I find myself in AWE this month about the amazing community we live in here in Huntington Beach California. I have lived in this community known as “Surf City”,   for about  15 years and have never lived somewhere so wonderful!It’s interesting because, right now where I go to church ( SeaSide Community Church) where  we attend each Sunday with my family, we are in conversation about a series called,” Community”. My husband and I are truly enjoying this series and the message that are pasters’ are teaching is so important. It’s all about the Community we live in and we LOVE OUR COMMUNITY!  I couldn’t ask to live in a more loving community than H.B. My husband and our three beautiful boy’s also love it here. My husband and I are self-employed and own a local Personal Training Studio called, Body Techniques. We have had our business since May 1, 1993. We love providing a safe,fun, loving place for the residents of the community to come and workout and make life-style changes. Over the years we have provided programs for all ages. Our programs have included, Beach Boot Camps, PiYo Classes, Kid’s Camps, Boy’s BaseBall Camps, Circuit Workouts, Women’s Prayer & Fitness, Men’s Prayer & Fitness, Pregnancy Workouts, Walking Programs, and many more. We love to give back to the community and over the course of time have offered sponsored workouts to kids and families that want to get in shape, but can’t afford it. We are so proud to live here in Huntington Beach and to be apart of a community family that cares about each other and also about the beaches and environment. This year has been a hard year for us personally and with our business. Yet, we have had so many clients, friends,  church family and strangers provide us with some of the things we have experienced having hard-ship over. I can not begin to tell you what this has meant to me and my family. I  feel so blessed and grateful for the people who have helped our family in so many way’s  that I had to say, “Thank you” on my blog. We have had friends, family and clients help us with things we simply were unable to pay for. Such as getting our car fixed, new tires, brakes and maintenance. We have had the community set up and help with sponsoring our boy’s in some of the sports they play, that in past years we have paid for. Friends have helped by picking up our boy’s for sports when my husband and I have had to work late and were  not able to drive them.  It is these examples that I share with you that have blessed our family beyond this Holiday Season! Having  people in your life and a community that is  there for you in time of such great need, it is very heart-felt feeling that  fills your heart with an amazing amount of gratitude and love that you can’t express. THANK YOU,  Huntington Beach for bringing such wonderful people into our  families lives. We are proud to be apart of this Orange County Community and wouldn’t  want to live anywhere else. If you live in H.B. and want a complimentary workout and want some help with your fitness   goals  for 2010 come talk to me and my husband, we would love to help you feel better and become more fit. Next year is going to be a great year and you want to be healthy so you can enjoy it.  We can help you do that. I am so blessed to be able to do what I am so passionate about, that I would love to share it with you. Please call for an appointment. HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON THIS YEAR! Blessing to you and your families, StacyRaeFitnessMama

 www.body-techniques.com  714 717 0335

We all know how important family time is, however I think this year it’s more important than ever. I think this year it might be safe to say, that going back to basics with how we spend time together is really a must. Just like I tell my clients when it comes to losing weight and fitting it all in, it’s the same way with family time, KEEP IT SIMPLE. My boys have some of the best memories with our family, of simple evenings spent at home playing board games, making popcorn, renting videos, and just table talk time. We enjoy cooking together from making nachos to baking cookies. We turn music on and dance until we are all laughing so hard we can barely talk and then end up just hanging out and sharing our feelings with each other. Our table in our kitchen is where a lot of our time is spent with meals, family meetings, conversations about how we are feeling and lots of dessert time. Remember that spending time with your children doesn’t have to cost money. Children want to just spend time with their parents and get to know them. I love telling stories to my boys about what it was like when I was younger growing up and my husband and I trade off stories. Sometimes the stories have a deep lesson in them to share and sometimes they don’ts, but sharing memories with your kids and making memories with your kids, are what your kids are going to remember. Often times I think we as parents think we have to keep up with what other families are doing, especially if the family has a lot of stuff and a lot of money. Our boys understand that it’s the time we spend together that is important, not the amount of money we spend doing it.  Just being together is what matters most and is the biggest lesson of all that we could teach them.  So keep it simple when you plan your family time together and your family will cherish your family time forever. This Thanksgiving take a moment to remember what really matters, be grateful for your families and for each other. After all, your family is your greatest gift. Have a great holiday and laugh a little, it’s a great abdominal workout and it’s free!

