Workout Mommy » workouts

5 ways to workout with your kids

workoutmommy — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:20:21 +0000

We know you like to workout, but how about your kids? Here are some ways to encourage them to get up and moving too!

Invite them on a run (or walk) with you. Even if it’s just letting them out of the stroller for a block or two, it will improve their mood and involve them in your workout!

Have a deck of cards? Kids can play along with this workout as well. Do it as a family!

Push ups and yoga! My kids always want to get down on the ground with me and show me THEIR form. Such a great opportunity to be fit as a family.

Dance Party! Gets my kids every single time. (just please don’t film us!)

Circuit stations: I set up various circuits for myself (kettlebells, TRX, jump rope) and then I make some for them (push ups, jumping jacks, jump rope). We all move from station to station together. They LOVE this!

Make fitness FUN and everyone will want to join in!

How about you gang? How do you get your kids involved in fitness?

One INSANE workout! (and giveaway!)

workoutmommy — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:36:33 +0000

Way long ago I used to run an outdoor bootcamp class for women. It was hard core and I loved every single second! So when the nice people at the Yahoo Get It Guide asked me to test out one of the top 4 searched fitness DVDs, I jumped at the chance to try out INSANITY Fast & Furious: 20 Minute Maximum Fitness Results Workout DVD.

The description on this DVD is:

The INSANITY workout might just be the hardest fitness program ever put on DVD with personal trainer Shaun T pushing to the limits with plyometric drills on top of nonstop intervals of strength, power, resistance, and ab and core training moves. No equipment or weights needed. This workout packs a 45-minute INSANITY workout into 20 crazy minutes.

I loved the fact that it was only 20 minutes and honestly thought how hard could it be? I can do ANYTHING for 20 minutes, right?

Ummm…no! This DVD kicked my ass booty all over the floor! I was crying..and then laughing…and then crying again! Don’t get me wrong though, I LOVED it! I need someone to kick me up a notch and this did the trick. Sadly, I couldn’t finish the whole thing, which I would like to blame on a baby waking up, but in reality it was because I was EXHAUSTED! While this might leave some feeling defeated, this leaves me feeling challenged and I can’t wait to do it again.

Please note that if you do not like hard core, impact workouts, then this is NOT the DVD for you. There was a whole lot of jumping and bouncing going on!

What do you think gang, have you ever tried INSANITY®? Which one of the top 4 would you choose?

Do you have a favorite workout DVD that leaves you in a puddle on the floor?

Leave a comment below and be entered to win a $25 Amazon gift card!

Earn an extra entry by tweeting this post. (be sure to include @workoutmommy in your tweet and leave an extra comment).
Winner will be chosen at random on Monday, January 16 at 9pm EST. Open to US addresses only.

Disclosure: The featured product for this review was provided to me, at no cost, by Yahoo! Shine Get It Guide for the sole purpose of product testing. They have also provided additional product for me to offer as a giveaway. I was not paid for this post, this is my honest opinion.

What does exercise mean to you?

workoutmommy — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:47:55 +0000

My boys are in constant motion. Seriously, they never.stop.moving.

This is why we still have a trampoline in our family room. Friends come over and laugh at it but it honestly gets more use more than our couch! (with the exception of the husband who really enjoys said couch)

Anyway, I decided to ask the boys what exercise means to them. (click through your reader to see the video)
And then had them add a shameless plug at the end.

Kids think exercise is FUN. They love to bounce on this trampoline or run around or jump rope or dance or run around….you get the point. It’s never boring to them and it’s just PART OF THEIR DAY.

So my question to you is –-how do you get the FUN back into your fitness and make it just part of YOUR day?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCEA0p0wiLk

Never underestimate the power of a workout gang!

Friends with (workout) benefits

workoutmommy — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:29:36 +0000

There is nothing better than a play date for my kids that turns into a workout for me!

Here is a video clip of me and Jamie doing some kettlebell swings. You might recognize her from my lunge workout video. She is a great friend that I don’t get to see often enough. (hint hint Jamie!)

We were using my hot pink Gymboss and doing 30 second swing intervals. (which is why we appear to be standing around. We weren’t…we were catching our breath and answering toddler questions!)

Getting in a workout with kids around is tough and I have learned to be very flexible. I added music so you couldn’t hear my toddler asking for his toy gun or the point at the end where I told him to get out of the way of my swing. Mommy has got to keep her form, you know!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IacWvKzqf7U

Do you have workout play dates with friends?

(If you are reading this in your reader, please click through to see the video!)

One fit triathlete (mommy)!

workoutmommy — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 19:35:36 +0000

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 Jamima, who blogs over at Sweat Style. Jamima is a busy mom of 2 who is obsessed with fitness and fashion. She knows her stuff as she is a former professional triathlete and triathlon coach! Jamima has created two triathlon apps for iPhone (First Time Triathlon and Triathlon Trainer) and has generously offered to give TEN lucky readers one of her apps! Please read on for more about Jamima and leave a comment below to be entered to win.

