Due to a late night event I recently stayed at the Cartier Place Suite Hotel located just off Elgin Street in downtown Ottawa. The hotel is a great place to stay if you plan on staying in the city for a few days because not only does it offer spacious rooms, but the suites have a living area complete with a couch and coffee table, and they also have a fully equipped kitchen that is perfect for cooking your own meals.
Some of the rooms have been updated, but the room I stayed in was not, however it was still very clean and extremely quiet, which are two things I look for in a hotel – especially when travelling with a young child. The bed was very comfortable and I think the mattress and bedding must be relatively new because it was in like-new condition. The pool and hot tub areas are also very clean and inviting, which makes this hotel a great choice for families.
The Cartier Place Suite Hotel is not a luxury hotel, but for the price you definitely get your money’s worth and you are within walking distance of most of Ottawa’s popular tourist destinations, including the National Art’s Centre, Rideau Shopping Centre, the Byward Market and Parliament Hill.
What’s more is that because this hotel is so close to Elgin Street and its vast selection of pubs and restaurants, visitors get to experience some great food and atmosphere right outside their hotel door! And if you decide to eat in, a lot of the rooms have balconies allowing for some fresh air and great views of the downtown area.
The staff at the hotel is very friendly and I overheard the front desk staff going out of their way to help two women who had never been to Ottawa decide where to visit first (they decided on the War Memorial). I had no problems with my room or parking (although I advise being careful when parking in their underground parking garage, as the ceiling is made very low by low-hanging pipes, which are thankfully brightly coloured).
If you are coming to visit Ottawa or even live there already, take a look at what Cartier Place Site Hotel has to offer. They have some great deals (including one for the upcoming Tulip Festival) and the hotel offers great value for your money. You won’t be disappointed in your room – it may not be contemporary looking, but it will be quiet, clean and comfortable! Suite dreams!
So we’re sitting down having dinner at the BConnected Conference and we’re talking about the usual amounts of fitness and nutrition wisdom that I try to impart on everyone who will listen and the topic of “eating healthy” comes up. Let’s get one thing straight; everyone eats healthy. Everyone. True?
Oh, boy…here we go!
Now most people would agree that you can eat pretty healthy and still be overweight, right? Isn’t it also true that you could be very unhealthy and very slender?
The answer is obviously yes. So therefore there is a vast difference between what you look like and how healthy you are internally. This is a big problem for the majority of people out there that think they’re eating “healthy”, which some are, but not eating for success at their fitness goals.
Here’s the Difference
Health is the interplay of the organs in that giant orchestra of bodily functions we do daily to paraphrase one of my favorite authors and coaches Dan John. This has no bearing on how much body fat a person has or how overall fit they are to accomplish a certain task, such as swinging a heavy kettlebell for reps. So, everyone eats healthy. Whole wheat bagels are healthy. Salads are healthy. Yogurt is healthy. Steak is healthy. Blah, blah, blah…
How about wine and salami, healthy?
Once you enter into the realm of fitness though, the lines become obscured between health and achieving those fitness goals. Let’s take a closer look at this with an example. Sandy comes in to the gym and she’s about 35% body fat at 185 lbs and wants to lose fat, build some muscle and lean down to about 25% body fat. Nothing wrong about those goals, however, they’re not why Sandy wants to lean down, but for simplicity sake we’ll say she wants to look good on the beach this summer. Roger, got it, driving on.
Now a 10% loss in body fat isn’t that much and she can easily lose 18.5 lbs with a little diligence with training and focusing on their diet. Assuming she can burn up to 2 lbs a week of body fat with some resistance training and intense cardio she’ll be able to do this in about 6 weeks. Probably more about 8 weeks, but give or take. You can never tell with absolute certainty in regards to body fat loss as the body is sometimes uncooperative with the process. The problem lies in being able to burn the fat effectively and keep yourself sane at the same time.
Body fat loss is easy as long as you can control your hunger and burn off enough calories from that reserve tank (aka those ugly little handlebars on your sides and saddlebags on the thighs).
Controlling Your Hunger
How do we control hunger?
By eating all the time. Yeah, that can work. But it depends on what you’re eating. And studies have found that eating all the time is no more productive than eating the average three squares a day. I’m not going to search for these studies, but Google is a readily available service and you can look through all the studies for yourself. All eating several smaller meals does is allow you to CONTROL HUNGER!
We also can control hunger by eating lots of protein. Yes, protein helps control hunger, because it digests slow, slows insulin release and helps build and repair muscle tissue. This is very important to “dieters” because you want to sustain muscle mass at all costs, perhaps even build more. Tip #987 Muscle burns calories, more muscle, more calories burned. Thanks, you will be charge $299 at the end of this post. Just kidding, but protein is important. That’s why every diet increases dietary protein. And ladies this means you have to eat more meat proteins, not just double up on your yogurts (which I’ll get into in another post).
Another key thing to concentrate on is essential fats. Our body needs these fats to survive and operate at a high level. A good dose of fat will also help burn more fat. Your body is used to burning fat for fuel during non-intense activities. The more fat you add into the diet, the better your body will “learn” to burn fat. This is providing your not flooding the system with a high level of carbohydrates, which I’ve written about in this post. What Are Carbs And Why You Can’t Eat Them!
How about water? Water is a key influence in everything our body does, we’re 80% water so having enough water to burn fat and operate at 110% everyday is also important. So drink enough water. Guidelines for water intake will vary, so just shoot to drink at water at every meal, even if you have to add some no calorie drink mixes into it. These can also help curb your hunger responses if you can’t separate the difference between hunger and thirst. Sometimes your body wants water and you think cheeseburger. I don’t know why this happens, but it does.
Drink a glass of water before every meal and especially before and after exercise to replace all water lost throughout the day.
Burning Fat…Oh Boy Exercise
Now exercise is a key stimulus for weight loss, because all the dieting in the world won’t help you build muscle or sustain a high level of calorie burn. If you’re like Sandy, then increasing the amount and quality of your exercise is going to help your body learn how to burn calories effectively. If all you do is eat less and less, you’re body still doesn’t know how to burn calories and will therefore just shuttle them into storage when you do eat too much. That’s not a good scenario to be in.
So start training and work up to lifting some heavy weights, carrying some heavy objects, running, jumping, etc.
If you’re goal is to burn the maximal amount of body fat you need to be very active and move daily. Yes, daily exercises. Three times a week walking for an hour isn’t going to burn enough calories for Sandy to reach her goal. She’s going to have to hustle and burn off tons of calories each week, since 18.5 lbs of body fat effectively converts to about 64,750 Calories. That’s 190 McDonald’s bacon cheeseburgers or about 68 hours of continuous running at a 6 mph pace.
Naturally, you can’t do this all at once. Sorry, the body doesn’t work that way, you have to go slow and pace yourself along. Body fat loss is a marathon race, not a sprint. Although sprints can help you burn body fat faster in less overall time exercising. Just saying…
Fitness and Health
So the real difference between fitness and health has to do with your goals. You can still be healthy and eat a healthy diet and still be gaining body fat. It has to do with what type of calories you’re eating, how many calories you’re eating and what those calories are composed of which we’ll get into more in part II. What’s really important to remember is control your hunger with a good mix of protein and fat in your diet, eat moderately and exercise a lot. Just realize just because you’re eating “healthy” doesn’t mean you’re eating to lose body fat. Remember the difference.
Although, March break was gone before I received the DK Canada LEGO Play Book and The Big Book of Crafts & Activities, we still have so many other opportunities to make good use of them. They sure will come in handy next March and through out the year.
LEGO Play Book
LEGO play book
Ok, every kid I know loves LEGO! Actually, even the adults get right in there when the LEGO bucket comeS out. The DK Canada LEGO Play Book is a wonderful companion to any LEGO fan. With 200 pages of colourful LEGO creations (that’s over 500 build and play ideas from LEGO Fans), you and your family can turn a ho-hum day into a LEGO Play marathon!
LEGO play book
From enchanted forests to rampaging robots, LEGO Play Book is jam-packed with inspiring models and ideas from LEGO fan builders. Learn tips and tricks to help your building techniques ex: to give your sea serpent a scaly body, use 2×2 slope bricks). If you’re looking for a quick build, they have that covered too! You may feel like taking on your friends in a fun LEGO Challenge. Each page also comes with fun facts and bit of a narrative to enjoy. DH was completely entranced with the LEGO Play Book! He can now spend even more time playing with LEGO! What a great way to spend some family time together! Where will your imagination take you?
DK Canada Books: LEGO Play Book
The BIG BOOK of Crafts & Activities
The BIG BOOK of Crafts & Activities
We are a DK Canada Books family. Just so many wonderful titles to choose from. The BIG BOOK of Crafts & Activities is a favorite of mine and my little ones. We both have a creative side and with the help of this book, we can pretty much find what we need to suit the occasion. Over 120 pages packed with crafts, recipes, games and activities for kids who want to get their craft on! Great DIY ideas for organizing your child’s bedroom to making homemade pizza! Around here, everyone loves to make their own pizza. Complete with recipe, instructions and topping ideas.
The BIG BOOK of Crafts & Activities
Each page has colourful illustrations of the finished product, along with step-by-step instructions and a helpful hint area. These activities are great for the older child who is fine managing on their own. Or make it a fun day on a rainy day and help your little one bake up a loaf of homemade bread!
The BIG BOOK of Crafts & Activities
You can order LEGO Play Book or The BIG BOOK of Crafts & Activities (or any of their other awesome titles) here!
