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I think that staying healthy and fit is one of the biggest challenges moms face. When you have kids, particularly when they’re still very young, it is hard to find time to work out. I enjoy going to the gym. I find that going to the gym not only provides me motivation to exercise (cause, hey, that’s what everyone around me is doing), but it also gives me the variety I crave in a workout. Up until we moved a few months ago, I had a membership to a gym nearby, but even the gym has its drawbacks. When you take your kids to the daycare center you introduce all sorts of viruses into your home. It seemed like we’d go the the gym for about a week, and then someone would come down with a cold. After everyone was all better we’d start our gym routine again only to have another cold virus come visit us.
Eating and food choices are just as problematic. I only have two boys, but as they get older, we get more busy. Recently, I’ve been grabbing food on the go quite often. Considering that I don’t prefer fruit, my on the go choices are usually not great ones. Most often I opt to skip a meal rather than grab a banana, or an apple, or something else equally quick and nutritious.
Here are some of the things I do to get my exercise and healthy eating in:
- I walk my son to school. Now, I want to let you know that this isn’t exactly something I’ve done completely by choice.
It’s been hotter then Hades in San Antonio, but we only have one car, and The Husband almost always needs the car for work. I could have my son take the bus, but I figure that the walk is good for me. It is a little over half a mile, so I get about 2 miles of walking, while pushing a stroller, in each day. - Play outside with the kids. Don’t be afraid to play with your kids. Engage them in a game of tag, hide and seek, catch, or other games that require a lot of movement.
- Do an excercise video with the kids. It is often just too hot outside for us to enjoy playing outside so sometimes I’ll pop in Big Brother’s yoga video.
- Make healthy dinners. Because my kids are still young and not needing to be taxied around everywhere yet, this is something that I can still do on an almost nightly basis. I make sure I include multiple veggies and some protien in the dishes I cook.
- Just get out of the house. Sometimes this is the hardest thing for me to do. With school and naptime right in the middle of the day it can be difficult to get everyone ready and out the door for an activity
The people at SunRidge Farms, who run a bike-to-work program for their employees, know how important it is to stay healthy and fit. That is why they are sponsoring a contest right here on Oh So Savvy Mom! All you have to do to participate is answer one question. The answers will be judged by myself and a SunRidge Farms representative. One lucky winner will receive the products listed below!
- SunRidge Farms Berries and Chocolate Antioxidant Trail Mix- Packed with protein, fiber, and a hearty helping of the immune system boosting antioxidants Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, lycopene, and beta carotene, Berries and Chocolate Antioxidant Mix is non-GMO and 100 percent vegetarian.
- SunRidge Farms Dark Chocolate Almonds- Freshly roasted in house, then drenched in SunRidge Farms All Natural Dark Chocolate.
- SunRidge Farms Women’s Vitality Mix- This natural mix contains almonds, dried blueberries, soy nuts, cashews, dark chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds and more, and is specially formulated for women’s health with calcium, iron and antioxidants. It contains zinc, iron and 60% daily value of calcium per serving.
- SunRidge Farms Milk Chocolate Rainbow Drops: Sweetened the way nature intended with pure cane sugar and vanilla, Rainbow Drops are Non-GMO, and free of preservatives, hydrogenated oils, artificial ingredients and artificial colorings.
- SunRidge Farms Wasabi Tamari Almonds – Bold Tamari and savory Wasabi together at last, with delicious and aromatic SunRidge Farms Roasted Almonds.
Dark Chocolate Almonds not shown.
To Enter simply leave a comment answering the following question .*Remember answers will be judged on creativity and usefulness*:
What are your secrets/tips to staying healthy and fit?
Open to US Residents 18 years of age and older. Contest will end at 11:59 pm ET on October 12, 2011.
Disclosure: I received the above-mentioned products in return for this post. All opinions expressed are honest and are entirely my own.
About Amy @ Oh So Savvy Mom
I exercise a few times a week, walk the dog every day and try to eat healthy,
I drink a cup of hot water with plain cocoa powder mixed in. It foes wonders for your mood and energy level.
Lana Bradstream recently posted..Crock Pot Tuesday
I like to make everything into exercise to fit it in a busy life. Like doing belly dancing moves while brushing my teeth or isolations while driving or walking as fast as possible wherever I go.
I try to walk rather than take the elevator or drive when I can.
being in the mountains, there are plenty of outdoor activities, I just have to get motivatd!
Kendra Gillilan recently posted..Keep close to God–Prayers for special families going through illness–care mail
Exercise every day and drink lots of water
Here are some of my tips for a healthy lifestyle:
- Shop at farmer’s markets if you don’t have a garden and cook and eat seasonally. It is cheaper and healthier to eat food that is in the same form as when it was grown and not after it is over-processed in a factory (fried, battered, highly salted , etc).
- You will eat what is around you. Surround yourself with healthy seasonal foods in their natural state. If it is not healthy, don’t buy it or have it in your home. If you have to go shopping on a special errand to buy Unhealthy Product X, you are less likely to eat it.
- Keep a food diary as well as an exercise diary. It will help keep you on track and honest.
