Post Pregnancy: Keep a Positive Body Image

More powerful than any food you eat or any exercise you do, are the feelings you have about yourself.  According to Stroller Strides's founder  Lisa Druxman's book, Lean Mommy, breaking away from a negative body image will help you make - and stick to- positive lifestyle habits.  Not only will you be happier, but you'll be a better mommy!

I've never met a mom (including myself) who didn't want to lose the baby weight she gained.   Who likes the fleshy belly left after pregnancy?  However, how we see ourselves isn't always realistic.  It's important for our mental health, not to be a slave to the scale!  It's easy to slip into tunnel vision after having a baby.  If you have more weight on your bottom that you'd like, is this what you should focus on?  NO!  It's your choice whether you hone in on what you don't like or whether you adopt a more accepting attitude and see the whole, healthy you.  When you are depressed and unhappy, you are more likely to see only the negative.  But, you'll be happier if you focus on the positive.   

This is easier said than done.  You must stop thinking that you, or your body, or its parts are awful.  At first you can try lowering the volume of your dark thoughts and you can redirect your self-talk by creating a awarenes of it, then you can begin to minimize it.   When you learn to like and hopefully, love your body, you will begin to appreciate it.  

Here are seven quick tips from Lean Mommy to help you get started:

FOCUS ON STRONG POINTS

Would you let your husband or your kids tell you repeatedly that you are fat and ugly?  So, don't do it to yourself. You deserve to treat yourself as well as you expect others to treat you. 

BE WHAT YOUR LOVED ONES SEE

Your baby thinks that you are the most beautiful creature to have ever walked the planet. (Your dog and cat does, too.)  Allow yourself to see what they see!

LOOK GENTLY IN MIRRORS

Before looking at your reflection, identify something in your mind that you know you like about yourself.  Focus on that when you glance in the mirror.

KEEP SCALES IN CHECK

If you are prone to getting obsessive or having an emotional response to the numbers, throw your scale out the window!  It can't measure your worth, your health or your happiness.  You don't want your children to mimic your behavior and start weighing themselves as soon as they are able?

REFRAME SELF-DEFEATING THOUGHTS

You think diet, you think DEPRIVATION, You think exercise, you think BORING or TORTURE.

If you are following a punishing routine, you're likely to fail since you're doing it for the wrong reasons. If you respect and appreciate your body, you will want to treat it well. 

WATCH WHAT YOU SAY

Every negative remark you make about your body ingrains body-bashing beliefs even deeper. In Stroller Strides classes, no one is aloud to make negative comments about their bodies.  Start listening to your conversations and stop all the negative talk!

CHANGE YOUR TAPES

Every behavior stems from the desire to feel good or avoid feeling bad.  If you associate eating healthy and exercising with pain and eating cookies and sitting on the couch as a pleasurable activity, then you will choose to snack and sit.  But, if you redefine your thoughts so you think of being active as invigorating and eating well as energizing then you are likely to choose to engage in healthy lifestyle habits. 

Learn more about what you think about the way you look in Lean Mommy.  You can purchase the book from Amazon.com or from the Stroller Strides website. 

New Earthfare Opening in Knoxville

Economic times are tough. We all know that. And, Earth Fare, the healthy supermarket, seems to know that too. Have you been to their stores? If so, you would know that they are always trying to make healthy eating affordable, easy and delicious! Seriously - have you tried their homemade, all-natural chocolate chip cookies - if not, it is .99 cents of deliciousness! Well, in celebration of the opening of their new Knoxville store on June 17th, Earth Fare gave me a $50.00 gift card to give away! Yeah, very cool. They just said, hey Stroller Strides Knoxville- give this away for us.

So, now, we want you to tell us why you deserve or just plain want this gift card. We've all got stories. You may have a family of four to feed on a tight budget. You may have lost your job recently and just need some extra help. You may be a cookie lover or organic food nut! Or, perhaps for whatever reason, you've never tried a healthy food store and just want to see what it's like! Give us your best reason, and we'll consider it for the prize.

The best story gets the card. So, ready, set, and get writing. Post your reason in the comments below today! You only have until Friday, June 12 to get your entry in. And, we're waiting..

Got Milk? Mobile Visits Knoxville!

From March to August, the national got milk? Milk Mustache Mobile's Drink Well. Live Well. Tour is traveling coast-to-coast to reintroduce Americans to milk, a nutrient powerhouse. Each glass of milk provides an array of benefits. Besides, what other beverage has been endorsed by more than 250 famous faces?

