Today’s guest post is courtesy of Kara Thom, who blogs over at Mama Sweat. (not familiar with her blog? Go there now, you are missing out!) She manages to find time for fitness even though she now has 4 kids to work around her schedule.  Thank you Kara for the great advice!

Focusing on the positive here. Focusing on what I can do with this postpartum body of mine, and what’s left of my time and energy. That focus then, is on the almighty Kegel — yes, I’m talking about exercising the nether region.

First one must know what a Kegel is before I go on. If you think a Kegel is something served at a Jewish holiday, this post won’t make any sense. A Kegel is a contraction of the pelvic floor muscle; squeezing tight all those sphincter muscles. Its most famous purpose is improving bladder control. And so, almost always bringing up Kegel exercises make us giggle. And contrary to popular myth, Kegels aren’t just for women. If you have a prostate, Kegels are equally important. And while bladder control is indeed a nice thing to have (I mean, wouldn’t the ultimate insult of parenthood be to have to change your own diaper too?), a Kegel’s influence on those pelvic floor muscles also set up a stronger foundation for a stronger core. I like to call it the core of my core. Without a strong pelvic floor, everything that attaches to it, going up your trunk or down your legs is compromised. Think lower back, glutes, hips, hamstrings, and then everything else that attaches to those and on out. Everything begins at the pelvic floor. It’s ground zero for our musculature.

So, if you’ve been injured or out of commission, or like me, just had a baby, which both weakens your pelvic floor and puts you out of commission, then starting with Kegels before you do anything else is important. I know this first hand, because trying to come back too soon after my first pregnancy resulted in painful running and a plethora of back, hip and IT band problems. And there are all sorts of remedies for those problems, but if you don’t start with the core of your core–ground zero–then it’s difficult to fully heal.

So how do you do Kegel exercises? The easiest explanation is to squeeze those muscles “down there” that would stop the flow of urine and those that would keep you “puckered up” in a tense situation. The pelvic floor muscles are like a hammock between your tail bone and your pubic bone. The idea is to contract or tighten up that hammock. Ideally we should all be doing 200 a day. There are two main ways to Kegel: Flicks are quick contractions and you should aim to do them in sets of 10. The other option is to hold a Kegel, ideally for 10 seconds or more.

The nice part about Kegel exercises is that they don’t require workout clothes. They don’t require a gym. In fact, you don’t have to make time to Kegel, you can do it almost anywhere, anytime and no one is the wiser. The guy taking your order at Starbucks might wonder what’s up with the strange look on your face, but still, he’ll never know.

Sounds so easy. And perhaps because they’re so easy we tend to overlook them, forget to do them. Plus, the pay off isn’t quite as noticeable. While we might brag about how strong our quads are, or show off our cut biceps, boasting about the strength of our pelvic floor muscles is not something we normally do.

Normally. Allow me. I got some positive reinforcement at my six-week check up that my singular focus with Kegels and Sahrmann exercises are working. (By the way I’m up to Sahrmann exercise #4.) My midwife first checked my diastasis recti–the split that occurs between your abdominals when pregnant–and commented how nicely and quickly it was coming together. Yes! And, without going into too much detail she said, “You must be doing your Kegels.” In fact, I could have held back the flood waters in Fargo with my bladder.

With this new confirmation that my hard work is paying off, I’m doing my Kegel exercises even more. And with my eye on the prize–running again!–I’m applying a few running workouts to doing Kegels. Since most people have a hard time remembering to do them and, let’s face it, they’re boring, here is how I’m “squeezing” them into my day and making this workout more fun.

Kegel fartlek. Now I have just put two funny words together. This is not passing gas between Kegels. Fartlek (in Swedish means speed play) is a running workout that allows you to spontaneously pick up the pace at irregular intervals. You get to decide when and how long to speed up. Say, you decide to run faster to the next stop sign or in between light poles. With a Kegel fartlek it’s the same, but it helps to be traveling in a car, bus, or other mode of transport. Just pick some sort of landmark and hold the Kegel until you get there. Pick another landmark and repeat.

Kegel tempo. A runner’s tempo workout might consist of a 10-minute or 15-minute run at their race pace sandwiched in between a warm up and cool down. The Kegel tempo is a little different. Using the car radio or your Ipod, Kegel to the beat of a song. This worked nicely to the tune of “Good Things” by the Bodeans.

