Mommy Motivator

So mommies, the warm weather is here and that means endless hours of fun in the sun for our kids. Our kids all need a bit of sun exposure in order to get enough vitamin D, but it doesn’t take too much time in the sun to get the vitamin D that their bodies need. Most of our children get enough vitamin D from milk and daily activities such as walking the dog or going to the mailbox. It is important for us to remember that too much unprotected sun exposure can lead to skin damage and even cancer. Many studies have shown that childhood sunburns and exposure are a major cause of malignant melanoma(potentially deadly skin cancer). It is our job as mommies to keep our kids safe from the harmful rays of the sun.

In order to protect our precious children from the sun we must be proactive and be prepared for the sun. Research says that the sun’s rays are the most harmful between the hours of 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. Even though it will be hard to keep our children out of the sun during these hours, at least we can be aware that the sun’s rays are strong and be extra cautious.

Sun Safety Tips:

• Choose a sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays.
• Choose a sunscreen with at least SPF 15. I always buy one with SPF 30.
• Make sure you have sunscreen handy - put a bottle in your purse or car.
• Make sure that you do not forget to apply sunscreen to your child’s ears, lips. and tops of hands and feet(if barefoot) You should purchase a chap stick with sunscreen in it and apply to their lips before sun exposure.
• Make sure that you apply sunscreen even on shady days!! The suns rays still penetrate through the clouds and can cause sun damage. Your children can still get sunburned on overcast days.
• Reapply sunscreen periodically and after swimming.
• Dress your children in sun protective clothing.
• Have your child wear a kids sun hat with a wide rim.
• Purchase a pair of kids sun glasses. It may take your child awhile to get used to wearing sunglasses but it will benefit their eyes in the long run.
• If going to the beach or park take a big umbrella or a small pop up tent so your children can eat and take breaks in the shade. The least amount of time in the sun’s peak hours (10-4) the better for your children.

Moms, don’t let your children down and let them get sunburned. Explain to your children that the sun is fun to play in but that it can hurt their skin if they don’t wear sunscreen. I have explained this to my kids and they are always pretty patient when I am applying the cream.

You cannot expect a young child to be responsible in the sun. It is your responslbility to keep them safe!

So moms, if you are not prepared for the sunny weather make a trip to your favorite drugstore/department store and stock up on sunscreen, chapstick with SPF and sun protective gear!

Now go have safe fun in the sun!

So mommies, it is time to take a moment out of your day and take care of yourself. Have you ever noticed how so many older people have age spots on their hands? Unfortunately, years of sun exposure can play a huge toll on our hands and can result in ugly age spots and possibly skin cancer. We are all aware, or should be aware, that we need to wear a moisturizer with sunscreen on our faces daily. Read the rest of this entry »

As moms, we all know that it is important to keep our child’s teeth brushed and to limit juice and other sugary foods. Did you know that eating cheese can also help prevent cavities? At Colbin’s last dental visit the dentist recommended that Colbin snack on cheese to keep his teeth healthy.

Read the rest of this entry »

Getting your family to eat a healthy diet can be one of the most challenging tasks a mommy faces each day. Some of you may be too busy with your day to day schedules that you think you don’t have time to prepare a healthy meal and some of you may be trying to figure out a healthy meal that your entire family will actually eat. My family loves pasta. It is quick to fix and can be a really healthy meal for all of us. I buy the new pasta by Ronzoni called Smart Pasta. It has 3 times the amount of fiber as regular white pasta and as much calcium as an 8 oz. glass of milk. Read the rest of this entry »

For all of you mommies that are trying to add more fiber to your diet you must try Nature’s Own Double Fiber Bread (new). On an earlier post I talked about meeting our daily fiber requirements.  It is recommended that women under the age of 50 get 25 grams of fiber per day. If you are struggling to get this much fiber then go to the store and buy the Nature’s Own Double Fiber bread. The bread has 5 grams of fiber per slice! Mommies, eat a sandwich for lunch and you will be on your way to meeting your fiber needs. Like I have stated before…Be Healthy, Stay Healthy and Create a Happy and Healthy Home!!!!!!

Just for reiteration, Mommy Must Do’s are reminders for the stuff that we know we are supposed to do, but often forget or don’t take the time to accomplish. When there are 5 million other things going on at one time, we often put our personal and family’s well-being on the back burner.

I went to see my Doctor this week in hopes of getting rid of a sinus infection. While she was examining me she told me that I was extremely dehydrated. She asked me how much water I drink a day. I said um….not enough. It was then that I came to the realization that I could not even remember the last time I drank a glass or bottle of water.

