Lately I've had more than a few workouts where I feel like the woman in the video below (actually five years ago I was the woman in the video below), except that I can't blame my workout mishaps on my kids. Instead I chalk it up to missing my alarm, getting rained out, not having my shit together, etc. We all have days like that (or in my case, I'm in a week like that). This too shall pass. Right? If you find my head, please return it. It's the one with the big zit on the chin I tried and failed to pop. When will I learn that never goes well?
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
The Goal Post
I've had fitness goals on the brain lately: how best to set them, how often, how many, etc. I think they're an integral part of a fit lifestyle, even if you're motivated to workout without them. Goals are important because:
1) A goal keeps you striving, growing, improving.
2) A goal can be a workout partner; good company as you pursue new territory.
3) A goal can provide structure or a point B to your point A.
Earlier this spring I happened to be at a Cross Fit class where everyone was required to write a goal on the whiteboard. I still feel like every Cross Fit class is an accomplishment (just getting there with four kids can be the victory). I'm almost always doing something there I never have before, so it didn't occur to me that I needed a goal. But I was swayed by the group dynamic (peer pressure!) and posted my goal:
5 Pull Ups by September 30.
I chose pull ups because I wasn't very good at them. In fact, if I could avoid them, I would. At the time I could do one. Now I can do three. I'm also drawn to the pull up bar to see what I can do. Being able to get to five in another six weeks will be a challenge for me, but I like that goal dangling out front. It's measurable and attainable, as goals are supposed to be.
For busy moms who are typically pleased to get any kind of workout in, setting goals might actually add a whole new layer of frustration. When time is of the essence, goals not only need to be measurable and attainable, they need to be relevant and meaningful.
I discovered that this summer when I set out to finish three triathlons. I was in a groove with getting workouts in most days of the week. I had all kinds of options and could implement plan Bs as necessary, i.e., if my husband was traveling and I couldn't get out for an early morning run, I'd do a workout in the yard with the kids. It didn't matter what I did, as long as I did something.
But this goal required specific training. I couldn't just get any workout in and be working toward my goal. I needed to run, bike or swim.
One near meltdown early in the summer had me questioning my goal. It was measurable. It was attainable. But was it worth it?
In Hot (Sweaty) Mamas: Five Secrets to Life as a Fit Mom, the first secret focuses on the mental training necessary to make room for fitness and family. It's important to spend our time in ways that line up with our priorities and set priorities according to our values. I'd say this section also applies to goal setting, too. If our goals don't relate back to priorities and our underlying values, then those goals might not be meaningful enough to see them through.
I met my goal. I finished those triathlons and did well in them. I carried on pursuing my goal because I needed to involve myself in activity that I closely identified with for so long before children. Some women just want to get their "pre-baby body" back. I wanted my "pre-baby identity" back.
In addition, triathlon training was a family goal this summer. My husband had a big race and my twin daughters finished their first triathlon. We were all involved. How would that look if mom said: "I just don't have time to do this. You go on ahead without me." No way.
And ultimately, the point was to challenge myself. I'm at a place with my fitness where I know I can get a good workout in 4-6 days a week. What else could I do with that fitness base? I needed to stretch myself and I was at a good place in my life to do it: Kids were sleeping through the night (mostly) and we didn't have any other big stressors (like a move). The time was right.
Now, of course, I'm thinking: what next?
I just did some metabolic testing at Life Time Fitness to learn more about how my body performs; where I'm at with my resting metabolic rate, my anaerobic threshold and VO2 max. I've been barraged by a bunch of numbers and now I'm trying to make sense of them to use as a tool for goal setting or see if a goal arises from the analysis. I've never been one to care much about these numbers, but I'm wondering if now is the time for a more scientific approach to fitness.
In addition to thinking through how I want to go about formulating new goals, I also know what I don't want to do:
1) A goal keeps you striving, growing, improving.
2) A goal can be a workout partner; good company as you pursue new territory.
3) A goal can provide structure or a point B to your point A.
Earlier this spring I happened to be at a Cross Fit class where everyone was required to write a goal on the whiteboard. I still feel like every Cross Fit class is an accomplishment (just getting there with four kids can be the victory). I'm almost always doing something there I never have before, so it didn't occur to me that I needed a goal. But I was swayed by the group dynamic (peer pressure!) and posted my goal:
5 Pull Ups by September 30.
I chose pull ups because I wasn't very good at them. In fact, if I could avoid them, I would. At the time I could do one. Now I can do three. I'm also drawn to the pull up bar to see what I can do. Being able to get to five in another six weeks will be a challenge for me, but I like that goal dangling out front. It's measurable and attainable, as goals are supposed to be.