We are going to visit Got Milk? Mobile on Saturday, May 30 at the Children's Festival of Reading (World's Fair Park, 525 Henley Street, Knoxville, TN 37902)  The event is FREE and it takes place from 10 am - 3pm.  

If you can't make it Saturday, join the Stroller Strides of Knoxville moms at the June 1 event on Market Square.  Monday, June 1, 11am- 2pm- Market Square (60 Market Square, Knoxville, 37902)

Post your comments and let us know which event you will be attending and earn a chance to win one of five Real Simple Magazine subscriptions offer to Stroller Strides Knoxville!  Hurry!  Contest ends June 10!

Other Tour Stops:

Sunday, May 31: 11am-1pm- Kroger (730 Watkins Rd, Maryville, TN 37801)

Tuesday, June 2: 5pm-7pm- Food City (9565 Middlebrook Pike, Knoxville, TN 37931)

Wednesday, June 3: 5pm-7pm White?s IGA (208 W Broadway, Newport, TN 3782)

At the free events, residents can:

� Experience the Wellness Oasis and get tips on how to achieve wellness and balance in their life

� Receive health assessments from a registered dietitian

� Sample low fat and fat free milk from local dairies

� Enjoy fresh Vanilla-Banana Soothie Smoothies

� Relax with five-minute chair massages from a licensed massage therapist

� Pose for their own celebrity-inspired Milk Mustache photos to keep as souvenirs

� Enter for a chance to win a healthy meal prepared by a personal chef and a year's supply of milk

The Knoxville Kick-off event will be held at Market Square on Monday, June 1 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Photos are also available.

If residents are unable to attend the events, they are encouraged to visit whymilk.com where they can download the New Face of Wellness Report which provides science-based research on the benefits of being a milk-drinker. On whymilk.com, visitors can download recipes, receive wellness tips and share their own wellness steps.

Why: The got milk? Milk Mustache Mobile Drink Well. Live Well. Tour will be cruising through your city hosting free events to encourage residents to not only live well, but to drink well with nature's wellness drink? milk.

Happy Mother's Day from Stroller Strides

Stroller Strides is celebrating moms this month by offering all kinds of sweet deals! We are all pinching our pennies these days so here are a few deals from Stroller Strides that you can save on or give some hints to your family about for Mother's Day!

Doce Vida Fitness is a new line of fitness attire that is very slimming and great to workout in! It's very stylish workout apparel. They say that it’s made with a unique ultra soft, super moisture wicking 12% stretch fabric that instantly slims. How can you not love that? Doce Vida Fitness Wear is perfect for everything from working out to lounging. The folks at Doce Vida were so glad we liked it at Stroller Strides that they wanted to share a gift for our readers. Get 20% off your purchase. Use the code "SSTRIDES09" at checkout.

We're not finished yet! As a gift to you Stroller Strides is offering a FREE copy of Lisa Druxman's book Lean Mommy to the first 200 people to visit the retail store at www.strollerstrides.com. Lean Mommy is an inspirational book providing tips on staying fit during and after pregnancy, how to be a "opti" mom and eating healthy!

Okay, if you are in the market for a jogging stroller, visit Joggermom.  With the purchase of any BOB stroller, you will receive a FREE console attachment for your stroller using the voucher code "4mommy."

Ready, Set, Crawl

Ready, set, crawl! We are set to launch the first Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Diaper Derby – a series of exciting ”race” events for children that will support the Pampers “One Pack = One Vaccine” program to benefit UNICEF.
The Diaper Derbies will take place at Stroller Strides locations across the country in March and April.  Knoxville's Diaper Derby will take place at Bob Leonard Park on Monday, April 13 at 10:30 am just after the grand opening class that morning!
As part of Stroller Strides’ partnership with Pampers to strengthen the companies’ joint mission of caring for babies, toddlers and moms, the Derbies will help raise funds and awareness for “One Pack = One Vaccine,” a program that helps UNICEF provide life-saving vaccines to protect women and their newborns against Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus (MNT) – a life threatening, but preventable disease which can be contracted during childbirth in unsanitary conditions.
Entrance fee for the Derbies is the UPC label from specially marked Pampers diapers and wipes.