The role of the Ontario College of Teachers is often misunderstood. When you think of the College do you think of an organization exclusively for teachers? Well, you’re wrong. The Ontario College of Teachers is actually a valuable resource for parents as well as teachers. One of the missions of the College is to regulate teaching in the public interest – YOUR interest. The College wants the public to rest assured that the people they certify to teach in Ontario’s publicly-funded elementary and secondary schools are qualified.
The College’s website has many useful tools for parents including an online search in which parents can look up their child’s teacher, by name, and verify their credentials. The search is available from the site’s homepage and a teacher can be searched for by first or last name. Once you find the teacher you are looking for, the College’s database will bring up that teacher’s education (including their graduating years) as well as their basic qualifications and status with the college. If you have any questions on how teachers are certified, the College’s website also has comprehensive information regarding the process.
As a parent, I entrust my daughter’s well-being every day to teachers I don’t really know other than from what my daughter tells me about them (which usually isn’t much). Thanks to the Ontario College of Teachers I am not only able find out their qualifications, but also what professional standards her teachers are expected to adhere to.
What’s more, should I have a problem with a teacher’s conduct or competence that cannot be resolved at the school level, I can contact the College and have them investigate the issue. The College is mandated to investigate all complaints involving issues of teacher professional misconduct, incompetence and fitness to practice. Luckily, the incidence of complaints against Ontario teachers is low and it appears that the vast majority follow the standards of behaviour that are expected of them. Part of the College’s accountability to us the public is that disciplinary decisions against teachers can be found online.
The Ontario College of Teachers recognizes the importance parents play in their child’s education and encourage open communication between them and the College. The College wants parents to utilize the resources available to them so that they have the information they need to have confidence in their children’s certified teachers.
I am a firm believer that knowledge is power, which is why, in addition to frequenting the College’s website, I also subscribe to The Standard – the Ontario College of Teacher’s e-newsletter. The newsletter keeps me up-to-date on teacher qualifications and standards as well as educational trends and legislation. If you have any interest in Ontario’s elementary or secondary school education, which any parent should – I highly recommend subscribing to the College’s newsletter to keep yourself informed and up-to-date.
When buying a life insurance policy there are additional protection options you can add to customize it for your needs. When I meet with someone for the first time I ask a lot of questions about them and their needs so that I can make a recommendation to cover all of their liabilities (some they might not be aware of) in one policy. This can save them money and time by having everything covered with one application process and in one policy. Just like Xzibit (I am in no way implying that I am as cool as Xzibit) could turn an ordinary car into a custom, beautiful vehicle designed with the owners personality and taste in mind, you can do the same with your life insurance policy.
Accidental Death and Dismemberment Rider (AD&D)
This rider pays a benefit if you die from the direct result of an accident or dismemberment, which includes loss of the use of certain body parts (including limbs or eyesight.) . The benefit is payable if death happens within one year after the accident while this rider is in effect. This rider will not cover a death that is not the direct result of injuries you sustain. If you die on the operating table as a result of a surgical complication, it does not count as accidental death. Also, suicide or death on a battlefield in military service is not considered an accidental death. Accidental Death and Dismemberment is usually inexpensive and can be purchased on its own and is typically added by someone who works in a dangerous occupation.
Child Protection Rider (CPR)
Child riders are inexpensive and a simple way to get children insured under the age of 25. Typically they are limited to about $20,000 to $30,000 face value and normally can be converted to as much as 5 times the face value of the child rider. The real benefit of this rider is that the child can convert it to an individual policy for themselves without additional underwriting. I typically recommend clients with children to add this rider because it is inexpensive and easy way to insure your children and if they start a universal or whole life policy for their child, it gives a very long time horizon to accumulate a large cash value.
Disability Waiver of Premium
This rider covers the if they are unable to pay the premiums during the time that they are disabled. If the life insurance policy owner becomes disabled typically there is a 90 day waiting period and after that the insurance company will take over the payments during the time you are disabled. Many of the exclusions on this rider are similar to the Accident Death and Dismemberment rider and there are maybe additional underwriting required when you add this rider.
Living Benefits
These riders allow you to access a portion of your face value of your policy tax free, without you having to pass away. This Accelerated Death Benefit rider allows you to access up to 50% of the face value of the policy in specific situations. This is considered an advance on the death benefits and is paid tax free.
Critical Illness
This rider will provide a portion of the death benefit should you suffer and survive a critical illness such as cancer, coronary bypass surgery, heart attack or stroke. A couple of exclusions of critical illness coverage that you should be aware of is that you must survive past 30 days after diagnosis and no benefits will be paid if you are diagnosed with cancer within the first 90 days that the life insurance policy is issued.
Pimp your Life Insurance Policy with Riders
Terminal Illness
This rider allows you to access 50% of the death benefit if you are diagnosed with terminal illness – defined as having less than 12 months to live.
Long-Term Care Benefits
This rider allows you to convert a portion of the death benefit into long-term care benefits. To access this you need to meet the criteria such as an inability to perform “Activities of Daily Living.”
These are a few of the life insurance riders available to customize your policy around your needs that can help protect you against more than just an unexpected death. Adding riders can also save you money by combining coverage into one policy instead of having several separate policies. When you are purchasing life insurance or you are reviewing your current coverage ask your agent about what riders would make sense in your situation to pimp your policy!
The information is of a general nature only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. It should not be used, relied upon, or treated as a substitute for specific professional advice. I recommend that you obtain your own independent professional advice (preferably me) before making any decision in relation to your particular requirements or circumstances.
Did you hear about The Backyardigans? They were in Ottawa last Sunday and we were so excited to join them in their Sea Deep In Adventure live, on stage, at the Centrepointe Theatre. It was the first time we’ve had the opportunity to see a Koba production and what a treat it was! Koba Entertainment produce other fun family live theatrical shows as well, check out their website for performance dates and cities. One point I would love to mention is that out of all the productions we have attended lately, I was pleasantly surprised that we weren’t bombarded with concession selling. We did purchase snacks and souvenirs but there wasn’t all the hoopla and expense.
Our seats were fabulous! My little one squealed in delight when she realized that she could almost touch all her Backyardigan friends! Once again, I was mom of the year. Great for taking great pictures too.
During this undersea adventure we joined Pablo, Tyrone, Tasha, Uniqua and Austin as they brought the stage to life with their singing and dancing. If you don’t know who these cute little critters are: Pablo is the enthusiastic little penguin; Tyrone is the sensible little moose who is also Pablo’s best friend; Tasha is the girlish hippo who loves to wear her flowered dress and red mary janes; Uniqua is the sweet purple girl who is often playmates with Tasha; and Austin is the little shy boy kangaroo. Or just ask any preschooler and they will telly your exactly who each Backyardigan is!
Keeping the kids tuned into this theatrical performance was easy, the stage was set in spectacular colours and 3-D effects. Watching the story to come to life before our very eyes was amazing. Even the grown ups were having a great time!
Watching her favorite five on TV is one thing, but experiencing the Backyardigans live was a whole other ball game! The excitement built as the bossy clean freak lady octopus arrives on scene! She doesn’t want anybody in her garden! She doesn’t want anyone messing her garden either! The Backyardigans come up against this octopus and two messy, but cute dolphins. Who do you think won the battle of wits? Of course, you know good always wins. The Backyardigans save the day and become friends with the too-tidy octopus!
I can’t wait to attend another Kobo Entertainment production! My family and I thoroughly enjoyed our evening with the Backyardigans!
Disclosure: I have received complimentary tickets to review the above performance. All opinions and pictures are my own and as always, honest.
Running isn’t something that you typically hear me chat about endlessly, but the truth of the matter is I truly enjoy running. It helps me focus and clears my head from the typical daily riff raff and clutter. You really don’t have to engage in any other thought processes other than right foot, left foot, breathe. It doesn’t have to get any more complicated than that; however, just because the snow is rapidly vacating the premises doesn’t mean you can jump right back on that horse and start pounding the pavement with abandon. And trust me, just because you ran on the treadmill while the snow was dominating the landscape outside doesn’t mean you’re ready for running outdoors.
You Have To Be Fit To Run
Now, I know, I know—everyone (supposedly) has told you that if you’re going to lose fat you’ve got to run. Well, they’re not wrong necessarily, save for the fact that if you don’t have some core and leg strength along with some descent hip, knee and ankle mobility, you’re just asking for injury.
You have at least a base level of physical strength and fortitude to even contemplate running for any length of time, especially if you’re overweight or out of shape.
Many people start their training ventures in running and there’s nothing wrong with that providing they go slow and at their own pace.
The problem lies in the fact that most people just think they can get up and go for a 5K run and be fine the next day. They get up, tie on their favorite pair of sneakers that are worn down to the heel and splitting out of the toes, strap on those headphones and rock on, right?
The next day after they’ve completed a supposedly easy 5K they’re in agony. They can’t run, walk, squat to go to the bathroom and they’ve got aches and pains everywhere. Sound familiar?
Building Up To Running
Of course, this above scenario is true. So many people start off on the wrong foot literally, when they begin a running program without any sort of preparation phase or build up phase and this is a terrible mistake.
In order to build your body up to start running, regardless of your age, body composition or level of fitness training (as even regular gym goers may suffer the same consequences) one needs to fully prepare for the onslaught of high impact aerobics.
You can do this with a couple easy exercises in the morning to help prepare for your run and then tackle the run in short bursts of activity intermixed with walking.