And a strong pelvic floor is a good thing. If you happen to pull up next to me at a stop light, honk, wave, and give me a knowing smile.

Want to know more about Kara? She was featured as “One Fit Mommy” here!

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It is time for another installment of “One Fit Mommy”! As I surf around the blogosphere, I come across fit moms who inspire me to fitness. From there, I hunt them down and force them to tell me their secrets, which I then share with you!

Today’s fit mommy is Hannah, who works for ERGOBaby, my favorite baby carrier of all.

Please read on for more about Hannah and how she stays fit while juggling a career and small children.  (and if you are looking for a baby/toddler carrier for yourself or a friend, I HIGHLY recommend the ERGO baby carriers,   they are awesome!  See the video clip below!)

Q: Have you always been fit? What inspired you to live a fit lifestyle?
A: I have always been active. My parents used to wear us in a backpack to go hiking and walking in the woods – as soon as we could walk, we walked! I was involved in lessons of all kinds – swim team, tennis lessons, horseback riding, ballet, and later, in high school, springboard diving and soccer. When I got to college I discovered running, and I’ve never looked back!

Q: What advice do you have for moms who claim they don’t have time for exercise?
You have time for what you make a priority. How do you have time to do dishes, pack lunches, or watch your favorite show on TV? If you schedule exercise into your life, you have time for it – it’s that simple. And after a few months of regular exercise, you feel a bit lost without it. If you really can’t convince yourself to exercise, in spite of the benefits to your heart, lungs, muscles, and mood, think of the example you set for your children! Do you want them to be sedentary or active?

Q: How many days per week do you run and do you follow a specific training schedule?
I used to be more devoted, and hardly ever missed a day – now that life is considerably more hectic, I commit to running 30-45 minutes, 5 days a week. I do about 100 crunches after each run, and for now that just has to be good enough!

Q: Do you have any mental tricks that you use when you just don’t feel like working out?
I think of how much better I’ll feel once I’m done, and how much easier it is to just DO it than it is to keep procrastinating the run. Then, I put on my workout clothes. Sometimes that’s the hardest part! Once they’re on, though, you really don’t want to take them off again without having used them!

Q: What is your favorite brand of running shoes/clothes?
I like Asics running shoes. I have really narrow feet, and they always seem to fit really well. I’ll wear any brand of clothes – I prefer built-in shelf bras in my tops to a separate jog bra.

Q: Random question: How do you reward yourself after a tough race/workout?
After a race, I usually go out to a good breakfast with the family, and then we go to the beach. After a hard workout, I usually feel rewarded in knowing that I completed it!

Here is a clip of Hannah demonstrating the ERGO baby carrier with her newborn girl just 3 weeks after giving birth. As you can see, she is definitely “One Fit Mommy”!

Thank you Hannah for being an inspiration!

You can see more interviews with other fit moms (and dads too!) over here.

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It is time for another installment of “One Fit Mommy”! As I surf around the blogosphere, I come across fit moms (and dads too!) who inspire me to fitness. From there, I hunt them down and force them to tell me their secrets, which I then share with you!

Today’s fit mommy is Jill, a busy mom of three who was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes just over three years ago. Since then, she has lost over 100 pounds and competed in the Mrs. Idaho competition, where she placed 6th!

She blogs over at Get Up and Get Moving and is definitely an inspiration and “One Fit Mommy!”. Please read on for more about Jill:

Q: Have you always been fit?

When I was younger I was a professional dancer and model. I did that into my 20’s. I got married at at age 27 had 2 miscarriages before my first child. Then the weight battle begun!  I lost myself being a wife and mom. Total of 4 miscarriages and 3 kiddo’s sure did not help with my weight problem.

Q: What inspired you to live a fit lifestyle?

Since it was my career, dancing and modeling helped keep me in check. I also loved to dance so it was a fun outlet for me. Thirteen years later it was unfortunately hearing the words you have type 2 diabetes that really made me start to change my lifestyle. I wanted to be around for my husband and 3 kids ages, ages 11,9 and 4. I knew it was now or never.

Q: What advice do you have for moms who claim they don’t have time for exercise?

Make the time! If you gain and don’t lose it all the first time it makes it so hard the other times. You will find it may never come off and then when all is said and done you have a long way to go to get it off.

Q: Are you more of a cardio mommy or strength training mommy?

