So this week instead of running at lunch, I’ve been doing some fun stuff. Like on Monday I walked around the mall at lunch at looked at the latest fashions, like these new flip flops I snagged:

And on Tuesday I convinced/corrupted my entire team at work to join me on the patio of a nearby restaurant (Pickle Barrel) for virgin Mojitos and lunch:

(This Turkey Burger and Sweet Potato Fries meal was delicious!)

And today I went for a walk around the park:

Tomorrow I’ll probably give an easy run a try, but in the mean time I gotta admit this week off has been very nice and relaxing – perfect for recharging my ol’ batteries which I think I was badly in need of.

Question: How much time do you allow yourself to recover after a race?  What activities do you do instead of you’re usual training when you’re recovering from a race?

More from Fitness Cheerleader:

1. Chilly Half Marathon Race Recap and a New PR
2. The Post-Race Blues and Moving Forward
3. To Run or Not to Run… What Would You Do?

This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

© Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

The Sporting Life 10k! You may remember that a few weeks ago I won free race entry in this race courtesy of a giveaway sponsored by Chobani Yogurt on Morgan’s blog “Life After Bagels”. A free race on Mother’s Day? YES! There is no way my hubby would put up a fight about solo parenting our three girls for that! Sweet!

I double lucked out when my co-worker who also was running the race offered to get my race kit for me. Thank you K!

<RANT>I don’t know about you, but picking up race kits is VERY inconvenient for me, and is not the least bit eco-friendly when you consider how much gas I burn driving to get to these inconvenient locations. Now that timing chips are a piece of metal affixed to the back of a race bib, why can’t races MAIL them out? I’d be willing to pay an extra $5 on my race entry for that convenience because a ¼ tank of gas runs me $20.</END RANT>

Saturday night, I laid out my race gear and went to bed a bit earlier than usual in order to be able to get up MUCH earlier than I normally do. (Yes, waking up at 6 am is early for this night owl):

(Do you like my “Bad Ass” socks?)

Thankfully little Miss Amber cooperated with me and SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT!!! She did wake up 20 min after my alarm when I was all dressed in my gear and pretty much ready to go. Not wanting a repeat of the boob issues I experienced with the Scotia Bank Half Marathon and the Toronto Women’s Half Marathon, I eagerly went to her to take the opportunity to nurse her before I left for the race. When I picked her up from her crib I must have either squeezed her just a bit too tight, or her coughing caused some phlegm to hit her gag reflex because she dry heaved a few times as I picked her up. Lovely. I had visions of the contents of her stomach spilling out all over my race outfit… Now wouldn’t that be a great way to start a race morning? Thankfully nothing came out, but I was very cautious nursing her.

Because Amber woke up early, I had to wake hubby up early so I could leave to drive to the race. I would have happily taken her and ran with her in the jogger, but this race didn’t allow strollers. Actually, I find that most races in my area aren’t allowing them anymore. I totally get why they don’t and I’m sure when my kids are older I’d hate to navigate around parents with strollers in races too, but like the race kit pickup thing, it’s inconvenient for my stage of life.

I finally got away from the house at 6:45 am – a little later than I had anticipated because of Amber’s unexpected wake up, but I was happy to have had the opportunity to cuddle with her before I left the house, even if she was screaming bloody murder to guilt me as a I left. (When am I going to stop feeling guilty for leaving?).

The drive to Toronto was mostly uneventful, except for a minor slowdown because the 401 was blocked going the opposite direction as me because a transport trailer had hit a SUV and jack knifed. I really hope everyone involved in that accident is ok.

I arrived to the race start with a good 45 min to spare, and was able to find parking after 10 min of driving around. I swear the hardest part about races is finding parking and lining up for the port-potty’s. Thankfully the spot I found was near a wooded area so that I could empty my bladder without having to endure the dreaded porta-potty line up. There were 22,000 people registered for this race so it was either pee in the bushes, or spend my entire 45 min of free time before the race lined up…

I got to the race and walked to my corral – I was in the red corral, which when I looked it up online before the race was for those wishing to finish in 48 min or less…. Uhhhhhh yeah – I totally was in the wrong corral, so I moved to the very back of the group and lined up at the front of the under 52 minutes group. Here’s a picture from my starting place:

(There were 22,000 people!!)

The gun went off and we all began our descent down Yonge Street. The race was mostly straight down Yonge for about 7km, then it turned West, then South to the finish line. I didn’t bring ear phones with me, nor did I remember to bring a pouch for my money, keys or phone, so I ran clinging to my stuff for dear life. If I lost my money I wouldn’t be able to get back to the start line to drive home. If I lost my car key, I couldn’t drive home either…

I ran and ran. There aren’t any pictures to show you because there was no one there cheering me on to take a picture of me. You’ll just have to take my word for it

My training (if you can even call it training) hasn’t been very focused – I’ve been following my routine of spinning on Mondays, BodyPump on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with 3 runs of varying lengths and intensities sprinkled in the rest of the days for good measure. I wasn’t expecting much from this race, and was just looking forward to a free morning away from the family to do what I love most – racing! So when I finally I reached the finish line I was shocked by what I saw: the GPS on my phone, which I believe to be fairly accurate said I ran 10.23km in 51:24 with an average pace of 5:00/km.

My official chip time was 51:13 – I set a new 10k personal best!!