The Steps
Start off your morning with some DYNAMIC STRETCHES, not static stretches as these don’t warm the body up before running. Here are some examples here. You can stretch statically after you’re done.
Foam roll all the major muscles groups, like the quads, hamstrings, IT bands (especially the IT bands), lower back and calves to get rid of any knots. Check out how to foam roll some of the bigger muscle groups here.
Perform a nice callisthenic warmup. You can do body weight squats, lunges, mountain climbers, jump rope, pushups, bridges and planks as to start. These exercises will engage your main muscle groups, stimulate core activation and help you start sweating right off the bat.
Start your run slow and build up in intensity. Depending upon your level of conditioning start off with running steady until you have to walk. It could be a minute, it could be 5 minutes. Doesn’t really matter, just go for as long as you can and then take a break. Walk it out for a minute and then continue. (Keep in mind there are many variations to running and running better, but you can modify this guidance after you’re up and running for a month or so).
I don’t recommend running over an hour very often as this tends to do more to break you down than improve your speed. I like running, but I’m not a marathoner. If you are, then you’ve got to run more for distance and I’m sorry.
Don’t run long distance over 3 days a week, unless you’re adding in short sprints. You’ll only end up with diminishing returns and injuries that will take you out of the action. If you’re really into getting in great shape then try resistance training on the rest of your days focusing on the legs, core and lower back. These will only increase your strength and make your running performances increase beyond normal. More strength equals better running.
So there are the six tips to getting back into running the right way. Apparently this winter is not going to last forever, although it remains to be seen at this point. Start preparing for those nice long morning runs now and lose the extra soreness that stops you in your tracks for the remainder of the week.
Will you be ready to start your running routine? Take my advice and you will dominate your run in no time.
At the end of the winter, it’s a great opportunity to get your family outdoors and show them how fun it can be to feed the birds. Recently, my daughter’s Sparks unit made these simple to make bird feeders from items you can easily find around the house.
Toilet paper roll bird feeder
Toilet Paper Roll Bird Feeder
This one is my daughter’s favourite! You take a toilet paper roll and using a spoon or butter knife spread peanut butter or sunflower butter (or even coconut oil) all over the toilet paper roll. You then roll it in bird seed. A great way to control the mess while rolling is to put the bird seed in a cookie sheet. Once the toilet paper roll is covered with bird seed, you take some string or yarn and feed it through the toilet paper roll, tie it in a tight knot and voilà! it’s ready to hang on a tree!
Pipe Cleaner Bird Feeder
Pipe Cleaner Bird Feeder
Take a pipe cleaner, shape into a “U” and make a knot on one end. Then feed Cheerios and grapes through the pipe cleaner until the pipe cleaner is almost full. Once full, tie the ends together in a tight know and hang!
Pop bottle bird feeder
Jug Bird Feeder
You can make an inexpensive winter bird feeder with a pop bottle, milk or water jug. Simply rinse out the jug, cut open the sides, cut holes for a chopstick perch, add the birdseed, and it’s ready to hang it in a tree. You can even decorate the plastic jug with sequins, glitters and craft paint to make it look more colourful.
Easy Homemade Bird Feeders
See how easy these are? We have had black birds, blue jays and chickadees pecking away at our bird feeders since they went up. My daughter can now identify each bird and looks forward to the feeders being empty so we can make more.
Bath salts are an easy way to help with treating mental and physical health ailments. Bath salts are so easy to make with Epson salt (magnesium sulfate) or sea salt. The are used to relieve stress, aches and pains.
This recipe is also ideal to give as a gift or if you are having a spa party with your friends. You can wrap some twine or ribbon around the jar and add a gift tag with a special note. You can include some to a homemade spa gift basket with soaps, bath bombs, and other bath and body products.
Rosemary branches with flowers and bath salts on an old wooden shelf.
2 cups of Epsom salt or Sea Salt Epsom salt helps with pain relief, reduces swelling, and draws impurities from the body.
2 teaspoons of oil of your choice Such as almond, grapeseed, jojoba oil, coconut oil, etc..
10 drops of your favourite essential oil You can use rose, orange, rosemary, sandalwood, lavender, eucalyptus, etc.
Two drops of liquid food colouring ( or add a few more to desired colour) You can tint your salts by adding food colouring. It might give the bath water a bit of a tint, but it’s safe to use.
Optional: Add indried lavender petals, rose petals, citrus zest, etc.
Optional: 1/4 cup sea salt It makes the water feel silky.
A glass jar or mini mason jar.
Bath Salts Instructions
Mix the Epson salts or sea salt, and sea salt (optional) with a spoon in a large mixing bowl and make sure the break up the clumps.
Add food colouring (if desired), oil and essential oil, and mix well.
Add dried flowers, citrus zest (optional) and mix.
Use immediately or store in an airtight container.
Add 1/4 – 1/2 cup per bath
Soak your sore muscles in hot water for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
Note: Some essential oils should not be used by pregnant women or children. Be sure to read labels before using them.
The first 3 months of a baby’s life are so special. Those 9 months of waiting for baby’s appearance are behind you and the awe of having this little person beside you is overwhelming. Who knew such big love could come in such a small package. The first few weeks of a baby’s life, baby truly does “sleep like a baby” – anywhere, anytime. These deep sleep patterns will start to change after a few weeks and you may have to work a little harder at getting your baby to sleep. So why not create some positive sleep habits for your newborn when it is easiest to do?
You don’t want baby to be up partying for longer period in the night time. Establish environmental cues to assist baby to distinguish night and day. For night feeds, keep the lights dimmed in the room baby is sleeping in. Have a bedtime routine that has one distinguishing factor from the daytime routine. For example, always change baby’s pajamas before bedtime. Don’t let baby sleep more than 4 hour stretches during the day. This also helps to ensure she’s getting the necessary calories in during the day and not sleeping through feeds. You want her caloric intake during the day to be greater than at night. You don’t want to start shifting more calories into the night.
2. Feed baby when she wakes up vs feeding her before or as she is falling asleep.
This helps to avoid the common association of nursing and falling asleep. This helps avoid “sleep props”. Sleep pros are external factors that baby needs to fall asleep. Other common sleep props are rocking, swinging or being held to fall asleep. You can use these sleep props to help your baby to fall asleep when she is having trouble, but why not give her the opportunity to fall asleep on her own if you can.
3. Put baby down calm but awake.
If you feed her when she wakes up, she’ll then be awake 45 minutes to 1 hour, from the time she woke up, those first 3 months. Yes, they have very short awake times when they are newborns!
The first signs of fatigue are decreased activity, disengagement, or eyes looking glazed over.
The second set of cues are increased fussiness, increased limb movement, yawning, rubbing eyes.
You want to put your baby down when the first set of signs roll through and give her the opportunity to put herself asleep independently. It is easier for a baby who is well rested to fall asleep compared to a baby who is overtired. It is very common for parents to keep a baby up longer, thinking she will sleep better and longer. This is simply not true. The more overtired a baby gets, the harder it is to get her to sleep. If your baby has trouble falling asleep on her own you can be beside her and ssshhh/pat. This is easiest to do earlier in the daytime when they aren’t as tired as at the end of the day. At the end of the day you will probably need to assist in some way – either via swaddling, rocking until drowsy (a mother’s heartbeat has a calming effect on babies), or “bounce and walk”. If this doesn’t work for you, don’t fret.
The most important thing in the first three months is to get them to sleep, no matter how. If your baby develops a sleep prop such as an addiction to sleeping in the swing, or sleeping on Mom, that’s okay. There are methods you can use after 3 months to teach your baby how to fall asleep independently.
Creating Healthy Sleep Habits For Newborns
Lastly if you are a new Mom, don’t forget to take lots of pictures and record all those amazing milestones! It passes so quickly.
One day my daughter was starting school in Jr. Kindergarten, and the next thing I know she was blossoming into a tween! How the years go so fast is beyond me! I could tell her body was already going through physical and emotional changes associated with puberty. If you have a tween/teen, you know what I am talking about: the mood swings, the need to purchase a bra, the insecurity about her appearance, and more. Eventually, with these changes, will come many questions from your daughter.
I think as a parent it’s important not to rely on what they were taught in school about puberty and really have the talk with her. Even if she would say, “I know Mom”, I would ask her to tell me what she understood. Also listening to her concerns is extremely crucial, keeping the lines of communications open as well as letting her know that you are there for her.
Puberty Conversation with Your Daughter
Start the conversation early
For us, talking about being a woman would often happen at bedtime when she was relaxed in her bed and be more open to discuss puberty. She would have all of my attention and the same with me, just the two of us with no distractions. It’s a good idea to start the conversation at an early age like eight or nine years old, so your daughter won’t be frightened if she gets her first period earlier than anticipated. Most periods will start between the ages of ten and thirteen years old. One of my daughter’s friends was only nine years old when she had a first period, while my daughter was fourteen when she experienced hers.
1st conversation
To make her feel at ease, our first conversation was more about how it was when I had my first period and sharing my feelings and experiences with her. I was honest in my approach, and even mentioned that she might have some pain in the lower abdominal area and showed her. I didn’t want her to start panicking if she was not at home when it happened, so she would know that these symptoms were quite normal and that there was nothing to worry about.