We all know the rule that we need to drink at least 8 cups of water everyday. But do we follow that rule on a daily basis? While I was pregnant with my boys I always made sure I drank my water and ate healthy. I knew it was important to do those things in order to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Unfortunately, after we have our kids we often forget that we still need to be healthy to keep up with our kids and that our kids need to be healthy in order to grow and thrive. With this in mind, your mommy must do this week is to focus on getting at least 8 cups of water a day and to get your kids drinking water too! NO EXCUSES MOMMIES!

Drinking water will do the following things:
	Improve Your Energy
	Increase Your Mental and Physical Performance
	Remove Toxins & Waste Products from your body
	Keep Skin Healthy and Glowing
	Help You Lose Weight
	Reduce Headaches and Dizziness
	Allow for proper Digestion
	Help to keep you more Alkaline source: betterwayhealth.com

The doctor gave me a great tip and said to drink a big glass of water first thing in the morning. It is a wonderful way to get a head start on your 8 cups a day and to flush toxins out of your body. In researching on the computer I also read that drinking a cup of warm water with lemon every morning is beneficial to our digestive system and aids in weight loss. I will start drinking a glass every morning this week and will keep you updated.

Mommies, get your kids in the habit of drinking water now! Cut back on juice and give them water. Remember that sodas have no health benefits!

Now start today and drink to your health!!!!!!!!

Walking Lunges

Tone your butt and legs

This exercise works the Quadriceps, Hamstrings, and Buttocks. Although it may look silly, you can do this exercise anywhere!

1. Stand with your feet together and your back straight
2. Take a big step with your right foot, bending your knees so your right thigh is parallel to the floor and right knee is directly above your ankle(not your foot). Your left knee should almost touch the floor/ground.
3. Bring your left foot forward to meet your right, then take a giant step with your left foot.

I do walking lunges inside the house, outside, at the park, and at work. Once you feel comfortable with the motion, you can increase the intensity by adding a weight in each hand. If you do not have any weights you can use milk jugs filled with water. I like to do these walking lunges until I feel the burn. If you have never done a walking lunge before start with only a few reps or you may be too sore to walk tomorrow.

*If your knees are hurting while doing lunges make sure that your knee is not extended over your foot/toes. It should be aligned with your ankle like stated above. If your knees continue to hurt after you have checked your form then you should choose another exercise.

Work your tushies off mommy! Let me know your tips for staying in shape.

Good Morning Mommies! It’s a new day. Wake up and feel good about yourself as a mom and woman! I want to challenge and motivate you each week with Mommy Must Do’s. Mommy Must Do’s are tasks/goals (to do list) that I will give to help you stay motivated and energized–”Taking life by the horns,” as they say.

On that note, let’s talk about you and your kids. As we all know, the most important job in this world is taking care of our kids. However, in order to accomplish this 100% we must take care of ourselves! If you want to raise confident & healthy kids, then you need to be a confident & healthy mom.

If you want your kids to be fit, then you need to also be fit. Listen, I’m not asking you to go out and (allegedly) run a marathon like supermom, Katie Holmes, but even a 20 minute walk everyday will help you get in shape. Being in shape coincides with a healthy diet. Don’t expect your kids to eat healthy foods if you are sitting on the couch with a bag of chips.

Being healthy includes creating healthy minds. If you want your kids to enjoy reading, read to them often (and to yourself too). Lead by example, ladies! Take steps to create learning environments. If you have read my previous posts, you will find that I try to use every situation as an opportunity to nurture and teach my children.

I know that being a woman, mom, wife, and businesswoman (choose your role) can be hard at times, but if you are going to do it, you might as well be good at it. Come on moms! Take charge of your role today and make no excuses!

Keep looking for your Mommy Must Do’s here.

Jump Rope Fitness Workout

Mommies, it is time to get the family jumping!

As moms, it can be a struggle to fit exercise into a busy schedule. Jumping rope is great for busy moms, because you do not need to jump rope long to burn calories. It is said that doing a jump rope fitness workout burns anywhere from 10-20 calories per minute, depending on the intensity in which you jump. “According to research, a 10-minute program of jumping rope can be as effective as Read the rest of this entry »

Have you taken your daily dose of laughter?

Yesterday, we took Colbin and Cason out to dinner for Colbin’s birthday. While we were at the table, a little girl sitting behind us caught Colbin and Cason’s attention. The three of them began exchanging funny faces and laughter almost immediately. Throughout the dinner, they continued to Read the rest of this entry »