Olympic Family Fitness

For the past few weeks we've been talking about the Olympics non-stop. We've made medals, rings, an outdoor arena, a torch and created an obstacle course (look for that post coming soon), but we haven't talked much about what goes into being an Olympian. My theme for Kids Bloggers Go Olympics is Health/Fitness and the Olympics was a great way to explain those to Sweet P.

While thumbing through our copy of My First Encyclopedia, I found a page about Sports that included the Olympic Games. I set it aside and gathered a few other things we'd need for our Family Fitness activity.

In December I won a giveaway for Family Time Fitness' PE curriculum, but we haven't used any of it yet. I thought this would be the perfect way to introduce her to fitness and the importance of exercise.

The whole family went up to her room (which has a pretty big space for jumping/moving around). Sweet P and I sat on her bed (the Farmer and Sprout took the floor) and read the excerpt from the encyclopedia about the games and a portion about healthy eating. We'd also eaten the Olympic rings that day so I talked about how each of the things she ate provided vitamins, nutrients and minerals to help her grow healthy bones and strong muscles.

I asked, "And do you know who has strong muscles? Olympians!"

And then we flexed our muscles. Don't forget your intimidating face!

I explained that Olympic athletes have to work really hard and exercise almost every day to get to the Olympics. And while we aren't training for the Olympics, we can still exercise and increase our cardiovascular fitness (I'm sure my 3 year old really knew what that meant!).

After reading, we turned on some music (This Land is Your Land) and started the fitness lesson. The lesson included a warm-up, activity and cool-down. We modified it a great deal for our 3 year old's attention span, but I think she got a big kick out of all of us doing arm circles and leg lifts!

We bear crawled, frog jumped and then made a river with two ribbon belts to jump over. I talked about the importance of cooling down at the end as we stretched our legs and then she played with the river for another 15 minutes. The entire lesson probably took 15 minutes from start to finish.

We had such a fun time and we can't wait to do the next lesson! I'm all about teaching your child that exercise is fun!

Thanks so much to Inspiration Laboratories for passing the torch to me! I'm passing the torch to Living at the Whiteheads Zoo!

Join the Kids Bloggers Go Olympics Blog Hop and link up YOUR Olympic activities! 

Health Challenge Tip #10

#10: Relax.

Woo! We made it to the end of the Health Challenge (that doesn't mean we can stop being healthy, though!). I'm gonna miss that cute little girl in the Health Challenge banner, but she'll be back for our next challenge (remember her from the Go Green Challenge?).

When it comes to being healthy and eating healthy, sometimes we can become overwhelmed. Relax. While there are some people who can eat healthy ALL the time, most of us really need some ice cream once in awhile. The funny thing is though, that once you start eating healthier and stop drinking things like soda and coffee, the unhealthy stuff doesn't quite taste like it did before. And I have to be honest that I rarely miss soda.

Healthy foods just taste, well, real. If you made a point to ditch processed food for a week and then tried something a week later, I can almost guarantee you'll be disappointed in the taste.

But this post is about relaxing. Take time to relax, I'm not talking about sleep, I'm talking about allowing yourself to be free of the internet, TV, cell phone, responsibilities and RELAX. Give your brain a rest. You might end up falling asleep, but use the time to take a break and unwind. Most of us go, go, go...never stopping to relax for a bit. When we don't take time to relax, stress tends to build up and run over us when we're not looking.

So find a nice comfy chair or lie on your bed or even the floor. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and relax. It doesn't have to be long. Try 5 minutes. Collect your thoughts, let your mind wander or pray. This is definitely a challenge for me. And I'm gonna go do it right now, while Sweet P's napping. You should, too.

August is Fitness Challenge month. Because boy, oh boy, am I out of shape. See you next month!

Health Challenge Tip #6

#6: Eat at home.

This is a tough one for me. I was raised in a family who ate out at least once a week (twice or three times most weeks). Between brunch after church, Peter Piper Pizza Wednesdays and Pizza Hut Fridays, we ate out a lot. The Farmer's family? Did not.

When we moved to Des Moines (only one month after our wedding), eating out seemed like the thing to do. 1) We wanted to explore our new city! Trying new restaurants seemed like a fabulous idea. and 2) We didn't know anyone. Going out to eat gave us the opportunity to be around other people! Even if we didn't know them. But we quickly realized that with neither of us having a job (we didn't get them until after we moved), eating out was not a good idea. So we curbed the habit. Sort of.