Getting the Puberty Conversation Started with Your Daughter
2nd conversation
The second conversation was more on the physical and emotional changes she would be experiencing:
the pubic hair growing in places she would not ever image,
not all girls will develop these changes at the same age
Throughout the years, we have had many more talks and still do to this day (she is now nineteen years old). It’s nice to know that she values my opinion and trusts my judgement. For tips on how to talk to your daughter about puberty, you can visit Always website.
And when the day came, my daughter’s first period happened at school in grade 9 and she had an Always pad in her school bag. She knew what to expect and was prepared for it. Congratulations, you are now officially a woman! A celebration is in order!
Although this post has been generously sponsored by Always, the opinions and language are all my own, and in no way do they reflect Always.
So after last time’s article on the Best Exercises for Moms Part 1, there was a couple of exercises mentioned that you could do at home to help increase your upper body pushing and pulling strength. Two of the foundational movements that everyone should do in their workouts. Now, we’ll finish off the body completely with the additional three exercises to conclude the Best Exercises for Moms!
Vanessa pushing the prowler
Best Exercises for Moms Part II
Now these are nowhere near being a complete workout, but we’ve pretty much taken care of those body parts most women refer to as “the arms”, which pretty much is everything from the waist on up. I’m not sure why this generalization is made by women, but it happens a lot.
“Where do you feel this?” referencing a flat bench press being performed.
“In the arms!”
“The arms? Can you point to the muscles?”
“Yes, for sure,” client points towards the chest and tricep muscles.
“Okay, we’re good.” Smiling at the general area of work. It somewhat funny that most women break their body parts up into upper body segments and lower body segments, where there are a complicated mesh of different muscle groups throughout the upper body. But alas, now we’ll focus on engaging those pesky lower body muscles to build some muscle and burn tons of fat.
1. Hip Hinge
Now the hip hinge is one of those difficult moves that very few people do very well off on the first try, but it is ESSENTIAL for overall power production, strength and being able to move efficiently. The key element here is separating the hips from the lower back. In most instances the lower back must be kept flexed and tight throughout most weight lifting motions, especially when supporting a load. There are exceptions, but it takes a skilled individual to know the difference of when an arched lower back is acceptable form.
Now the best exercise you can do at home for the hip-hinge would be the kettlebell swing, which I’ve mentioned before in previous articles. Why Every Mom Needs a Kettlebell At Home. However, this is limited by the fact that you may or may not have a kettlebell handy. If so, well I’ll berate you appropriately later. Remind me will you?
Not having a kettlebell handy isn’t such a problem if you have a heavy suitcase though, because you can do suitcase deadlifts quite easily and the nice part is you can practice packing for that trip to Florida to escape the endless winter we’re having at the moment.
Simply fill up a big suitcase full of clothes, cooking utensils, whatever it takes to make a load. Make sure it’s not too heavy as you’ll want to at least be able to do some reps with it. Think of a week worth of clothes to start with as a load or something you would typically take on a trip with you.
Then straddle the suitcase and grab the external straps and lift to a full standing positions. Here’s the motion performed with a barbell called the sumo deadlift. It’s going to be the same motion, just with a wider stance and a suitcase. Perform for reps of 10-20 to help build up those sexy legs, butt and lower back.
2. Squat
Now, I’m not sure what program would ever be complete without some form of squatting. This is a key element for building up the leg musculature, plus enabling us to transfer force from the ground while keeping our upper body stable.
Now the basic premise is to throw the hips back, as one should always lead from the hips. Yes, ladies it means throw your butt back first. Sorry guys, it’s essential and I know it feels awkward to throw show off your backside, but just think of how it will look once you’ve sculpted it a bit. You should want to show it off.
Anyhow, throw those hips back and squat down by bending the legs. Keep the upper body fairly vertical until you can get the elbows in between the knees. If you can’t quite get there then work with the range you’ve got and gradually try to get lower and lower. If you’re already hitting the knees with the elbows for easy reps of 15-20 then you should try to load the movement either by holding onto some sort of objects like dumbbells or a big duffel bag will work for at home. Here’s a demo with a kettlebell.
3. Push-Pull-Carry
The push-pull-carry can be one of a variety of different movements to help build up the core, upper and lower body at the same time while moving the body under a load. Think of carrying heavy bags of groceries from the car into the house for this one. I’m sure you’re like me and you don’t like to make several trips back and forth from the car, so you loop bag after bag over the wrists and then lug all 20 bags up the stairs to the house at once. Am I right?
Remember how you’re heart and lungs were burning after this scenario, plus probably a little burning sensation throughout the arms and torso. Well, welcome to the loaded carry. Check out this video with some heavy kettlebell farmers walks!
You can use this similar method for helping train the body simply by grabbing onto that heavy suitcase or duffel bag and lugging it around the house. Try getting two heavy bags and lugging them for distance outside in your back yard until you’re feel like you’re going to pass out. Hold one overhead and walk around for a while, or hold onto one side at a time. This is some serious work folks and one that will benefit you in everyday living tasks (i.e. the groceries, remember).
Now if you’re not struggling and it feels easy, well, it’s too easy. Add some load. Change the position of the suitcase. Shift it to one hand and then when that one is ready to give out shift it to the other hand. Walk around the house and see how many laps you can do up and down the stairs. There’s a million and more combinations of this form. Check out one of my favorites with a heavy sandbag and the prowler (a loaded carry and push combo)!
Gotta a baby carriage? I’m sure you have one of those lying around. Get the kids ready for a long haul and load down the carriage with some extra weight. Try a couple of 1 liter water bottles in the bottom to add extra weight. Either push for distance or speed and let the kids enjoy the ride.
Remember, these are just some ideas that you can do at home in a pinch, but they’re very effective for putting together a full body workout that you can do on your time. Training the body for life and making yourself fitter, stronger and more resilient is the key. Work towards doing something physical everyday and make your life more awesome.
I had the great privilege of reviewing ‘Mickey’s Rockin Roadshow’. Even more excited then I was, were my two daughters. They are four years old and in love with the whole mickey mouse crew. They have seen the commercials on Disney Junior for the show and were ecstatic to know that we were going to check it out. The added bonus is it was being shown at the National Arts Center in Downtown Ottawa. We were very excited to go to such a beautiful venue.
Checking out the red carpet at the NAC.
We arrived 45 minutes early to pick up our tickets. I have never been to the National Arts Center with the kids so we decided to give ourselves lots of time. I was slightly unprepared for the menagerie of merchandise booths that you are presented with as soon as you enter the NAC. It was a child’s paradise and a parents nightmare. Overpriced Disney merchandise and lots of it, it is not hard to see how they make such a huge profit on these shows. These vendors only take cash, which can be stressful if you don’t tend to carry cash on you.
looking in awe at all the fancy toys.
The photo booth. You Could get your picture taken as a keepsake.
It really wasn’t too bad. I was able to pull my girls aside and explain to them that we cannot buy everything. They handled it well. Just a a note to other patrons, be prepared for the potential ‘I wants’ from your little kiddies. It is simply to hard for them to resist when it is right up in your face.
Before we went into the show we prepaid our parking. We were informed that if you prepaid inside the NAC, you saved $3.o0. ( Its the small victories that really count 🙂
We were allowed to go to take our seats 30 minutes before the show. My family and I were pleasantly surprised at how incredible out seats were. We were in the Orchestra about 15 rows from the stage. I highly recommend sitting in the orchestra. We had a clear view of the whole stage and were close enough to get right into the liveliness of the show.
Our view of the stage.
A major benefit to getting to our seat early was that were were able to get two booster seats for the kids to sit on. They have a very limited amount of boosters and they are on a first come first serve basis. You simply ask an usher for one and they will kindly assist you. As we patiently waited for the excitement to begin a voice came on the intercom system and explained everything we needed to know about the show. They also informed us that pictures and video were prohibited during the show. I really enjoyed that. It was nice not to see a ‘sea of screens’ in front of us.
The show began on a loud, excited and entertaining note. We were introduced to the ‘host’ of the show. He was entertaining, energetic and spoke clearly. He was like most Disney actors, full of spunk and kids loved him. The premise of the show was that Mickey, Donald, Goofy and Minnie were on a hunt to find some friends who wanted to participate in their talent show. They first met Cinderella and her step sisters. They then traveled to find Woody, Jessie and Buzz Light year from the ‘Toy Story’ movies and lastly they met up with Tigger from ‘Winnie the Pooh’. The first half of the show was all about the road trip to meet their friends and asking them to participate in their special talent show. Each meeting was filled with lively songs and dancing routines. They encouraged the kids (and parents alike) to get up dance and sing. It was tons of fun.
There was a short intermission before the troop preformed their much anticipated talent show. During the intermission, dancers from each act were walking around the orchestra. They were stopping to talk to the children. My precocious daughters waved down one of the female dancers. They loved her dress and hair bow and wanted to tell her. They chatted with her about her dress, their new shoes and the fact that they just turned 4. It was a very adorable conversation. What we didn’t know about these dancers is that they were looking for kids and parents to come on stage to be the opening act of the talent show. The very kind and patient dancer named Kimberly invited myself and my two girls on stage to preform in the opening act. It was so exciting! A once in a lifetime experience for my starstruck daughters.
The second act of the show began. Each ‘group’ had a talent show routine that was riveting. The music was fun and upbeat and the dancing was lively(think pop stars for little ones.) The whole second act made you want to have your own dance party. The show ended with a big bang. All the dancers were on stage, Donald let off a cannon of confetti and there were giant Tigger themed beach balls bouncing around the crowd. It was a hoot!
