Click here to view the embedded video.

Here’s another example of what interval training might look like… bursts of speed (or panic, depending on your perspective!) followed by short rest periods.

This is THE best type of exercise to incorporate in order to shed maximum fat and drop excess pounds.

I always say that when we let kids play like kids and provide them with healthy nutritional fuel (and a whole lotta’ love, support, joy and a spiritual foundation, of course), they can’t help but be lean, fit little dynamos!

Works for grown-ups, too! : )

Click here to view the embedded video.

In our home, we have this tiny little outdated bathroom that has the dubious distinction of being the warmest room in our house! This is very important to know when the temperatures drop!

Recently, I discovered two small people hanging out in this sauna of a room. They were my kids… doing math lessons! Too funny! Big sister was reviewing skip counting with her little brother as they sat on the floor in front of the heater.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to see quite as many of these moments anymore. Looks like the kids will be heading back to school in January… and their mommy has many mixed emotions, for sure!

I know  that we can maintain higher levels of health at home – we’re the only ones providing the nutritional choices – no toxic snacks or “treats”; there’s significantly less contact with other little runny noses and sneezes; less sitting at home;  no toxic chemicals used for cleaning, painting, bug sprays, etc.; no antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers to dumb-down their immune systems; and, most importantly, at home the kids are infused with an accurate paradigm of how health and sickness really happen.

Oy, what are we getting ourselves into?! (I know, I know… my expectations are pretty high! lol!)

On the other hand, a big part of me knows that it’s time for the kids to get back in the mix with their school buddies, a team of teachers, and a “brick & mortar” school. In many ways, they’ll be even happier at school. I know in my heart that I’ll see them shine in some new ways. It also brings me peace to know that the school they’re going back to is a fabulous school… a beautiful environment… and full of exceptional families with a deep sense of community. That part is very, very good.

The biggest concern, just like it was when we stepped back from school in the first place, is this: I don’t expect a school to “build” or add to my children’s health. That’s the job of parents, in my opinion. But, my feathers get ruffled when anyone or anyplace subtracts from our children’s health. The status quo approach to “health” (eating, “treating”, moving & thinking) is unfortunately well-versed at subtraction from overall optimal function.

I suppose that will be something we’ll need to proactively focus on as we move forward in this new leg of our journey. A critical component of growing up is learning how to make healthy choices in a less-than-healthy, oftentimes toxic world… whether we’re talking about nutrition, exercise, personal & household care and mindset, or more “worldly” concepts like commitment, honesty, integrity, responsibility, leadership, and moral character.

Big lessons for the little people! : )

While the kids played on the exercise mats, rode the bikes and played a healthy game of chase out in the open area, I did a treadmill work out followed by a bit of ab work.

I did a warm-up walk for a couple minutes, then did interval training for 25 minutes, then another 4 minutes of walking. The intervals were running at level 8.5, 9 or 10 for 60-90 seconds, followed by jogging at level 6 – 7 for a minute or two, then back up to 8.5 +. I’m not sure how many times I did this, but a hotel employee came in a couple times to ask if I was all right!! Guess I must have looked like I was working pretty hard!

The best part is being cheered on by the kids while sprinting! Funny!

We then spent the next couple hours swimming and playing in the pool before we headed out to the seminar for the afternoon and evening.

Good way to balance the day!

Workin' those legs!

Yesterday, we combined our Environmental Discovery Center field trip with a cardio work out for mom and dad, and a cardio/power work out for the kids!

My hubby and I rode our bikes around the entire metropark, pulling the kids behind us. Great work out! (This time, HE actually pulled the trailer… I would have packed more stuff in it, had I known!!)

It was approximately 45 minutes of quick-paced, hilly riding. Awesome!

We let the kids play for another hour or so on all the adventure and climbing equipment. Rock walls, rope climbing, maze, running the hills and stairs, as well as the usual crazy playground fun!

We all had fun running and chasing on the grassy hills! I love those “free-form” work outs!

Yesterday, we took our kids to Greenfield Village for a field trip. As a result, we walked for HOURS. Yes, hours! That’s got to count for something, right?!

Just to make sure that I fit in a little challenging movement, ‘cuz that’s the way my brain works, my daughter and I raced a few times in the open grassy areas! We could only get away with this silliness because we were some of the only people there yesterday, or so it seemed.