After the race I wandered around the post-race “party”, stopped to get some delicious Chobani yogurt (guys you have to try it!) and took a picture of myself next to the famous “Cho-Mobile”:

(Pardon the dorky self photo)

Afterwards I took the shuttle to the subway, took the subway back to the start, walked to my car and then drove home. I finally arrived back home three hours after I finished the race.   tMy family surprised me by wanting to help me celebrate my new personal best with a nice brunch (I seriously love that my daughters are so supportive and excited about my running).

(My race junk)

All in all it was a great race and a great Mother’s Day morning – there’s nothing better than having some free time to do what we love most.

More from Fitness Cheerleader:

1. Chilly Half Marathon Race Recap and a New PR
2. The Post-Race Blues and Moving Forward

This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

© Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

How was your Mother’s Day weekend? Did your families spoil you rotten with homemade crafts and cards? Or for the guys out there, did you spoil your wife and mom?

I had an AMAZING Mother’s Day weekend. My daughters were so excited about treating mommy to a special day, that they spent their week making me various cards and crafts, and counting down how many sleeps there were until Mother’s Day. I love the crafty gifts my daughters give me. I am truly blessed to have daughters that enjoy doing that kind of stuff. When I open their crafty gifts with their bright smiling faces anxiously awaiting my reaction, I picture them deep in concentration working as hard as they can to make their gift extra special for me. I’ve seen them do that with pictures they draw for each other, so I know that’s how they are when they are making their crafts in school for me.

Little Amber painted a flower-pot for me:

Brooke planted and grew a flower for me at school:

And at daycare Brooke made the sweetest butterfly picture with her footprints:

Sierra lovingly made me this card from her thumbprints:

(She talked about this card every night for a week!)

And on Friday night hubby told me he bought me a stool for Mother’s Day. I was curious as to what kind of stool he could possibly think would make a suitable Mother’s Day gift so I made him run out to his car to bring it in after the kids went to bed. Ha! It wasn’t a stool at all! Instead he teamed up with my parents to give me a combo Mother’s Day/Birthday gift (my birthday isn’t for another two months):

A new Nikon D3100 DSLR camera!!

My camera that we bought when Sierra was a baby broke a week after Amber was born. ALL of Amber’s baby pics for the past 18 months have been taken with my iPhone and I’ve been lobbying for a DSLR ever since the Canon camera had broken. I’ve been justifying that a DSLR would replace the need for taking the kids for professional photo shoots in order to have nice pics of them growing up. It’s hard to capture great action shots of them at soccer/swimming/gymnastics with an iPhone, right?

I seriously have the most amazing family – not only did they shower me with the camera and homemade gifts, but they also brought me a special breakfast in bed on Saturday (Yes Saturday, because I ran a 10k race on Sunday morning – race report coming tomorrow). The girls have had a habit of wanting to cuddle up and eat MY breakfast in bed with me, so this year my hubby made breakfasts for all of the women in his life and we all cuddled up in our bed to eat together – it was a really nice family moment and the kids stopped one-upping and arguing with each other for a good 30 min. The rest of weekend was spent playing at the park, taking the kids to birthday parties and running my race.

The really great part of this weekend was the reminder of why I squeeze in time for exercise on my lunches: My three wonderful little girls DESERVE a mom that has the energy to play with them, and to demonstrate to them what’s involved in living a healthy and happy life. There are so many reasons to work out, eat well and take care of myself, but the biggest and best reason is my family.

Thank you for a wonderful weekend girls!!

Have a great week everyone!!

Question/Sharing: How was your Mother’s Day weekend?  What is your #1 workout motivation?

More from Fitness Cheerleader:

1. The Cheapest and Best Mother’s Day Gift You Can Give Mom
2. Motivation Monday: Staying Fit When Your Family is Sick
3. Motivation Monday: Finding The Time to Grocery Shop

This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

© Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

As a sexy, non-stereotypical mom who also practises extended breastfeeding, I have to say I’m not exactly impressed with the cover photo.

Why? Because on Instagram and other social media services, the over-whelming response to Time’s picture from their followers was: “Gross, disgusting” etc… Their reaction is not supportive of extended nursing. The public’s reaction to the photo makes me feel criticised, and like I should be ashamed for my choice to practice extended breastfeeding.

Truthfully, I don’t blame their followers for reacting that way. The picture is distasteful – it in no way illustrates the mother/child bond that is the very heart of extended breastfeeding. While I understand that Time was trying to show that even “non-stereotypical” moms practise extended breastfeeding and attachment parenting, I think the image does a disservice to us. Perhaps a collage of pictures of a non-stereotypical mom could have better illustrated their point:

(I’m non-stereotypical right?)

Or, if Time really wanted to be supportive of extended nursing then an image that captures the essence of extended nursing would have used:

Perhaps that’s why I feel personally criticised by Time and the public’s reaction?

More from Fitness Cheerleader:

1. Wordless Wednesday: Things I Wish I Had Enough Time To Do
2. Motivation Monday: Finding The Time to Grocery Shop

This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

© Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

You know why?  Because in my opinion none of them addressed what I feel moms need the most:

TIME

Mom’s (like me) need time – we need time to take care of ourselves.  We spend a lot of time looking after the needs of everyone else in our family, and not enough time on the one person who matters the most.  Ourselves.