All in all the show was incredible. The actors, actresses and dancer were superb. The music was fun and uplifting. It simply had great entertainment value. The Venue was awesome and the service was amazing. The night was a big hit! I could not have asked for more fun night. I highly recommend this show to anyone who has an opportunity to attend one of ‘Mickey’s rockin roadshows’!
So you’ve decided to start a family or perhaps you already have a family and now you’re wondering—how do I get back that flat, tight tummy I had before the kids came along? This is a complicated question and one that ideally should be addressed earlier on, ahem, that means you should have already been training before getting pregnant. But in case you haven’t been exercising regularly, hitting those heavy weights and performing some type of cardio, here’s how you get your flat tummy BACK!
According to numerous reliable sources, women that are pregnant can do all the physical activity they like during pregnancy as long as they pay attention to how their body feels and don’t go over their limits. In fact, one of my closer fitness compatriots in the US, Dr. Cassandra Forsythe believes it’s in “your best interest to lift heavy weights and train as frequently as your body will allow” while pregnant.
Why?
Because you’ll have an easier time getting your pre-pregnancy body back, if you’ve already been exercising and training. As with everything it sucks starting over from scratch.
The Considerations During Pregnancy
Now there is plenty craziness going on in your body while you’re pregnant. One to keep an eye on is Diastasis Recti (DR), which is when there is separation of the front of your abdominal wall and it becomes stretched and weakened. This can generally be felt during pregnancy as the belly grows with child. Not all women get DR, but some do, and it doesn’t just go back into place post-pregnancy.
Certain activities must be avoided if DR is detected, but it does NOT mean that all strength and resistance training must be halted. It simply means you need to be aware that front planks and other front loaded activities may not be appropriate during the later courses of your pregnancy. Things like crunches, planks, ab rollouts and heavy deadlifts should be halted when this condition is found.
This is especially important if the abdominals haven’t been trained properly prior to conceiving. Additionally, it helps to prepare the body for such an event and train your abdominals correctly to be able to return to their natural state much faster.
Training Your Abdominals, Without Crunches and Sit-ups
With the issue clearly defined, the solution is often to just back off from doing front loaded activities and shift to more upright and stable versions of core training. Things like standing palof presses and side planks would help improve the core strength while shifting away from the midline of the body.
These are just a few suggestions. There are many other ways to train the core musculature other than doing crunches and sit-ups. In fact most upper body strength exercises involving kettlebells, barbells and dumbbells have an excellent core training effect if done properly.
Boring Anatomy Anyways. “Luke we’re going to have COMPANY!”
Your abs, after all, are more complicated than simply the front wall of the rectus abdominis that you admire on all the popular magazines with the ripped guys and gals. Yes, these series of bumps are displaying a very low level of body fat which is popular, but the abdominals are comprised of several layers of muscle, criss-crossing in a big X-shaped pattern for your obliques and a natural weight belt of tissue called the transverse abdominis deep underneath the rectus abdominis and obliques. This natural weight belt is the first stage for strengthening and helping have a safe and fit pregnancy.
Strengthening the Transverse Abdominis
First off, breathing technique should be the primary focal point of a woman’s program once she is pregnant. RN, Julie Tupler suggests that two exercises, the Elevator and Contraction should be utilized by women daily if pregnant in order to train their abdominals to sustain the rigors of labor as well as helping to support the spine. Her claims are influenced by the level of recovery and stretching capabilities of a strengthened pelvic floor muscle than can relax deeper than an untrained muscle.
These two exercises can greatly increase the body’s awareness of how to properly contract the transverse abdominals, which are harder to control than other muscles that you can see. We do a similar exercise at Hostyle, which we call crocodile breathing where you lay on your back and focus on taking deep breaths into the abdominals. This helps engage the abs and teaches the body how to contract its natural weight belt. Check out the video below for a demonstration.
Once the body is familiar with contracting and controlling the transverse abdominals it will assist with all the necessary lifts in the weight room. Having your transverse engaged will increase the overall amounts of weight you can use while safely supporting the spine and preventing injury.
Not to mention increasing the ability to contract your abdominals for several hours during pregnancy. Heck, they might even be so strong after you’re done you’ll just have one solid push and the kid flies out…probably not, but it’s feasible.
Women’s Training
Training women to be strong, fit and resilient is essential for long term health. There are so many aspects about maintaining your level of fitness that can be of benefit to young mothers. Check out another post of how strength training can benefit young mothers. Fitness for Moms!
The goal is not simply to help improve your lives, but make those lives extraordinary. As a trainer and coach for many mothers it’s important to help maintain your exercise habits during pregnancy, keep strong, sustain a good level of posterior chain strength, mobility and core endurance. All of these things will help you have a strong and fit pregnancy, as well as reduce the amount of time it takes to get that flat tummy back.
I get a lot of questions on my blog and from my clients about window treatments. Curtains and blinds can give a room that finishing touch, add depth, height and drama. Here are some Tips for Choosing the Right Curtains!
These are popular questions that I’ve been asked:
How long should my curtains be?
Typically, your curtains should just “kiss” the floor. There is nothing worse than seeing fabulous curtains that are just too short. It’s kind of like wearing pants that are too short. It just doesn’t work. Don’t do this:
Too short!
If you have high ceilings then this becomes tough when the standard curtain length is too short. There are some stores out there that offer 96″ length curtains Ie: Bouclair and Fabricland but you can also add some fabulous fabric to the curtain at the bottom or top of your curtain to add length and give it that wow factor. If you can’t sew it yourself then take it to a seamstress and it shouldn’t be too expensive as it’s simple for them to do.
Also, hang your curtains as high as you can. This will add height to your space:
Should I have blinds and curtains?
This is a great question. Blinds and curtains can create depth, texture and a high end look without going custom. For example, you can hang bamboo blinds in the window and then add side panels. This is a great option if you have a large window, need privacy and don’t want to go custom with your drapes to fit across the window. Young House Love has done this in their living room here. Looks great and it’s super inexpensive.
What are my option for curtain pleats?
There are lots of options out there.
Just don’t go with the “tabs”. They don’t hang right and look cheap. Don’t do it!
Curtains can really finish a room. Don’t forget to budget for them. If you want to go custom, they will certainly be beautiful but make sure your confident in your measuring. It’s best to get the seamstress or company to measure for you. However, you don’t have to go custom to create impact. If you have any other questions, I would be happy to answer them in the comment section.
Even if you’re not going to build a snowman this weekend, you can still have some Frozen fun in anticipation of the release of Disney’s Frozen on Blu-ray Combo Pack on Tuesday, March 18th! Check out our Frozen Movie review HERE!
Frozen is about a kingdom that falls under what looks like an eternal winter. Sisters, Anna and Elsa, are left to fend for their own after the loss of their parents and must rule all of the kingdom, but Elsa has a secret that she has kept hidden from everyone, including her sister Anna. Once Elsa has come of age and has been crowned queen, things take a turn for the worse and it is up to Anna and some unlikely sidekicks to bring their kingdom back together and save everyone from what looks to be a freezing future.
Disney Frozen Activity Games and Sheets
Frozen won two Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (“Let It Go”), the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film, the BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film, five Annie Awards (including Best Animated Feature), two Grammy Awards for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media and Best Song Written for Visual Media (“Let It Go”), and two Critics’ Choice Movie Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (“Let It Go”).
From Wikipedia
Disney Frozen Activity Games and Sheets
In celebration of the release of Disney’s FROZEN on Bluray combo pack, please find below fun friendship Frozen activities inspired by the film! Make your own princess capes and honour a relationship with a sister or someone who is like a sister to you with sister bracelets! And check out the activity pages below featuring a rock troll craft, colouring pages and more! You can also get more Frozen activities on the Disney website!
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s common for parents to want to provide their children with every opportunity possible to learn, grow, and excel. From sports teams and music lessons to coding classes and academic enrichment programs, the list of structured activities available for kids seems endless. While these activities can certainly offer valuable benefits, there’s an ongoing debate about whether too much structure and scheduling can actually be detrimental to a child’s development.
Structured Activities for Kids
I will begin explaining my own experiences with structured activities. My daughter, Mary, participates in more structured activities than I do. Over her lifespan, she’s completed multiple sessions of Monkey Rock, swimming and gymnastics. She has also benefited from semi-regular attendance of library programs and Brinkeetos. While I was on maternity leave, we both looked forward to weekly playgroup. And I am probably even forgetting a few things…
Mary taking an unauthorized break during gymnastics. Photo by Samantha Ball.
As a mom am I Overscheduling Activities?
Somehow, I’ve become the mom that over-schedules her kid and lives to regret it. Mary seems to be having a blast, but Mommy is wondering where the weekend went.* Sundays (which should really be legally enforced as a day of rest for everyone) are all Mary now. In the morning, I take her to gymnastics, where she runs and tumbles with her friend Liam. At just two-years-old, Mary is one of the youngest in the class and doesn’t always follow instructions. Last week, her teacher called her a “little troublemaker” when she ran off and interrupted some of the older kids during their routines. He was joking. I am pretty sure anyway…
We don’t often last the full hour of gymnastics—though Liam will usually listen and hold out for the reward of a sticker from the teacher, Mary isn’t so easily bought. She wants to run, explore and join the older kids. Inevitably, all the running off, mixed with sporadic attempts at the routines the teacher has laid out for her cause her to tire out. A few times she’s simply stretched out on the ground or a mat and said she was “going to sleep”. So, usually I pack her up and she happily heads home for lunch about 20 minutes before the class ends.
