The real stuff

So, this client email couldn't go without mention.

You know, we are all grown women, respected in the community, role models for our children, professionals who demand respect in our lives and jobs, but it cracks me up that little inappropriate comments we're suppose to ignore...still manage to make us stand up a little taller.

Today, I received the following email from a long time client of StrollerFit. "Thanks to you and your classes I had a random guy say "nice tush" in the grocery store parking lot. Thanks! ;)"

You can be sure I'll keep adding those wall squats, lunges, leg lifts and bridges to each and every class! See ya in class tomorrow.

Fitness Takes No Holiday

As the Elk Grove mommymuscle group gets ready to start the Fitness takes no holiday promotion this month, I find myself looking through all the motivationals tips, articles, fitness facts, and quotes I can find. Check out this great article:

Health and Fitness take no Holiday!

The average American will gain four pounds between Halloween and New Year’s Day. Doesn’t sound like much? It’s just about enough to push you up to the next clothing size! From picking at the trick-or-treat candy and nibbling our way through Thanksgiving to “just a couple” canapés at the neighborhood Christmas party and a few too many nachos during a bowl game, the holidays are a minefield of calorific temptation. So how do you make sure the jeans you’re wearing now still fit in January? Moderation and exercise, of course!

One of the problems that comes with the holidays is increased stress. Where to spend them? What to buy? How can we accommodate everyone and make this the “dream” holiday we see on TV? Add it all up and our own health takes a back burner to our need to please those we love. As you already know, stress causes the body to release cortisol, a hormone that makes you feel jittery and fatigued – and causes your body to store fat. That’s not helpful when you’re faced with that party buffet! If you can’t find ways to cut your stress, try fighting fire with fire – add another 15 to 20 minutes to your daily workout. You’ll accomplish two things: flushing out that icky cortisol, and burning off an extra butter cookie or two.

If just thinking about adding exercise to your already-stretched holiday schedule causes you to stress out now, here are a few tips to help you get it done.

• Make sure you do both cardio and strength training. The combination will burn off calories and increase your metabolism – a great one-two punch for fighting that increase in calories. Head to your local StrollerFit® class to get both cardio and strength all in one workout!
• Sign up for a holiday sporting event. Runs and walks abound, and you can turn it into a family tradition. Or make a good game of touch football a staple of your family gatherings.
• No time for fitness on the holidays themselves? Enjoy your day of rest but have scheduled in a workout time for the days following.
• Check out StrollerFit’s new class restore the core™, not only will it shrink your waistline this holiday season but also teaches participants to breathe properly and maintain good posture. Proper breathing relieves stress and good posture will make all of those holiday photo ops a little less painful!
• Join forces with a buddy or a relative who needs a little positive reinforcement. Keep each other honest by checking in and providing discreet nudges to discourage that second trip to the dessert table. Make workout dates with your holiday health buddy and increase your chances of showing up for that session!
• Designate yourself as the driver who will not indulge in the alcohol. You’ll build good karma and keep yourself from an alcohol-driven junk food binge.
• Think of fitness as the holiday gift you are giving yourself!


Remind yourself that good health never takes a holiday! That doesn’t mean depriving yourself of all the fun this season brings – it just means making wise choices and finding ways to counteract not-so-wise ones. You do have willpower, self-control and the ability to do the right thing for your body. So skip the second helping, put down the “fun-sized” Halloween left- overs, and get to an exercise class. You’ll start the New Year looking great and feeling incredible!


StrollerFit® powered by mommymuscle® and restore the core™ classes are held nationwide, to find a class near you, visit StrollerFit.com today!

Fitness takes no holiday promotion begins Nov 23rd!!!

convention...ahhhhhh!

Last weekend was the National mommymuscle convention in Ohio. WOW, WOW, I just love convention! Imagine a large room full of women who are passionate about fitness, self confidence building, helping moms and side planks. It's ridiculous, we go to classes and presentations from 7am till 7pm, then we're still not done talking about it so we stay up till 1am chatting.

This truely is an inspiring group of women. Everyone shares ideas on new variations on the squat, how to tie mommymuscle gear into existing moves, success stories, new ways to bring new moms to classes, tracking attendance, book keeping, social networking and more.

My favorite part though is when we share exercise ideas. Seriously, someone will pull out a mommymuscle bar, show a new way to do a bicep curl...and instantly someone will join her and start singing song that matches it perfectly. Yes, yes, call me a strollerfit geek. It's true and I'm so very proud of it.

Can't wait to teach mommymuscle sculpt tomorrow and try out a couple partner moves I learned with my group.

Till next time....drop and give me 20. =)Wendy

skinny jeans

Reading the following note from a client who joined just a few months ago seriously, truthfully brought tears to my eyes. Call me a sap, but it just means so much to me. Hearing how support, schedules that work for moms, fitness formats that work and their hard work combine to build self confidence inspires me to get even better. So read on...

Hi Wendy!