Why is time a good gift?  Well the gift of time will allow us to improve our health, by allowing us to:

• Sleep-in – lack of sleep causes an increase in the stress hormone cortisol (which I’ve written about before).  Giving mom time to get some extra sleep will help her make better food choices, lower her stress and help her to be more fun to be around.
• De-stress – take a relaxing bath or read a book.  Stress, like lack of sleep, contributes to heart disease and poor food choices, so spending time doing things that alleviate stress will help keep mom healthy.
• Exercise – in mom’s busy day there often isn’t enough time to exercise.  Exercise helps to prevent heart disease and stroke (which is the #1 killer of women).

When I asked my twitter followers what they wanted most for Mother’s Day, many of them responded with things like:

• fitness gear
• race entries and
• time to train/run races.

And I totally have to agree with them – for Mother’s Day my family is giving me time… Time to go run the SportingLife 10k race. (I’m busting at the seams with excitement over doing this completely alone!  I cannot wait!)

So in my opinion, you can skip the fancy creams, gadgets, foot baths, etc… (yes – my hubby gave me a  foot bath 2 years ago) and give mom what she needs most: TIME.  (Though I will admit that a bouquet of flowers to go with the free time would be a nice touch).

Happy Mother’s Day!

Question/Sharing: What do you want for Mother’s Day?  What will you be giving your own mother for Mother’s Day?

No related posts.

This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

© Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

If he can do it, then so can the rest of us!

No related posts.

This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

© Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

This is not my usual Motivation Monday post, but I feel that this is a good time to discuss the reason why I’ve been going to spinning class every Monday.  Back in the fall I committed to riding 75k and raising $1000 for the Heart & Stroke Foundation.  Now I’ve been doing the training and the riding myself, but I could really use some help with the fundraising.

YOUR SUPPORT WILL HELP EXTEND LIVES

Heart disease and stroke cut lives short and can have a devastating impact on quality of life.

Did you know that:

• Heart disease and stroke take 1 in 3 Canadians before their time
• Heart disease and stroke is the #1 killer of women
• 9 out of 10 Canadians have at least one risk factor for heart disease or stroke
• Childhood obesity has tripled in the last 30 years, affecting the future health of our children

With your help, the Heart and Stroke Foundation is working to change these alarming statistics.

Funds raised through the Becel Heart&Stroke Ride for Heart support world-class research, healthy communities, healthy children and youth, and awareness and prevention. Every dollar makes a difference!

Care to support my fundraising?

WILL YOU SUPPORT ME?

More from Fitness Cheerleader:

1. Motivation Monday: Ready to Get Off the Roller Coaster – Will You Join Me?
2. Motivation Monday: Showing You the #Proof
3. Motivation Monday: Planning for Success

This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

© Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

Have you ever said any of these things?

I’m not going to lie – even I’ve said some of these. Actually I’ve said all of them. However, now that I’m getting “older” I’ve learned that there are no age restrictions on accomplishing the goals I once had have.

As I mentioned in my Motivation Monday post, I’ve been considering accomplishing a dream goal of mine:

There. I said it. I’m going to do this. (Those that announce their goals are more likely to accomplish them).

I’ve wanted to do this since I completed my first Olympic Distance Triathlon 9 years ago. THIS is not the year for it. That said, it doesn’t mean that I can’t begin working towards that goal NOW. I can keep hoping for the right time, or I can make the right time happen.

• But… my kids are too young for me to train or race…
• But… I don’t have a road bike…
• But… I haven’t swam laps in years…
• But… racing is expensive…

I could use these as complete roadblocks to even trying to make my goal happen. Instead I’m setting these as smaller goals in my half ironman journey. I’ve put together a training plan, and a financial plan to put aside enough money each month for the next few months to join a Masters Swim Club next fall, and to purchase a bike (though I believe my good friend Julie may help me out in the bike department by loaning me her bike).

My training plan:
Swim two mornings a week, cycle one morning a week, and another time on the weekend, run three times a week (my lunches?).

I’ve even gone so far as to register for this:

I can manage that race *IF* I make it happen – it won’t happen for me. I need to use my alarm and drag my arse outta bed. I need to pack my running gear for work. I need to just get out there and swim, bike and run. And then? I need to keep that routine through the winter (indoor pools and an indoor trainer for my bike) so that NEXT summer when I’ve saved the money for my goal, I’ll also be physically ready for it.

Where there’s a will there’s a way. I’m not going to let my “but” stand in the way of my goal, and I hope that you don’t either.

More from Fitness Cheerleader:

1. Big Things Can Be Accomplished with Small Daily Goals

This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

© Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

So yesterday was day 1 of living without data/wifi on my phone. My day certainly seemed quieter, and more relaxed. There were no “urgent” personal emails to answer, and no “urgent” tweets to respond to. By having the data turned right off on my phone I didn’t even KNOW if there was anything to reply to. It felt weird. But freeing at the same time.

I have to admit that I did turn the data on my phone for my lunch time run – I have no idea if the iSmoothRun GPS app I use for running works without the data turned on. I had to use ALL the willpower I possess to NOT check my email/tweets/facebook. Holy moly – it was hard! But because I didn’t waste time tweeting etc, I had more time to run:

Normally I can only manage to fit 5k in on my lunch, but without spending half of the time I’m changing tweeting about this and that, I ended up with more time, so I ran an extra loop of the park on my lunch.  Go figure: less tweeting = more running.