We also chased squirrels at the very end as the park was closing. We felt the need for sprinting and intense laughter, apparently! The squirrels were quite obviously enjoying this change of pace… they instinctively knew that we would never, ever hurt them… we just needed some bursts of speed!

An active lifestyle is always interesting!

The mighty kick!

Part of my focus with home schooling is to make sure I get the kids intentionally moving each and every day. Motion IS life, after all! And regular motion has been proven time and time again to build healthy brains. Kinda’ important in the whole educational process.

Plus, incorporating movement into the kids’ routine is my time to play phys-ed teacher and coach… my secret career passions, truth be known!!

Looking back on our first week of home school, we managed to do a pretty good job of this.

Each day, I had the kids get outside to jump on the trampoline, ride their bikes, play a game of tag, race, swim, or do something creative that was high intensity. We also fit in a couple endurance-type activities, like a long nature walk, a very long afternoon of bike riding, and even a bit of “endurance-type” running. (It doesn’t last long at this age!)

They also have their regular sports, like gymnastics and soccer, to keep them moving and entertained. Also, they seem to be quite infatuated with tree climbing right now. I looked over at them playing in the tree one day while I was weeding our vegetable garden and they clearly reminded me of the Von Trapp children from Sound of Music! Today, they decorated our tree with little buckets from their sand box.

As usual, we keep our neighbors amused and intrigued!

Of course, you know from previous posts, that anytime I work out they tend to join me as well with some wild and crazy shenanigans of their own! Little goobers! They’re completely loopy when I work out (making these high intensity work outs of late all the more challenging! I need to keep an eye out for a flying short person at all times!)

I’m totally surprised this week by how quickly they’ve “gotten into” their school lessons, which meant that I actually had to force them to take a break and MOVE a couple times! Silly kids. Guess we’ll have to have a lesson on proprioceptive-producing movement and how it stimulates the neurological pathways for learning, balanced emotions & moods, attention, memory and a feeling of well being. I’ll add it to the list of things to do for the upcoming week.

Maybe I need a whistle, if I’m going to play this gym teacher role!

Running on the same roads that I used to run over and over again years ago while I was growing up is always a trip! I never quite know exactly how it’ll affect me… sometimes it’s a trip down memory lane with lots of cracking up about fun times… sometimes it’s just hard to run down the same road that mom and I spent so many hours on together, walking, talking, laughing, loving. There have been some painful runs since mom died.

This time, apparently it inspired me to pretend I was back in high school and doing my track work outs! A completely different type of pain!

I went out for a nice 3.5 mile run… no hills at ALL where I grew up.

On my way back, the track team sprinter in me made an appearance! I did 1/2 dozen 100 meter full-out wind sprints… right where I used to train “back in the day”.

Did I say “full-out”? Yeah. The next day, my thighs were laughing!

I’m not sure if it was just because of the sprinting, since I DO do sprints pretty regularly. Maybe I pushed it even harder than usual, or maybe it was because of going on a run first, or maybe it was because I hadn’t had much protein for the previous 18 or so hours, or maybe it was because of the intense resistance training work out the day before running, or maybe it was because I had already been running up and down “the field” for an hour, playing soccer with the kids.

Who knows! All I know is that I felt like a teenager again when I was running! That was a blast!

Exercise is FUN!

Move, move, move. Your brain depends on it. Your ability to learn, and focus, and remember depends on it. Your immune system depends on it. Your state of mind depends on it. Your body composition depends on it. Your ability to offset chronic pain depends on it. Your LIFE depends on it!

Monday:
Rode bikes with my daughter for 45 minutes or so. Not fast. No speed records. No major fat-burning. Just consistent movement… and laughing… and lots of LOVE! The best exercise ever! Topped it off with a hearty game of tag, then reading together on the dock (brain exercise!).

Tuesday:
Posted resistance training work out already. Jumped on the trampoline with my peeps!

Wednesday:
Went for a 5 mile run. Did “the BIG hill” route.

Today:
The plan is to do a new work out… and play with my kiddos and their little friends that are here today: going for a walk, bicycling, swimming, jumping… the good life!

I have a couple of work outs to update from the last few days.

