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Keeping Children of Working Moms Fit and Healthy

babysugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:00:05 -0700

Pack your bags working moms, we're going on a guilt trip. As if there's not enough blame to push on the working mother, a new report came out giving those of us in the work force another reason to feel self-conscience for bringing home some bacon. A British study found that children of working mums spent more time watching television and had poorer eating habits than their peers with stay-at-home moms. While that may be the case, there are ways to skirt that issue. For instance, when I found out my nanny was taking my daughter to the bakery every day for a cookie, I thanked her for the kind gesture and then kindly asked her to refrain from the tasty pastry stop unless it was for a special occasion. Where there's a will, there's a way, which means parents may have to put forth the extra effort to set up guidelines for the caretaker but it is by no means a given that a working mommy's child should be less fit and healthy than its counterparts.

Do you have certain restrictions outlined for your nanny?

Is Your Child a Vegetarian?

LilSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:00:32 -0800

Last month PETA asked President Obama to put the National School Lunch program on a no-meat diet, saying:

Teaching our children the benefits of vegetarian meals would save animals, help stop climate change, and help keep kids at a healthy weight as well as help them avoid our nation's biggest and most costly killers - cancer, heart disease, and obesity. If promoting a vegetarian diet isn't already part of the proposed stimulus package, it should be.

No matter what your family's eating habits, I do believe it's important to teach children what vegetarianism is about and help them create a healthy and balanced diet. Some parents have to trick their children into eating veggies, while others can't get their tots to try turkey. Has your child ever gone vegetarian through your guidance or of her own volition?
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Baby Wellness: They Like to Move It, Move It

babysugar — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 05:00:50 -0700

Instead of drawing with crayons, I see kids busily punching their thumbs away while parents converse over dinner at restaurants. Slaves to electronic entertainment, mom and dad often welcome the distraction video games offers when they are enjoying an adult conversation or flying across the country. Sitting motionless for hours may keep the peace, but it's not doing your children any favors.

If you must indulge your child in video games at home, make it a virtual exercise game to get their bums up and moving. While it's no surprise that physically active video games are better for one's health than a stationary hand game, there are some that do a better job of "exercising" your child. To see what the experts say, read more. Dr. Gregory Brown from the University of Nebraska at Kearney said:

The kids burned two to three times as many calories when playing Wii Boxing and Wii Tennis than when engaging in traditional handheld video games. Their average heart rate shot up from 80 to 120 beats per minute - about what you'd expect when walking or doing a slow dance.

Viki Penpraze from the University of Glasgow in Scotland researched the heart rates of children watching television, playing a handheld game and those playing an interactive video game. She found that the first two activities provided no more exercise than reading a book. However, youngsters playing Dance Mat Mania and Eye Toy Boxing showed an increase from 80 to 160 heart beats per minute. She said this was the "equivalent of brisk walking or even jogging."

Of course no video game can mimic the exercise that a good tag, jump rope, hide and seek, or soccer game can provide. So if it's nice outside, open that back door and let 'em run themselves ragged. The calm is sure to come after the storm.

Baby Wellness: Yoga as Part of the Curriculum

babysugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 06:00:53 -0700

Physical education is part of every school's curriculum though some are putting a new twist on the old subject. Climbing a knotted rope hanging from the gym ceiling is so passé. Having seen the benefits of meditation, relaxing and stretching, Fernback Elementary School in Atlanta is making yoga part of their students' daily routine.

Since the practice was adapted to the teacher's lesson plans nearly two years ago, test scores and test taking skills have improved at the school. And, the kids are loving it too.

Would you campaign for yoga classes at your child's school?

Video courtesy of CNN.

Mom-Me Time: Stroller Strides

babysugar — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 11:00:02 -0800

Are you already thinking about the postholiday weight gain? Or, still trying to get that stubborn baby weight off? Stroller Strides to the rescue! Considered an expert in pre- and postnatal fitness, Lisa Druxman started Stroller Strides in 2001 after she had her son. Lisa wanted to get back into shape, but didn't have time to get to the gym so she began working it off with her stroller.

With hundreds of locations nationwide and different types of classes both indoors and out, moms all over the country are enjoying a little Mom-Me time without having to leave baby behind.

To read more
A description of the classes:

Stroller Strides Outdoor Class: Stroller Strides incorporates the environment, resistance tubing, and the stroller to get an all-over-body workout.
Stroller Strides Indoor Class: Using various indoor venues around the country, this class can incorporate music, more equipment and a workout full of drills and fun.
Fit to Deliver Prenatal Class: This class offers the pregnant client a chance to strengthen their rapidly changing bodies and prepare for childbirth.