My son Micah age 4 had his last soccer game of the season tonight. It was so sweet to watch his team buzz around the small field like little bees. It has been his first experience with the sport and I have to admit, he did really well. As a mother of three boys I have watched my boys learn the love of sports from very early ages. I believe they were kicking soccer boys even in the womb. But what I really enjoyed tonight was knowing that my littlest man and my last child was growing up. It is bitter sweet to know that your not having more children and every milestone of the last one is such a treasure. Tonight was one of those nights, that I really loved watching my son while he kicked the ball, fell down, rolled around and even went to give all his teammates a big hug and some high fives.  As I watched him play and play with the other children, I thought to myself now, THIS IS WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT!  For just a few moments that soccer game was all that mattered. It was as if time stopped and I g0t to just watch my sweet son be apart of a team. Something that is so important in life to do, especially as we get older. He will have to learn how to  work together with others, just like he being on that soccer team tonight. What a valuable lesson for such a little boy, and he doesn’t even realize he’s learning it.   The little lessons he will walk away with are just one more experience for his young little life and I got to be there! What a gift, I should be so lucky, I feel lucky!  The simple pleasures our children can give us even on a Friday afternoon @ 4pm. Watching my son develop more into a better soccer player, teammate and friend  over the season was so great. He laughed, he cried, he always tried, and he even made some goals. But most of all he was part of a team, a great team with a coach that grew to love him and got to know his sweet personality Thank you coach Sergio you made my son’s soccer sesson one to really remember and he will.  I must say, this was one season to remember. Go DINO POWER! YOU DID GREAT! I LOVE YOU MICAH YOUR THE BEST!

Photos by Keri Welch

What body type are you?

MEDS band - exercise anywhere with this resistance band. No more excuses.

Here are some photos of me and my boys that I have long wanted to share with you but well, you know – just never gotten around to uploading. Well, here they are now!

Showing off my cute postcards

My boys

Clowning around

Mi familia!

Get yourself moving when you can.! Your cardio workout doesn’t have it be done all in one time frame. When I help coach clients on getting started with a exercise program the first thing I have them do is start a walking program. I also have them walk in intervals of 10 minutes at time. We are busy moms and knowing that it’s ok to just do 10 minutes at a time is a relieve to some women that are just getting started. I often only have time for just 10 minutes at a time. However, if you do three 10 minute walks three times a day that adds up to 30 minutes. Do what you can, when you can it will add up to your cardio bank at the end of the day.  Go for it and never under value what you can’t do, just do what you can do. No matter what you do, JUST DO IT!

Being a busy mother it is hard to fit in your exercise. However, if you only have 10 minutes. here and there go for it and get it in. Your cardio doesn’t have to be done all at once, in fact studies show that three bouts of 10 mins. throughout the day is just as effective as doing it all al once. So moms get the kids and get yourself moving, you will feel better and clear your mind at the same time. The kids will love it too! Happy Walking
StacyRaeFitnessMama

Well we made it through the first month of being back to school and most likely attended back to school night to meet our children’s teachers. Did you go?  Are you excited about the year ahead? I am, and I hope that you are as well. Back to school night is always a challenge because they ask you not to bring your children to the classrooms with you. However, like most families one parent is still working and unable to attend. That was the situation in our house and it doesn’t make it very easy.

I feel back to school night is one of the most important events you as a fitness mama will attend. It is where you will meet your child’s teacher, see the classroom they are in, get to sit at your child’s desk, and also hear what is expected of them for the year. If you want to you can even leave a little note to your child to let them know how proud you are of them. I started off with going to my youngest son’s classroom first, he is in pre-school. I asked my oldest son who is 10 if he could watch his two brothers on the playground while I went for about a ½ hour. Luckily that worked out, because I really didn’t want to pay the Y.M.C.A. $ 8.00 per child to do watch them. That’s one nice thing about having an older child. Although I was only a short distance away from them and there were other kids near by, I felt grateful that I am finally able to add a little more responsibility to my oldest son Mathias. My friend was also out there with her little one, however Mathias thought that it was really great that I asked him to help me and it made him feel so proud of himself. He was glad to help and knew mom needed him to step up. It was nice to go to Micah’s classroom my little preschooler and see how cute his classroom was. He is going to have such a fun year and I know he will be ready for kindergarten next year. His teacher is wonderful and we are so blessed to have her as Micah’s teacher. The pictures he made were on the wall and his little projects were so sweet.

I was able to take the boys home to their dad before I had to hit the next two classrooms, and then I was off to my son Meric’s third grade classroom. It was great to see his classroom and we are really excited because he has the same teacher that his older brother Mathias had when he was in third grade, he even has the same number that was assigned to Mathias as well. It is going to be a great year for him  and we are truly blessed for his teacher too, she is wonderful.