Q: Have you always been fit? What inspired you to live a fit lifestyle?
I’ve always been athletic and grew up playing many different sports (ballet, softball, diving, basketball, track, gymnastics). I competed in gymnastics for many years and then ran cross country in high school and college. Both of my parents were always supportive of any sport I did, cheering me on from the sidelines. My dad in particular encouraged me to try running and then triathlons. Whatever I was passionate about, they were both encouraging and supportive.
Now I am inspired by my two girls to stay fit as I want to teach them that women can be strong, fit and healthy. I love how I feel after a great workout and love to be outdoors. I will be that granny who is still exercising when she’s 90!

Q: What advice do you have for moms who claim they don’t have time for exercise?
I am truly a better mom when I take time for myself. We are so busy taking care of everyone else that we often forget about ourselves – but you need to make it a priority. Also, I want to be around for my girls and their kids for as long as I can and I know that staying fit is an important part of that. I make it non-negotiable mommy-time so that it is as important as a business appointment.

If you are really limited on time, just figure out a way to get only 20 minutes in. There are so many great fitness apps available on smartphones that you can sneak in a pilates or other type workout before the kids wake up or are napping. My almost 7 month old thinks it’s great fun when I get down on the ground and start counting while doing ab exercises. Invest in a piece of exercise equipment so you can hop on during naps or buy a jogging stroller and get your kids used to going out on a walk/run. When I take my 3 year old on a run I make sure to pack lots of snacks for her and plan a fun stop for her along the way to a special park or something so that she has something to look forward to.

Q: How have your workouts changed since having kids?
Prior to having kids I was a professional triathlete and was training for the Ironman distance so as you can imagine I was beating my body up and often training for hours at a time.
I’m lucky these days to get in a workout that’s longer than an hour once or twice a week but I feel like it’s a healthier balance now. Also, I have a much different perspective on working out after having developed a chronic hip injury while pregnant with my first daughter that went undiagnosed for over a year. It got so bad that I couldn’t do any exercise at all or even walk for very long without pain. I wasn’t sure the surgery would fix the problem, but it did. And so I feel lucky that I can exercise pain free now. Because I know my time is limited, I try to make my workouts count by doing a quality workout and pushing myself (unless it’s a planned easy workout).

Q: Are you more of a cardio mommy or strength training mommy?
Definitely a cardio mommy. I especially love to run, bike and push my lungs to their limits! I do incorporate strength training 2-3 days a week as I think it’s a really important component to staying injury free and combating bone and muscle loss as we age.

Q: What is your least favorite exercise?
Probably swimming. It was my weakness in triathlons and I just never enjoyed looking at the bottom of a pool for long periods of time. I especially loathe it in the winter time-I am a total cold wimp. Since retiring from triathlons I have barely set foot in a lap pool but wish I enjoyed it more because it’s a great low-impact workout.

Q: Do you have any mental tricks that you use when you just don’t feel like working out?
Having gone through a major hip surgery and not knowing what the outcome would be I am just thankful to be able to workout pain free so I often just think about how lucky I am to be able to be active as many people are not.
But, on those days I’m really lacking motivation, I’ll change into my workout clothes and once I have them on my mind set changes. If I still don’t feel like doing it, I tell myself to just start my workout and if after 10-15 minutes if I still feel unmotivated, I can leave.

Q: Random question: what is your go-to snack food?
Lately it’s been a handful of nuts or veggies dipped in hummus. On occasion, I indulge in dark swiss chocolate as I’m from Switzerland originally and can’t live without it!

Thank you Jamima for being an inspiration to moms everywhere!

Ok gang, want to win one of her fantastic triathlon apps (for iPhone)?

Leave a comment below and be entered to win! Ten winners will be chosen on Saturday, December 10 at 9pm EST. Be sure to leave a valid email address so I can contact you!

Fitness a la carte

workoutmommy — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:52:24 +0000

Life has taken over for me lately so I’m digging up some old posts. This one dates back to 2009 but it’s definitely one that will get your heart rate up.
***********************************************

: Image by Getty Images via Daylife

In a time crunch?
Do at least three of the following activities to help give your metabolism a kick and make you feel better.

Take a 20 minute power walk
Do 20 walking lunges
Jump rope for 5 minutes
Do one minute of push-ups followed by one minute of jumping jacks
50 squats (yes you can!)
Drink 2 large glasses of water right now
Eat a piece of fruit before eating lunch and dinner
Run up and down your stairs for 3 minutes
Dance around the room for at least 5 minutes. Crank up the intensity!
Do 3 of your favorite yoga poses and then spend one minute just focusing on your breath.

Please leave a comment and let me know which ones you chose!
Have an ACTIVE day gang!

JUMP into fitness with JumpSport Fitness Trampoline

workoutmommy — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:44:16 +0000

Fitness should be FUN, right? Well you cannot get much funner than the JumpSport The Fitness Trampoline!

I was very eager to try it out but my kids literally took it over for a few hours. At first I worried about whether or not it was safe for them, but after checking out the features (and seeing them bounce to their heart’s content!), I realized it is very safe.