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Speak Up: What's the Best Health or Fitness Advice You've Ever Heard?

FitSugar — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:00:00 -0700

We go through our days picking up tidbits of advice from friends, family, teachers, the Internet, books, TV, etc. Everyone has his or her two cents. When it comes to achieving a healthy lifestyle, it helps to keep in mind productive tips you've picked up along the way. What's the best health or fitness related advice you've ever heard?

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Instead of Feeling Guilty For Indulging, Get Back on Track

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:30:44 -0800

The holidays can be pretty indulgent - decadent meals, cocktail parties, and dessert after dessert to savor. Add to that stressful gift shopping, holidays spent away for home, and workouts being replaced with entertaining and suddenly you've gotten completely off track with your health.

Before you beat yourself up for having that second piece of pumpkin pie, take a deep breath and tell yourself it's OK. We've all been there - instead of punishing yourself over it, make a commitment to get back on track now. In fact, punishing yourself can have potentially harmful results - a study found that women who feel guilty over missing workouts are more likely to develop eating disorders.

To see my tips on staying healthy during the holidays, read more.

After a big meal, go for a brisk walk. Encourage your friends and family to join you too!
Don't deprive yourself during the holidays, as this may lead to overindulging later. Treat yourself to a healthy dessert on the weekends like these pumpkin bars.
Try limiting yourself to one drink a cocktail party or dinner. If you do have more than one drink, alternate between water and alcohol, and opt for sparkling wine, it has way less calories than a cocktail.
If you do fall off the health wagon, schedule time to start exercising again. The holidays are hectic and making an exercise schedule will help keep you committed and motivated.
Find a workout buddy this holiday season. Exercising and staying fit is easier if you have someone in your corner rooting you on.
If you're worried about overdoing it at a holiday dinner, have a healthy snack like an apple or a handful of nuts before you go. This will help fill you up and reduce cravings.
If you really don't have time to exercise during this hectic season find small ways to be active. Use the stairs when you go shopping and park your car as far away from the store entrance as you can so you walk further.
If you do start to obsess over falling off the health bandwagon, limit your freak out time to ten minutes and then let it go.

Do You Have Any Back-to-School Health or Fitness Goals?

FitSugar — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Truth be told, I've been out of school for a while now, but when Labor Day rolls around, I get that back-to-school mindset.

Similar to New Year's resolutions, the start of school, even if I don't attend classes, gets me thinking about setting some new health and fitness goals. I am recommitting to brown bag lunches, just like elementary school. September also makes me think about running cross country, and I want to get off the street and do some more trail running. What about you . . .

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If You Want to Graduate, Lose the Weight: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:30:12 -0800

After years of midterms, finals, and all-nighters, a group of students at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania are being told they are too fat to graduate. The private college's core curriculum states that students must have a body mass index (BMI) that falls below 30 to graduate. If not, they must take steps to lose the weight by enrolling in a physical education class that meets three times a week for one semester - a requirement that has been part of the school's curriculum for the last three years.

While some students are upset over the school's judgment call on their weight and say it's discriminatory, school officials say that "no student should ever be able to leave Lincoln and not know the risks of obesity." Because Lincoln University is a private college, it is wholly within its rights to develop its curriculum in this manner.

What do you think of Lincoln University's policy?

Ashley Greene's New Moon Diet

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:00:19 -0800

If you were part of New Moon fever this weekend, I’m sure you were transfixed as I was watching the epic battle scene between the Cullen family and the Volturi. The young actors demonstrated dynamic moves coupled with super human strength that were spectacular to watch on the big screen.

Moves like that don’t come easy, Twilight actress Ashley Greene told Us Magazine. Greene, who plays Alice Cullen in the films, said that prepping for the role involved a lot of training - up to four hours a day! In addition to working out with a personal trainer every day, she also had an intense week of fight training with the rest of the New Moon cast. No wonder all the actors look ripped.

To find out how else Greene stays in shape, read more.

Greene was pretty candid in admitting another reason she’s looking so svelte - 12 hour workdays don't "leave too much time to eat." Before dismissing Greene as an actress who starves herself to look good, the star did say that she ate well and stuck to healthy foods during filming. As for her day-to-day off the set she does Pilates six times a week.

"I do it early in the morning. It wakes you up, and it's kind of refreshing," said Greene, who is headed to London in a few months to begin filming the thriller The Apparition. "And that is basically it. Sometimes cardio. I am not a big weight person because when I do weights I build muscle mass."