Fitness for Mom, Fun for Baby!

It's a New Year- let's start it off right!

2008-01-20T19:31:00.000-08:00

Ladies it's not too late to sign up for the Healthy Momma Challenge!

January is a time for fresh starts and goal setting. This year, it is our hope that you focus on your total health – mind, body, and spirit. Although a certain weight on the scale might be desired, it is your strength and vitality that make you beautiful. This year at Stroller Strides, not only do we want you to commit to be active at some point each day, but we also want you to commit to strengthening your inner beauty and spirit.

Introducing the 2008 Healthy Momma Challenge!!
We have created a fun program that will help you meet your goals of making healthy lifestyle changes.

Teams of 2 people sign up and accumulate points according to their daily activities. For example, points are awarded for attending Stroller Strides classes, exercising on your own, taking time for yourself, spending time meditating/praying, keeping a personal journal, eating fruits and vegetables, and many others. The teams to collect the most points win PRIZES!

Important dates:
• Email your form by Thursday, January 24th
• Healthy Momma Challenge begins – Monday, January 28
• Weeks run Monday through Sunday. Points reported Mondays by 5pm
• Healthy Momma Challenge ends – Sunday, March 8

I can be reached at lblank@strollerstrides.net or 203-313-5505.

What are the prizes?
You will turn into a tough and buff machine after six weeks of competition! You will have the new healthy habits of exercising more, and eating more fruits and vegetables a day! You will feel great about yourself and your new habits! Also, prizes will be awarded for the top three teams that accumulate the most points during the challenge. The winning team will have first choice of a prize package, followed by the second and third place teams.

- $25 Stroller Strides Gift Certificate (for retail items or classes) (2)
- $25 Cosi Gift Cards (2)
- Stroller Strides Hat or Visor/T-shirt Combo (2) – value $25
and the momma with the highest amount of points also wins a $50 gift certificate to Spa Finders!

Scoring System
Standard Daily Points:

MIND
Read book – 10 points per 15 minutes/ 20 points max
Spend time doing hobby – 10 points per 30 minutes/ 20 points max
Take college course – 15 points per 60 minutes/ 30 points max

BODY
Stroller Strides class – 30 points per 60 min. class/60 points max
Aerobic Exercise – 10 points per 30 minutes/ 20 points max
Weight Training – 10 points per 30 minutes/ 20 points max
Play actively with kids for 1 hour – 20 points per hour
Eat 5 servings of Fruits and 5 servings of vegetables – 10 points
Drink 60 oz. Water – 10 points
Keep Food Journal – 10 points

SPIRIT
Meditating/Prayer – 10 points per 15 minutes/ 20 points max
Keep Personal journal – 10 points per 10 minutes/ 20 points max
Take bath by yourself – 10 points per 15 minutes / 10 points max
Spend time alone with Significant Other (no kids) – 10 points per hour/ 20 points max
Spend time out with friends (no kids) – 10 points per hour/ 20 points max
Attending Playgroups -

Note - Each activity can only be scored once. (i.e going to a book club meeting does not count as reading a book and mom’s night out)

For a registration form, please visit our meetup site at www.moms.meetup.com/1442

No time to workout? How about while doing housework?

2007-12-29T20:15:00.000-08:00

The Clean Mommy Workout
Warm up-Turn on some music and dance!
Laundry folding squats-Place basket on the ground in front of you. Get in a plie squat or standard squat position and lower yourself to lift a garment out of the basket (make sure you don't lean forward. Use the squat to get you down. Turn properly to place folder garment on table...no leaning or reaching)
Vacuum lunges-Alternating lunges or curtsy combos as you work a room.
Reach and dust-Balance on one leg with the other extended behind you to reach and dust. Engage core
Window cleaning reaches-Clean a window using circular motion, squats and reaches for high corners
Switching laundry rows-For front loaders unload the washer using a row, add a squat shuffle if washer and dryer are next to each other or a plie squat if stacked on top of each other to get the clothes into the dryer.
Cleaning stairs-Cardio drills and calf raises as you go up and down the stairs
Putting laundry away in dresser or closet-Single leg squats
Cardio Toy Pick Up-Use the chore of having to pick up toys as a chance for a cardio drill. Get low into a plie squat with knees over ankles and glutes back. Keeping your head above your heart, shuffle around the room picking up the toys and putting them in a basket.
Don't forget to stretch while you look at your clean house and your fit self!

Saturday, 12/15/07

2007-12-15T10:20:00.000-08:00

Nothing like getting a great workout at Stroller Strides and then getting more of your holiday shopping done at the Stamford Mall!

Here was today's class:
Pinwheel Lunges - Starting with the right leg, lunge to the front, then side, then back. Always make sure your knee tracks above your ankle. Do 15 repetitions and switch sides.
Tickle the toes cardio burst- start out in a deep squat ticking yur little one's toes then jump way up high as if shooting a basketball into the hoop. Repeat 20 times. The babies love this! If you need a lower impact version, instead of the power jump, just come up into a calf raise from the squat.
Triceps extension- anchor the red tube behind your back in your hand and the other handle in opposite arm with elbow bent next to your ear. Extend arm straight up but be sure not to lock your elbow. Repeat 15 times, pulse at top, 2nd set repeat 12 times,pulse at top, last set repeat 10 times and hold at top. Repeat on other side.
Plie squat w/ lateral shoulder raise- start with a plie squat with green tube anchored under feet which are apart for plie squats. Add in lateral raise by bringing arm up to side. Arm should be straight and just raise tube to shoulder height, making sure your wrist is neutral.
Cardio- Jumping Jacks- do jacks for 1 minute.

