Fitness

It is that time again! Back- to- school season is here! Students are returning to school, filled with excitement and anticipation of the year ahead.  We may be preparing for the new uniforms, teachers, and grades, but our kids' health and wellness should be at the top of our list!  Here are a few health-focused tips to make the transition back to school much smoother for you and your kids. Sleep Schedule: Get Back on Track The first is for you and your child to get back on a good sleeping schedule.  Notice what time your child is falling asleep. For younger children, you may not have gotten too far off schedule. However, for older children and teenagers it could be...

While folding clothes the other day (the laundry never ends, right?!), I started thinking about the evolution of mom fashion. For instance, why is it that yoga pants are synonymous with motherhood? Before I was a mother, I may have owned 1 pair of yoga pants, and I went to the gym A LOT! Now that I’m a mom, I’m pretty certain I own more yoga pants than real pants. In fact, I’m wearing yoga pants as I type, and I’ve yet to go to the gym today.  I wear my yoga pants to the splash pad, coffee shop, and grocery store. When I want to dress them up, I wear a tunic and call my yoga pants leggings. When did...

Prepare yourself, summer is coming!  Actually,  if you're reading this in Louisiana, summer has already arrived, and that can only mean two things:  shorts and bathing suits. The warmer weather has people in the mood to exercise and get fit, and I've been seeing tons of "summer body" challenges on Pinterest and Facebook. Unfortunately, I have to burst that bubble. We can't spot train our way to fitness, and as a busy mom, I don't want you to waste your time. Chances are, if you do squats for 30 days, you may see some results, but overall you will not see any significant change. I totally understand the appeal of the 30-day challenges -- it's supposed to be quick. Don't we all love instant gratification? However, the best...

Dear 3 month postpartum self, I know you saw the pictures of Scarlett Johansson's tiny little bod at her movie premiere like two months after giving birth. I know it made you want to curl up in a ball and never put clothes on or go out in public again. It sucks, because being a new mom in our media obsessed world is hard enough; there are a million and one things you can compare to and nit-pick and worry about. And then these celebs (and other real life moms around you) basically walk out of the hospital looking like they never carried a child around in their abdomen for 9 months. And there's nothing wrong with that. More power to...

February is American Heart Month. According to the American Heart Association, one in three women die of heart disease or stroke. Education and lifestyle changes can prevent 80 percent of cardiac events. These were just statistics to me until I had my own heart scare two years ago. Around 2008, my husband and I decided it was time to stop living and eating like grad students so we made a commitment to start eating healthier and exercising. Even though I’ve always been a healthy weight, I was never physically fit. We both started running and really began to enjoy it. We trained for 5ks, 10ks, and eventually a half marathon together. After having our first child, running became my special...