My evening with the kiddos (which is the BIG reason why I need to disconnect) went a lot more smoothly than normal – When we first got home we had the usual fighting/melt downs etc. But that was because everyone was hungry. Dinner went well (less fighting) and I was able to enjoy some great conversations with my kids (and learn some stuff about their day that I’m sure I wouldn’ve heard about otherwise). Ie: Toddler Amber has a boyfriend toddler that she likes to hug at outdoor time at daycare? Eeeek! I am so in trouble when this cutie gets bigger:

Out for a walk with Amber

After dinner we had a great walk which turned into an unplanned run… I had to chase my oldest daughter and her friend all around the block as they rode their bikes, not once but TWICE while I pushed Amber and my middle daughter, Brooke in the jogger.   The bedtime ritual was also a bit more relaxed, and less rushed because I didn’t lose track of time playing around on my iPad. I even had time to cuddle up and read with the girls – hooray!!

I’m not sure I feel less stressed or rested yet, but I certainly felt less rushed, and I felt like less things were competing for my attention. I do openly admit it was hard – I kind of feel like an addict going cold turkey… Perhaps in a way I am?

Have a great day everyone!

Question/sharing: Have you ever taken a social media vacation?

ps – Please congratulate Rebecca for winning my LUNA Fiber Bar Giveaway – Congrats Rebecca!

No related posts.

This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

© Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

So in typical Janice fashion, I’ve been trying to figure out how to solve my cranky over-tired, stressed out problem.

Source: Microsoft Images

I’m obviously doing too much. But what can I give up?

Work? Nope – I’ve got bills to pay.

Kids? While some might argue that three daughters is too many, I’m not about to give up any one of them – I love those cute little girls far too much.

Blogging? Never – it keeps me motivated to stay active and keep reaching to be my best.

Twitter and FaceBook? Ahhhhh now we’re onto something. Why do I tweet and stalk people on facebook? What am I getting out of it? The answer? Not much. Perhaps it’s helping my Klout score – but no one really cares about that.

So I’m divorcing my iphone… Kinda. I’m turning the data and wifi off until the kids go to bed. Which really only leaves me an hour a night to tweet and facebook as much as I want.

STRESS: The difference between what you’re doing and what you want to be doing.

I’ve found that when I’m not distracted by my phone my kids behave better, and I have more fun with them. And thus my stress is reduced. With less stress I’m sure to feel much less tired too.

Less stress = less fatigue = less cranks.

So if you tweet me today and I don’t respond right away it’s not because I’m ignoring you – it’s because my kids don’t care what my Klout score is.

Have a great day everyone and I’ll tweet y’all later!

No related posts.

This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

© Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

As I had anticipated, last week wasn’t a stellar training week, but I’m not gonna bore ya with my excuses, yanno why?

So let’s focus on the positive, on what I DID accomplish, and not what I DIDN’T:
(...)
Read the rest of Motivation Monday: Nobody Cares How Good Your Excuses Are (284 words)

This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

© Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

I had it pinned to my cork board in my room when I was in my early 20′s.

The small print says:

If you let me play…
I will like myself more;
I will have more self-confidence,
I will be 60 percent less likely to get breast cancer;
I will suffer less depression.
I will be more likely to leave a man who beats me.
I will be less likely to get pregnant
I will learn what it means to be strong.
If you let me play sports.

There was also this corresponding TV ad from Nike released around the same time:

Now that it’s Spring and time to register our daughters for the summer soccer and softball season, this ad seems especially important. I don’t know what made me think of it, or search for it online, but I’m glad I did. In my exhausted mom state, I needed this reminder of why I run around to practices and games all summer. Instead of dreading our super busy summer, I’m really looking forward to it as an investment in my daughters’ futures. Watching them play and have fun has another added bonus: It’s fun for me too!.

Funny – It doesn’t seem so crazy to be busy driving the girls around to their sports every night after all, now does it?

Question/Sharing: What sports did you play as a child?

No related posts.

This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

© Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

Here are a few ways that you can add movement and burn extra calories throughout the day:

1. USE a headset. If you’re on the telephone a lot, get a hands-free set so you can walk around your work space as you talk.
2. USE small hand weights> – use cans of soup or exercise bands to work your biceps, triceps and shoulders.
3. WALK to co-workers’ – deliver messages instead of e-mailing or calling.
4. WEAR a pedometer – track how many steps you take in a day. Set daily step goals to challenge yourself.
5. GET UP to stretch – swing your arms and move around once every hour. Set an alarm to help you remember.

Small fitness bits such as these can’t replace the benefits of a 30-minute workout, but they certainly help. Every minute of movement you add to your day helps you to reduce stress, tone your body, strengthen your heart and helps you manage your weight.

Question/Sharing: How do you fit in extra movement during the day?




Have a great weekend folks!!

More from Fitness Cheerleader:

1. 4 Ways to Add More Fiber to Your Diet {Luna Fiber Bar Giveaway} – CLOSED
2. Move Over Liposuction, CoolSculpting is in Town!

This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

© Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

Circle Square Ranch provides camp for kids that’s fun and keeps them busy!

Camps are important to kids for a variety of reasons. ;Overnight camps help instill self-confidence and self-esteem in kids of all ages, with a load of physical, emotional and sometimes even spiritual activities that can stay with your kids to last their lifetime.