I just wanted to write a quick note to say thanks. I can't tell you how scared I was to join a fitness class, or how glad I am that I did! I feel so accomplished after finishing the hot mama challenge! (Especially after the mile!)

Overall I feel amazing, I'm fitting in my "skinny jeans" that didn't even fit before I got pregnant, and, most importantly, I know I'm setting a good example for Harper. I look forward to class and am so glad to have made friends with other moms. So...THANK YOU!

See you on Monday!

Tracy Kempen

This mama has been dedicated, coming to StrollerFit and Restore the core regularly. Tracy has gone from shakey legs to perfect form V-sits. If you do it, it works. Cool ha?

She's also got a blog of her own, a subject near and dear to a mamas heart...cheap fashion. Check her out: http://tracyonthecheap.blogspot.com/ Wonder if I can get her to do a mommymuscle workout outfit...since I own very few "real" clothes.

Wendy

Self-esteem boosters for new moms, a must!

Ask any first time mom if her introduction to motherhood went as planned and she will more than likely laugh out loud at the thought before the word “no” comes out of her mouth! The laugh stems from the fact that she can’t believe how different “real life motherhood” is from what she thought it would be. Gone are the fantasies of being that mom who always looks great, never a pound overweight, is a fabulous fashionista, always perfectly accessorized, with salon perfect hair, flawless skin, radiant smile and a few perfectly well behaved children in tow. What replaces those fading fantasies can often times be more than a new mom bargained for or deserves! In fact without a few important strategies, moms can get lost in motherhood and feel as if they are nothing more than a supplier of food, keeper of the peace, maid and housekeeper. Before we know it a year has gone by and our bodies still look like they did when our baby was 2 months old, even worse we no longer recognize, nor like what is looking back. Self –esteem is long gone and instead of being confident in ourselves we begin to question who we are and what we are doing. This is not a healthy path that we moms lead our families down, after all moms are the C.E.O’s of their families health and well being. Confidence and healthy habits are ours to instill in our children and all moms will tell you that you have to practice what you preach, if you want it to stick. Healthy habits produce healthy bodies and minds, both of which are necessary for healthy levels of confidence and self-esteem. Proper care of our bodies is not limited to what we eat or how much we exercise, it is also dependant upon healthy routines with products that are good for us and for our environment. StrollerFit® powered by mommymuscle®, the country’s premier maternal fitness and exercise with your family program has partnered with Aveeno® to help moms take care of their bodies and their babies! Throughout the month of October StrollerFit® will offer a free week of classes to all new participants. New and existing participants will receive free samples of Aveeno® and Aveeno® Baby products along with tip cards that can help moms reclaim their bodies, treat their bodies right and set healthy habits for themselves and their families that will last a lifetime! Together we can build strong confident kids by building strong confident moms™. Visit strollerfit.com/elkgrove for more details or to find class location near you!

I'm so excited to start the hot mama fitness challenge tomorow! It's my favorite promotion, offer, special class, etc by far. Clients have the opportunity for even more personal attention and to see and feel the results they are working so hard for. Tomorrow, in our kick off classes (in strollerfit and in restore the core formats) we'll do initial physical challenges and measurements that will be our starting point. Then with each class, moms will complete chalenges as well as complete fitness and nutrition challenges at home. Buy only after comitting to 20 classes in 8 weeks on their way to becoming... One hot mama!
It's a catchy title, a whole lot of fun and produces some incredible boosts in self confidence, endurance and strength for participating mamas.

Watch for updates along our 8 week journey.

what an informative article

Just a teeny bit excited today...we had a reporter from the Elk Grove Citizen come to restore the core last week. Katie Freeman, a very nice, thorough reporter who asked lots of questions. She really was sure to get facts right and did a great job with this one.

The article is in the Elk Grove Citizen today, see it online at : Elk Grove Citizen

She's also included some comical notes in her blog at: http://katie-scoopegcitizen.blogspot.com/

Here's a preview:

mommymuscle
"Restore the Core" class fits moms' needs
By Katie Freeman

Every workout tool in Wendy Hoag’s “Restore the Core” abdominal fitness class for pregnant women and moms has a cute name with the word “mommy” in its title. But don’t let that fool you into thinking this class is all fuss, no muss. You’ll be sorely surprised.......

the kids are watching!!!

Christine sent this to me recently and I just had to share! Her son Alex is one of the first to participate in every StrollerFit class...helping us count, singing ABC's the loudest, etc. Apparently Tammy's StrollerFit circuit class has really gotten his attention too!





"I thought I'd send you a picture of Alex's exercise attempt. You will see 5 pieces of paper attached to the wall in our hallway.











I asked him what they were for, and he said they were for exercising. We then added an activity to each one. He chose Humpty Dumpty, 1,2 Buckle My Shoe, jumping jacks, hops, and push ups. I think he's been paying attention! Enjoy!

Always,
Christine"

We truely are building strong confident children but building strong confident moms.