role model you want to be? Schedule a free phone call with me and I’ll point you in the right direction.

Six Healthy Habits I'm Happy I Stuck With (Part One)

WARNING UNSOLICITED MOM ADVICE. I felt it important to start with that disclaimer because mom groups, social media and blogs are full of advice for you on how to be a mom and the choices you should make for your child. Now that may sound slightly cynical, but it’s not meant to. Because certainly there are times where that unsolicited advice is needed and welcomed because you learn that many of us moms are going through the same thing, that you’re not alone and that there are solutions. However the same advice can be overwhelming because similar to fitness, there is no one size fits all approach to parenting.

Camelback Mountain, Poconos

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So now that I’ve given my disclaimer, I’m going to share with you Six Healthy Habits (2 part post) that I believe has made a difference in my daughter's health and perspective of what healthy is. This all comes from a week of reflection as she turned six...hence the 6 tips. Hopefully you can find that one of these is helpful and makes sense for you and your family. And if you don’t agree with any of them, I hope you at least enjoy the perspective that no matter how hard it is to maintain the habits when your kids are toddlers/preschoolers, it can prove to be worth it when they’re a bit older.

1. Ditch the stroller early. I can remember how long it would take to get places by having her walk instead of ride in a stroller at the age of one and two, but in the long run it was worth the pain. She saw walks as something enjoyable as she got to explore the environment around her. She saw walks as a necessity to get somewhere. She saw walks as something we can do together. So now, at the age of six one of her favorite requests is if we can go “explore the city today”. And that’s usually good for a few miles of activity for the both of us.

2. No Treats or Snacks. Before you gasp, we eat snacks but I’ve always been very careful as to what I labeled as “snack foods” and try to stay away from the word “treat”. I’ll explain both. Marketing would like to have us think not only are there specific foods that should be eaten between meals, but that there are also specific snacks that kids should eat. I don’t love those concepts. Instead I’d often give her leftover salmon from dinner for her afternoon snack or ice cream before dinner because I didn’t want her to think of it as a reward, but rather a food we can enjoy once in a while. Where does that leave us now that she’s six? One, we get to enjoy the occasional cookie for breakfast and its no big deal, and two, we avoid too much processed foods because she doesn’t always expect goldfish or crackers between meals.

3. Make Fitness a Family Affair. This is one that I talk about often and somewhat the basis of my business name Active Mom Fitness. To be a mom that is physically active, fit and feels good moving, well...you have to be just that, an “active mom”. And we all know how time consuming kids are, so one solution is to make some of that active or exercise time a family event. This can mean working out together, it can mean walking together, it can mean you getting in a 10 minute workout while “watching” your kid’s gymnastics class. If I removed all of the time I’ve spent exercising with or around my daughter, the amount of activity I have gotten over the years would probably decrease by at least 50%. And where does that leave her and I now? She understands the importance of activity and enjoys participating with me. As an added bonus she is confident and comfortable with physical activity.

Thanks for reading. I’m sure there are some habits that are important to you, but that you’re feeling are difficult to stay consistent with (especially when it comes to nutrition and exercise with kids). My unsolicited advice is to keep trying because it will be worth it, mama. Make sure to check out habits 4-6 in the next post.

If you like my perspective and would like me to help you manage family and fitness, contact me.

Prenatal Exercise: Your Power in Your Pregnancy

What if I told you the power you have over your pregnancy lies heavily in exercise? Or that one of the first important decisions regarding the health of you and your baby is about how much you move? What if instead of looking at it as a chore or something feared, we embraced exercise as the powerful tool it is? Hear me out...

Awareness around the importance of prenatal exercise is increasing, and moms-to-be are encouraged more than ever before to stay active during pregnancy. Gone are the days where you hear, “put your feet up, you’re pregnant”, or that you shouldn’t start an exercise program if you weren’t exercising pre-pregnancy. Health and Exercise organizations like the American College of Sports Medicine clearly state that in most adults the benefits of exercise far outweigh the risks.

In fact, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have identified the following benefits associated with prenatal exercise:

Higher incidence of:

• vaginal deliveries

• Quicker postpartum recovery

Lower incidence of:

• excessive weight gain

• gestational diabetes

• Preeclampsia (one of the most preventable causes of maternal death)

• preterm birth

• low birth weight babies

Let’s not forget about mental health benefits, with moms having reduced risk of prenatal anxiety and depression. If you have an uncomplicated pregnancy, it’s time to embrace moving more.

Exercise is your power during pregnancy. The 2020 ACSM guidelines recommend accumulating 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. If you’re new to exercise, don’t get caught up in the numbers, take the simple approach to prenatal exercise. If you prefer structure, make a plan and stick to it. Either way, exercise is meant to benefit your health and shouldn’t be a source of stress, so try this uncomplicated approach:

• Walk for aerobic exercise: It can be as simple as going for short walks whenever you can and longer ones when you feel good. Consider just taking an extra 5-minute walk after parking your car at your destination. If you prefer structure, commit to a 30-minute walk every day after dinner.