• New friendships built with people of all backgrounds and diversities
• Learn how to protect the environment and themselves when in nature
• Improved attitudes toward physical activities
• A strong sense of belonging

Winning a camp session for your kids would be really cool, right?

Circle Square Camp and Pioneer Camp are holding great contests, giving away free camp sessions, along with Mables Labels packs and a trip for two to Punta Cana! ;The contest is open to Canadian residents ONLY! ; The contest runs from March 21st to June 15th and it’s a share and win contest, which means you enter and share your unique ID with others you increase your chances of winning.

So don’t hesitate, enter now in this amazing camp contest and you might find yourself on a beach somewhere, soaking up the sun, drinking a fruity cool drink (or a beer), while your kids are off at kids camp learning how to enjoy life, make new friends and making memories that last. Win-win, right?

Disclosure: This post has been compensated, all experiences and opinions I have shared are my own.

More from Fitness Cheerleader:

1. Why Summer Camp is Awesome (+ Enter to Win a Camp Session and a Trip to Punta Cana)
2. Who Wants to Get Fit? {6 Week Personal Training Giveaway}

This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

© Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

There are two kinds of fiber:

1. Soluble fiber is associated with lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol, regulating blood sugar, and a lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It can be found in foods such as: beans, peas, lentils, oatmeal, oat bran, nuts, seeds, psyllium, apples, pears, strawberries, and blueberries.
2. Insoluble fiber is found in whole grains, barley, couscous, brown rice, bulgur, wheat bran, nuts, seeds, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, celery, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, raisins, nuts, grapes, and tomatoes. Grandma called it roughage, and one of the benefits of insoluble fiber is that it helps keep you regular, prevents constipation, and reduces the risk of diverticular disease.

So how much fiber do you need?
Unfortunately the US government’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines indicated that Americans do not eat enough fiber – The average adult only eats 15 grams of fiber per day. This isn’t enough because it recommended that you should be getting 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories you eat. For women this means 25 grams per day and for men this means 38 grams per day.

Why am I telling you this?
Well the good folk at LUNA, makers of the LUNA Whole Nutrition Bar for Women, have introduced a brand new bar today called LUNA Fiber:

LUNA Fiber has 7g of fiber per bar, and comes in three delicious flavours: Peanut Butter Strawberry, Blueberry Vanilla, and Chocolate Raspberry (the Chocolate Raspberry one looks delicious!). With only 110-120 calories, it’s a great low-calorie way to increase your fiber intake. As well they contain calcium, folic acid, iron and vitamin D – otherwise known as the CORE4 vitamins and minerals.

Here are four suggested ways to get more fiber into your diet:

1. Start your day with a LUNA Fiber bar that contains 7 grams of fiber.
2. Choose whole fruit over juice. Whole fruit can have as much as twice the amount of fiber as a glass of juice.
3. Toss beans into soups, stews, egg dishes, salads, chili, and Mexican dishes. Substitute beans for meat in at least one vegetarian meal per week
4. Make snacks count as opportunities to enjoy foods high in fiber. For instance, snack on raw vegetables with bean dip or hummus.

WIN IT!!

I have THREE boxes of LUNA Fiber Bars to give to ONE lucky reader!

(Ends on May 1st , 2012)

Required entry:
Tell me why you want to win this! What are your NUTRITION goals?

Extra entries (Leave a separate comment for each entry):
1. Subscribe** to my Fitness Cheerleader newsletter of Fitness Tips & Motivation = 1 entry.
2. Tweet about this giveaway (click that Retweet button at the bottom of this post) = 1 entry.
3. Like the Fitness Cheerleader on FACEBOOK = 1 entry.

** Because I believe in motivating everyone, there’s something for everyone!
Everyone who SUBSCRIBES to my email newsletter as an extra entry, will also get a download link to a Walk N Tone mp3 that I recorded just for you!

My downloadable mp3, can be played on any mp3 player. It leads you through a fun and vigorous 40 min workout with 3 sets of upper body strengthening exercises to help you tone (and strengthen) your upper body while you walk. You can walk circles in the comfort of your home while listening to my mp3, or on a treadmill, or even outside. The only thing you need is an mp3 player (or ipod, or iphone etc) and a set of hand weights.

This giveaway will end on: May 1, 2012 at 11:59 PM EST

Good luck!

CONGRATS TO REBECCA (@RUtheMOMof) FOR WINING THIS GIVEAWAY!

More from Fitness Cheerleader:

1. Who Wants to Get Fit? {6 Week Personal Training Giveaway}
2. Motivation Monday: You Can’t Out-Train a Bad Diet

This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

© Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

I’m excited to announce that voting for the next Mamavation Mom has now started! Please take a moment to vote, and to congratulate the 5 finalists: Wendy, Hanan, Amberlou, Sherry, and Amanda. Good luck ladies!!

Last week I had a pretty ambitious training plan, and I was really hoping that I could finally report back to you that I managed to do every single one of my planned workouts. But alas, I’m a mom and I kinda forget that being a mom and a wife comes first. That said, I got off to a fantastic start:

Monday: 30 min spinning class, followed by a 30 min core strengthening class

PROOF

PROOF

Thursday… the wheels fell off. Amber had a horrendous night sleep so I skipped my lunch workout.