I like to eat out (ask Gammie, Auntie Rosita and Auntie Kannon, they do too). I can't help it. If I had it my way, we'd order pizza every night. Just kidding. But it's what's always in the back of my head on Friday nights (so I usually end up making my own). I suppose it's from eating out on the weekends during childhood, but I know it's neither healthy nor good for the wallet.

So want to save money and your health? Stop eating out. This goes along with the fast food post, but eating at home lets you see what's going in your meals (eating at home doesn't mean ordering take out!) and you spend a lot less than you would at a restaurant. I figured out that I can make two large calzones and a small pizza (from one recipe of dough) for less than $5. If we ordered pizza it'd be close to $20 and there's just the two of us! I can't imagine what large families are spending on eating out.

Restaurants usually use way more sodium than you would at home and many meals are full of fat and lacking good foods like whole grains and veggies!

Eat at home and eat together. Your kids will thank you for it (maybe not today, but they will). So my challenge for you is to keep eating out for special occasions or social outing with friends. In a perfect world, I'd like to eat out once a month. So I hope you'll strive with me, to eat out less and eat at home as a family more. It'll be hard, but it'll be worth it.

Health Challenge Tip #5

#5: Eat the real stuff.

Eat real sugar! There. I said it. Now before you say WHAT?! I'm not saying to eat 40 tbsp of it a day (although lots of people do). I'm saying to stop using all that fake stuff and go with real, honest-to-goodness sugar. Use raw if you want to, but stop using Splenda, aspartame, dextrose, any artificial sweetener out there. Aspartame pretty much slipped through the cracks onto the market (from what I've read, a lot of sketchy stuff that went on with that process).

While artificial sweeteners seem like the logical choice because most have zero calories, they are made from chemicals. Yes. Chemicals and because most are relatively new, we have no idea what these chemicals are doing to our insides.

Telling yourself that you're doing your body a favor by eating a sugar-free (artificial sweetened) piece of candy, cake or bowl of ice cream is a lie. Quit lying to yourself. And quit eating stuff that's sugar-free. Our society likes to get on a kick with fad diets so OF COURSE food companies jump on it and say ooooh, everyone's eating sugar-free these days. Let's make sugar-free EVERYTHING. The problem is, it isn't natural or sweet free. You still crave more sweets and don't even get me started on what artificial sweeteners do to the digestive system.

How do I know? I've been there. I was a sugar-free faaah-reak until I got preggos with Sweet P. Then I read Skinny B*tch, Bun in the Oven and tossed all my sugar-free stuff out the window...including my gum! I still don't chew gum like I used to and avoid artificial sweeteners.

Whoa there. I didn't say to run straight for the processed food aisle. There's not much real sugar in those either. Most are loaded with high fructose corn syrup (not to be confused with sucralose...table sugar) and other sweeteners like maltodextrin and dextrose.

So when it comes down to baking, use the real stuff. Raw, powdered, white or brown. Or better yet, substitute NATURAL sweeteners like honey, maple syrup (the real stuff, not that pancake syrup) or agave nectar.

Of course, you're better off eating NEITHER, but if you just can't ignore that sugar craving (and an apple just ain't cutting it). Eat the real stuff. Chances are it'll leave you satisfied and not reaching for more because your body feels gipped. All sugar-filled food should be eaten in moderation and in minimal amounts, choose healthy options like fruit or whole grains instead.

Wave bye bye to fake sugar. Your body and your digestive system will thank you.

Health Challenge Tip #4

#4: Learn to love beans.

Yes, my dears. If you don't love beans, you should. Because beans are fun and fun is good. (Dr. Seuss if you will).

Beans are such a fabulous food item. And can be put in just about anything. They are full of fiber, protein, vitamins and other goodness that makes your body go "Mmmm." Beans aren't always a "perfect" protein, but pairing them with grains like rice (BROWN!!!) or couscous make a "perfect" combination.

