Sisters Under Sail

Sisters Under Sail is the organization my daughter is with this week in Lake Huron for her first tall-ship adventure. You can see photos from the week as well as info on this family-run operation at the link to their FB page above. My little girl is the one with the long, red hair. It's pretty hard to see her up in the mast, but not in the water during their daily dunking. Sisters Under Sail is an all-female crew for an all-girls week-long learning trip. I can't wait to hear about it when C. gets home. Thoughts and prayers for her safety are much appreciated.

Mama Fitness: NOT Giving Up

I have some of the stupidest joints ever given to a human. And I've been awfully busy.

Great excuses, right? I bet you have some too. Here are mine, and here is my two bits worth of encouragement for you anyway.

So, firstly, the stupid joints. One week it's an ankle, another week it might be a knee, or, like this week, an elbow. They take it in turn to fail me miserably.  The whole thing is preceded by a twinge, a fall or nothing at all. I just wake up the morning after a workout (or intense knitting session) unable to move that part without pain. It is inflamed and red, black or blue. Until recently, this meant a long period without much activity between injuries. It became an excuse for being out of shape.  Oops, can't exercise, guess I'll just have to sleep in, read a book, knit socks. No more. This time,  I missed class on Monday, but went back today and learned...a lot.

The movements themselves, getting each one right and in rhythm, with proper positioning, took up much of my attention. I paid extra attention to the way the instructor held her wrists, shoulders and knees as she modeled each move. I could spend the extra energy that was not holding any weight to observe and imitate correct posture. The squat section was, if possible, more leg-liquifying than ever. The abs had to be all crunches and no planks, so I did beautiful crunches after so much practice, or at least I hope I did. It was a very light workout, but it was a good one. 

Work and children have been crazy the past two weeks. My writing time has been shot in the pa-tooty, but not the exercise. The dog has been getting a lot more walks these days, as I transfer his leash to the right side and go. He is always up for a stroll. In the past week I've had marathon days of chauffeuring kids around (theatre, reptile show, kung fu, pool, shopping, Michigan, ((OK, Thierry, not me, took C. to Michigan for her sailing adventure)), but I held down the fort at home with sick kidos). Work meant regular appointments as well as one all-nighter in the E.R. followed by mental illness ward and an all-day, beginning at 6am, very sad, hospital job. Did I miss a day of exercise? Yes, maybe even 2, but the dog still got a walk, even if it was a short one in 95 degrees, super ugh. 

So, trot them out, those excuses, and then give them along, hard look. It can seem impossible, even irresponsible, to let something go for the sake of staying or getting in shape. But really, it is just the opposite. There are many things we find to do each day that are superfluous, from the extra ten minutes in front of the computer to the time spent sorting through the mail when nothing but ads are in it that day. These eat up our time and bind rather than free us to our unhealthy selves and bad habits.  If you're struggling, what will help you let go and get some exercise. If you've overcome a challenge, how did you do it? I'd love to hear from you! If the comment box will not cooperate, send me an email and I will post it for you. Happy Weekend; be safe, stay active!

Encouraging Each Other

In a family of seven, one can easily imagine conflict, arguments, chaos. This happens. At times it feels like it happens all the time, but, but, there are just as many sweet, loving moments between the children and from them to us.

Some of those are out of self-interest; they need a partner in crime; water-balloon tossing comes to mind. At times the need is a second body to make something work; for example, asking your little brother to play football when no one else is around. And then that can morph into an adorable gesture; making sure that little brother gets some football gear for his birthday because he knows how happy that would make him. Other times I am simply amazed; three boys playing Legos for hours on end; ages 15, 8 and 6, willingly, pleasantly. Or the girls going on a bike ride together in the heat, and enjoying each others' company.

As for T. and I; I love it when one of the kids offers spontaneous help, hugs or words of wisdom to the adults. Running with Cate is one such opportunity; she can run longer and faster than I can. Still, she will run with me and keep me going with her example and words; "Just don't stop, mama, come on!" Duncan will massage knee caps of an angry sister, brother or parent, explaining that the knee cap is the hardest bone of the body, thus all of the anger accumulates there. Do you know how much it tickles to have one's knee caps tickled? It gets awfully hard to stay mad. Valentine has the sweetest way about her. She can become the most helpful. loving munchkin on the face of the earth, willing to take on any task that needs doing. Charles has the gift of extreme self-sacrifice; he always makes sure the other person has what they want or need before he serves or looks after himself; "no, really Mama, you go first." Gaël gives great back massages, pounding out the sore spots like a drummer, followed by a big bear-hug.