Friday… Amber (my youngest daughter) threw up all over her crib in the night, and woke up with the stinkiest diaper ever (diarrhea). Oh lucky me. Unfortunately the daycare’s rule is that if she throws up she can only return to the daycare centre 24 hours after the diarrhea and vomiting has stopped. So I stayed home to look after her. She was clingy and moody which isn’t surprising because her tummy was sore. She’s also had this wheezing, rasping sound when she breathes for 8 weeks, so I used our day off together to take her to the Dr to have it checked out. She’s now on puffers, several times a day:

Sunday… I was supposed to go for a nice 12k run with my friend – I was REALLY looking forward to it (and I’m sure my family was too) because I was cranky! The sick clingy toddler was taking a toll me but unfortunately I wasn’t able to make it because my husband was unable to watch the kids for me. On Saturday night, while we were all sleeping, he lost consciousness and fell down in the basement and hit his head really hard. As a result he wasn’t feeling well so I let him sleep in. At 11:30 he still wasn’t feeling well, had slurred speech, double vision and couldn’t walk a straight line, so I drove him to the ER to get checked out. I felt really bad leaving him there on his own, but our three little girls would not have helped his headache at all, so I brought them home and spent the day playing with them.

UPDATE: Hubby was checked out at the ER by a Dr., and he underwent an ECG and a CAT scan. He did not fall as a result of a stroke, nor a tumour, but we are still unsure of why he fell. He is continuing to seek answers, and still has substantial head injury symptoms.

This week… I’m not really sure what workouts I can fit into my days due to my hubby’s head injury, but I’ll try my best. I did receive some awesome motivation to keep going: I WON a free race entry into the SportingLife 10 k Race in a giveaway sponsored by Chobani Greek Yogurt on Morgan’s blog Life After Bagels. The race is in 3 short weeks from now, so all of my fitness plans are going to be based on training for that and my upcoming 75k ride for Heart (Eeek! That’s in only 5 weeks from now! I better get cracking on my fundraising!):

Monday: Spinning and Core strength class (hello – bikini season is coming soon!)
Tuesday: 8k run
Wednesday: BodyPump
Thursday: 8k run
Friday: 8k run
Saturday: BodyPump
Sunday: 15 k run

Have a great week gang!

Question: What’s on your workout plan for this week? Are you training for anything in particular?

(Want to follow my training and progress? Here are my past Mamavation Monday posts).

This post is sponsored by New Balance Shoes and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway.

More from Fitness Cheerleader:

1. Motivation Monday: Showing You the #Proof
2. Motivation Monday: Nobody Cares How Good Your Excuses Are
3. Motivation Monday: Start with the Decision to Try

This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

© Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

No Gym Available
Of course, you can always try to find a gym on the road but you may not want to spend the money. Many gyms also try to get you sign up for a membership with them and that might not be what you honestly want. It would therefore be a lot more time and financially efficient to focus on short workouts that you can do in your own hotel room.

So let’s set your parameters: You won’t want to go with a lot of equipment because you’re probably running with very limited space. This means that you have to avoid the barbells, but something like a jump rope wouldn’t be a bad idea.

15 minutes is Ideal
You also want to make sure that your workout will fit within a short time limit — if you try to go with a long workout, you’ll end up missing the activities that had you traveling in the first place. Because of that, 15 minutes would be an ideal workout length — if you want to do it twice a day rather than once a day, you can definitely do that as well.

The Power of HIIT
Bodyweight exercises done with a HIIT mindset are the best way to make the most out of a short time. HIIT? Let’s go over that real fast. We’re talking about high intensity interval training.

HIIT isn’t a new concept, as it’s been practiced by top athletes and even casual fitness fans for a very long time. It’s all about maximum effort in a short burst of time, some short rest, then more effort for the next interval. Here is a 15 minutes HIIT workout you can easily do when traveling:

Bodyweight Exercises
When it comes to bodyweight exercises, try to go with the fundamentals. This way when you return to your normal gym equipment, you will still see gains because your muscles have been regularly activated while you were traveling. The basics include squats, dips, lunges, pushups, sit ups, and pull ups. Many destinations have plenty of open parks and playgrounds, so you can probably find a pull up bar somewhere..

Example of a 15 Minute Workout When Travelling
This 15 minute workout is ideal for your main muscle groups while you are travelling. Yes, 15 minutes might sound short but it is a pretty efficient and challenging cardio, guaranteed!

• CrossFit Push Up (20-30 reps)
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAa-x7aevns
• Cross Fit Squat (20-30 reps)
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDdSZmWNYQI
• Scissor Kicks (20-30 reps)
• lunges (20-30 reps)
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOnkmCTG9mY
• Back Extension
  exercises do work your abs, even though they aren’t labeled as ab exercises. Everything you do in the world of fitness that’s a compound movement will activate your core as well. A strong core is the key to getting the most out of these exercises. You might feel that you want to just give up, since you won’t have access to all of the stuff you’re used to working out with. That’s a natural reaction, but you don’t need to despair.

  Pairing HIIT and Bodyweight Exercises
  Pairing bodyweight exercises with HIIT will definitely have you sweating a great deal. If things get too easy, you can add more intervals. A jump rope can be something that folds up easily in a suitcase, and you won’t have to deal with airport security.