Lastly, I was off to my son Mathias fifth grade classroom. Wow fifth grade, suddenly I felt OLD! As I sat at my son’s desk and looked around I got a little teary eyed, because I realized that next year he is off to Jr. High and he is growing up way to fast. I listened to his teacher who by the way is a male. Only I have to honestly say that I just had to sit and take in the moment because I couldn’t believe how quick it all goes. My son is in GATE (Gifted and Talented) this year and I couldn’t help but feel so proud of him. He loves is teacher and his school. I took in the evening as a very proud mother, with thinking that it’s not only going to be a great year, but my husband and I  have truly been  blessed  to have three beautiful boys that get to go to a great school and have amazing teachers.  It will be the last year for my son Mathias and then there will only be two at the school next year. But that’s ok because for this year life is good and I am grateful.

Little did I know that back to school night would be more that going from classroom to classroom, it was the realization that this thing called parenting is the most important job we have as parent. If you didn’t go to back to school night because you just couldn’t swing it, try to go next year, it could be one on the most rewarding things you could do for you and your child all year long.

Happy September and back to school month to all of you!

Like me, perhaps many of you are breathing a sigh of relief that your children are back in school. Despite this relief, you still may feel overwhelmed with getting back on track with homework, sports, making meals, packing lunches, keeping up with the carpool and the laundry. Yes, I can relate. I feel like I’ve been thrown into a dryer and am spinning at full speed ahead all with in ½ a week of school starting!

However, now that school has started, your exercise plan can easily take a backseat to all that there is to do being a mom and maybe even a mom who works. These conditions make it a little bit more challenging to get a workout in.  I know, I am one of those moms I have  three boys and two businesses, I feel your pain.

Here are some suggestions I have to jumpstart your BACK TO SCHOOL WORKOUT!

1.      STAY ORGANIZED. Assign a COLOR for each family member. Using color pens, write down everyone’s schedule on the calendar for September and for the rest of the school year in their assigned color. You may want to get a big calendar or whatever calendar size works for your family.   Now for the fitness mama of the household write down your appointments including your workouts in your pen color (do use a pen you will be less likely to cancel your workout). Make it a pretty bright color and have it be just for you.
Choose days that you know you can commit to (days when you know you have the help you need with your children.) Let your husband know what your plan is ahead of time and ask for his support with the appointments you have made for yourself. This is about YOU staying healthy so YOU can take care of everyone else. If mama’s happy, then everyone else will be too!  If you are a single mom or don’t have a significant other to help you, maybe you could swap exercise days with a friend or family member to make it happen. Maybe you are one of those lucky fitness mamas that have a high school child that has a later class and can help if there are younger children in the house. Get creative, ask neighbors that you trust, women from church and make it happen. Even if it’s twice a week there are ways to fit in your workouts. If you have children you need to get to school then take them and if you have a younger child, put them in the stroller and go walking or running with them. If there is a will there will be a way!! Bottom line: JUST DO IT!

2.      WORKOUT ANYWHERE.  Using the Med’s Band, a resistance band with exercises printed directly on it,  is a great way to do a strength training workout at home. Or anywhere, anyplace and at anytime. I take mine to the soccer field and workout while my boys practice soccer. You may check out my website for the Med’s Band @ www.Medstac.com you can also order one at the store. If you do and have any questions feel free to call me and I will help you out.

3.       MAKE A LIST. Make a shopping list before you go out to do the grocery shopping. Don’t go when you’re hungry and if you can leave the children at home it will spare you fighting with your kids and also save you money.  If you have to take little ones with you, be prepared for them to ask for everything in the store and be prepared to say, ‘NO.’

