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

1. 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!
2. Have a deck of cards?  Kids can play along with this workout as well.   Do it as a family!
3. 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.
4. Dance Party! Gets my kids every single time.   (just please don’t film us!)
5. 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?

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5 ways to workout with your kids

I am!
Are you?

Never underestimate the power of a workout gang for both yourself and your kids.   They are watching and learning from YOU!

*************

Picture source: I found this on Facebook but I cannot remember which fan page I got it from, if i is you, please let me know!

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Are you a MILF?

Yes, I refer to my husband as “Lazy Daddy”.   He has starred in a few things on my blog but generally he likes to watch things from the comfort of the couch.

He usually laughs at me when I test out some of the things I get for review,  like this one.  (no, I couldn’t make him get on it!)

This time, however, the review package that arrived had his name written all over it: Kinect Sports Season Two.

Enough said, right?

Lazy Daddy and my oldest son (age 6) played the football game for hours!  (seriously, I was sick of hearing them cheer!)   It was fun though and got them both up and moving!

My other boys weren’t really into “it” as I think it was a little too complicated for them.

I tried it out but was quickly booted from the room when I didn’t do it “right”?   (translation: I wasn’t very good)

There are 6 games to choose from–tennis, golf, baseball, skiing,  darts, and American football.   Overall,  this is a great family game and is definitely a win when it can get Lazy Daddy up off that couch!

How about you gang?  Do you have a favorite video game that gets your family up and moving?

Disclosure: The featured product for this review was provided to me, at no cost, by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing.  I was not paid for this post, this is my honest opinion.

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Get up and get moving with Kinect Sports (review)

Oh Sparkly Soul headbands, how do I love thee?   Let me count the ways:

They do NOT slip.  I know…you have heard that before….but these really don’t!  See how they are stretchy ALL the way around?  They really do stay in place!

They do not squeeze my head to the point of a migraine!  I have a big melon and therefore some headbands just dig into my head and hurt.   These do not!  They tame my wild hair without pain.  Score!

Sparkly Soul headbands come in two different sizes!  I love the thicker one (5/8 inch)  for everyday wear and found the thinner one (3/8 inch) works better during my workouts.

They were featured on Access Hollywood, so I can now say that I have celebrity style!

They are cute!  I’m not really a girly-girl but I have to admit I feel a little “princess like” when I am wearing my pink one.  Even my son refers to them as “mommy’s pretty headbands.”

Sparkly Soul is nice enough to offer ONE lucky reader a thin AND a thick Sparkly Soul headband in a color of their choice!

Enter to win by:

*Leaving me a comment below telling me which color you like best.
*Earn an extra entry by saying “Sparkly Soul” on my Facebook wall. (be sure to leave an extra comment below telling me you did that too!)

Winner will be chosen at random on Friday, January 27 at 9pm EST and notified via email. Contest is open to US addresses only.

Now I am off to run on my treadmill and put a little SPARKLE into my workout!

Disclosure: As part of the FitFluential Ambassador program I was sent two of the Sparkly Soul non-slip headbands to review. I loved them so much I bought 3 more on my own.  They really are that awesome!

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5 reasons why I love headbands from Sparkly Soul (giveaway)

***Today’s guest post is courtesy of Lauren****

When the weather is awful and there’s no way you’re going to step outside to go for your evening run, there’s no other option but to hop on your treadmill and run nowhere to get your fitness fix.

There’s no doubt that exercising on your wet-weather-investment V-fit treadmill is preferable to heading out into the wet and windy British winter weather, but there’s nothing more soul destroying than running on the spot without the help of some good tunes to keep you motivated.

It has been proven that music can help motivate runners as well as distract from the most difficult part of a run. Studies have also found that music can reduce your perception of how hard you are running by 10%. What better excuse to plug in and push yourself a little harder than you usually would?

So here are our top suggestions to keep boredom at bay when your only running view is a picture of your grandparents in a frame on the bookshelf. A healthy mixture of the classics, feel-good and old fashioned cheese only reserved for weddings are waiting to be pulled together on your iPod into one epic treadmill playlist.