  You Must Believe
  Never feel like you can’t mix things up over time. If you’re a road warrior that’s always gone, investing in a program that’s going to leave you feeling refreshed really isn’t a bad idea. If you don’t have enough room in your hotel room, there’s nothing that says you can’t rearrange the furniture so that you will be able to get on the floor and do these workouts. Make sure that you modify routines for your current health, such as when you’re recovering from an injury.

  Summary:
  There’s plenty more that we could say, but it’s time for you to check things out for yourself! Good luck and have a great trip!

  About: Hasic M is the editor of Ab Solutely Fit.com, a scientifically backed up source for the Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

  © Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

  
  

  
  ]]> http://fitnesscheerleader.com/guest-posts/the-perfect-15-min-do-anywhere-workout-for-when-youre-traveling/feed/ 4 http://fitnesscheerleader.com/guest-posts/the-perfect-15-min-do-anywhere-workout-for-when-youre-traveling/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-perfect-15-min-do-anywhere-workout-for-when-youre-traveling http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FitnessCheerleader/~3/iHXxykYVvNc/ http://fitnesscheerleader.com/wordless-wednesday/wordless-wednesday-spring-is-in-the-air/#comments Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:38:50 +0000 Janice http://fitnesscheerleader.com/?p=4730 I got out for my first run in shorts yesterday – my run felt so free & light! Hooray for Spring!! Question: Have you been able to wear shorts outside yet this year in your neck of the woods? More from Fitness Cheerleader: Wordless Wednesday: You Know You’re The Daughter of a Runner When… Wordless [...]]]>

  I got out for my first run in shorts yesterday – my run felt so free & light! Hooray for Spring!!

  Question: Have you been able to wear shorts outside yet this year in your neck of the woods?

  More from Fitness Cheerleader:

  1. Wordless Wednesday: You Know You’re The Daughter of a Runner When…
  2. Wordless Wednesday: Races I’m Doing This Year
  3. Wordless Wednesday: Things I Wish I Had Enough Time To Do

  ---

  This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

  © Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

  
  

  
  ]]> http://fitnesscheerleader.com/wordless-wednesday/wordless-wednesday-spring-is-in-the-air/feed/ 6 http://fitnesscheerleader.com/wordless-wednesday/wordless-wednesday-spring-is-in-the-air/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wordless-wednesday-spring-is-in-the-air http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FitnessCheerleader/~3/Zz8Wql_736I/ http://fitnesscheerleader.com/health-tips/3-reasons-to-take-a-probiotic-supplement/#comments Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:21:13 +0000 Janice http://fitnesscheerleader.com/?p=4709 Probiotics… I see that buzz word on every container of yogurt at the grocery store.  But what is it? A bacteria you say? Why would I want to eat bacteria? Oh – these are health promoting bacteria? Probiotics, when translated, literally means “for life.” They are living microorganisms—“friendly” or “good” bacteria that, when consumed in [...]]]> Probiotics… I see that buzz word on every container of yogurt at the grocery store.  But what is it? A bacteria you say? Why would I want to eat bacteria? Oh – these are health promoting bacteria?
  

  Source: Microsoft Images

  Probiotics, when translated, literally means “for life.” They are living microorganisms—“friendly” or “good” bacteria that, when consumed in sufficient numbers, can provide health benefits that go beyond basic nutrition. Our digestive system contains approximately 85% “good” bacteria, and 15% “bad” bacteria. The “good” bacteria that live in your gut  can be taken in either capsule or yogurt form. These are called probiotics because they’re health-promoting bacteria. Processing — including pasteurization and sterilization — effectively destroys both good and bad bacteria. Processed foods are also often high in sugar, which nourishes harmful bacteria in your gut.  As well, that delicate balance of good and bad bacteria can be disrupted by disease, stress, poor diet, or medications like antibiotics, which is why a probiotic supplement may be necessary.

  Taking a probiotic supplement is good for you for 3 reasons:

  1. They keep pathogens (harmful microorganisms) in check:
     Probiotics aid in the alleviation of many common symptoms related to the overgrowth of unfriendly microorganisms. These include diarrhea, urinary tract infection, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and intestinal tract infections. Probiotics are considered safe. They simply facilitate a reintroduction into the body, of microorganisms which are like those already present in the gut.
  2. They aid digestion and nutrient absorption:
     Friendly bacteria function within the digestive system by aiding in the breakdown and absorption of food and nutrients. When there is an over abundance of Bad bacteria, not as many nutrients from the food can be absorbed (ie: when you have diarrhea). It is therefore important to do what it takes to protect the body’s bacterial balance.
  3. Contribute to immune function:
     Since your immune system is your body’s first line of defense, this means that your digestive system can greatly influence your overall health.  Friendly bacteria function within the immune system by protecting against unfriendly, disease-causing flora.

  As you know, I’m a proud Swiss Natural Ambassador so I was offered the Swiss Natural Probiotic Age for Adults probiotic capsule (they also make a special capsule for kids called Swiss Natural Probiotic Kids).  I began taking these on a regular basis when I was put on antibiotics for my kidney infection – normally antibiotics give me the (ahem) runs, but not this time, so I’ve been taking them ever since.

  Question: Do you take a probiotic supplement? Why or why not?

  PS – Swiss Natural is currently running a giveaway for a 5-star culinary trip to New York, San Francisco or New Orleans! ENTER NOW! Good Luck!
  