The exercise handle bar was perfect for my little ones to hold onto and the bottom has 6 arched legs which prevent it from tipping over. (and trust me, my 6 year old can bounce pretty high….it didn’t wobble or tip once!)

I also have to admit that I didn’t think it would be that challenging of a workout because it just looks like too much fun, right? Wow, was I wrong!

After doing the BOUNCE Camp DVD, my quads were screaming! I also didn’t realize how much I was sweating because I was laughing too hard. (mainly because it was fun but also because my kids thought it was hilarious that I was bouncing on this trampoline!) They were cheering for me too, which was cute.

Here are my thoughts on the JumpSport The Fitness Trampoline:

Pros:

FUN!
easy to do
minimal impact on your knees, hips, and other joints
can be done in front of the TV
reasonable cost
it will wear you AND your kids out! (a double bonus in my book!)

Cons:

it takes up space. It’s hard for me to move room to room, so it’s a permanent fixture in our family room. For me, that’s not an issue but if you have a normal house, you might want to put it somewhere else.

Not sure what to think? Check out this video clip of people testing it out.
Most of them say “it makes them happy”! How often do you say that about your cardio equipment?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_lzifCtZIs

This is a FANTASTIC workout that I highly recommend to everyone! (and with the holidays coming up, I think it would make a perfect gift for yourself! )

Save 10% off your order with coupon code FitMom10Nov

Hurry though, it expires 11/30/11!
Order now through JumpSport!

Disclosure: I received a JumpSport Fitness Trampoline and DVDs at no cost for review purposes. I was not paid for this post, this is my opinion. It really is a tough workout that is FUN, FUN, FUN!!

copyright owned by www.workoutmommy.com Please do NOT reprint without permission.

JUMP into fitness with JumpSport Fitness Trampoline

Workout Fail

workoutmommy — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:17:26 +0000

I am not a big fan of gym memberships but for some reason I signed back on to the only big name gym in my town when it opened a shiny new facility. I just wanted to go to a couple spin classes a week.

I didn’t get a membership that included childcare though, so I can only go on nights after my husband gets home and the kids allow me to escape. Essentially, it takes a lot of effort for me to get the chance to go, so when I am given that opportunity I am very excited.

The other night I got there 15 minutes before class to be told class is full.

I wanted to cry.

I wanted to scream.

I wanted to rip that teenager off her bike and scream “you can come here anytime, this is my ONLY available hour this week!!”

The girl at the desk politely told me I could have a ticket for the 6:30 class, meaning I would have to hang around the gym for an hour and 15 minutes before my class even started. I considered sobbing at her feet to tell her “OMG DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS FOR ME TO GET OUT OF MY HOUSE FOR ONE HOUR THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL I CAN GET OUT FOR THREE!!!!!!!” —but she looked all of 16 years young so I restrained myself and just said ‘no thanks’.

And then I fought back tears. I got on the step mill, which is normally one of my favorites. I was miserable. I had looked forward to this class all day long. The gym was hot. It was loud. I had no headphones with me. The person next to me had a terrible cough. Did I mention the gym was hot? My workout was going nowhere fast and after 7 minutes I threw in the towel and gave up. I actually left the gym and went home and declared it a workout FAIL.

I just could not turn my bad mood around to salvage what time I had left, therefore I did nothing. Ugh.

Can you relate? Have you ever had a workout fail?

Walking a 5K?

workoutmommy — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 01:15:17 +0000

This past weekend I ran my first (non pregnant) road race in almost 2 years. While in the past I never did 5ks, I figured this was a safe start for me.

I was very nervous at the starting line but as soon as I fell into my groove I felt great again. I love running races! There is just something about the energy of the crowd and spectators that makes me feel like a superstar!

I didn’t win, nor did I even have a finishing time anywhere CLOSE to where I used to finish, but I did it! I crossed that finish line with a smile on my face and a renewed sense of ME. I’m ready to get back to longer distances and possibly (hopefully?) a marathon next fall.

After the race I stuck around to cheer for the other finishers and was really annoyed when the announcer began to tell the walkers they should be running. He announced over the speaker “You know this is a running race, right?” It was said in a joking way but it didn’t go over well with me.

Yes, there are people that choose to walk a 5k race and that is perfectly fine. They are out there getting some exercise, having fun, and usually supporting a great cause. (this race benefited a local cancer foundation)

I felt the announcer should have apologized to the walkers, although I’m not quite sure he was even aware of the fact that he was offending people.

What do you think gang? Should walkers be allowed in running races?

School’s out! Questions for you!

workoutmommy — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:39:33 +0000

My kids are out from preschool for the summer which means any free time I had is GONE!!! So….tell me how you are you keeping your kids entertained this summer?

I just love all the Montessori activities over on Counting Coconuts although I am severely craft challenged. I also have a hard time balancing homeschooling activities with 3 little ones at such different levels.

What type of learning activities do you do with your kids over the summer?

And how do you manage to squeeze in workouts?
I am still in love with my kettlebell, even though we are on a break until the end of the summer.

Talk to me gang!