I am both. I love Cardio. When I was competing in the Mrs. Idaho Pageant this year a trainer Rebecca Carington sponsored me. As a sponsor she got me in my best shape ever. At age 42, after losing 100 pounds, I was proud to place in the top 6 out of 16 amazing woman. It was through having a personal trainer that I learned how important it is to weight train.

Q: What are some of the lifestyle changes you made after being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes?

I learned to cut out the refined sugars. Cookies, candy pretty much all junk food. I eat 6 small meals a day. That helps speed up the metabolism and with that the pounds started dropping off.  Don’t starve whatever you do. You will not lose weight by doing that.

Q: Do you have any mental tricks that you use when you just don’t feel like working out?
I just go. I get dressed and go. I don’t think about it to long or I may talk myself out of it. Once I am there, I am so happy I did it.

Q: How do you reward yourself after a workout?
With a feeling of job well done. Not a tangible reward. Not a food reward, just a pat on the back to know I did what I need to do to reach and keep my goals!  I also run a website so I will post on my site something to help others. Since reaching my goal of losing 100 pounds my goal is to spread my message. Visit my site to learn more about my journey at http://getupandgetmoving.net

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I’ve started another blog!

Yep, that is correct!  I know, call me crazy but in order to follow the BlogHer Ad guidelines, I needed to move my reviews to another home. So please check out my alternate digs over at:

Workout Mommy Reviews!

There will be product reviews and giveaways (lots, I promise!) on everything from treadmills to toys.   I’ve got a post up right now about BoironUSA’s new homeopathic cold/flu medicine for kids. Have you tried it?  If so, I’d love to know your thoughts.

and no worries, I will still be blogging here about all things fitness and health. Thanks to all that have taken my survey.
(What’s that? You haven’t taken it yet?)
Well, what are you waiting for—go do it now. (please? thanks!)

after that is all done,  turn off your computer and GET UP OFF YOUR COUCH and go be active gang.

Never underestimate the power of a workout!

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It is time for another installment of “One Fit Mommy”! As I surf around the blogosphere, I come across fit moms (and dads too!) who inspire me to fitness. From there, I hunt them down and force them to tell me their secrets, which I then share with you!

Today’s fit mommy is Caitlin, who blogs over at Running Through Life and has also launched a fantastic site called Mommy Athletes. She a busy mom of two who credits her own mother to inspiring her to fitness.

Caitlin is running the Steamtown Marathon this Sunday, so please be sure to leave her a comment wishing her luck! Please read on for more about Caitlin and why she is definitely “One Fit Mommy”!

Q: Have you always been fit?  What inspired you to live a fit lifestyle?

Yes – I have always been fit, even during my college years when beer was the main dish on my menu. My mother was a avid runner when I was kid and would run about 25 miles a week at a quick paced speed.  She was in phenomenal shape and very dedicated to her sport.

I played volleyball for nearly 10 years competitively in high school, college and beyond.  I still dabble in sand pit volleyball a bit recently during the summer months but not nearly as much as I would like to.  In college I was very dedicated to a routine workout at least 5 days a week, which was when I began running.  I would run a few 5K’s throughout my junior and senior years but mostly to gauge my fitness level and not to compete.  Back in the 90’s timing races was so different.  Timing chips for measly 5K’s weren’t really around then but instead it was done with one person standing at the finish with some sort of hand held calculator looking thing.  I’m not sure how it worked but it all seemed pretty accurate.  My time was always between 25 and 26 minutes back then.

It wasn’t until more recently, within the past 3 years, that I started to run competitively and to finish with respectable standings within the top three for gender and\or age.  See www.mommyathletes.com for my whole story. My mother is my role model when it comes to strength and passion.  She was a ballet dancer for decades and a fantastic speed runner in her 30’s and 40’s.  I grew up having a “hot mom” who was is the best shape a middle aged woman could be. She too was a busy mom with a job outside of the home and managed to find time to run, dance, maintain an impeccably clean home and support her children in extra curricular activities. More recently my mother won her toughest race yet, against breast cancer.  She isn’t nearly as active as she was in her 40’s but she is 63 now and still living an active lifestyle. I usually print a small breast cancer ribbon on my arm or leg with marker for the duration of a grueling race to remind myself of the battle she endured for a year.  It makes me think that if she can get through something that tough, I can get through my race.