• Address muscle stiffness: Again, it can be as simple as recognizing where you’re feeling tight and committing to moving and stretching those areas between meetings or when you wake in the morning. You can also follow something more structured like a prenatal yoga routine. Keep in mind you may feel more stiff due to fluid retention so other strategies beyond moving could be helpful.

• Strength training is key. It’s still possible to take an uncomplicated approach, but this is an area where you want to be intentional, aiming for two strength sessions per week. You can perform bodyweight exercises or use equipment like dumbbells, bands, or suspension trainers. If you’re new to exercise or short on energy and time, start with the muscles most impacted by pregnancy: core (diaphragm to the pelvic floor), glutes, and upper back/shoulders. Again, if you prefer structure, follow a full body strength routine that’s designed for pregnancy. It’s true many people can continue with their pre-pregnancy routine, but your body has new needs so to make the most of your routine, it makes sense to train to meet those changes.

• Learn how to engage your pelvic floor: The simple approach is what you’ll usually find in a Google search, to kegel when you’re brushing your teeth or sitting in the car. For a more integrative approach, you can incorporate pelvic floor training into your strength routine by using breath and intentional contractions during specific exercises. Either way, remember relaxing the muscle is just as important as contracting.

In my experience as an Exercise Physiologist working with pregnant and postpartum moms, strength training is where people get held up, specifically core training. It’s usually a matter of not knowing what’s safe or what’s the most beneficial. There are no “best exercises for pregnancy” which is why it can be confusing. You really have to find what’s right for you.

If I had to give you one general tip it would be: learn how to engage your transverse abdominis muscles with breath. These are your stabilizing muscles and you can draw on their support during exercise. Being able to engage these muscles is also a good indicator on whether an abdominal exercise is appropriate for you. The question of planks often comes up during pregnancy. If you’re able to hold the tension in your abs, while continuing to breathe, without any bulging or doming in your abdomen or feeling pressure in your pelvic floor, then the exercise is probably a safe choice. Crunches and sit-ups are the only absolute “no”.

Other tips if you choose the power of prenatal exercise include:

• Drink plenty of water

• Eat

• Wear supportive shoes and bras (so important for posture and pain)

• Avoid risky activities (risk of impact to your belly or falling)

• Avoid overheating (exercising in a hot environment, and wearing breathable clothes)

Lastly, keep in mind there is no one-size-fits-all all approach. Exercise should make you feel good. It should make you feel empowered. Choose what’s best for you and your baby. If you have access to a fitness professional specializing in prenatal exercise, I highly recommend consulting for a personalized program.

If you’re looking for a simple way to get started, try this download for 5 Tips for a Stronger Core During Pregnancy.

*This was an original blog post for MommiNation.

Exercise After Baby: What Moms Really Want

This post came about after several conversations that I had with my client Simi. During our prenatal strength sessions, we’d often chat about not just her goals during pregnancy, but what they’d be after having her daughter. During one conversation we discussed the varying messages in media and society. On one hand you have the people assuming the ultimate goal is the “snapback”. On the other end of the spectrum was the “all bodies are beautiful” “you’ve just created life” camp. In between sets of TRX rows, we concluded that both perspectives are valid, and that the gray area in between is probably the sweet spot. Weight loss is a valid postpartum fitness goal if that’s important to you, but it would be nice if society understood that your body has been through a lot and “bouncing back” without work (after taking time to recover) is not the case for most.

Fast forward to us talking nine months postpartum, and Simi shares, “I remind myself that my being healthy and active (and thus more happy and energetic) is great for me AND my baby! Some weeks I slip (and allow plenty of grace for that!) but overall the scheduling helps keep me in a good rhythm.” This is from someone that was SUPER committed during pregnancy, sometimes getting 5-6 workouts in per week. But her for the stage of motherhood she is in now, motivation for exercise now is to be “happy and energetic”.

Simi’s perspective is not uncommon. With every client I work with, I ask them their top goals. The most common responses:

• Feel good about my body

• Feel energized

• Reduce pain/prevent injury

• Build Strength/build core strength

Is that to say weight loss isn’t important? Absolutely not. It just means that for new moms there are other priorities and these are the priorities that society, pop culture, and fitness professionals should recognize. It also means that we can appreciate what our body has done, but still want more for it…again, that gray area.

Simi admits her view did change after having her daughter, "My biggest view change is how quickly I want to get back into my pre-pregnancy shape. While this is absolutely a goal for me, I now realize that achieving it as quickly as I originally wanted would require more sacrifice and time commitment than I am willing to give. Time with my daughter and husband together, time with just my husband, indulging in good food and some wine (even though I maintain a healthy diet overall!), spending time with the few family members we can right now, and mental health days are all things I’m prioritizing in addition to exercise. The balance just means slower results, which is okay for me!"

Let’s keep having this conversation. Let’s make that gray area (of what moms really want) more acceptable and known.

Ready for more tips? Download 5 Tips for a Stronger Core After Pregnancy.