  Disclosure: I’m a Swiss Natural Ambassador, and was compensated to write this post.

  

  No related posts.

  ---

  This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

  © Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

  
  

  
  ]]> http://fitnesscheerleader.com/health-tips/3-reasons-to-take-a-probiotic-supplement/feed/ 23 http://fitnesscheerleader.com/health-tips/3-reasons-to-take-a-probiotic-supplement/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=3-reasons-to-take-a-probiotic-supplement http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FitnessCheerleader/~3/gQnyfKTi9Wo/ http://fitnesscheerleader.com/motivation/mamavation-motivation/motivation-monday-finding-the-time-to-grocery-shop/#comments Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:03:29 +0000 Janice http://fitnesscheerleader.com/?p=4711 *YAWN* *STREEETCHH* Please pass the coffee! This is my Mamavation Monday post for April 16, 2012. Hey guys! How was your week? This past week was very busy and tiring for me but I’m happy to announce that I’m pretty sure I’ve got my groove back (just in time for summer!). I think that’s why [...]]]> *YAWN* *STREEETCHH* Please pass the coffee! This is my Mamavation Monday post for April 16, 2012.
  

  Hey guys! How was your week? This past week was very busy and tiring for me but I’m happy to announce that I’m pretty sure I’ve got my groove back (just in time for summer!). I think that’s why I found this week so tiring. Every week for the past few weeks I’ve slowly gotten more and more back into my routine. Baby steps. This week was by far the best workout week I’ve had in a while, and with the exception of “helping” the kids eat their Easter Chocolate, my eating was better too. Am I the only one who if they aren’t working out they aren’t as motivated to eat well either?

  Ahhhh Easter Chocolate… I don’t own a scale so I don’t weigh myself that often, but today, because I felt so sluggish in Spinning class I decided to weigh myself after class. Hmmmm… Is it possible that I’ve eaten 5lbs worth of Easter Chocolate? Thankfully the chocolate is now all gone and no longer a temptation – all 5lbs of it is gone

  Grocery Shopping Routines…

  As busy moms and dads, finding routines that allow us to spend the most time with our families, get our household duties done and also take time to workout is a tough balancing act. On Saturday I discovered that the BodyPump class I planned to go to is at the gym above my grocery store. Because it’s at 8am it isn’t TOO hard to wake up for, the kids barely miss me while I’m gone, and right after class I can stay at the store to buy our groceries for the week/load up on tons of fruit n veggies (yanno, before the grocery store gets busy). After my shopping/work out trip I came home feeling really accomplished – and prepared for the week and the rest of our weekend! It was great! (And so much better than spending my Friday nights after the kids go to bed at the grocery store). I think this new routine will really work out well for all of us – I get my workout in and the associated mood boost, and I come home with lots of food for the week, without my “me” time affecting our weekend activities.

  Last week I was able to squeeze in every single planned workout except my Friday one – I don’t know why I scheduled a run on Friday – I hate running on Fridays! I much prefer to be more social. Here’s the proof from this week’s workouts:

  Monday: Spinning class forllowed by Core Strength class

  

  Tuesday: Ran 5k

  

  Wednesday: Went to BodyPump Class (no proof – you’ll just have to trust me)

  Thursday: Ran 8k and taught the kiddos how to play lacrosse

  

  Friday: rest (next week I’m going to try a Boot Camp class at that’s held at my work by a personal trainer from Trainers On-Site)

  Saturday: Went to BodyPump Class (no proof – you’ll just have to trust me)

  Sunday: Ran 9.44k with my training partner

  

  This week will be a lot like last week, with the exception of an added Country Line-Dancing class with my best friends, the boot camp on Friday instead of a run,and a longer run on Sunday – check out my plan:

  Monday: Spinning, followed by Core strength class
  Tuesday: 5k
  Wednesday: BodyPump at lunch, then country line-dancing after work.
  Thursday: 8k
  Friday: Muscle Conditioning Class (Boot Camp Style workout)
  Saturday: BodyPump
  Sunday: 12k with my training partner (she’s training for the TO WOmen’s Half Marathon so I’m doing her long runs with her)

  Special Notes:

  1. Mamavation is still accepting applications for Campaign # . Here’s the info on how to apply to be the next Mamavation Mom:
  2. Mamavation has also just opened some awesome new support forums! It’s a great community to join whether you’re looking for weight loss support, or support in staying active, training etc. Come join our discussions!
  
  

  HAVE A GREAT WEEK GANG!

  Question/Sharing: What’s your routine for getting your family’s groceries?

  More from Fitness Cheerleader:

  1. Motivation Monday: You Can’t Out-Train a Bad Diet
  2. Motivation Monday: Staying Fit When Your Family is Sick
  3. Motivation Monday: Recovery Week in Review

  ---

  This post is from Fitness Cheerleader. Please visit the original post if you would like to join the discussion.

  © Janice Smith for Fitness Cheerleader, 2012. | Permalink

  
  

  
  ]]> http://fitnesscheerleader.com/motivation/mamavation-motivation/motivation-monday-finding-the-time-to-grocery-shop/feed/ 7 http://fitnesscheerleader.com/motivation/mamavation-motivation/motivation-monday-finding-the-time-to-grocery-shop/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=motivation-monday-finding-the-time-to-grocery-shop