For busy moms who are typically pleased to get any kind of workout in, setting goals might actually add a whole new layer of frustration. When time is of the essence, goals not only need to be measurable and attainable, they need to be relevant and meaningful.
I discovered that this summer when I set out to finish three triathlons. I was in a groove with getting workouts in most days of the week. I had all kinds of options and could implement plan Bs as necessary, i.e., if my husband was traveling and I couldn't get out for an early morning run, I'd do a workout in the yard with the kids. It didn't matter what I did, as long as I did something.
But this goal required specific training. I couldn't just get any workout in and be working toward my goal. I needed to run, bike or swim.
One near meltdown early in the summer had me questioning my goal. It was measurable. It was attainable. But was it worth it?
In Hot (Sweaty) Mamas: Five Secrets to Life as a Fit Mom, the first secret focuses on the mental training necessary to make room for fitness and family. It's important to spend our time in ways that line up with our priorities and set priorities according to our values. I'd say this section also applies to goal setting, too. If our goals don't relate back to priorities and our underlying values, then those goals might not be meaningful enough to see them through.
 |
| Racing toward that pre-baby identity and my goal at the Lake Front Days Triathlon earlier this month. |
In addition, triathlon training was a family goal this summer. My husband had a big race and my twin daughters finished their first triathlon. We were all involved. How would that look if mom said: "I just don't have time to do this. You go on ahead without me." No way.
And ultimately, the point was to challenge myself. I'm at a place with my fitness where I know I can get a good workout in 4-6 days a week. What else could I do with that fitness base? I needed to stretch myself and I was at a good place in my life to do it: Kids were sleeping through the night (mostly) and we didn't have any other big stressors (like a move). The time was right.
Now, of course, I'm thinking: what next?
I just did some metabolic testing at Life Time Fitness to learn more about how my body performs; where I'm at with my resting metabolic rate, my anaerobic threshold and VO2 max. I've been barraged by a bunch of numbers and now I'm trying to make sense of them to use as a tool for goal setting or see if a goal arises from the analysis. I've never been one to care much about these numbers, but I'm wondering if now is the time for a more scientific approach to fitness.
In addition to thinking through how I want to go about formulating new goals, I also know what I don't want to do:
- Set if/then goals, "If I can do ____, then I will do ____." (Similar to the person who will start going to the gym only after losing a certain amount of weight first.)
- Set goals that are too big, for the sake of being big.
- Set too many goals in too short a time period.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Without a Map
Last Saturday, after wrapping up my third of three triathlons this summer, I decided I would take a break for a week. Partly self-imposed recovery, but also, because my husband was traveling, I knew my scheduled workouts would be off the schedule. This was also "hell week" for my kids, as in "what the hell was mommy thinking to sign us up for so much stuff?" So I wanted to give myself a break, too, from trying to figure it out, which as all fit moms know is more challenging than the workout itself. My rule was this: do only those workouts you feel like doing.
I took it day by day. If I felt like rest I did. If I felt like being active I did. If I could make the workout happen, great, if I couldn't, no sweat. (Hey, is that origins for that phrase?) My spontaneous workouts looked like this:
Sunday: Off
Monday: Cross Fit
Tuesday: Walk to the park while kids ride bikes
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Masters Swim
Friday: Cross Fit
Saturday: Ride 24 miles
As it turned out, I had an active week after all, while simultaneously giving me a break from the triathlon training. Getting these workouts in was uncomplicated and stress free. While I was worried not having a workout plan would mean the workouts would never happen, left to my own internal pull, they did and I was navigated to those things I sincerely felt like doing. I was excited to have the time to get to Cross Fit twice in one week and even surprised myself by going to swim, since technically I don't have a "reason," i.e. race. Why swim? I enjoy it!
I was asked recently in an interview if I talk to my children about the health benefits for why I exercise. I said that I was pretty sure if you asked my kids why I exercise they'd say, "because she likes too." And I sort of confirmed that for myself after giving myself permission not to do anything, choosing instead to have a pretty full week of activity I enjoy. Did you say all this is good for my heart, bones, brain, and pretty much every cell in my body, too? Bonus!
If you didn't have to workout, would you?