1. Another one bites the dust – Queen
2. Helicopter – Bloc Party
3. My girl lollipop – Bad Manners
4. Johnny B Goode – Chuck Berry
5. Ashes – Embrace
6. Right Here, Right Now – Fatboy Slim
7. Standing in the way of control – Gossip
8. Thunderstruck – AC/DC
9. Call on Me – Eric Prydz
10. Beautiful Lie – 30 Seconds to Mars
11. Invaders Must Die – Prodigy
12. Hajnal – Venetian Snares
13. Louder – DJ Fresh
14. Highway Unicorn – Lady Gaga
15. Testify – Rage Against the Machine
16. Kids – MGMT
17. 80s – Calvin Harris
18. Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice
19. Dancing in the Moonlight – Toploader
20. Funkytown – Lipps Inc

If you choose to listen to your favorite running playlist while on your local pavements, please be aware of external sounds such as traffic, pedestrians and other runners who you may not be aware of with your ears plugged in.

Happy running!

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Ultimate treadmill playlist (guest post)

I found this picture on Pinterest and ‘pinned’ it right away.
Aside from the awesome excuses comment,  check out her muscles!

THIS is my new goal.

Strong. Muscular. Amazing.

Do you lift weights/strength train?  Please share your favorite strength routine with me!

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I want her muscles!

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 Sarah, who blogs over at Free Woman Fitness. Sarah is personal trainer and a busy mom of one. She understands the difficulties in balancing work and fitness and believes that exercise is equally as important for the mind as it is for the body.

Please read on for more about Sarah and why she is definitely “One fit mommy”!

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

No!!! I certainly have not always been fit. I mean, I have never been more than 15 or so pounds overweight but looking back at how sedentary I was in high school and in college just makes me cringe. I also smoked cigarettes for about 6 years and drank… a lot. I can’t imagine how unhealthy my body truly was with everything I was putting into it. So now my habits are 100 times better and more consistent. I got my personal training certification after college, so I was working out a lot, but I still had some bad habits hanging around. They are really hard to break when it’s been your lifestyle for so long. Having a child has really motivated me to eat healthy and exercise on most days of the week. I need the release now that I’m taking care of someone 24/7. Working out is not an option for me anymore. It’s a survival technique.

Q: What advice do you have for moms who claim they don’t have time for exercise?
Something is always better than nothing when it comes to working out. On days when I think I can’t get a workout in, I say “I’m just going to exercise for 15 minutes.” 9 times out of 10, once I get started, I stretch it to 20 or 25, if my 2 year old allows me to. There are usually 100 things to do during naptime, but on the days I tell myself, “you NEED this workout” and I get it done, it’s always a better day. Making yourself a priority is so hard for moms. That’s my biggest struggle. It won’t get done every day. But you have to keep telling yourself that it’s important. It’s your health. It’s your life. It’s your kid’s lives.

Q: How have your workouts changed since having kids?
I have to mix it up a lot more. I used to be so particular about my workouts, when I did them, what I was going to do. No more! You can’t be picky when you’re a mom, or exercise just won’t happen. Some days it’s an OnDemand workout or a DVD, some days it’s an evening jog. It’s actually a very effective way to workout because I’m always doing something different so I continue to challenge my body.

Q: Are you more of a cardio mommy or strength training mommy?
I used to be a total treadmill junkie. Now I’m a bit more into strength training and yoga. My favorite workout it hot vinyasa yoga. It’s a total mind and body release for me which is so incredibly necessary. I do still like to jog, but most of the time, it’s outside instead of on the treadmill.

Q: What is your least favorite exercise?
I have to say, probably push-ups. Like most women, I have great lower body strength, but I’ve had to work really hard to develop upper body strength. I can do push-ups, but I really don’t like to.

Q: Do you have any mental tricks that you use when you just don’t feel like working out?
Sometimes I have to just start without thinking about it. The beginning is always the hardest.

Q: Random question: what is your go-to snack food?
We always buy Pirate’s Booty. It’s healthier than chips or pretzels so I don’t feel bad eating it. My toddler loves it, too!

Thank you Sarah for being an inspiration to all moms!