We go home for lunch, she has a nap and then it’s time to gear up for swimming lessons. Swimming lessons seem to be a favourite. She wants to put her bathing suit on at least an hour in advance. But swimming lessons follow a similar rhythm—she wants to do her “own thing” rather than demonstrate a variety of skills in the order the teacher asks her for them. Last week, she insisted on doing things “all by herself” and surprised me by tucking her floaties under her arms and swimming over to the instructor. Unfortunately, his back was turned and he missed her attempt to show off for him.
Later though, he did see her screaming at the top of her lungs while she tried to scale the side of the pool in an attempt to get out and to the slide. So, he promptly brought the whole class to the next station —where the slide was. I didn’t know if I should be mortified or grateful. When we got to that location, I did let Mary use the slide, but only after she practiced her “kicks” —what she’d refused to do while trying to escape the big pool.
So, what are kid’s structured activities supposed to be like? What is the purpose for parent and child? Are these activities and the strict rules and expectations too much for a 2-year-old?
The Potential Downsides of Overscheduling
While the benefits of structured activities are clear, there’s a growing concern that many children today are simply doing too much. Overscheduling activities can lead to a variety of issues, including:
Stress and Burnout
When kids have jam-packed schedules with little downtime, the constant pressure to perform and excel can become overwhelming. This can lead to high levels of stress, anxiety, and even burnout, putting their mental and physical health at risk.
Lack of Free Play and Unstructured Time
In the quest to maximize a child’s potential, many parents inadvertently rob them of the essential free time needed for imaginative play, independent exploration, and simply “being a kid.” This unstructured time is crucial for a child’s cognitive, social, and emotional development.
Family Strain
Shuttling kids from one activity to the next, often with conflicting schedules, can put a significant strain on families. Parents may struggle to find quality time to connect with their children and tend to other important responsibilities.
Narrowed Interests and Passions
When children are pressured to excel at multiple activities, they may not have the opportunity to truly explore their unique interests and discover their true passions. This can lead to a sense of being stretched too thin and a lack of genuine engagement.
Increased Risk of Injury
The physical demands of certain structured activities, combined with a lack of rest and recovery time, can increase a child’s risk of overuse injuries. This is especially true for young athletes who participate in the same sport year-round.
Finding the Right Balance
So, how can parents strike the right balance and ensure their child’s schedule isn’t becoming too packed? Here are some tips:
Start with Your Child’s Interests
Rather than signing your child up for a wide range of activities, begin by identifying their natural interests and talents. Encourage them to explore activities they’re genuinely excited about, rather than ones you think they “should” be doing.
Set Realistic Limits
Decide on a reasonable number of structured activities per week, taking into account your child’s age, energy level, and other commitments. For younger children, experts generally recommend no more than 1-2 activities per day, with ample free time in between.
Build in Downtime
Make sure your child’s schedule includes plenty of unstructured time for free play, relaxation, and family bonding. This could mean setting aside specific evenings or weekends with no scheduled activities.
Prioritize Sleep and Self-Care
Ensure your child is getting the recommended amount of sleep for their age and building in time for healthy habits like exercise, nutritious meals, and stress-relieving activities.
Communicate and Adjust as Needed
Regularly check in with your child to gauge their anxiety and stress levels and overall well-being. If they seem overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to adjust their schedule or drop certain activities, even if it means missing out on an opportunity.
Set Boundaries with Extracurricular Providers
Don’t be afraid to push back against unreasonable demands or expectations from coaches, instructors, or activity organizers. Your child’s health and happiness should be the top priority.
In today’s fast-paced, achievement-oriented world, it’s easy for parents to get caught up in the trap of overscheduling their children. While structured activities can offer numerous benefits, it’s crucial to find the right balance and ensure kids have ample time for free play, relaxation, and family connection.
As for me, I view Mary’s activities as a fun outing for mother and daughter and an attempt to teach Mary about structure and introduce her to a variety of skills. But maybe that’s a rosy-coloured view of the real situation—that I sign my daughter up for lots of activities because she does enjoy herself and I am not sure how to spend time with a two-year-old (can I conjure up something equally as interesting for her at home?). Maybe I need to dial back on structured activities and just look for my inner kid.
*P.S. I know there are lots of sports parents who spend all weekend at the arena and/or on the basketball court, soccer field, etc., perhaps you can share some tips on keeping a balance!
How is my child doing? Is about the worst question you can ask a teacher. We hear it all the time. Here are 5 questions you need to ask your child’s teacher during parent-teacher interview.
Usually, if there is some kind of issue with your child, or something they are having trouble with, you would have heard about it by now. At least for me, I view teacher interviews as a chance to get to know the parents of my students, and to address and concerns they might have.
If you want to get the most out of your parent-teacher conference, then walk in armed with these questions:
1. Does my child enjoy class? What subject do they excel at the most?
This is a great question to get a dialogue started. You want your child to like school, and be motivated to do well. Teachers see a different side to you child than you do at home. So it’s always good to ask.
2. Is my child proud of the work he/she produces?
Both you and the teacher want your child to do their best. If they are not performing to the best of their ability, now is the time to brainstorm about how this can be improved. Ask to see examples of your child’s work, and you can discuss together whether what your child is handing in is acceptable or not.
3. Does my child follow directions?
Do they do what they are supposed to directly after being told? Do they get working at the task at hand, or do they sit and socialize? Or perhaps they are lost and rather than ask for help, they will sit and not try? Parents can help the teacher by giving insight as to how their child deals with problems, is motivated, and approaches new experiences/new information.
4. How does my child interact with others?
Kids will act differently at school and among their peers than they do at home. It’s good to find out how your child behaves (or maybe doesn’t!) in the classroom and with others. We all act a little differently, depending on where we are. Your child is no different. You may see a different version of your child at home than their teacher does at school.
5. Who does my child interact with at school? Do they have a hard time finding a partner, or someone to play/work with?
It’s always good to know who your child’s friends are. They will have a significant impact on your child. You also want to know if your child is an outcast, and if so, what the reasons may be for them to be treated as such. Perhaps they are shy? Bossy? Lazy? And I don’t know about you, but it helps to put the stories that come home into context! Kids love to exaggerate.
These questions will help to get the dialogue rolling, but also to help paint a better picture of how your child is doing at school, without having to ask the dreaded question:
How is my child doing?
Shannon Wijnker is a Canadian teacher who is currently on maternity leave. She has had four children in the past five years and blogs about her experiences with them, as well as pregnancy, parenting and education.
You’re a busy gal on the clock 24/7 with very little time to waste and when you do find the time to get in your daily dose of exercise it’s got to be good, right The solution? Here are the first 2 of the best Exercises for Moms they can do at home to get in a great workout without a whole bunch of equipment and still stimulate a large amount of muscle mass, burn fat, and build those sexy arms and legs that all moms want.
This much I know…. there are a lot of fluffy exercises out there that don’t really do you much good in the long run and there’s a whole bunch of really awesome exercises that you may not be comfortable doing or may not have access to the proper equipment and tools to get the ideal workout you want.
Woman exercising
2 Best Exercises for Moms (Part I)
How to Choose the Best Exercises
Now, choosing the right exercises was no easy task as there are a million permutations of the same exercise, but slightly different forms involved in every exercise. However, all exercises must function with how the body moves as an integrated system and the best exercises from that list all are comprised in what can be referred to as the fundamental movements.
Now I’m going to steal (pun, get it?) this from another strength coach whom I most admire and respect, Dan John, who states that you have to do these 5 movements to enjoy the benefits of an optimal workout and I totally agree.
All moms should be able to push, pull, hip hinge, squat, carry-push-hold something heavy and move with it. Pretty reasonable, right?
So that’s the basic template of our 5 Best Exercises for Moms. Today, which we’ll cover the push and pull.
1. The Push
The easiest and most steadfast exercise of all time that receives a lot of praise from coaches and trainers, but not enough praise by the everyday exerciser is THE PUSHUP. This seemingly simple exercise is vital to develop strong shoulders, triceps and chest muscles, along with a crazy amount of core strength and shoulder-scapular stabilizers.
Here’s Renee busting out a set of full body push ups!
Now, we’re not talking about the kneeling variety of push ups, we’re aiming for full body from the toes to the hands push ups. These babies will build up some serious strength and have you sweating from head to toe in no time.
Start by placing your knees underneath your hips, hands directly underneath the shoulders, extend your feet out straight behind you and stabilize your core by tightening your abs and butt. Now start the downward phase by bending the elbows and come down as low as you can to the floor.
Tough, huh? Not to worry. Start with what you can do, even if it’s one and work up to 10 quality reps.
Once you can do 10 by yourself start experimenting and adding sets.
2. The Pull
Now finding something to pull nowadays is a bit tricky, as we’re more of a push away based society with everything except the plate of mashed potatoes and gravy at dinner. Probably need to spend more time doing the push away on this one, but alas, for pulling you just need a heavy luggage bag or an object with a handle.
If you have a kettlebell that would be an awesome tool to use. Just saying…check out one rowing version with KETTLEBELLS HERE. Note you can do this with one kettlebell, the body position is the same.
Now position yourself in a L-Shape position, by sticking out your butt, chest almost parallel with the floor. Yes, sticking your butt out, while keeping your back nice and flat. Then row that suitcase right to your chest and back down. For added effect pack like you’re going to Florida for a month to escape this never ending winter we’re in.