I took it day by day. If I felt like rest I did. If I felt like being active I did. If I could make the workout happen, great, if I couldn't, no sweat. (Hey, is that origins for that phrase?) My spontaneous workouts looked like this:
 |
| This is what Wednesday's "Day Off" looked like. |
Sunday: Off
Monday: Cross Fit
Tuesday: Walk to the park while kids ride bikes
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Masters Swim
Friday: Cross Fit
Saturday: Ride 24 miles
As it turned out, I had an active week after all, while simultaneously giving me a break from the triathlon training. Getting these workouts in was uncomplicated and stress free. While I was worried not having a workout plan would mean the workouts would never happen, left to my own internal pull, they did and I was navigated to those things I sincerely felt like doing. I was excited to have the time to get to Cross Fit twice in one week and even surprised myself by going to swim, since technically I don't have a "reason," i.e. race. Why swim? I enjoy it!
I was asked recently in an interview if I talk to my children about the health benefits for why I exercise. I said that I was pretty sure if you asked my kids why I exercise they'd say, "because she likes too." And I sort of confirmed that for myself after giving myself permission not to do anything, choosing instead to have a pretty full week of activity I enjoy. Did you say all this is good for my heart, bones, brain, and pretty much every cell in my body, too? Bonus!
If you didn't have to workout, would you?
Monday, August 8, 2011
Kids Stuff Part II
Here's the good news: there's an upsurge of children's books about exercise and good nutrition. I'm talking fiction, the cute little stories you'd read to your children before bedtime sending them off to dream about conquering their fitness goals. Perhaps it's the silver lining (I'm reaching here) from the pathetic state of children's health and physical fitness levels in the United States. I've been following this niche for children's books since writing See Mom Run in 2003. There wasn't much then. That's changing. I just wish it wasn't due to the childhood obesity epidemic.
The bad news? (Beyond childhood obesity, that is.) Some of these books are really, really terrible. Although none of them are as bad as the one Charlotte shared over at The Great Fitness Experiment. That is bad. Perhaps that epic failure is why there have been so few good books since.
Even with the upsurge in these books, adults are still having a hard time writing to kids about fitness in a captivating way that does not come across as preaching, pointless, or worse, harmful.
But let's talk about the good ones!
Let's start with Nancy Carlson. A trusted and true children's author who is an athlete herself (this is important publishers!). In fact, being active and honoring your body are themes in many of her books anyway, so check out her titles if you're looking for healthy body/mind themes for your kids. That said, I'm fond of "Get Up and Go!" that features her familiar characters being active and sharing the many reasons exercise is F-U-N. She is not pounding the "eat healthy food, exercise more" message over the head, which I think too many children's books are doing. Just watch those little eyes glaze over. Instead Carlson writes about how exercise can be exciting, how it can help you make new friends, can take you to amazing places, and yes, even burn up the junky food you sometimes eat. "Get Up and Go!" brings the message down to kid level and it doesn't try too hard (I think books that put their main character on gym equipment is trying too hard). And I'll add this, too: Nancy Carlson is the only one who can pull off a pig in a book about fitness.
"Stretch" is a book my daughter picked up at the library. No help from me. I was nonchalant about it on the outside but inside I was doing cartwheels. I quickly flipped the pages to make sure this was indeed a book worth reading, although I was confident because it is written by Doreen Cronin, author of "Click, Clack, Moo." The book doesn't talk about fitness directly, it just encourages moving. It's a book you can't help but move to while reading, in the same way we move when we read a book like "From Head to Toe," by Eric Carlson. Do books that celebrate and encourage activity have to be about fitness?
Perhaps I'm getting off topic, though, because my intent was to talk about the books that are fitness books for kids, like the ones I first blogged about in 2009. For the record, "My Daddy is a Pretzel" remains a favorite and there is nothing cuter than a 2-year-old doing tree pose.
So of the three books I received recently to review, only one is worth mentioning and that's "Wallie Exercises."A story about a lazy pup:
And that is the goal for kids and grown ups alike: to find activity that is so fun, you don't think of it as exercise as much as a way to play. Finding a children's book that simply includes fitness in the story without a moral isn't so easy. What about you all in the trenches? Have a good children's fitness book to share?
The bad news? (Beyond childhood obesity, that is.) Some of these books are really, really terrible. Although none of them are as bad as the one Charlotte shared over at The Great Fitness Experiment. That is bad. Perhaps that epic failure is why there have been so few good books since.
Even with the upsurge in these books, adults are still having a hard time writing to kids about fitness in a captivating way that does not come across as preaching, pointless, or worse, harmful.
But let's talk about the good ones!