Need more inspiration? Be sure to check out all the other fit moms that have been featured on Workout Mommy!

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This fit mom reminds us to make ourselves a priority

Back in my days before kids I owned a personal training business and ran a morning boot camp program.  I trained about 35 ladies at 5:30 in the morning 3x per week.

To say I was a little unsympathetic to what at the time I considered a lack of commitment is putting it nicely.  I made them do extra lunges if they were late to class and if they yawned during class, EVERYONE had to drop and do 10 push ups.  If they didn’t show up, I called or emailed to remind them of their goals and how they need to get up and come to class, no excuses!

Most of these women were moms and many times they told me their babies or kids were up all night and they were just too tired.  I listened but inside I was screaming  “NO EXCUSES!  How hard can it be to get up and exercise just 3 times per week?! “  I actually told one mom that she could just nap during the day!

Yeah.
Funny how karma comes back to get you.
I am now “blessed” with FOUR children who do not sleep through the night.
On any given night I am woken up at least 4 times and rarely do I get more than 3 hours of consecutive sleep.   The idea of getting up at 5am to exercise is laughable at this point in my life.

If I could go back in time, I would punch my personal training self in the face.

So now that I’m that busy mom, I want a personal trainer who GETS me.   Who understands that I am stressed out, sleep deprived, and usually unshowered.   I want another mom who can tell me they understand why I dive into a bag of chocolate late at night.  (hey, it’s either that or a bottle of vodka!)
I’ve had some great male trainers who offer great workouts but let’s be honest…..they don’t get IT.
Until you live in the trenches, you cannot possibly understand.

Right now I don’t have a personal trainer but if I go looking for one in the future, it’s going to have to be a fellow mom.

What do you think?  Have you had a trainer who didn’t get IT?
Do you prefer a man or a woman trainer/instructor?

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Picking a personal trainer that is right for you

We are a smoothie family!

My kids will swear up and down they hate strawberries but they are fine with me dropping 10 of them in a smoothie for them to share.    Vegetables on the other hand, we struggle with.

So when the kind people at Centrum contacted me to try out their  new line of Centrum ProNutrients,  I eagerly said yes.  This new product line hits in all the departments we are lacking when it comes to our nutrition.

This is what I received:

ProNutrients Omega-3: so important for heart health, brain and eye structure.
ProNutrients Fruit & Veggie: each minitab is equal to a serving of a blend of fruits and veggies
ProNutrients Probiotic: a unique blended powder containing two of the most scientifically studied probiotics.
Centrum Multivitamin Energy: enhanced with Ginseng and higher levels of B vitamins.

They also sent me an AWESOME juicer to create my  ProNutrients Probiotic super smoothie.

So I powered that bad boy up and tossed in apples, carrots, strawberries, bananas, blueberries (not my favorite but packed with good stuff!), and a little bit of chocolate milk.     I also added the ProNutrients Probiotic which comes in an individually wrapped package to make sure the bacteria is ready and active to work in the digestive tract.

Not only was it delicious, but it made the perfect snack for me and the boys and I felt good knowing they were getting a cup full of great nutrients plus some probiotics!

Now I just need to work on making sure to take that Energy Multivitamin every day because I could definitely use some more energy!

Centrum has created a website called Nutrition Possible and it has tons of great info about nutrients, supplements, fitness, and more.  Take the assessment to find out if you are lacking in a specific nutrient.  (mine was Omega-3)   

Leave a comment below with your answer and be entered to win one ProNutrients product of your choice!

One winner will be chosen at random on Friday January 20 at 9pm EST.  Open to US addresses only.  Official giveaway rules can be found over here.

Can’t wait to find out if you win?   Here is a $5 off coupon that you can use right now!

Disclosure: I am participating in a Centrum ProNutrients campaign hosted by One2One Network. I received nutritional product and compensation including a gift valued at $150. While all opinions stated are my own, I make no claims about Centrum ProNutrients as a product or it’s effectiveness.

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Smoothies, probiotics and Centrum ProNutrients (giveaway)

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.

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One INSANE workout! (and giveaway!)