Thursday:

25 lunges with front foot on round side of Bosu ball, rear foot up on couch, holding 2 x 25 lb. db’s

Abs on Bosu ball: 50 front crunches (with varying feet/leg positions) and 25 obliques crunches each side

25 2-arm seated rows using 100lbs. on Bowflex

16 squats on round side of Bosu with 2 x 25 lb. db’s on shoulders

15 external rotation presses (ea. side) with 25 lbs. on Bowflex

20 squats on flat side of Bosu ball with 2 x 25 lb. db’s held down at my sides

20 external rotation presses (ea. side) on Bowflex with 25 lbs.

25 Romanian dead lifts off edge of bench with 2 x 35 lbs.

15 lateral shoulder raises with 2 x 15 lb. db’s

30 triceps dips with feet on exercise ball

60 seconds plank pose balancing on medicine ball

Total time: I have NO idea! I was in that room FOREVER! The work out had no flow at all… I stopped to help my daughter with a Spanish lesson for awhile, then to read a little book to my son at another point… then, I even went downstairs and fixed them a snack! Weird work out!

Sunday:

Quick and to-the-point work out!

30 squats on flat side of Bosu holding medicine ball straight out in front

15 chin-ups

25 Romanian dead lifts with 2 x 35 lb. db’s

25 decline push-ups with feet up on exercise ball

30 squats on flat side of Bosu ball while holding medicine ball straight overhead

10 pull-ups

120 alternating lunges with a twist onto round side of Bosu ball while holding medicine ball

Total time: 15 minutes!! MUCH better length of a work out for me! : )

My focus continues to be on daily movement, whether it’s “formal” exercise or not.

Last Thursday, I did a full body work out (will be posted along with other “resistance training” work outs today). Then later that day I took the kids out for a bike ride and ended up doing a crazy series of sprints while pushing my son on one of his toys with a parent push bar. Never mind, you had to be there! The neighbors are fully convinced that I’m nuts – I’m sure they’re right!

The result was that mommy ended up winded and sweaty – signs of a good work out for me!

On Friday I went for a nice, quick 4.5 mile run. I mixed it up and added some intensity by picking up my speed to about 70 – 80 % of “sprint speeds” when I was going up hills.

Total time: 33 minutes.

Yesterday, I took the kids out for a walk – pushed them in the stroller (yes, I still stick my SEVEN year old in the double stroller with her FOUR year old brother when I’m in the mood for big resistance in my cardio!). I mixed it up with several intervals of running.

Total time: 50 minutes

Then followed that up with running back and forth alongside them as they rode their bikes for another 45 minutes or so. They have me well trained!

It’s challenging for me to buy into the idea of a diagnosis for which there is no quantitative test, and for which part of the affirmative diagnosis involves a change in behavior in response to the ‘appropriate’ medication.

Of course I wholeheartedly believe that there are countless children who fit the parameters of these conditions. I am not ignorant, nor do I live on the moon. I’m just not convinced that these behaviors are indications of a shortage in Ritalin or its sister drugs.

Also, I fully understand that the prescribed medication most certainly does change the way the child behaves. I respectfully understand that giving the child the prescribed medication has changed the dynamic of many families in a very positive way. Again, no ignorance here.

In the case of the drugs used, I’m simply not convinced they’re in the best interest of a child’s long-term health, function and happiness. Also, I’m not convinced that other lifestyle changes couldn’t accomplish the same positive changes in a child, without the negative consequences. All drugs change some function of the body, so it’s no “surprise” that a child would act differently once on the drug. The question is, does the drug address the cause of the problem? Does it contribute to better health… or does it cause harm? What’s the desired outcome? Is it just to change behavior? Or is it to change behavior while protecting, and possibly improving, health?

Real questions that each family needs to address.

What I tend to consistently see in the vast majority of children diagnosed with ADD, ADHD, or anxiety disorders is that the child is out of balance in one or more major elements of a healthy lifestyle.

Optimal health and function, including mental and emotional health, require consistently making pure and sufficient choices in nutrition, movement and mindset. This optimal function is also dependent upon reducing or eliminating toxic and deficient choices in lifestyle.

This ideal scenario is unfortunately not the norm in a growing number of families living in industrialized, affluent countries.