"Stretch" is a book my daughter picked up at the library. No help from me. I was nonchalant about it on the outside but inside I was doing cartwheels. I quickly flipped the pages to make sure this was indeed a book worth reading, although I was confident because it is written by Doreen Cronin, author of "Click, Clack, Moo." The book doesn't talk about fitness directly, it just encourages moving. It's a book you can't help but move to while reading, in the same way we move when we read a book like "From Head to Toe," by Eric Carlson. Do books that celebrate and encourage activity have to be about fitness?
Perhaps I'm getting off topic, though, because my intent was to talk about the books that are fitness books for kids, like the ones I first blogged about in 2009. For the record, "My Daddy is a Pretzel" remains a favorite and there is nothing cuter than a 2-year-old doing tree pose.
Some hounds performed in fancy dog shows; Wallie just watched on TV; Other pups jumped to play fetch with a ball; Wallie said, "Bring it to me!"So Wallie's owner sets out to help him and they befriend the enormous Edwin the Exercise Elephant, whose enthusiasm motivates Wallie early on, but like many who start an exercise program, well, Wallie comes to that place where he's ready to quit. But enthusiastic Edwin (he's like that ultra peppy aerobics instructor at the gym) says:
"Wallie, you don't have to copy my moves. Why don't you try yours instead?"Once Wallie does that he finds his exercise passion--I swear, this is a similar message in Hot (Sweaty) Mamas, too--and exclaims that he had no idea something so fun could be considered exercise.
And that is the goal for kids and grown ups alike: to find activity that is so fun, you don't think of it as exercise as much as a way to play. Finding a children's book that simply includes fitness in the story without a moral isn't so easy. What about you all in the trenches? Have a good children's fitness book to share?
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Kids Stuff Part I
You have kids. That means you go to birthday parties. If you're like me, you probably forget about the present until you're on your way to the party so you slide into some supersize center and grab the closest toy to the register. Next time you see the mom of the birthday kid, she might mutter something like, "Oh yes, you're the one that brought that offensive, annoying toy for my child that I can't wait to throw away when she's not looking."
What's worse is when you buy those horrific toys for your own kids.
You don't have to be that mom. With a little foresight you can give the best. gift. ever. for the fit kids in your life.
Let's start with clothes:
There are certain little girls that are loyal to skirts and dresses. No matter the occasion. My youngest daughter is one of those girls. If I suggest a pair of jeans or shorts, the reply is almost always, "Not fancy enough."
Did you know Skirt Sports has a Girls Collection? All three of my daughters got Skirt Sports skirts for Christmas one year and they also make a great gift for your running pal's daughter (at least it did for mine). So when Skirt Sports gifted my daughters with their very own Skirt Sports dresses, I knew we had found another winner. Do we like them? Oh Yeah. Why?
They twirl. The standard for any skirt worth wearing in our house is it's twirlability.
They're long enough for proper coverage, yet not too long to hinder climbing or riding. Because, we are, after all, tough girls.
They're cool and comfortable in the summer heat. Plus, you want to stand out in the crowd. This is helpful for mom who can easily find her little girl on the field; her pink dress underneath her red team t-shirt.
Next up, accessorizing!
In all of the photos above you'll notice my girls wearing their Polar Active Monitor. After my love letter to my very own Polar Active, Polar sent me the watches for my daughters, who literally have not taken them off since.
I happened to open the box and pass them out on a snow day (back in March) because I needed a diversion. They strapped them on and I led them through a 10-minute mini bootcamp so they could see how the watch worked as they moved. The watch is made for kids, so the little stick figure guy on the face of the watch who sits when you sit, stands when you stand, walks when you walk, and runs when you run, is tantalizing for little minds. After the 10-minute workout I went back upstairs but my girls continued moving until they hit two hours of activity on their watch. At the time I had had my own Polar Active for three months and I had yet to see two hours (the man does a little happy dance when you hit one hour of activity and then does the happy dance every hour after two hours of activity). So, I was thrilled they stayed busy (on their own!) on what normally would have been a sedentary day yet a little jealous of their Polar Active Prowess.
We have fun with the family friendly competition too. The girls always want to know what numbers each other has. I've been known to take one daughter on an outing while sisters watch TV so she can have a higher number on her watch at the end of the day. Love that.
Here's another thing I love. They've become little trendsetters. They've told me their friends at school want one. Many of my friends have bought one for their own kids. My nephews just had birthdays and for once I had no trouble knowing what to buy. Demand is high. This might partly be due to the scarcity of the watches. As far as I know Polar still isn't set up for web sales. I *think* they might be selling them at Life Time Fitness soon. I *think* they may be exploring different color options and price points. Stay tuned. If you want one send an email to sales@polarusa.com and tell them I sent you for $10 off the price.