- Keep track of your victories over unhealthy eating. On Monday I participated in a 45 minute Zumba class. After that I went to an event where they were serving cake with sugary icing. I was invited to have some cake, but politely turned it down. I didn’t want to negate the work I had done (and then some) by eating those extra calories. Yeah for me standing firm!
- I have learned over the years that most high calorie treats or splurges look better than they taste. In many cases, they are not worth the caloric cost to me. I have learned to visually enjoy a treat by looking at a beautifully decorated cake for example, instead of eating it. In that way I don’t have a so-so treat that I’ve consumed and am then left with many excess calories consumed and also have regret with what I’ve eaten.
-If you are truly hungry, raw veggies and fresh fruit will taste great. If you mentally turn up your nose at eating raw vegetables, you are probably eating for reasons other than hunger ( boredom, anger, sadness, in need of rest, frustration, etc.)
After the kids have finished their homework we have a dance party. We put on fun music and dance around the house for about an hour. It’s a fun way to get exercise and helps release some of the kids pent up energy after sitting all day in school and then doing their homework.
to stay healthy and fit i do things that i consider to be simple. I park away from the building and walk, i take the stairs, i walk my dog around the neighborhood for exercise. I eat as many fruits and veggies as i possibly can in a day and that way i do not leave much room for other foods in my diet. i drink water all day long. I keep a bottle on my desk at work and big cup beside me when i am at home.
To be honest, the only thing i do to try to stay fit is walk, my son is 5 and he likes to be outside all the time, and instead of riding the 4 wheeler or golfcart, i try to get him to walk places
hairbows.n.more at gmail dot com
Hmm, What are your secrets/tips to staying healthy and fit? Well there is, of course, the obvious: Eat healthy which is easier said than done some days. But where is the fun in easy anyhow, right? Then, of course there is exercise. This lady sums it all up for me but instead of cat it’s dogs and we homeschool so I could add another verse but anyhow. Check this out My day in a nutshell Oh and another verse on how the hubby is a truck driver so he’s never home and so the 5 acres, 8 goats, 7 chickens, 2 donkeys, 1 horse, 3 dogs, 4 kids and all the chores are mine. <3
And we are trying to "green-wash" our lives too so we are practicing living green for our health and our planet…it is only one we have.
my_2_cents at hotmail dot com
Valerie Stayton recently posted..Wordless Wednesday with Linky
exercise, growing my own food or buying local produce, and plenty of fluids!:)
Everything in moderation is the key with respect to food. Balance out carbs, proteins and good fat. In addition, 3 to 4 times of exercise per week would help us in staying fit and fine
Drink lots of water!
Janet Shei Vickers recently posted..Weekly Menu Plan
Lots of water and daily walks with my son and dog. We are also vegetarian and eat pretty healthy.
washoekathy@yahoo.com
I try to eat a healthy dinner and drink milk with dinner so I won’t want to snack between dinner and bedtime.
Thanks!
Running after my kids and eating healthy… with a bit of red wine tossed in for the added health benefits
I run marathons to stay healthy and fit.
I have lost 50 pounds and have become more concerned with health. So I try to eat as few prepackaged foods as possible and exercise. I love the way I eat now, nuts are one thing I never really ate before but Cashews are my favorite now. Exercise was difficult at first because I’ve had knee surgeries but I do something….unusual. I love to read and I recently bought a book I’ve been wanting and I only read it when I exercise (on a stationery bike and treadmill) so now exercise is something I look forward too as opposed to dreading
I have joined a CSA and keep my fresh veggies and fruits right at eye level in the fridge. I stick to realistic portions and have limited the amount of meat I eat.
My tip is to try to get healthy as a family. Your kids and spouse deserve to be healthy too! It is important for the kids to learn how to take care of their bodies while they are young. It is a family matter!
We don’t watch tv… only movies, we walk whenever possible, plan our meals around fruits and veggies, versus meat and stay active with all sports!
we walk the dogs, eat healthy, try and eat organic and safe!
My tip is to go walking every day in the morning. Also, I start each morning with a good high protein breakfast of around 30 grams of protein. This keeps me going and feeling energized.
My secret has taken years to perfect, it is Moderation. I have found that the key for me staying trim is to not over due anything. If I am craving chocolate I dont eat a bar of it I eat a square. If I have to have cheese I have a tiny bite. It always satisfies my craving. Also I exercise whenever I can
I make it my priority like making the bed.
I am not healthy and fit…I used to be….but after having kids I gained so much weight, and then I just let myself go. It’s funny how as a woman sometimes we let society tell us how we should look…because when I was thin, I looked in the mirror and saw a fat girl…now I am fat, and look at my pictures back then, and think to myself, wow…I was really thin then…why couldn’t I have seen that then?? Now I want to be healthy, especially for my kids…..my son and I work out to Richard Simmon’s Sweatin’ to the Oldies, LOL….it’s fun and funny too!!! He is in football now, and I want to show him that it’s not just him having to work hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle. So, I would like to win this giveaway because I am starting to try and make a difference in my lifestyle.
Drinking lots os water
I actually pack Almonds if I am hungry..they are low calories, healthy and a filler