We get the question "What do you eat?" A LOT in our life as vegetarians. Well, we eat a lot of beans. Here's how:

Main dishes:

Lentil soup

Pinto beans (cooked with garlic and jalapenos) with tortillas

Black bean tacos

3 bean chili with kidney beans and chili beans

Chickpea nuggets

Black bean burgers

Vegetable soup w/ garbanzo beans

Lentil tacos

Tostadas w/ mashed pinto beans

Lentils w/ curry

Side dishes:

Pinto beans w/ enchiladas

Hummus

White bean hummus

Toppings:

Garbanzo beans on top of salad

Black beans on top of salad

White beans on top of salad

Black beans on nachos

Rarely do we eat beans as side dishes, because they are usually part of the main meal. I'm not trying to convert you to vegetarianism, but replacing meat every once in awhile is a great way to get other proteins. Beans are a healthy and cheap substitute for meat. Try a meatless Monday and incorporate beans into your diet. And if you don't like beans, try them again!

So what's for lunch today? A hummus sandwich. See? Beans can even replace lunch meat! We don't eat peanut butter and jelly ALL the time.

What do you make with beans?

Health Challenge Tip #2

Note: The Health Challenge is in no way, shape or form a diet of any sort. The first three letters of diet spell "die." Catch my drift? I'm simply trying to eat and live a bit healthier and thought I'd share it with you.

#2: Eat more veggies

This should be a no-brainer, but I think a lot of us are running around with our veggie count on ZERO (and that V8 stuff doesn't count!). Summer is the p-e-r-f-e-c-t time to enjoy fresh veggies. If you don't have a farmer's market at your disposal, look up what should be in season right now in your area and buy those veggies. Chances are they'll come from closer farms in your area and you won't be eating Holland peppers in Iowa.

And if you have the time and the space, plant your own garden! Find out what grows best in your area and plant a small garden. Start small and go from there!

Make sure you're kiddos are getting fresh veggies, too. A few ways to mix it up:

Grilled veggie kabobs

Veggie muffins (just mix them right in with the mix!)

Veggie lasagna (recipe coming soon!)

Eggplant or zucchini parmesan

Veggie wraps (just add hummus!)

Calabacitas: a simple side dish made out of zucchini squash, onions and cheese! (recipe coming soon!)

If you always have a side of veggies, your kids will start to expect it!

Note: Once those recipes have been posted, links will be posted.

Feeding Kids

Let's talk for a minute about feeding kids. We'll start with the very first time you put a spoon in their mouth. Before that moment all they have ever tasted is breastmilk or formula. They don't know that oatmeal tastes better with sugar or that avocado tastes better with salt. And if they aren't exposed to it, they'll stay in the dark for a long time. Here's where the problem comes in.

Somewhere around 15 months, they start to realize that if you aren't feeding them what you are eating...they are eating something different. And they start to wonder why. And to want what you have. Or what anyone else around them has. (This personally has not yet happened to me, she just turned 1 remember?). So yesterday, the Farmer and I decided that as she begins to realize we are eating something different we are going to have problems. Especially if we tell her she can't have what we have. How do you solve that problem? You may not like this answer.

But if you want your kids to eat healthy or healthier than you do, you have to eat healthy, too. Sorry. That's just the way it is. And while the Farmer and I eat pretty darn healthy, we both have a heckuva sweet tooth (I used to joke that I was a health nut with a sweet tooth problem). So in the coming months, the Farmer family will be saying goodbye to any sugary, processed food this Farmer's wife sometimes brings home from the store (I'm only human! that time of the month really does a number on me). Don't get me wrong, if you went to our pantry, you wouldn't see boxes of crap every where. Sometimes we buy candy or ice cream, but I'd like those things to be a rarity for my children. So that means, OUT they go!

Join us on our challenge to start eating more raw, fresh foods and less sugary foods. This is a great time to start because it's Farmer's Market season and farm season (for our own veggies!). And remember, healthy eating starts with you. (Geez, do I sound like an after school special or what?). I look forward to sharing our canning experiences with you!

Going Green Tip of the Day: Earth Hour

Going Green Tip of the Day: Earth Hour

In 3 days, you can participate in Earth Hour and help make our planet a better place for the future. Just what is Earth Hour, you ask? Well, it's a chance to show your support for Earth Hour, the world's largest global climate change initiative. Earth Hour 2010 will take place on March 27th at 8:30pm. It is a call to action for everyone throughout the world to take a stand towards a sustainable future. People across the world will turn off their lights for one hour and join together to celebrate our planet. I hope you'll join this cause, it can't hurt can it?