Then there's toys, of course.
Once upon a post I wrote about discovering the Go! Go! Sports Girls. Since then I have teamed up with the creator of the dolls to write companion books for them. Suzi Swimmer Girl, Cassie Soccer Girl, and Ella Runner Girl are the first dolls to have a story and eventually the doll and book combination will be available for sale. Meanwhile, the Go! Go! Sports Girls, each with their own sport apparel and accessories can make any little girl smile. And their mommy too. She's not dressed like a hooker, isn't wearing make up, doesn't make loud noise and doesn't require batteries.
All kid tested and approved by my brood. I love that we are seeing more fit-centered products for our kids. My hunch is, if kids grow up with fitness as part of their life, they will never have to start an exercise program as an adult, what is often the hardest part for most people, don't you think?
Any great fitness-related gifts you've discovered for kids? Share! Share! The more birthday gift options I have the better!
What's worse is when you buy those horrific toys for your own kids.
You don't have to be that mom. With a little foresight you can give the best. gift. ever. for the fit kids in your life.
Let's start with clothes:
There are certain little girls that are loyal to skirts and dresses. No matter the occasion. My youngest daughter is one of those girls. If I suggest a pair of jeans or shorts, the reply is almost always, "Not fancy enough."
Did you know Skirt Sports has a Girls Collection? All three of my daughters got Skirt Sports skirts for Christmas one year and they also make a great gift for your running pal's daughter (at least it did for mine). So when Skirt Sports gifted my daughters with their very own Skirt Sports dresses, I knew we had found another winner. Do we like them? Oh Yeah. Why?
They twirl. The standard for any skirt worth wearing in our house is it's twirlability.
They're long enough for proper coverage, yet not too long to hinder climbing or riding. Because, we are, after all, tough girls.
They're cool and comfortable in the summer heat. Plus, you want to stand out in the crowd. This is helpful for mom who can easily find her little girl on the field; her pink dress underneath her red team t-shirt.
Next up, accessorizing!
I happened to open the box and pass them out on a snow day (back in March) because I needed a diversion. They strapped them on and I led them through a 10-minute mini bootcamp so they could see how the watch worked as they moved. The watch is made for kids, so the little stick figure guy on the face of the watch who sits when you sit, stands when you stand, walks when you walk, and runs when you run, is tantalizing for little minds. After the 10-minute workout I went back upstairs but my girls continued moving until they hit two hours of activity on their watch. At the time I had had my own Polar Active for three months and I had yet to see two hours (the man does a little happy dance when you hit one hour of activity and then does the happy dance every hour after two hours of activity). So, I was thrilled they stayed busy (on their own!) on what normally would have been a sedentary day yet a little jealous of their Polar Active Prowess.
We have fun with the family friendly competition too. The girls always want to know what numbers each other has. I've been known to take one daughter on an outing while sisters watch TV so she can have a higher number on her watch at the end of the day. Love that.
Here's another thing I love. They've become little trendsetters. They've told me their friends at school want one. Many of my friends have bought one for their own kids. My nephews just had birthdays and for once I had no trouble knowing what to buy. Demand is high. This might partly be due to the scarcity of the watches. As far as I know Polar still isn't set up for web sales. I *think* they might be selling them at Life Time Fitness soon. I *think* they may be exploring different color options and price points. Stay tuned. If you want one send an email to sales@polarusa.com and tell them I sent you for $10 off the price.
Then there's toys, of course.
Once upon a post I wrote about discovering the Go! Go! Sports Girls. Since then I have teamed up with the creator of the dolls to write companion books for them. Suzi Swimmer Girl, Cassie Soccer Girl, and Ella Runner Girl are the first dolls to have a story and eventually the doll and book combination will be available for sale. Meanwhile, the Go! Go! Sports Girls, each with their own sport apparel and accessories can make any little girl smile. And their mommy too. She's not dressed like a hooker, isn't wearing make up, doesn't make loud noise and doesn't require batteries.
All kid tested and approved by my brood. I love that we are seeing more fit-centered products for our kids. My hunch is, if kids grow up with fitness as part of their life, they will never have to start an exercise program as an adult, what is often the hardest part for most people, don't you think?
Any great fitness-related gifts you've discovered for kids? Share! Share! The more birthday gift options I have the better!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