Q: What advice do you have for moms who claim they don’t have time for exercise?

Time is a relative thing.  We can all make the time whether it means waking up an hour early or going to bed an hour later or skipping out on watching your fave show.  My training tends to be a bit more strenuous than most and can take anywhere from one to three hours.  I wake up way before my kids are up and either hit the ground running by 6am or hit the gym by 5:45am.  I save my longer workouts for the weekends when my husband is around to share the parental duties.  And if I weren’t a morning person, I would do my workouts at night, after the kids were fed and in their PJ’s.  I personally love having the dawn hours to myself.  By the time the kids are up and ready to start their day, my workout is over and done with and there is nothing more rewarding than that feeling alone.

Q: How many days per week do you run and do you follow a specific training schedule?

I take one day completely off, Tuesdays! When I am training for triathlons or marathons, it’s important to balance my daily routines with proper mileage (either on the bike, in the water or in my sneakers),solid core workouts, some light weight lifting and stretching.  I can fit all of those components into my week within 6 days.  I am, however looking forward to a bit of a break between November and January.  I plan to keep my mileage at a low until January 2010 when I will begin to train for my third, yet most important, marathon…. BOSTON!!!!

Q: Do you have any mental tricks that you use when you just don’t feel like working out?

I would like to say that listening to my Ipod is a great mental trick but only for short distance running.  After  about 12 miles of running with headphones on, I get annoyed as the headphones become more of a bother than help.  When I’m running, I try to imagine that my core is like a solid board as my arms and legs are the one parts moving.  Every time I feel like I’m losing good form or getting fatigued, I concentrate on that and just try to pull myself through the motions.  I also calculate my average speed in my head for each mile during a long run.  It keeps my brain occupied at every mile marker…..so if at mile 1, I’m at 7:10 and at 14:35 by mile two, I do the math in my head to realize I have average a 7:17 Minute mile.  I do this for every mile as it becomes my mental game throughout an entire race. If I don’t play this game, I easily concentrate on the measly annoyances like a shoe tied tighter than the other or that my hair is tied too tight or not tight enough etc….

Q: What is your favorite brand of running shoes/clothes?

I have a ton of favorites.  I love Nike sneakers mostly because they make the lightest ones although for full marathons, I find it hard to part with my clunky ol’ New Balance sneakers which weigh about 8.8 oz.  You kinda have to choose brands accordingly and by that I mean a downhill course would require a sneaker much different than a flat or uphill course.
For other attire, I am addicted to Nike running shorts.  They are the cheapest (usually $28) and most comfortable.  I also love the Nike racer tank for training and race day which are ultra light and very comfy.  I also love New Balance sports bras which are super supportive and comfortable as well.  I tend to stay away from running shirts that have built in bras because of lack of support and comfort. I also love my Asic ultra light, ankle running socks.  They are a bit pricely for one pair of socks ($15) but excellent and well worth it.  For the fall time, Asics also make these really cool arm warmers that are 50 to 55 degrees and\or rainy. For the winter I absolutely LOVE my Brooks fitted running hoodie which is very form fitted and warm. I also just bought an Under Armour form fitted hoodie which has a hole in the hood for a ponytail.  I have yet to try it but am very excited to!

Q: How do you reward yourself after a tough race/workout?

I reward myself with SLEEP and not moving after a difficult race! My husband knows that after I over exert myself with either a fast paced race or a long distance 20 miler, I will lay in bed for a good hour before I get up (and of course, after stretching).  I also like to indugle in massages and wonderful pedicures that offer a solid 20 minutes of a foot massage.

When it comes to a dietary reward, my weakness is ice cream although I would eat it regardless of my active lifestyle.  I used to have a bowl of ice cream every night but when I started having some stomach issues the morning after and during a run, I had to limit it ;-(
I also LOOOOVEEE – Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups! I can also indulge in a full jar of peanut butter.  In my opinion, peanut butter is WAY better than any cake or cookie out there.  I usually grab the jar, a spoon and a huge glass of milk and enjoy!

You can see more interviews with other fit moms (and dads too!) over here.

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Today, October 2nd, is Livestrong Day.  It is a day to unite people affected by cancer in raising awareness of cancer issues on a global level and in communities across the country.