So, in the midst of the noise and bedlam, I breathe, and think of the nice moments, knowing they have been and will be again, preferably sooner rather than later.

Mama Fitness: Five Tips for Cooking Dinner without Gaining Weight

It's dinner time and you are ready to cook, but dreading the terrible munchies that can accompany this task oh-so-naturally. Here is how to feed your family and not end up blowing your calorie intake for the day.

• Water; drink a huge glass before pulling out any ingredients, keep a second glass handy for the remainder of the job

•  Menu; establish one and stick to it. Don't allow a search through the cupboards and the fridge to distract you from your goal. Glance at the menu, gather what you need and ignore the chips, leftovers and drinks

•  Focus on the task at hand. You are creating a lovely meal for your loved ones. This is a gift to you and to them. Make it a special time each evening rather than a chore (in your mind.)

• Listen: have a podcast or your favorite music ready to go and fully enjoy it. In our kitchen at dinner prep time the choice is between helping or keeping quiet. If a child is helping, give them your time and encouragement...and a job to do!

•  Keep going; don't stop once dinner is cooking. Set the table, sweep the floor, clean out the fridge or a cupboard. 

Bon appetit!!!

Mama Fitness: Weight Update

After 3 full weeks of my new regime, I have lost, hold onto your hats, taa-daa......................................................2.5lbs. It's enough to make one want to bang one's  head against something hard. However, last night I changed into a pair of pants I could not even button the last time I tried, and they fit! This is also a permanent lifestyle change for me; smaller portions, less meat, more fruits and vegetables, less worry and more action. It is not a magic pill to instantly transform my weight.

But...there is something about age that is just not fair. Had I followed this cleanse, diet and workout program in the past, I would have lost 15lbs.by now. Am I despairing? Noooooo, well, just a little, but the pants were a great boost to my confidence that I am on the right path. Anyone else struggling with weight loss with the years or pregnancies or disability? Anyone find a good solution? Please share!

Mama Fitness: You've already been pumping iron!

Moms: You've been pumping iron. Ever since the very first time you held your sweet baby in your arms. At an average weight of 8lbs.per newborn times 12 hours a day, that's a lot of effort. Well, it has always been my theory, and today I had the chance to prove it. Of course, before my own experiment, Dan Buettner, of Blue Zones, proved beyond a doubt that people live longer when engaged in natural movement; like fishing, gardening, carrying water. Carrying and rocking a baby...natural as anything.

As I wrote earlier, I've been attending a new class, and for the first few classes, I kept my weight low, as suggested by the instructor, in order to get used to the class without injury. Besides the squats, nothing hurt, burned or challenged me, and nothing was stiff or sore the next day (excepting for the traitorous quadriceps). The rule of thumb for exercise is that you should not be in pain while doing it, but should maybe feel a little something the next day or so. Nada the next day.

So, I added more weight today; doubled some, added a third more for others...and got through it just fine. I did not keel over or pass out or drop a dumbbell.  Mothers truly are strengthening their bodies for the task at hand and beyond when we give birth and carry those babies around.

You may look or feel out of shape (I do), but don't you believe it for a minute; you are stronger for having children, and in more ways than one. Believe, because you can do more than you think you can, you already have.

Mama Fit Grammar

I used Grammarly to grammar check this post because it allowed my fitness-addled-brain to take a break from considering whether or not the parallelism of my phrases was "faulty" and other such delights that only a true grammar geek would enjoy. Grammarly would also like very much to help me with my run-on sentences and keep me from ending a sentence with a preposition. I can see this becoming habit-forming. It really covers the whole gamut of English usage, from spelling of "to, too, two," to use of verb tenses and beyond. Sometimes I simply write too fast to be as precise or as careful as I'd like to be.

Exercise has become the same way. I have been twiddling my thumbs and wringing my hands the past two days over a lack of time to fit in a work-out. Making that time is a priority, you know it is as well as I do, but time is not, alas, elastic.

Part of staying healthy is being able to forgive yourself for your short-comings, and get on with life. I plan to chill reading to my kids for awhile, then go out and enjoy date night with T. I will get up and go to the gym tomorrow morning, no regrets.

Full disclosure: Grammarly invited me to test their grammar check program. I did so over a period of time, and with thoughts of whether or not this would be useful to homeschoolers and bloggers. After thoroughly testing it with excellent support from their tech team, I decided to accept their offer of sponsorship; it is a top-quality product.

Cleansing Recipies: New and Improved

 Last week, I gave some ideas for cleanses, based on what I've used over the years. Here are a few more details on how to prepare each one and hints for success, by which I mean creating something that tastes good so that you will be happy to come back to it over and over.