For more information visit: Earth Hour

Going Green Tip of the Day: Quit Smoking

No, I do not smoke.

If you do, you should stop. Right now. Don't wait another minute. Stop. This is actually a health tip as well as a Going Green tip. If you or someone you love smokes, please quit or help them today. Smoking is not only damaging both your and your family's health, it's also harming others around you as well as the environment.

I decided this would be my tip today when I saw the pile of cigarette butts outside my first floor neighbor's apartment. According to cigarettelitter.org (yep, a real website), 7 TRILLION (what?!) cigarette butts are tossed on the ground each year (world wide). And it's no surprise that they are the most littered item in the world. So not only are they filling our landfills, they are also piling up on our streets, beaches, parking lots and apparently door steps (my neighbor's at least). And in case you were wondering...no, they are not biodegradable. There may be an eco-friendly cigarette out there somewhere, but the environment isn't the only thing I'm worried about:

As the second major cause of death in the world, smoking is not doing you any favors. In fact, it's not doing anyone any favors. Secondhand smoke is KNOWN to cause lung cancer. So while it may seem like I'm on my soapbox here, I'm just worried about smokers and those they care about it (and the strangers breathing their exhaled smoke!).

Quit today. Save yourself, your family and the environment. For more information on how to quit visit: www.quitnet.com (the web's original and largest quit smoking site).

Going Green Tip of the Day: BYOBottle

Going Green Tip of the Day: BYOBottle

If you're still buying packaged water in PLASTIC bottles. Stop it. Stop it right now. Go out and buy yourself a reusable water bottle (preferably a steel one) and refill it throughout the day. Don't be afraid to spend a decent amount on one. Trust me, that thing will more than pay for itself.

So don't buy a cheap 3$ one that you see on the end aisle at the grocery store. Go find yourself a nice SIGG or Klean Kanteen bottle. I have a SIGG bottle that goes with me everywhere. It even has some nice dents in it from when I drop it. Shush. It gives it character. I do not have a sports top, but really wish I did. Auntie Rosita's water bottle does and I know it makes a difference, especially if you use it when you're working out.

If you must buy plastic bottles (from time to time! not all the time!) remember to recycle them when you are finished with them. And for your and your family's safety, don't drink from water bottles that have been left in the sun. I don't know for sure if the plastic is leaching chemicals into the water, but who wants to take chances?!

So there you have it. If you don't have a steel water bottle, go out and get one. And if you don't want steel at least find a plastic one that is BPA free and reusable. Save yourself, the environment and the money you spend on packaged water.

Note: The Farmer and I went grocery shopping yesterday and remembered our bags! We even used our own bags for produce items. How are you doing?

Random Reads

I was thinking about these things yesterday and thought I'd share them with you. Here are 3 random facts for you!

1) Did you know that a 100kg person (220 lbs) with 31% body fat (which is more than you should have) has enough stored energy in their body to walk from NYC to Los Angeles (2,800 miles) without stopping for food or drink? I know! Crazy! Now of course our bodies don't necessarily work that way, we would need to re-hydrate ourselves at some point. But aren't our bodies amazing? I learned this while studying for my fitness certification test and thought you'd like to know.

2) Did you know that dry erase marker will erase permanent marker from a dry erase board? How do I know this? About 3 years ago I worked as a substitute teacher while going to graduate school. I was teaching 4th grade and had been writing on the dry erase board for several minutes when a student finally said, "You are using permanent marker."

Well, thanks for the heads up NOW. I looked at the board covered in my handwriting. Permanently. And panicked (in my head, of course). Until another student said, "Just write over it with dry erase marker." I did just that and wa-la! No more permanent marker.

And number 3) Did you know that due to the rising obesity rate, it is projected that the next generation will have shorter life spans for the first time in 200 years?!?!? One of my students is using this at his attention getter for his speech and let me tell you, he got MY attention when I read it! Our generation can help change this! Feed your child a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables and for goodness sakes, take them outside to play! We were meant to run around and play. God gave us a body so that we could use it, so get outside and play today (Too cold to play outside? Then go to an indoor playground--preferably, not at McDonald's).

In other news!!!! Auntie M(aria) got engaged yesterday! We are so excited for her and just love her to pieces. Best Wishes Auntie M!