As many of you know, cancer took my mom this year.   She died just eight weeks after her diagnosis, leaving us all stunned and devastated.   Honestly, I want to crawl in a hole to cry and scream at the world that it is just not fair, but that won’t help anyone at this point.

Maybe however I can help by encouraging people (like YOU!) to go get tested for certain cancers as early as possible.  If you have a family history or  something just doesn’t feel right,  TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR.   Take charge of your own health.   You only get one body and one life, so TREAT IT LIKE IT IS GOLD!

Do not wait until it is too late.
Please.

Some of the cancers can be tricky and not as easily detected.  My dad is fighting his own battle with a rare form of blood cancer.  It’s slow growing (thankfully) but yet still there.   Perhaps the LAF and current research can find a cure for him and others like him soon.    But they need our help.

So what can YOU do to support Livestrong Day?

• Blog/tweet/Facebook about it.  Use the power of social media to get the word out.   Janell from Thufferin Thuccotash is doing a giveaway for those who blog and link up on her post.   She is a cancer survivor herself, please stop on over and say hi.
• Participate in a LIVESTRONG Day event in your area. Check the map to see if there is something nearby your house.
• Wear yellow and encourage your friends and family to do the same.
• Shop in the Livestrong Store. 100% of the proceeds from the store, after all related expenses, benefit the programs of the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
• Leave a comment below telling me that you shared this post with someone.  (either via Twitter, Facebook, email, or just word of mouth).   For EVERY comment that I get on this post between now and Sunday, October 4th, I will personally donate $1 to the Lance Armstrong Foundation.   My only request is that you do not leave duplicate comments! (I want to support as much as I can, but I have no job!)   I’d love to make at least a $100 donation.  Can you help me get to that goal?

Why I am doing this?  Because I want a world without cancer.  I don’t want another person to have to go through what my mom, dad, or my family has gone through this year.

We miss you Mom.  (and even though I know you would hate me for putting your picture on the internet, I’m doing it anyway!)

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I want to meet this woman and give her a giant hug!  (and throw her a party!)

Ida Van Parys is 102 years old.   Every morning before breakfast she spends 15 minutes on a Body By Jake Cardio Cruiser. She also walks four laps around the kitchen island in her condo. (she estimates the laps add up to about 20 minutes a day.)

Her philosophy?

“If I didn’t do the exercises every day, I wouldn’t still be on my feet. I’d be stuck in a chair all the time. It keeps me going.”

Ida, you are definitely one smart and fit woman!

So get up and get moving today gang, NO EXCUSES!

(you can read the original article and more about Ida here)

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It is time for another installment of “One Fit Mommy”! As I surf around the blogosphere, I come across fit moms (and dads too!) who inspire me to fitness. From there, I hunt them down and force them to tell me their secrets, which I then share with you!

Today’s fit mommy is Julia, who blogs over at Sweet as Punkin Pie. Julia is a very busy mom of 2 who is also a competitive powerlifter. As a cardio freak myself, I am fascinated by the power lifting moms, so I was very happy when she agreed to be interviewed as “One Fit Mommy”.

Most recently Julia found out that she is “ranked 12th on the “All-time best Totals” list for women in the 132 lb weight class (total = squat + bench + deadlift)!”  I’m not sure what that really means, but I can tell you that she is definitely “One Fit Mommy!”

Please read on for more about Julia and how she juggles life with a 2 year old, a 7 month old, and a very heavy barbell!

Q: Have you always been fit?  What inspired you to live a fit lifestyle?

I’ve always been an athlete.  I played sports growing up, into high school and college.  So it’s always been in my blood.  But I really got into it in high school when I took a weight training class. I realized how fun it was to see myself get stronger and how much better it made my body look (for looks and for sports)

Q: Tell us what is a “powerlifting meet” and what inspired you to enter one?

When I stopped playing sports in college, I continued to workout.  I loved that I was getting stronger and still looked so feminine!  (yes, it’s a myth that you will look like a man if you lift weights.)  My boyfriend (now hubby) got me intrigued in powerlifting.  I did my first meet in 2001 and never looked back.  Since then I have competed in at least 1, sometimes 2 powerlifting meets a year.  A full powerlifting meet consists of 3 events.  The squat, the bench press and the deadlift.  In short, you get 3 attempts at each lift.  If your first squat is good (you go low enough), you go up in weight and try again.  After you do all 3 squat attempts, you move on to the bench press.  Then the deadlift is last.  It’s so fun and exciting to see if you can do more than  you did last time.  It’s a great adrenaline rush!