French-style: bouillon de legumes

This is as it sounds, as least in French: boil vegetables and drink the broth, or eat the vegetables as well for a little additional fiber.

Basic bouillon: 3-4 boiled leeks. What is a leek? Look for it in the cold section of the produce aisle; near the radishes, collard greens and spinach. It looks and smells like a giant green onion.

Optional: carrots, broccoli and any other veggies you may have in the fridge; no potatoes this time.

Optional: bouillon packet (most cubes have msg). In France, we put bouillon in everything. My favorite way to go is Better than Bouillon, a jar you can find in the same spot as the cubes or packets, it really is good stuff.

-Wash and slice leeks in half. Keep the white part and some of the green: soak and scrub to remove the sand from under the layers.

-Rinse, soak, rinse again, there is a lot of sand in normally grown leeks.

-Wash and peel or scrub additional vegetables.

-Slice, chop or otherwise make into smallish pieces.

-Add them to a boiling pot of salted water and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Serve hot or cold, with or without pieces. You can drain the broth, mix it all in a blender/food processor, or eat it as is. Some kids will eat it blended but not "with pieces." Once they get used to the taste, they may want to try it unmixed.

Cold smoothies:

Basic detox cleanse: (makes 10 7oz servings)

Spinach, kale, other greens: Note about greens and your typical mixer: even my great Ninja Kitchen System 1100, which makes any soup into a velvety smooth beverage, cannot handle lettuce or kale. The only thing that can make those into something palatable for me is a juicer. However, spinach is soft. Spinach has saved my green smoothies. You can put in as much as you like, with a little water and a little stuffing down of the leaves with a spatula as you go along, and it will mix up like a dream. I now look forward to my healthy morning and noon drinks.
I used 2 big bunches of spinach
1c frozen blueberries
2 cucumbers
Water (add little by little as the ingredients blend)
Cinnamon

Wash and blend all but the cinnamon in a blender until completely smooth. Tip: I start with the spinach, as described above, add the berries, and finally the cucumbers and water.  Divide into 10 portions and freeze 9, drink the other. I use plastic cups and plastic wrap to freeze a batch for the week. I do not microwave them, but set a cup out 30 minutes before a meal in warm water and eat it with a spoon. Cinnamon is optional for flavor; it is also known to kick-start your metabolism and help with weight loss.


Week 2: more substance: (makes 10, 7oz servings)

Spinach
Frozen strawberries
Frozen orange juice
Greek yogurt
Water/almond milk

Wash spinach and/or other greens, place in blender with a little water, blend. Add other ingredients and blend, adding water and or almond milk as needed. See above for divvying up into portions and freezing.

Bon appetit!

No Such Thng as a "Typical Homeschooler"

It all started with a glance in the mirror and the thought, "My, you look almost civilized, no one would guess you were a muddy, sweaty mess out gardening 10 minutes ago." I realized, incidentally, (since we were out of milk and I was dashing to the grocery store), that none of us had any inkling what the others might have been up to 10 minutes before they arrived at the store. People could have been doing all sorts of things just prior, but now they were cleaned up (for the most part), with their public masks on; and they looked the part of the innocent shopper, just as I did.

Of course, one thing led to another, as it will, and after considering a few of the possibilities of what other shoppers might have been up to just before arriving at the store, all purtied up; like massive water-balloon fights, finger-painting, cleaning out horse poo from the stables, I had an elucidated moment. Homeschoolers are just like this. The only part of us that's showing is what we choose to communicate to the world, and the image they see when we are outside our homes. There is no one recipe or formula for the way our days go "as homeschoolers." Even writing down what happens all day in a home is a tricky affair, since it changes from day to day, from season to season, from sickness to health and from child to child.

A friend may say; "Oh, we did nothing today," but what she is omitting may be life-shattering in the real world. They might have cooked enough food for a week's worth of meals. Perhaps she ran five miles behind a stroller carrying two children. Volunteered at a nursing home, finished reading Narnia aloud to her children. Maybe a pet died and the whole family is in mourning. When we say "nothing," and we have a house full of people, this is a misrepresentation of facts. We can judge ourselves too harshly, allowing for only academic activity to count as "something" worth mentioning. 

No one need start confessing their every whim and burden (some of us do enough of that already), but look perhaps, with more compassion at others, and judge not homeschooling styles.

Update: Workout

This ubiquitous American term "work-out" seems to have two connotations. For guys, it means pumping iron in a sweaty gym full of guy-guys, for women, some aerobics class full of skinny women in spandex. I never gave it much thought, except to wonder what the question pertained to when it was asked. (Do I lift? Do I go to the gym? I walk and swim, is that what they mean?) Then I realized it was just a conversation filler when it was in a question form.