The pull is easy, as long as you remember not to pull with your arms. Pull with your elbows and drive them back like you’re elbowing someone in the gut. “Get off me creep!” or “honey, not now!” whichever scenario best works for you.
In an ideal world you would want to pull slightly more than you push, because we use a lot of those pushing muscles every day. But our pulling muscles get neglect and overly stretched, which causes us a lot of headaches. Literally in some cases. The end state is you want to pull more than you push. So double the amount of pulls to pushes you do in a workout.
The 5 Best Exercises for Moms
But What About The Abs
The abdominals are another issue entirely, which most often than not is directed by endless sets of sit-ups and crunches; however the problem lies in the fact that those exercises don’t really burn off a lot of body fat, as much as you would like to do 50 sit ups and crunches while imagining your body fat melting off in the nice burning sensation you just created in your abdominal cavity.
Sorry, you may be burning some calories, but you’re probably not burning a whole lot of fat.
Stick with these two big movements that hit the abdominals in the way they’re suppose to be trained anyway (abs and core muscles are designed for stabilizing the spine, not necessarily flexing it repeatedly).
Then hit some sit ups or crunches if you want or try some planks. Those are always a nice overall core strengthener. Probably not a good idea if you’re suffering from some issues post pregnancy or during pregnancy. Stay tuned for another post featuring getting your abs back after baby!
Done!
Thus concludes the first segment of the Best Exercises for Moms. Don’t worry there’s more to come that will give you even more bang for your buck at home. There’s really little excuse not to workout anymore. We all need to exercise and know it helps us through our daily lives, despite the “I don’t have time” excuse that is popular nowadays. Just think of it as a necessity to keep yourself tuned up and able to conquer the world if you had to. Now, check out Best Exercises for Moms Part II!
Besides you never know when Russia is going to like invade or something…
Give me a tag on Facebook if you like my articles! Click CPT SMASH for the link.
I took part in the JILLIAN MICHAELS BODYSHRED™ class exclusive to GoodLifeFitness and led by Jillian Michaels herself! I was a little nervous at first because I had not been to a gym in ages, but everyone at GoodLife Fitness was nice and friendly. They helped to put my nerves at ease. I also spoke to some of the other winners of this experience while waiting for the class to begin. They were a bit apprehensive as to how well they were going to fair during the class, but, like me, meeting Jillian Michaels and taking a class instructed by her overrode our anxiety about the class.
Unfortunately, I did not get to meet the GoodLife Fitness JILLIAN MICHAELS BODYSHRED™ contest winner from Ottawa Mommy Club, Natalie Fraser, at the event. I did communicate with her before and after the class, and she told me that this experience was amazing, and that she had a lot of fun taking part in the class.
Excited to Meet JILLIAN MICHAELS
Jillian Michaels BODYSHRED™ is a fun 30-minute high-intensity interval/circuit workout that will help me achieve my goal of becoming more fit and tone during shorter workout periods. Jillian Michaels BODYSHRED™ is perfect for a busy mom like me who does not have a lot of time in the day for working out, and I miss being more active and having fun at the same time.
Once we were ushered into the class, we took our places around the room, got our weights from the back of the class, and received some final instructions from Jillian’s assistant instructor before Jillian Michaels came in. When Jillian Michaels did enter the room, all anyone did was roar and cheer that she had arrived! When Jillian Michaels reached the stage, everyone squished themselves as close as they could to hear her speak. She was really nice, she had a huge grin on her face, and we shared a few laughs with her. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and it allowed me not to be as worried about the work-out I was about to experience as much.
Working out with JILLIAN MICHAELS
The time had finally come to start the class. During the warm-up, we were put through our paces to elevate our heart rates. I found that most of the moves were easy to do, and it was easy to keep up with the pace of the class. Jillian Michaels even gave us a head’s up what the next move would be so we would not surprised by the change.
GoodLife Fitness JILLIAN MICHAELS BODYSHRED™ Class Review
The core portion of the work-out was a bit of a challenge if you have not experienced a high intensity work-out before. There were some moves I attempted and was not able to execute perfectly, but Jillian Michaels just looked at us and smiled, knowing that you were trying and not giving up. That motivated me to keep doing the work-out. On the moves I could execute, I was kicking, punching and jumping my heart out to make up for the moves I could not do. Jillian Michaels nodded in my direction during one of these moments. She was also personally interacting with members of the class. Some of these lucky individuals got to punch her hand so they would work harder, or she helped to correct their stance. It was so encouraging; it really made you want to work harder!
When she announced it was time for the cool down portion of the class, I thought I had heard her wrong. It felt as though we had only started doing the actual work-out. The class had really flown by! I was just getting into all of the planks, burpies and rock-star jumps we were doing. The moves during this final section of this class were also easy to execute, and Jillian Michaels encouraged us to finish the class strong, telling us not to slack off because we were almost done.
When the class was over, Jillian Michaels gave the class praise for all of the hard work we put into the work-out. After she left, we were given a swag bag by GoodLife Fitness as a thank you for attending the class.
Once I left the work-out studio, I felt great! Sure, I was sweaty and a bit winded, but I felt energized, as though I could have done a few more minutes, too.
Looking back on the class a few hours later, I still cannot believe how great the GoodLife Fitness JILLIAN MICHAELS BODYSHRED™ work-out was to do. It was fun to meet new people who were at various levels of physical fitness, to complete a 30-minute work-out with heart-pumping music, and of course, to have been instructed by Jillian Michaels herself. This experience convinced me to take more GoodLife Fitness JILLIAN MICHAELS BODYSHRED™ classes so I can continue to work-out and try to achieve my goal of becoming a healthier, more in shape version of myself.
If you are like me, trying to get in shape and have fun doing it, then you should give GoodLife Fitness JILLIAN MICHAELS BODYSHRED™ class a try! Go to GoodLife Fitness JILLIAN MICHAELS BODYSHRED™ if you would like to have more information about the class, watch a video of part of this amazing work-out, or to try a class for yourself! It is an experience you will never forget!
Disclosure: Although this post has been generously sponsored by GoodLife Fitness, the opinions and language are all my own, and in no way do they reflect GoodLife Fitness.
The majority of the families I meet with think they have their biggest liability (their home) covered with mortgage insurance that they got from their lender. The problem I find is that typically the person selling the mortgage never took the necessary education, training and licensing to sell life insurance and are not qualified to explain a complicated and important product to people that depend on it. Plus they end up overpaying thousands of dollars over the life of their mortgage – money that could be put to better use.
It’s not lying if they don’t explain how it really works right?
Often the lack of disclosure on how mortgage insurance really works that leave you believing that if they accept the insurance and pay the premiums the policy is guaranteed to payout if they suffer a critical illness, disability or if they die. This is not true, just because you make your payments and you checked a couple of boxes on the form, does not approve you for coverage. When your family needs to make a claim the bank’s insurance company will begin the underwriting process. This means that they will now look at your medical history and then decide if you should be covered. So imagine if you passed away, or get diagnosed with cancer, your family is grieving and now they have to wait for the decision of whether or not the policy will payout. There are plenty of horror stories of claims being denied or families having a difficult time collecting as seen in this CBC Marketplace episode In Denial.
Is there a better option?
If you meet with an independent insurance broker, they will be able to assess your insurance needs, explain all your insurance options, answer any questions and save you money. With actual life insurance you have lots of options that typically cost less than the mortgage insurance you get from a bank or lender and is guaranteed to payout because you go through the underwriting process upfront. If you die, your family gets the tax-free money and choose what to use it for.
The bottom line is you could be paying less and have a guaranteed tax-free benefit for your family when they need it the most.
The information is of a general nature only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. It should not be used, relied upon, or treated as a substitute for specific professional advice. I recommend that you obtain your own independent professional advice before making any decision in relation to your particular requirements or circumstances.
I’ll be honest, I don’t normally drink energy drinks or vitamin waters, so I was unsure of Karma Wellness Water for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I had heard that vitamin water was actually pointless because a vitamin’s potency deteriorates in water making vitamin water nothing other than flavoured water. The other reason was taste and ingredients. I am very picky when it comes to flavoured anything and I avoid artificial colours, flavours, and sweeteners as much as possible.
Karma Wellness Water
Karma Wellness Water Review
So, the first thing I did when my sample pack of Karma Wellness Water arrived was check the ingredients. I was pleased to see that the drinks contain no artificial ingredients as well as no preservatives. In fact, to keep the sugar content lower, Karma Wellness Water uses a combination of pure cane sugar and stevia, a natural sugar substitute.
I then read all of the ingredients to see if regularly consuming Karma Wellness Water is healthy. According to their website, every bottle of Karma contains 110 percent (or more) of the recommended daily allowance of seven essential vitamins, including vitamins A, B3-Niacin, B5-Pantothenic Acid, B6, B12, D, and E. So, the answer is yes, but no more than one bottle per adult should be consumed daily, and if you are pregnant or nursing you should take extra precautions by reading their FAQ. My recommendation is that if you are looking to consume any vitamin water on a daily basis for a prolonged period of time, consult your physician – just to be sure it’s for you.
Did I like the Karma Wellness Water?