Q: What advice do you have for moms who claim they don’t have time for exercise?

If you say you don’t have time, you’re fooling yourself.  You really are.  I’ve done it before.  In fact, when I went back to work after having my son, I didn’t work out as much.  I told myself it was because I didn’t have time.  I watched my strength go down and my body change.  I lost alot of good lean muscle.  And in reality, I had plenty of time.  I could’ve taken 30 minutes I spent on the computer and done a workout instead.  You really have to make it a priority.  It makes me mad when I hear women complain about not losing weight or not getting in shape when they aren’t putting in the work that needs to be done.  It doesn’t happen magically.

Q: What is your favorite exercise and why?

Just one?  Gosh, I’d probably have to say the squat or any variation of.  It’s an all-around great exercise that hits SO many muscle groups.  And don’t take the easy route and do leg press!!  The squat will work everything from your back, to your shoulders, to your butt and legs.  I love it.

Q: Do you have any mental tricks that you use when you just don’t feel like working out?

It’s not a trick, but I just do it.  If I keep saying “I’ll do it tonight” or “I’ll do it when the kids go down for a nap”, it won’t get done.  If you have the time to do it now, do it!  Things will come up later that you won’t expect.  If I want to go for a run or do the elliptical, sometimes I’ll say, “I’ll just do it after lunch.”  Wrong.  Before you know it, I’m caught up in reading something online, writing emails, on the phone, etc.  So, if you have the time NOW, do it NOW.  That way you have no excuses later.  Besides, if you do it in the morning, it’s done!!  And you won’t use the excuse of “I’m too exhausted” to do it at night.

Q: What is your favorite post workout snack?

A good cold chocolate protein shake is yummy… with peanut butter in it!  I also love trail mix.  A good mix of proteins, good fats, some carbs to replenish my glycogen stores…. and a bit of sweet!

Thanks Julia for inspiring us all to strength and fitness!

You can see more interviews with other fit moms (and dads too!) over here.

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It is time for another installment of “One Fit Mommy”!
As I surf around the blogosphere, I come across fit moms (and dads too!) who inspire me to fitness. From there, I hunt them down and force them to tell me their secrets!

Today’s fit mommy is Maria Bailey, CEO of BSM Media. She is also the Host of Mom Talk Radio, Author, Founder of BlueSuitMom.com, National TV Talk Show Host on Lifetime, WE-Women’s Entertainment Network and Co-Founder of Newbaby.com. She has been featured in numerous magazines and profiled in publications across the globe.  Maria is basically the guru of mom marketing and social media.

I had the pleasure of meeting her in person at the Blogher 5k and was thrilled to hear that she considers health and fitness a priority in her life.  To say Maria is a busy working mom is an understatement.  Maria knows busy, but she doesn’t let herself make any excuses when it comes to working out.

She just makes the time.

If this busy mom can make & find the time for exercise,  you can too!

Please read on for more about Maria and why she is definitely “One Fit Mommy”!

Q: Have you always been fit? What inspired you to live a fit lifestyle?

I have always been active and thought fitness was important. My mother was bulimic and anorexic so I watched her struggle with weight my whole life. I decided to do thing the right way and live in a very healthy way in order to be trim and maintain a high level of energy.
Q: What advice do you have for moms who claim they don’t have time for exercise?

We all have the same number of minutes in our day.  The only difference is how we choose to use them.  I had three babies under twenty months and even with that hectic schedule I choose to spend some part of my day exercising. It means you have to give up other things to find the time. I did a time audit on myself when I had three babies and found that I was spending almost an hour each day doing things I could give up like refolding towels in the closet or watching television.  Once I took control and made the choice as to what I was going to do with my time, I found the time to exercise.  When times got really hectic, I would involve my children in my workouts.

Q: What is your favorite exercise and why?

I run almost every day so I have to say running.  But my core exercises are sit ups, planks, push ups, lunges, tricep dips and squats.  All of these a mom can do in her own living room while the kids are playing.

Q: Are you more of a cardio mom or strength training mom?

Definitely cardio but as I’ve gotten older I’ve realized how important it is to work on strength. As your body produces less Estrogen, lifting weights becomes mandatory.