Now I guess I can say I WORK OUT, for real, and I love it! I still prefer to walk for miles outdoors and always will, but this new dimension to fitness is empowering; I did not think I would make it through even one class, and this morning I am heading out the door to yet another one, no spandex, just a water bottle, a towel and awaiting barbells at the Y. 

The only sore spots were my quadriceps after class number one. It really is fun, give it a try!

The Adventure Blog

Get your family excited about being outside, being active enough...to live a real adventure! This blog:The Adventure Blog is the place to see, hear and learn about the people exploring the world over on a daily basis. I feel like an armchair traveler when reading it, seeing the planet; places both familiar and new from a whole new perspective. We use it in our homeschool world to spice up geography. You can point to a continent or a river on the globe, but to see someone climbing a mountain in the Antarctic, here: http://theadventureblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/video-last-great-climb-trailer.html or racing canoes on the Yukon River: http://theadventureblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/rowers-look-to-set-new-speed-record-on.html puts it into a much more exciting context. How about a small island becoming the place Amelia Earheart lived her last moments? http://theadventureblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/more-data-supports-theory-that-amelia.html. History and incredible exploit.

A friend I have known for a very long time, Kraig Becker, started this blog to prove a point to a friend who lamented that "there were no more adventures to be had today." He has been posting daily for years now and is never short of fantastic material.  He also writes first-hand of his own extreme fitness; running, climbing mountains, you name it. The Adventure Blog is a celebration of a world that has not become the mundane place that we may think it has.

Inspire yourself, your children, your parents, to do more than merely observe life. Check out this multi-faceted, fun blog... and then get moving. 

Active Kids

This morning I was pondering how to tell you the ways in which we have motivated our kids to stay fit through the years. We haven't, not really. As I mentioned yesterday, there has not been an intentional decision somewhere along the road to do so. Our family is active because we've followed our interests and the kids follow us and then expand into their own. 

Sure, there have been a couple of classes along the way (like martial arts in a hot, muggy dojo every summer), but we believe in simplifying life as much as we can, so kung-fu and dance are the only classes they take, and these were both child-led and remain so today. My son saw his future kung-fu master (sifu) at a Manga festival (where his artwork was displayed) and the connection happened for him like magic. The others decided they wanted to give it a try too. Valentine has been crazy about dance for years, and she finally took lessons this year.

Sailing is what we do in the summer. It is quite physical, because before you can stand and look pretty for a photo you have to prep the boat; get it from the dry dock to the water (a huge effort), clean, take out the sails and connect them, wrestle the picnic and sunscreen and supplies into the boat and then actually sail it.

Hiking is a favorite all year, but especially in the spring and fall, in the winter we go sledding or play outside. The photos are for ideas of how to keep moving.

Way to Move

 Find a master

Explore current events, on foot 

 Go for a swim

Walk or run a 5k 

 Climb a mountain

Break out the golf clubs 

 Dance away your troubles

Try a tournament 

 Enjoy nature's follies

Check out local sites 

Mama Fitness: My First Weight-Training Class

I joined the Y, three weeks ago. Today, I took my first-ever weight training class. My life is forever changed. I walked into the 8am class with a fierce expression on my face, hoping to look BA enough that no one else would even look twice at me. (Please don't watch as I drop a weight on my foot or trip.) Perfect posture (well, I tried), no new kid "uuums?" I had no idea what I was doing, but a nice woman helped me set up; you need platforms, mats, barbells, weights, clips and hand weights, the whole thing would need three suitcases to carry and they would have to be very odd-shaped ones at that. The instructor, Stacia Carroll, helped me find the right weights for a beginner and gave me options each time a new move started. 

So, the class, Les Mills Body Pump, is, from the Y's definition: "the original barbell class that strengthens your entire body. This 60-minute workout challenges all your major muscle groups by using the best weight-room exercises like squats, presses, lifts and curls." It was great! 

The repetitions were easy to understand, not fast or complicated enough to lose me, but continual and flowing and kept us moving the entire 60 minutes. I felt that I was working hard, but not to the point of needing to quit. The teacher was informative and clear, but not chatty or annoying. The music was loud: remember, I am a yoga or walk through the woods person, but the beat helps you keep up with the movement. I did not use heavy weights, so I was easily able to do all of the upper body movements, but the legs!!! My knees are still wobbly from the squats and lunges. Stacia told me to sit back more for the squats; "you will feel like you are almost falling backwards." (and end up on my derriere, I thought, since it is round. And does she not get that there is about zil counterweight on me?)

