Have you ever been that mom standing in the grocery aisle or bank line and you hear a frustrated grunt coming from inside the stroller. As mothers we need to read this cue as KEEP STROLLING MAMA! So, I ask all of you mommies out there how fit are your strollers? Does it only see the light of day when you need a bag of milk or are you a trailblazer? Well whichever you are the good news is stroller fitness is the surefire way to getting to Fit Avenue fast. W

What I as a mom love about stroller fitness is that I can stroll to all
my favorite I- POD tunes and groove out a great workout with scenic views. The best thing about stroller fitness is the stroller and the darling inside being carted around act as a form of resistance to our aerobic workouts. All the equipment you need to reap the benefits of stroller fitness is a stroller, a park/ scenic route, sunscreen, WATER, tunes and of course your little one. Now
that you have all your gear here is a sample of your next stroller
session.

Stroll YOUR WAY to FIT Avenue Workout

On the Move Warm up:(7-10 mins)
-walk 30 secs +30secs shoulder rolls X3
-walk 30 secs+30 secs arm circlesX3
- walk 30 secs + 30 secs toe tapsX3
-walk 30 secs +30 sec walking lungesX3
-Walk 30 secs +30 secs squats in place


Speed stroll(20-25 mins)
-the point here mommies is to work at your own pace and always use the talk test as an indicator of how hard you are working. You  should always be able to talk! If you can't talk slowdown your pace. If you can sing easily pick up the pace!


Some options to use in the Speed Stroll are; brisk walk, jogging, skipping, side gallops, running, jogging up and down stairs, hills or bleachers.

** Remember if you are a beginner Stroller Mama you may entirely use a brisk walk, if advanced you may mix it up, listen to your body it won't steer your strolling wrong.

Cardio cool-off (2-5mins)
-Repeat on the move warm-up 
-Muscular and core strength
-Use picnic tables or benches to do 3 sets of 8-12 reps of leg 
lifts, modified pushups, triceps dips and abdominal crunches.
-Final stretches (can be on a table, standing or sitting on
grass) head/neck rolls, inner thigh stretch, ankle rotations,
side stretches, forward folds and deep breathing.

 
Safety Cues:
-Always drink water before, during and after workout.
-Do not use light frame strollers suitable only for car seats(any other stroller is fine).
-Always check the weather and prepare accordingly for you and your baby, ex humidex, sunscreen, stroller rain cover, baby hat, bug net  for stroller etc….

Benefits of Stroller fitness:
 -safe and effective
-fresh air, sunshine and FUN
-full body exercise
-You can do it alone, with a friend or Mommy group
-Not too mention it calms your little one and helps with their sleeping habits, giving you a much needed Break.

If you have any questions about performing any of the exercises do not hesitate to email me at fit_maven@hotmail.com. Enjoy your next stroll to FIT Avenue! 
 

Winter and early Spring are a common time for eczema flare ups to occur. To help make it through this weather/humidity transition period, Mama Bare suggests  three easy tips:

#1) Bathe LESS Often - Seriously. Less often. Like two max three times a week if you can hack it.

#2) Use LESS Soap - Only  wash the parts that really need it (armpits, hands, etc.).  Avoid private areas.  And skin arms/legs/back, etc. Those areas get rinsed with soapy water anyways,  and they don’t really get dirty.

Stick with a natural, vegetable oil  based soap (or none at all) that won’t irritate your skin. Absolutely avoid  synthetic fragrances, petroleum by-product soaps and hand sanitizers.

#3)  Moisturize! Moisturize! Moisturize!
If you suffer from eczema all over  your body, you may need more than the post
treatments listed here. But for most  folks, eczema flare ups tend to be on a
few spots like hands, arms, back of  knees, etc. Gather a really high quality,
non-petroleum based balm (i.e. no  water in it) and apply it morning and night
to the affected area. if it’s hands,  allow five minutes to fully rub it in.
Repeat as needed. The moisturizer will  protect the dry/rashy/irritated skin and
will protect it from further  damage.

What to use?

Of course, we are partial to Bare Organics'  Healing Balm and Organic Baby Balm – both can be very successfully used to help  heal eczema, skin rashes, psoriasis, etc. You can also try coconut oil, olive  oil, or a number of other homemade recipes. Aim for organic, cold pressed oils  whenever possible to get the most
nutrients.

Additional Tips for  Parents

If your wee one has eczema
patches, first make sure it is really  eczema, and not a self-diagnosed rash
that may be eczema. if your little one has  a food allergy or intolerance,
treating the skin issue won’t make it go away.  It’s still a great idea to try
elimination diets to see if that helps. 

In the meantime, use your stealth superpowers to sneak into his/her room  when he/she is sleeping and apply the balm where needed. Active, awake children,  especially when they are young, will probably pick at the area once it itches,  and may wipe off the balm. if you treat it before they know, you stand a better  chance of letting it work it’s magic.

B-bye eczema!

~Mama  Bare
Bare Organics Inc.
bareorganics.ca