We have kids growing up eating unbalanced toxic diets, loaded with refined grains, sugar, artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, and trans fats/hydrogenated fats. Kids’ diets are loaded with nutrient-deficient and toxic cereal, bread, junk foods, convenience snack foods, fast food, pop, juice, sports drinks, low-fat and fat-free conventional dairy products, toxic conventional meat and eggs, and so much more.

Meanwhile, they’re missing out on the innate genetic requirements for nutritional health: REAL food, whole food, food closest to its naturally occurring state, pure foods and fresh, raw foods.

The average North American diet results in a devastating imbalance of the critical essential fatty acids, omega 6 and omega 3. This is the healthy fat that’s required for the brain to function normally. It must exist in a healthy ratio of 1:1, omega 6:omega 3, or 2:1. But, we’re commonly seeing diets where the ratio is 20:1 and higher. The brain cannot function properly under these conditions.

The modern diet has excessive omega 6 essential fatty acids and is dangerously deficient in omega 3’s. Trans fats found in virtually all conventional “factory” foods, junk food, fast food, snack foods, crackers, and so on are the reason we become so toxic with omega 6. We’re deficient in our natural sources of omega 3 since we no longer regularly consume enough deep cold-water wild fish, grass-fed meats and free-range eggs.

The nutritional answer, that directly changes the brain “chemistry”, is to supplement with pure and sufficient fish oil, add more pure food sources (like deep, cold-water fish, grass-fed meats and free-range whole eggs) to the regular diet, while simultaneously reducing or eliminating toxic foods that poison us and send us into such a dangerous imbalance of brain fats.

Kids are more sedentary than at any other time in history. While technology has granted us countless blessings, computers, television, movies, video games, cell phones, and many other offshoots of the technological age have resulted in kids sitting on their gluteal regions for far too long each day!

It also begs the question, “What’s going into our kids’ minds on a regular basis?” What kind of images, words, attitudes are they learning through these activities. Sure, some of it is beneficial. But, c’mon! Most of it is questionable at best. It has a very real effect on the way children see their world and how they respond to it.

Daily challenging movement is a requirement for health and a requirement for normal function of the brain. Movement generates proprioception which literally ‘feeds’ the brain. In addition to many other health-promoting effects, proprioception from movement stimulates the neurological pathways that stimulate learning, memory, attention and balanced emotions.

Finally, children and adults alike must nurture their mental, emotional, social and spiritual health. Kids need regular input of positive, empowering, uplifting, fulfilling thoughts and need to avoid and/or have a reliable way to offset the effects of toxic, stressful thoughts and emotions.

I believe that a sincere, consistent effort must be made to:
1. Feed children a balanced diet full of real, whole, pure foods with little toxicity – this includes supplementing with a very high quality fish oil and avoiding the biggest toxic offenders like high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, refined grains, refined sugar, trans fats, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils.
2. Provide opportunities for daily movement and exercise.
3. Focus attention on their overall happiness and their ability to appropriately respond to the stressors in their environment.

If all these requirements for health and function are being met I’d expect to see drastic improvement in a child’s behavior, moods, outlook on life and ability to respond appropriately to the world around them. We owe it to our kids to pull out all the stops when helping them achieve better health and brain function. We live in a culture that is all too quick to medicate rather than address the underlying causes. In life-saving endeavors this is justified. In the case of a child’s lifetime of health, this is unnerving.

Healthy choices result in health. Help your kids make healthier choices in nutrition, movement and mindset.

(FYI: You can find my personal recommendations for superior nutritional supplements on our practice website www.LifetimeWellness.net in the Wellness Proshop tab along the left side of the page.)

You know those work outs I write about that sometimes take a little longer than others? Here’s why!

C'mon mom, let's GO!

Yesterday was a running day. I was just getting ready to head out when my daughter asked, “Can I go with you?”

She threw in some puppy dog eyes and an angelic voice, just for effect!

So, I switched gears, figuratively and literally, and took her along for a different sort of run. I was going to head out for a longer run, but decided to cut it short, slow it down and then add some sprinting.

She jogged along with me for about 3/4 mile, then she explored the fields and wildflowers while I did about 20 minutes of interval sprinting/jogging. Then we jogged back home the 3/4 mile.

It wasn’t my most intense run ever, but it was one of the nicest!

