Happy Back to School New Year

(Written by Lisa Druxman, CEO & Founder of Stroller Strides)

After two decades in the fitness industry, I have found that September is like a second New Year for moms. After a summer time of crazy schedules with lack of a regular diet or exercise program, back to school seems like the time to get back on track.

Here are my top 5 tips for getting back on track:
1) Plan! You know the saying that those who fail to plan, plan to fail? Well this is definitely true when it comes to your diet. Plan your weekly meals and exercise routine. Be prepared with healthy foods and don’t wait until hunger sets in to grab a bite to eat.

2) Portion! Watch your portion sizes. See how much you would normally choose and then cut it back at each meal. Using smaller plates can make a big difference in your food volume.

3) Write It Down! A food diary may be time consuming but it’s a great way to stay on track. It’s the times you don’t want to write down that you most need to. You may see some surprising trends in your eating when you see it on paper.

4) Weigh In! Now you may be surprised to hear me say that you should weigh in daily or weekly as I am not usually one to be a slave to numbers on the scale. But if your weight is creeping up, it may be the reminder to keep you in check so there are no surprises when you don’t fit in to your jeans.

5) Accountability! Join a workout or group where you are held accountable. Even a workout partner is great! You can’t make up an excuse to skip a workout when someone is waiting for you!

Your exercise and eating behaviors will sway from time to time, season to season. Do your best to avoid drastic extremes on either side as your body truly wants to keep a state of homeostasis. Extreme weight losses or gains are worse for your body than maintaining a higher weight. Be good to yourself and realize that you will feel your best when you are consistent in your health routine!
Original post can be found at http://strollerstrides.com/blog/?p=1628

Luna Moms Club Tip of the Week:

Fact: Bottled water is less regulated than tap water and can contain chemicals leached from the plastic.

Action: Bottle your own water and use a stainless steel or aluminum reusable water bottle.

YOU are a great mom!

We moms can be so hard on ourselves. As a community of moms, we need to remind each other to focus on the good and healthy things that we do for our child(ren), and be proud of them! So in that spirit:

What do you do for your child(ren) that you're proud of?
Go ahead- make a list! And please share what you come up with!

Here are a few that came from our Stroller Strides class warm-up question today:

1. I read to my son every day
2. I make sure my son eats vegetables at every meal
   
3. I continue to nurse my daughter despite the fact that it's hard and I'm often tempted to stop
   
4. I gave up buying nice clothes and things for myself so I could afford to stay home with my daughter
5. I dress my daughter in cute outfits- even when I don't have time and energy to do the same for myself
6. I role-model a healthy, active lifestyle to my child by exercising with him
7. I put my daughter's needs above my own and adapt my schedule around what works for her
8. I make my own baby food
9. I snuggle, hug, and kiss my little on every day and tell them I love them
   

And the list could go on and on! You are a GREAT mom!

Hurry, Hurry, Drive the Firetruck...

Last Wednesday was a our big event with the WRAL blog for moms, "Go Ask Mom". After a free Stroller Strides class at the North Hills Mall, our Luna Moms Club playgroup was treated to a visit from the North Hills Fire Engine! The firemen were so friendly and welcoming and the Chick Fil-A cow even made an appearance in his fireman uniform! The kids got to sit in and on the engine and each one got a bright red Fire Chief hat to take home. Thank you North Hills Firemen for being so sweet and generous to our families!

Here are some photos of the fun we had with the Fire Engine:

Losing the baby weight

Have you reached a point in your post-partum weight loss where you've stalled out? The weight came off so easily at first and now that number on your scale just won't budge? You aren't alone!

Take a look at how the post-partum weight is typically lost:

• 10-13 lbs lost at delivery
• 11-12 lbs lost in the first week after delivery
• 2-3 lbs lost from 3-6 months

I'm no mathematician but that only adds up to about 28 lbs. What if you (like me) gained a bit more than that? Well, then it takes a little longer and a little more work but it is do-able!

You can lose your baby weight (and more) with consistently healthy eating habits and regular exercise! Need some company in your baby-weight loss journey? Join us for a Stroller Strides class- your first class is always free!

Luna Moms Club Tip of the Week:

Fact: In a recent warning about lead exposure, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) specifically recommends that shoes remain outside the house. According to a report called the Door Mat Study, lead-contaminated soil from the outside causes almost all the lead dust inside homes, and it notes that wiping shoes on a mat and removing them at the door cuts lead dust by 60 percent.

Action: Leave the dirt at the door. Wiping our shoes off and leaving them at the door reduces the amount of contaminated dirt tracked in. Think about this, your babies and kids are the ones who spend the most time on the ground in your home – crawling and playing.

Photo Tips for Busy Moms

Last Thursday our Luna Moms Club playgroup took a field trip to the Raleigh Rose Garden. Deb Wright, a local photographer, met us there among the lush late-summer blooms. She schooled us in some basic photography tips and sent us out into the garden to put them into action with our sweet kiddos as subjects. Now I need to mention here that it was HOT... SO INCREDIBLY HOT that morning. Therefore it was a brief picture-taking session for us all. But we managed to snap a few good ones. Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see some of my attempts at photographing Monty!

Here are a few tips, courtesy of Deb Wright Photography, that we'd like to share with you! Thanks Deb!

Photo Tips for Busy Moms
1. Read your manual... you may find that your camera does a lot more than you think, and it tells you how.
2. Get down on your child's level... put baby in a chair, on the couch, or be prepared to lie down and roll around with the kids (much more fun)!
3. Use a flash! Outside in the sunshine a flash will reduce dark faces and shadows under eyes. Also use it inside when the subject is backlit by a lamp or sunny window.
4. Don't wait for the perfect sunny day... cloudy day lighting is beautiful and much better for portraits.
5. Don't insist on "cheese". Some of the most memorable photos are those that tell a story- a giggle, a pout, a sleeping angel.
6. Stay away from a busy background to allow for more focus on the subject.
7. Play with your camera's modes- portrait, macro, and sports modes.
8. Shoot lots of photos... and print the ones you love and delete the ones you don't.
9. Stay out of the middle... place your subject off center. Focus on their face, press the shutter button halfway down and move the camera slightly, and press it the rest of the way down to take the shot.
10. Keep your camera close by and carry extra batteries and memory cards. Frequently recharge your rechargeable batteries so they are ready for action when you are!
11. Have fun!

If you'd like to schedule a photo shoot with Deb or reach out to her with comments or questions you can find her through her website: http://debwrightphotography.smugmug.com/ or visit her Facebook fan page through this link.