The Diaper Derbies will include several competitive heats, including Crawlers (under 12 months); Assisted Walkers (12-18 months); and Runners (18-48 months); and will also feature a speed diaper-changing contest for moms. Heat winners will receive a baby body suit emblazoned with the message, “Together We Can Help Save a Life.”

Special New Member Offers for Spring!

Outdoor classes begin April 13 and we are offering several special offers for new clients! Take a look! Click here to download and print these offers!

Stroller Strides Classes & Luna Moms Events New Web-based Calendar

I'm so excited to share our new web-based calendar!  This is where you can find detailed information about all of the Stroller Strides classes and locations, plus all of our Luna Moms Club events.  Just click on any of the events to expand the view to see more details and get directions!  

Click on the calendar for an expanded view!

Video: Creativity Has a Name, Santiago Ramirez

Knoxify.com presents Santiago Ramirez from JAOPRO on Vimeo.

They say necessity is the mother of invention.  That's just what my husband is - an inventor! When his employer gave him the opportunity to seek other employment last May, he began pounding the pavement looking for other opportunities in his field.  When he didn't find one right away, he decided to employ himself and he created Copa Creative Communications - a marketing and graphic design business that focuses on small business and non-profit organizations.  While the income isn't yet steady, it's been a great learning experience for us.  All the while he has continued to pursue full-time employment. But, with the economy in such a low, it's been difficult needless to say.  I think Santiago was the first to respond to Knoxify.com's offer to create and publish video resumes for job seekers in Knoxville.   I'm so proud of my husband and his innovation!  

My Journey to Raising a Happy Healthy Family

My toddler's brain is like a sponge - it absorbs EVERYTHING! I gave him a piece of a chocolate chip cookie one day and now everyday he says, "cookie", "cookie" and he even says it like the Cookie Monster! I could kick myself! Not that chocolate chip cookies are bad, but I would rather he ask for more strawberries! Thankfully, he does that too. The great thing is, all foods are new and different to the toddler's palette. Your children's eating habits are developed early in life and will will remain with them as they get older, so offering healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grain snacks are essential. Don't worry if they turn their nose up at something at first. Chances are, they will take a liking to it sooner or later if you keep offering it.  Try offering the foods in fun, colorful and creative ways.

Familyfun.com has lots of fun and healthy recipes like this whole grain banana and peanut butter hot dog!

Practice what you preach. Children imitate what the adults in their lives do so if they see you making healthy food choices, they will most likely do the same too.  For more fun and healthy recipes visit Stroller Strides resource page.

Getting back to life: A candid Interview with Lisa Druxman

Moms on a Mission: Quick, Convenient & Healthy Meals for your Family!

When you are strapped for time use all available conveniences to help you make healthy meals for you family. Frozen vegetables and pre-cut vegetables (preferably organic) are a quick alternative if cutting & chopping just isn’t feasible. That's a relief living in Knoxville where fresh fruits and vegetables are hard to find in the middle of winter!

Never make one of anything. If you are making a meal, make enough to give you at least one extra meal.

Eating three meals a day plus snacks can sound daunting when you don’t even have time to shower. How will you find time for healthy choices? Think convenience & rethink meals. Plan ahead, be prepared, ask for help, and use your freezer a lot!

Plan ahead whenever possible, always make extra, and don’t forget your freezer is your friend. Also, don’t be shy. Ask for help – preparing a meal or snack is something family and friends can do for you.
Fitness Tip: Set aside time on the weekend for a family nature walk/hike and turn it into a scavenger hunt (how many different birds can you hear/find, different color plants etc.). You don’t have to be in a wilderness area, a local park can offer plenty of opportunities to seek out interesting flora and fauna (ducks, bugs, flowers…)

MOMS WITH A MISSION: Drink More Water

When pregnant and breastfeeding you need 60+ ounces of liquid a day. You will hear this so much that water will begin to not sound good anymore. Try making yourself a spritzer when you have had enough of the plain tap version. Add a splash of juice to sparkling water for a refreshing, hydrating change. Always carry water with you when you are on-the-go so you can sip throughout the day (using an aluminum or stainless steel reusable water bottle is best for your health and that of the environment – brands such as SIGG or Klean Kanteen are great options).

Fitness Tip: Train for a “child friendly race/walk” with your child. Set periodic, attainable, goals (distance, time, exploring new terrain like a hilly park) to keep it interesting and challenging.