Why did I wait until now to ever try strength training?! I guess I thought years of carrying babies around was resistance and endurance enough, and it was, then, but I am no longer lugging around infants and toddlers. My friend, Melanie Moore (you can find her on FB with great photos and stats of her own fitness journey), was my inspiration for starting now, as well as my son, D. who has been trying hard to get us to do his favorite "insanity" routine. They are both looking so good after months of working out that I started to have toned-arm and back envy. I'm on my way.

The YMCA: Up until this week, joining a family health club has had no impact on my fitness. I've been taking the kids to the pool and knitting while they swam.  My hands were pretty much crippled with eczema, so the pool was out, weights were out, zumba has never even been an option (see posts on Jazzercise and lack of coordination.) From the first day I read the description of the classes, Pilates and Body Pump were my choices. 

Yesterday I met with my wellness coach for our first one on one, current perk of Y membership. When I walked in to make my first appointment, she asked if I knew which trainer I wanted to work with. I sighed and asked if they had another mother of five who would "get my life." I wasn't serious, but she was! She offered, as a working mother of 3, to try and help. Joan is great; she helped me come up with a plan and will help me learn the different ways I can implement it through exercise and nutrition (which is, by the way, 80% of weight loss). She is encouraging and positive...and realistic. She and I do have a lot in common; we both run, we both hate it while we are doing it. She spent a weekend becoming a certified zumba instructor, just to prove to herself that she could do it. She has never used that training since; zero coordination, but she thinks Body Pump is a fantastic class. I have been attending belly dance classes, which I love,  for over two years, but have no confidence to dance in public; not even for an audience of sleeping old men. You never know when they might wake up and look. So it is partly, at least, beginner's enthusiasm, but I am excited about the changes I anticipate!

For the locals: I go to the Bettendorf Y, and the fabulous trainers I have worked with are: Joan Rusk and Stacia Carroll.

The Fitness Bug and Children

This is not a manual on "how to turn your kid into an athlete," you'll find that in the gymnasium/pool/ tennis bubble down the street. I am talking about how to awaken in your child the natural instinct they have to move and stay active that has a tendency to fade away about the time they acquire a favorite tv show or learn to love video games.

Seeing the example of their parents making healthy choices and keeping active is the foremost influence on both children and teens. I have seen mine become immersed themselves in running and strength training and biking as their dad and I increase our own efforts. I've always been careful to avoid negative body-image talk around my girls, because the media and society is so full of them already. I want my kids to be healthy in body and mind, not sickly-skinny or artificially pumped up. 

The only very deliberate decision I made concerning my kids' outdoor time was probably the result of having the lowest opinion of television, even for adults (think of how often Really Important People, like Sting or Mother Theresa, bothered with tv watching). Don't you want your life to be full of Really Important Activities? You only get to do this once, you know. *

So that leaves one with a lot of time to just enjoy life...and to muck around outside, especially in nature. My first two children think they were the luckiest ducks in the family; they got to live on the coast for a few years of their lives. Yes, the ocean was swell, and I miss it, a lot. The woods and the creeks and the rivers of Iowa are also wonderful. For one thing, the bike path along all of the above is litter, dog doo and algae-free. All of those were the obstacles keeping me on my toes and oft my double stroller on its side wheels as we navigated those early years of exercise with mommy. A run along the beach, in the dull, gray winter, but nevertheless, with the spray of the ocean and the smell of the salt water...and my feet getting tangled in mounds and mounds of sea-weed as I try to simply jog along. I love our creek down the street and seeing the woods and prairie change with each season; it keeps us coming back all the time (will we see Mother Fox today? have the tadpoles hatched, is the woodpecker back?), which keeps us moving.

Find a reason to go out and move. Maybe you start to say hello to the same man walking his dog each day and keep a treat in your pocket for the puppy. Are there construction projects happening in the neighborhood you could check on, a favorite tree to visit where their father saw a fairy years ago? Negotiate less written math if they will march out the times tables with you or find words that begin with every letter of the alphabet along the way.

It's rainy, snowy, too hot to trot? Dance inside to good music, hold a weekly yoga session, let the kids who are in kung-fu or swimming teach you how to do push-ups and leg lifts the way they do them in class. My children love to teach and train me...and I need it! Try workout online videos or DVDs from the library or from the thrift store, they get tossed a lot. Watch and try the video together, help each other improve your posture and accuracy.

Make movement and healthy eating part of your life and enjoy it. The kids will follow your example and make their own way to lifelong fitness.

*I am not a big joiner, but I joined two organizations; CCFC (Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood) http://www.cbf.org/ncli/action/about  and No Child Left Inside: http://www.cbf.org/ncli/action/about. Check them out if you are interested.