Hope to see you at class next time!

The "Nutcracker" class

2007-12-12T13:27:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,
Tuesday's Stroller Strides class was meant to get us in the holiday spirit with some moves from the Nutcracker Ballet!

Of course, I downloaded some disco versions of the dance of the Sugar Plum fairies as well as the March of the Toy Soldiers to get us in the mood!

Toy Soldier Leg Lift. Start in 1st position with hands on waist. Lift right leg up to waist level and hold for 2 counts then lower, repeat 25 times and switch legs. For the last set alternate leg lifts.
Cardio boost- Grand jetees- somewhat like bounding, but a more graceful leap for 2 minutes.
Arabesque- lift one arm out to side and the other arm up, lift leg out to back in a hip extension. Do 25 repetitions on each leg.
Cardio boost- delicate side shuffle- like a ballerina prancing!
Curtsy/plie squat combination - alternate between curtsy lunges and a plie squat, starting with one side first, do 20 repetitions and switch sides.

Marionette abs- like a puppet whose strings are being pulled. lift right knee to meet right elbow0 this exercise work your thighs and obliques. Do 20 repetitions, switch sides and for the last side alternate sides.

Enjoy!

Letter of the Day Class

2007-12-07T10:01:00.000-08:00

In case you missed Stroller Strides today at the Stamford Town Center.

The letter of the day is the letter B.

Okay, I know you're all thinking "what is she going to come up with this time". Here are some fun ways to keep your baby happy while you workout.

B is for Boxing- start with with boxing jabs while shuffling your feet for a good cardio burst- 1 minute.

B is for Butt Toners! Stand in front of a step and squat in front of the step and either step up or jump up onto the step and do another squat. Then jump or step back down and squat. Keep it going, making sure your knees are aligned above your ankles- make sure you squeeze your glutes as you come out of the squat to get the maximum benefit. This is a great exercise for those booties!

B is for Bunny Hop- show your little one a picture of a bunny or a stuffed animal bunny and do the bunny hop. Hop, hop, hop! 1 minute.

B is for Biceps. Use a green or red tube, step on it with one or both feet depending on the amount of resistance you want. Start with simple bicep curls, keeping your knees soft, shoulders back and down and tummy pulled in tight. Keep you elbows close to your torso and curl it up and down, take your time. To keep baby happy sing "The Wheels on the Bus". Change the movement to uppercuts, hammer curls and then making little circles in and out.

B is for Butt Busters! Start by coming into a side lunge again making sure your knee is above your ankle, as you come out of the lunge bring that same knee up to work your core as well. Do 15 reps and pulse down in the side lunge, 3 set and switch sides.

B is for Bent over Row. Make this fun fr the baby by holing onto a bell or attaching wrist bells to your tube handle. Hinge your hips forward 45 degrees and anchor red tube under one or both feet. Bring both hands up in a bent-over row. As the bells are ringing you can sing "Jingle Bells". Your baby will love it!

How about some floor work?
B is for Bridge
B is for Butterfly crunches.
B is for Bug- reverse curls.

Have fun with it and we hope you can join us next time for class. Remember it's more fun when we do it together! We currently have class at the Stamford Town Center Monday through Friday and every other Saturday at 9:30am. Hope to see you soon!

Lynn & Sophie

Getting it all done...

2007-12-05T12:37:00.000-08:00

How do we do it? I ask myself this all the time- today felt like one of those days. Not enough sleep and too much to do, but somehow I seem to get it all done. As moms I think we just have learned to become multi-taskers extraordinaire!

Here's today's workout:
1) Plie squats with a side tap out: Start with regular squats making sure to keep your knees over your ankles and squeezing your glutes at the top. After 12 reps, hold the squat and tap your right foot out to the side holding the squat the whole time. Do three sets and switch sides.
2) Cross country arms: anchor tube under right foot in front then simultaneously bring one arm up into a front shoulder raise while the other arms goes back into a triceps extension. Swing arms back and forth as if cross-country skiing. Make sure your tummy is in tight and knees are soft. Only bring the arms up as high as your shoulder height, making sure not to strain your neck. Do 20 reps, pulse and switch sides.
3) Lunges with bicep curls: Start by anchoring the tube securely under your right foot. Luge your left leg back making sure your knee stays above your ankle. Once you have mastered the lunge portion, add in a bicep curl coming out of the lunge. Do 15 reps and then with feet together do 15 bicep curls to burn out muscle. Do 3 set of each side.
4) Wall sit with external rotator cuff: Come into a squat with your back against the wall. Lower your body until your thighs are almost parallel to the ground. Take this opportunity to correct your posture- make sure your shoulders and head are against the wall as well. Hold the wall sit and then take green tubes in both hands with palms facing up. Keep elbows close to torso and slowly rotate your hands outward towards the wall. Do 20 reps, pulse, one arm at a time, pulse and then one last set with both arms at the same time. Make it burn!

Hope you enjoy today's workout and that we'll see you in class next time!

Welcome to the Stroller Strides Blog!

2007-12-04T18:34:00.000-08:00

I hope to inspire you to make fitness a part of your daily routine. I'll be posting our daily workouts so if you aren't able to make it to class, you can follow along at home. We hope you will try to join us at class- it's more fun to sweat together!