Q: How do you get your kids involved in your fit lifestyle?

When they were younger, we would race short distances at the playground or do sit up together.  Now that I have teens we challenge each other to each others customized workouts. My daughter plays water polo and no one can keep up with her water polo workouts.

Q: Do you have any mental tricks that you use when you just don’t feel like working out?

Don’t we all?  I tell myself that I’ll only run for fifteen minutes and if I don’t feel like it after that, I give myself permission to go home.  I never do.

Q: What was your favorite marathon and why?

I’ve run 19 marathons.  My favorite probably was New York. It was emotional to look out on to the city and think I was going to run all the way to central park. My favorite for the spectators is definitely Twin City Marathon. They have 19 spectators for each runner and they cheer you all the way. I love the Fort Lauderdale Marathon because it takes place on my training route so its very familiar. There’s only one that I’ve done twice and that’s the Marine Corp because I ran with my husband after I’d done it on my own two years earlier.

Thank you Maria for taking the time to answer my questions and for being an inspiration to all of us!

You can see more interviews with other fit moms (and dads too!) over here.

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It is time for another installment of “One Fit Mommy”! As I surf around the blogosphere, I come across fit moms (and dads too!) who inspire me to fitness. From there, I hunt them down and force them to tell me their secrets, which I then share with you!

Today’s fit mommy is Erin, who blogs over at Mo Mommy. Her blog always manages to give me a smile as she talks about how she juggles a full time job and being a mom with two young boys the same ages as mine. She too is pregnant again and manages to stay in shape with early morning workouts and a supportive husband who shares her love of fitness.

Erin grew up with fitness as part of her lifestyle and is now passing down that dedication to her own children, which definitely makes her “One Fit Mommy”!

Please read on for more about Erin and how she gets herself motivated to workout:

Q: Have you always been fit? What inspired you to live a fit lifestyle?

By general standards, yes; by my own standards, most of the time. I started running when I was 12, thanks primarily to my Dad. My Dad was a runner and got me into it. I joined a municipal cross country team and then my high school team. I never really stopped, except for relatively brief times during injury (I had five stress fractures once in high school!) and when I was living in Cameroon. But even when I wasn’t running during those weeks, my head was still in the game. I have never turned away from running, not even after the worst runs where you feel like you hate it.

Then I married my husband, who is also an athlete. We were both doing triathalons at the time, and that’s how we got to know each other. After we got married, we trained and did IronMan Wisconsin together. It’s helpful to me that I share my life & parenting duties with someone who has similar priorities and needs to exercise.

Q: What advice do you have for moms who claim they don’t have time for exercise?

You’re right. None of us HAVE time. We make it. You have to sacrifice something in order to fit it in. Often, you have to rely on someone else to fill in for you during that time, so it’s a sacrifice by someone else too (your husband, your mom, your best friend, the childcare workers at the gym…). But if it’s truly a priority, you can make it happen by turning it into a habit. The hardest part is just getting out the door, overcoming the inertia. Once you’re moving, it’s easier to stay in motion.

Q: Have your workouts changed now that you are pregnant?

I’m slower and more forgiving about mileage and pace. Running is harder when I’m pregnant, but I enjoy the opportunity to cut myself some slack too.

Edited: She has a great post about her experience with running while pregnant. You’ll laugh, I promise!

Q: What is your favorite exercise and why?

I have to admit that I pretty much only run and do sit ups and push ups.

Q: Are you more of a cardio mommy or strength training mommy?
Cardio, no question.

Q: Do you have any mental tricks that you use when you just don’t feel like working out?

I use all sorts of mental tricks. If it can motivate me to get moving, then I use it. I keep track of mileage, I tell myself I only have to run one mile (then always end up completing the whole route), I tell myself I can take TOMORROW off, and I get up early. I know getting up early sounds awful to most people, but I find it is so much easier once I’m in the habit. Since I also work full-time, I get up at 4:30am most mornings to run. I lay my clothes out the night before. Then I’m up, changed, and out the door before I’m even awake enough to talk myself out of it. And I have the rest of the day where I feel good about it.

Q: Random question: what’s your favorite brand of workout clothing and why?

I don’t think I have one. I’m not much of a fashion statement when I run, and have never been much for “gear.” But I have been pretty set on New Balance shoes for the past several years.

You can see more interviews with other fit moms (and dads too!) over here.

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