Enjoy!

A New Way to Use Your Exercise Ball!

No, these kids aren’t mine… but equally as loopy! Of course, I LOVE the exercise element of this clip, too! It’s not difficult to keep kids moving when they’re having this much fun!

Enjoy! (click on “Continue Reading”, then you’ll be able to click on the link)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn9mE-VvOwo

BUT, the same article seems to be working just fine on my Facebook page (that imports articles from this blog!)

So, if you’d like to read the entire article (it’s short), and see the video clip (it’s cute), go to my Facebook page at www.DrMomOnFacebook.com.

Thanks!

We have a big “rule” in our house about watching television and movies – NO sitting around like a blob… letting your brain turn to mush! If the kids are going watch something, they’ve got to move their bodies! We have an understanding that every time a song comes on they’ve got to get up and dance – they love this… it’s not difficult to “enforce”!

If there’s no music, they know they need to get up every few minutes and jump around or do some jumping jacks, or even just change their position around. If they’re going to sit, I like to have them sit on a ball – exercise ball or otherwise – to really stimulate their proprioceptive input to their brains and develop balance and core strength.

Here’s a little clip of the kids watching our family’s favorite show, “So You Think You Can Dance”. It’s a good little work out for them on Wednesday nights! They LOVE watching the dancers – so do mom & dad, actually – and have a blast trying to make up their own dances! Good stuff!

Dr. Mom\’s \”Rules\” for Kids\’ Movement & Watching Television

Call it bribery, call it brain washing… I don’t really care! I call it getting my kids to do what I want, especially if they think they’re going to get what THEY want!! Mua-ha-ha-ha-haaaa (insert evil laugh)!

This morning I was up and working before the sun was up, as is my usual routine most mornings. Usually, once the kids get up, I set my work aside for the day (or for a few hours, anyway) and do “kid stuff”.

This morning, I was on SUCH a productive roll with my creative content production that is was actually painful to push it aside! I made a big, healthy breakfast for the kids, sat down with them for circle time and chatted about the plan for the day.

I kept thinking, “Man, I could REALLY use another hour and a half or so to finish up my project!”

Low and behold, my kids decided – on their own! – that they’d tidy up everywhere and THEN politely ask me if they could possibly watch a kids’ show.

Well, well, well… isn’t this a convenient little twist of fate?!

You must understand that in our house, “kids’ shows” are a rarity…. they are not the norm. The kids get REALLY excited whenever mom and dad actually allow a little cartoon time.

So, like any good, crafty mother, I took full advantage of this opportunity! I said, “Sure…. you can watch kids’ shows IF you’ve totally cleaned your room. ”

“We already did, mommy!”

Whoa.

“Did you neatly make your beds?”

“Yes, we did!”

Well all righty then. This is looking good!

I have a funny little routine I follow whenver the kids DO watch anything – whether it’s a kids’ show, a movie or “So You Think You Can Dance” with their mom and dad!

They are required to MOVE. They can’t just sit like blobs. I tell them that sitting for too long makes mushy bodies and mushy brains. (Actually, it’s scientifically accurate… it’s just that scientist-type folks don’t usually use those words!)

So, we have a rule: anytime music is played, get up and dance! If there’s not been music for 5-10 minutes, get up and move anyway.

It’s hilarious to see two little people doing jumping jacks, push-ups, calisthenics and shakin’ their groove things in front of the television while still totally engaged in what’s going on!

My other rule is: if you’re going to watch kids’ shows “which take away from your brain’s health”, according to their mother, then you must fuel your brain first with the best nutrition possible – FISH OIL! You’ve never seen two children guzzle back fish oil so happily in your life!

I’m so cruel! Actually, I prefer to go with “creative”.

In all seriousness, condoning sedentary habits, like sitting in front of the television, computer or playing video games for extended periods of time is a dangerous mindset to pass on to children. Motion is life! Our brains REQUIRE motion in order to function properly… especially normal motion of the spine.

Also, it’s TRUE that, generally speaking, television is not good for a child’s developing brain. So mommy is right on the money with filling them up with fish oil (omega-3’s) to support optimal brain health.

Let’s see how long my kids allow me to get away with this!

What are they doing now? They got kicked out of the house and sent to the trampoline… swimming is soon to come!