I know what it is like to take three little boys grocery shopping and it can get difficult. However, my boys know that I am not going to be buying junk food and toys, because I have said, “NO” from a very early age and they get it. Maybe you can ask a friend or family member to watch your kids while you go shopping and then watch their kids for them when they need to go to the store. If you’re comfortable maybe you could make a list and let your friend pick up items for you and then you could do it for them when you go. You see, there are several ways to do things, create a circle of friends and relationships so you can reach out to them and them to you. This can really be a cool idea for the moms in your neighborhood.
4.     GET YOUR KIDS INVOLVED.  When it comes to cooking and creating meals, let your little ones help. There is nothing more important than teaching your children about creating healthy meals and snacks. You are teaching skills for a lifetime here. Currently my husband and I are mentoring a young man who has been staying us and working out with my husband at the gym.  He also joins us for family meals and mealtime conversations. Growing up, he was not taught to cook or to grocery shop, now fast forward to a nineteen year old young man who doesn’t know any life skills in this area. Not only is this sad, but unhealthy. Children were not born with directions on how to raise themselves nor were they born with knowledge of how to cook and create meals for themselves.  This is our responsibility as parents to teach them how to cook, and prepare food. Buy your children some little aprons and tools to get started in the kitchen as young ages and continue to teach them as they get older. They will be a big help in the kitchen in years to come and you will have done your job as a parent to help them develop healthy cooking and eating habits.
5.  TRAIN ACCORDING TO YOUR TYPE. Remember to work out with your body type in mind.  I have addressed this topic in many times in my blog and newsletter. Visit my gym website and visit the take 5 videos to help you jumpstart your BACK TO SCHOOL WORKOUT with the three exercises I suggest for all four body types. Working with your body type will get you to your ideal body weight sooner than exercising incorrectly with it. I am also available for on-line training, webcam workouts and I also have skpe. I would love to have you email me a picture or yourself if you are not sure about your body type and we can get you on a program not matter where you live.
6.       STAY POSITIVE AND STAY FOCUSED! As a parent and as a business owner I have found there are some things we can control and some things we CAN NOT CONTROL. However, it’s not what happens when things happen, but how we respond to them. Choose to respond to your life and your children in a positive and focused way, remain calm and take a fitness mama time out if you need too. I do this all the time, I will tell my boys that mommy needs a time out and I will be back to talk with them when I’m done. I take time to breathe and focus, and when I come out I am calmer and I have a positive attitude. You choose your attitude, make it a POSITIVE ONE!
7.    DRINK LOTS OF WATER. I drink a huge glass of water every day with 1 tsp. of apple cider in it. I don’t know if it really helps me stay lean, but I think there is something to it. Try it and let me know your feedback on this healthy tip!
8.     EAT FOODS RICH IN FIBER. Eat high fiber high volume food. When you plan your own fitness mama meals, keep this in mind. It will help you lose body fat, and help your immune system remain strong throughout the school year.
9.     TRY SOMETHING NEW. Keep trying to get your children to eat new fruits and veggies. Remember when your child was a toddler and the doctor would say, keep trying to introduce fruits and veggies. Well it takes about 10 tries before them like it. So keep trying to open their taste buds, as well as yours. You too can try this if you struggle with trying new fruits and veggies. We as moms get in food ruts too and remember we are role models for our children. So be a healthy one and let your children see you trying new foods. Set the example!
10.   FOOD PYRAMID. Check out the new food pyramid at  www.mypyramid.gov I have mentioned this before, but really set aside some time to check it out for the whole family. The information is free and very helpful. It shows serving sizes, all the foods groups your child should have daily and it will be helpful for new ideas when you need to make meals and lunches. Print out the food pyramid and refer to it when preparing your meals, so you keep your family as healthy of possible.

BEFORE YOU TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT AND GO THROUGH THAT DRIVE-THRU, CONSIDER YOUR HEALTH AND EVEN YOUR WALLET! Try these healthy food options.

Healthy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, on whole wheat bread, and light cheese (2%), with carrot sticks and light ranch dip and sugar free Jell-O with light cool whip for dessert.

Stir fry’s with chicken and veggies, watermelon and whole wheat roll on the side.

Turkey burgers, with homemade French fries baked in the oven with light olive oil, and corn on the cob.

Healthy P.B.J. on whole wheat bread, trans fat free peanut butter ( or make your own.) fruit spread or sugar free jam, apple slices and milk ( 1-2% )

Tuna sandwiches on whole wheat bread, pita or wrap, soup of your choice and applesauce with a cool glass of chocolate milk.

Hummus with pita bread, cut up red bell pepper, and baby carrot sticks, sliced oranges and chocolate sugar free pudding for dessert.

Taco night, put bowls out with cut up chicken, or turkey burger, with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, avocado, and use whole wheat tortillas or corn, Place black beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans in a bowl for kids who don’t’ like meat. Make up some yummy brown rice and use trans fat free chips to dip in salsa. Have a large pitcher of water with lemon inside for keeping it pretty and refreshing with ice.

Pizza night, make your own whole wheat crust from scratch or go to trader Joes and get the whole wheat crust. Buy light cheese, sauce, olives, mushrooms or what ever your family likes and let everyone help make the pizza. Create a simply salad the kids will eat and go at it. Have a glass of orange juice or apple juice for a treat. Have yogurt for dessert.

BON APETIT!