Despite my initial hesitations, I really liked Karma Wellness water, and not just because each drink is low calorie – only 20 calories! Each flavour: Orange Mango (Sharper Thinking), Raspberry Guava Jackfruit (Fitness Accelerator), Acai Pomberry (Immunity Booster), Passionfruit Green Tea (Mood Elevation), and Pineapple Coconut (Vitality) tastes good and don’t leave an after taste. My favourite flavour was the Passionfruit Green Tea. It was so refreshing and flavourful – it was the perfect pick me up on what was otherwise a dreary winter day. Each drink is specially formulated with a certain state of wellness in mind – and I don’t know whether it was the vitamin mixture or the flavour, but Karma’s Passionfruit Green Tea definitely enlightened my mood!
Patented Protective PushCap
Adding to their great taste is Karma’s unique patented protective PushCap that lets you choose when you want to add the vitamins to the water. To release the vitamins, you simply use your thumb and push down on the cap. Then gently shake the bottle, open and your drink is ready – complete with fresh vitamins that have not deteriorated in water like other premixed vitamin waters.
Where To Buy Karma Wellness Water
Karma is available for purchase at several national retailers including Macs, 7-eleven, and Metro. If you are interested in vitamin waters, give Karma Wellness Water a try! It’s nutrition into the water and it replenishes your body. Karma Wellness Water delivers 6x the active ingredients than premixed vitamin waters. It’s formulated with antioxidants and superfruits. It tastes great and because you add the vitamins when you are ready to drink it, you know you are getting what you paid for!
For more information on the benefits of Karma Wellness Water and how to purchase some, visit http://drinkkarma.com/. Karma Water also offers Karma Probiotics water and Karma Kids water Products!
Disclosure: For the purposes of this review, I received the above mentioned products free of charge and with compensation. All opinions are my own.
Buying your first home will probably be the biggest financial transaction you will ever make (a close second is your hydro bill). The idea of finally being able to have your very own home is an exciting and stressful time – looking at houses on MLS, picturing your kids playing in a big backyard, having family over for special occasions, decorating and renovating the house in the way you like it. The last thing you think about is paying the mortgage, property taxes, heat and hydro and mowing the lawn – although some guys do dream about sitting on a ride on lawnmower.
With our current low mortgage rates, buying a home has become very affordable and there is a wide variety of houses to choose from, it is important to know that there are other costs associated with buying a home apart from paying the mortgage. If it is your first time buying a house, you might overlook other costs of buying a home due to the excitement the process involves and jumping in headfirst into home ownership.
The unexpected costs might be the determining factors between enjoying your new home and putting a strain on your finances and your relationship. You will not just spend what the lender qualified you for the mortgagefor the house. You will have to spend on other things such as decorating, repairs, improvements, moving and maintenance, just to mention a few.
Happily ever after
If you are a happy couple buying your first home, you might possibly have some disagreements during the home buying process. When looking at houses you might like the kitchen layout but your partner thinks the garage is too small and so on and so on. Before you start looking, it might help to sit down and discuss just what are the important features and ones that you are flexible on in your dream home. Create a checklist to bring with you to each showing and take notes so you can write down your likes and dislikes and talk it over accurately after.
Before meeting with the lender, do a mortgage application checklist with your spouse and go over your finances together– savings, debts and any credit issues you might have. Decide together on the size of the mortgage you are both comfortable carrying and look at your monthly cash flow to make sure it works. By doing this there will be no surprise credit card debt that the other didn’t know about, you will have a realistic expectation of the mortgage amount you can qualify and you can fix any financial issues that may come up during your meeting with the lender.
If both of you are on the same page financially and know what your budget can handle, you will be able to solve any financial issues that come up together and stay a happy couple after you move in (that is not a guarantee and please don’t call me settle any domestic disputes).
Not just a mortgage payment
Other unexpected costs include simultaneous unforeseen expenses such as a stove that needs to be replaced and then your car breaks down. In the event that your cash flow is tight, such expenses can overwhelm you and a stove and a car are things that you might not be able to go without for a long time. You need to have about 5,000 to 10,000 dollars in your savings which you can easily access anytime when you need it.
Taxes (Yay!) are also part of the costs you will have when buying a house. As a homeowner, you will be required to pay property taxes. These taxes can be part of your mortgage payment or you can pay it separately. If it is part of your mortgage payment one thing to be aware of is that your taxes for the home can still rise even if you are on a fixed rate mortgage. This will in turn increase your mortgage every month.
Wait there’s more – the utility bills such as water, heat and hydro. Note that these costs may be slightly higher in your home, so you should be prepared to pay more. You will also have to pay for the internet, cable and phone bills, which you might not have paid for if you were living in apartment or with you parents.
When you are moving things to your new home, there are more expenses. You could pay a moving company, or you could rent a truck and bribe friends and family to help with food and drinks. In which case, you would need to rethink the moving process altogether.
Put Money Aside for unanticipated expenses
When buying a house, you should make a point of setting aside a “Surprise!” account for unanticipated expenses such as a roof leak or a broken appliances. A month after we bought our first home we had to replace the stove as it became extremely hot on the outside when it was on. Even though you may have homeowner’s insurance cover, it is not something that you can totally rely on since it may have gaps and therefore there may be some things it does not cover.
It is important for you to be aware of the coverage limits of the homeowner’s insurance plan you take as well as deductibles. Before you take an insurance plan, you can shop around and compare the rates so as to use the best one that will allow you to save money with a policy that covers your house as well as automobiles.
These are just a few examples of the additional costs and relationship challenges of buying and owning a home. For more information or questions, you can e-mail your me at info@AndrewWBradley.ca or Tweet them to @AndrewWBradley.
Remember the first time you first walked into the gym? How did those first few moments feel? It was either a wondrous and fascinating experience or else it was like walking into a torture chamber filled with a variety of complex machinery, unfamiliar people who were all in far better shape than you and kept staring at you as if you were growing a second head out of your shoulder. Sound familiar? This is a case of gym paranoia and it’s more common than you might think.
Overcoming Scary Gym Paranoia
If you’ve struggled with losing weight your whole life, were never very athletic or involved in sports and have never participated in any physical activity short of taking the stairs at work because the elevator went out again, then the latter scenario probably fits.
In looking around the typical gym environment, you have the “meatheads” hoisting up heavy weights in the squat rack and slamming weights down on the floor. The “fluffy bunnies” are powering their way through a variety of cardio machines, hardly breaking a sweat and yet they still look fabulous, and then you have the regulars that walk around soaking you in with their eyeballs inherently telling you that you don’t belong. Or at least so it seems.
The gym can be a very intimidating and frustrating experience for many individuals. Especially those whom it would benefit the most. So how can you get past the emotional trauma associated with the average person entering into the gym for the first time?
Solutions to Gym Paranoia: Five Tips to Help you choose a gym
1. Choosing a good gym
Choose a gym membership that fits your needs is also going to be a big part of the process. Bigger commercial gyms are generally not going to be ideal for the average gym goer who has little experience or low self-esteem. Most gyms are setup so newer members get an orientation or are shuttled right into a personal training program or at least have an orientation setup; however, this often does not ease a members fears when they come in by themselves.
One should definitely seek a gym that is open and caring towards new members. One that has an orientation process or offers at least an assessment for newer members to get them started. You can often tell the quality of the gym simply by the front desk staff, as these are the first people to greet you as you walk in the door. If they are smiling and learn your name you can tell this is a good gym.
2. Start with What You Know
If you’re a newbie, don’t be intimidated, as everyone has to start somewhere. Even the loudest and most aggressive gym goers had to start somewhere. So just start with what you know how to do. Almost everyone has probably seen a treadmill before and should be able to walk. This is an easy way to start any fitness program. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the gym you can probably start a walking program without serious effort and at the same time you can get to know the gym, the members and the staff at the same time. The most important thing is to get started and get comfortable with your new environment.
They’ll be time enough to get into those uncomfortable resistance training programs later. The most important part is to get into the habit of going to the gym and doing something. Even if it’s tying your shoes and sauntering around the gym.
3. Get Started in a Class
Gyms that have group classes are an excellent way to break into fitness without the frustration of going at it alone. If you find one that offers a descent class that fits your schedule and your budget this can be the easiest way to get started in fitness with some social support built into the program. Trust me, some of the classes are packed with people and the regulars often have their own spots on the floor. It’s very common to develop close ties with these people.
More people find that hard exercise is easier with a large group of people also enduring the suck than going at it by themselves.
4. Find a Buddy
It sounds like a no brainer, but if you have a friend or partner that is willing to go with you to the gym it’ll be that much easier. Social participation is a big thing in the gym environment and it’s even easier if you’re starting off at about the same fitness level.
The only downside to this is the level of commitment of your partner and scheduling times. Ensure when you choose a partner, choose wisely as you won’t have much success if you and your partner are always at ends with scheduling or if you both have low motivation. Best case scenario choose someone whom is slightly better than you so that they can push you to a higher level.
5. Hire A Trainer
One of the biggest recommendations to help ensure your success is to simply hire a coach who knows what they’re doing. This can avoid spending a lot of time being frustrated and alone in the gym, plus it ensures you’re going to be exercising safely. Hiring the right coach can be frustrating at times, but within the first session with a trainer you can generally decide if this is the right coach for you. Trainers are a dime a dozen, but the biggest bonus to having a trainer is simply to help keep you motivated and accountable to someone. Plus they can help reassure your fears of exercising.
No matter how intimidating the gym environment can be the end state is to get you into shape and into a better quality of life. If you spend a little time and get situated in your new environment you’ll find that you’ll not only move better, feel better and enhance your overall body but you may even make some new friends in the process. Don’t be afraid of the gym, just find a good one!
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
