The other morning I was running on the treadmill (or the dreadmill as I affectionately like to call it), I was feeling very lethargic and struggling through just a short 3 mile run. At one point I even found myself having to slow down my speed because I was dragging.

At first I just chalked it up to having a bad run because that just happens sometimes. Then, it hit me. In all my rushing around that morning to get out of the house with all three kids, I had forgotten to eat breakfast. Don’t worry, I fed my kids and even sent my husband with a cup of coffee with his breakfast but I had completely forgotten to feed myself! This is not something I usually do but somehow my eating breakfast just got overlooked.

After my run I took a couple of good chugs of water and headed to Zumba class. This is a very high-energy class that I love but that morning, I could barely get through it and I could feel a bit of grumpiness just settle right in. I do not recommend skipping breakfast EVER! My total lack of energy and desire to workout that morning confirmed for me that skipping breakfast is not an option!

Here are some quick, easy and healthy breakfast options I’d like to share:

1. Fruit and veggie smoothies. I often blend yogurt or milk with fresh or frozen fruit and a handful of spinach or green veggie of some sort. To make the smoothie even healthier and more filling I throw in a little flax seed and a handful of oats.
2. Cereal. So simple and easy and if you choose the right cereal it can be a filling and nutritious breakfast. I try to choose something high in fiber and low in sugar. This prevents the crash and burn that can happen with low fiber, high sugar cereals. Topping it with fresh fruit keeps me even fuller.
3. Oatmeal. Good old fashioned oats cooked in the microwave or on the stove top. Again I add a little flax seed and some cinnamon and then sweeten with a little real maple syrup.
4. Quinoa. This is a seed that is often called a grain and it’s another great breakfast choice. I just cook 2 parts milk to 1 part quinoa on the stove top and then add fresh cinnamon and sweeten with a little maple syrup.
5. Pancakes. I usually buy a whole wheat pancake mix like Hodgsin’s Mill brand and then bulk it up with some oats, flax seed and fresh fruit. I usually top with nut butter and a little maple syrup.
6. Eggs. Eggs are of course a great source of protein and most times I just scramble them right in a coffee mug and cook them in the microwave. So easy but so filling and healthy. Throw a little salsa on top for a little extra flavor.

These are just some of my favorite go-to breakfasts. There are so many healthy, well-balanced and quick options out there to choose from. I learned the hard way that starting out your day without a well-balanced breakfast is not a good option for an active mother of three.

photo credit: www.stockvault.net and www.flickr.com

After daughters number one and two, I had lost the extra pounds within six months. However, this third time around I seem to have clung on to an extra five pounds, sometimes losing two or three pounds of it and then putting it right back on. In the grand scheme of things, five pounds is probably not that big a deal and doesn’t prevent me from being at a healthy weight.

Most people tell me I’m silly to worry about this five pounds and even my own mom tells me to accept that I’m getting older and it’s here to stay (thanks mom)! As for me, well, I’m just not willing to give up yet. I look at the cute jeans, fitted tops and two piece swim suits I used to wear and I’m not ready to say goodbye. I decided to do a little research as to why this last give pounds could be lingering. After all, knowledge is power, right?

I was surprised at some of the reasons I found that I could be holding onto my last five pounds.

1. Lack of sleep: According to WebMD, I could be jeopardizing my weight loss by not getting enough sleep. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body experiences physiological stress and, biochemically, you store fat more efficiently. I know I do not get the proper amount of sleep. When my girls go to bed at eight o clock it is my down time. I stay up for several hours doing the things that I enjoy, reading, blogging, watching television, enjoying a glass of wine and unwinding. WebMD recommends experimenting with adding increments of fifteen minutes to your bedtime to find the right amount of sleep for you.

2. Stress: I found through my research that stress can really wreak havoc on your metabolism and produces stress hormones such as cortisol that can really contribute to extra weight in your abdominal region. Anyone with the responsibility of raising children experiences stress and worry daily. Another way it could be contributing to weight gain is eating. Mindless eating is a common reaction to stress and can contribute extra calories to your diet daily.

3. Hypothyroidism: Hypothyroidism is another common reason for weight gain in women. This is a condition in which your body does not produce enough thyroid hormone and this can significantly slow your metabolism. This can be tested by your doctor with a simple blood test and can usually be corrected with medication. I am going to have my doctor test my thyroid though, because I am still at a healthy weight I do not think this is an issue for me.

4. Underestimating the amount of calories you are eating: Sometimes you are eating many more calories than you realize and this can add to weight gain or prevent you from losing unwanted weight. I’m not a big fan of counting calories but it would probably be beneficial for me to count calories for a few days to see if they are adding up to more than I am aware of. After counting for a few days you can get a better idea of what you’re eating and what it’s adding up to and cut back if necessary.

5. Drinking Calories: When counting calories you MUST include what you are drinking. That pink lemonade or sweetened tea that you’re enjoying poolside adds up. It’s best to drink water most of the day and to cut back sweetened drinks to once or twice a day. Coffee drinkers  (I am an addict) need to watch their cream and sugar intake.

These are just some of the ways that you could be gaining or having trouble getting rid of unwanted weight gain. Some of these ”reasons” are obvious but some have really surprised me.

I am going to make an effort to get to bed fifteen minutes earlier tonight!

Back yard Pool Safety:

Supervision is the most important prevention for drowning. Always supervise your children in the pool. There should always be an adult within arms-length of children swimming.

Talk to your children.  Explain to your children that they are never to go in the pool or close to the pool without an adult. This is something we regularly remind my daughters. They seem to understand and often repeat our “rules for the pool” back to us.

Make it impossible to access the pool without adult supervision. We access our pool by ladder. When we are not using the pool our ladder flips up and away from the ground and then we secure it with a lock.  Some pool ladders have steps that completely detach when not in use, be vigilant about removing these steps. Some pools have decks attached sometimes the deck steps flip up like ours or sometimes you must install a gate that swings shut and locks automatically either at the bottom or top of the steps.

Do not leave toys in and around the pool area. This can be very tempting to a child who may lean  too close to the pool to retrieve a toy they are interested in. When we are done swimming we remove all toys from the pool and pool area.

Clear Pool Area of Chairs. Remove any objects from around the pool that a child could potentially stand on to get into the pool. Items like chairs, large toys or buckets can provide a boost for a child to get into the pool.

Pool Alarms. Another layer of safety is a pool alarm. These alarms sound if something hits the water. While these can be great for safety, I’ve read that there are a lot of “false” alarms. For instance, leaves blowing into the pool can set the alarm off. Another option available is an alarm device called a safety turtle, this is a wrist band that your child wears and if it is immersed in water it sounds a shrieking alarm at the base.

Swimming Lessons. Enrolling your child in swimming lessons can also beneficial for their safety. One of the first things our girls learned during lessons was not to panic and to get to the side of the pool if they are in danger. However, even when a child has had swimming lessons they still need to be supervised in the pool.

Four Sided Fencing:Most towns, boroughs and cities require pool owners to have a four-foot fence with a self closing and self latching gate.  You can also enclose the pool area with a four-sided fence. For an in-ground pool this fencing is extremely important.

 IMPORTANT: If you cannot find your child the first place you should check is the pool. Every second counts if a child has gotten into the pool.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. Lastly, consider CPR certification. In the time it might take for paramedics to arrive, your CPR skills could make a difference in someone’s life. CPR performed before paramedics have arrived has been shown to improve outcomes in drowning victims.

The summer is a time for fun and relaxing outdoor family activities and swimming should be one of them.  If you take the extra time to follow the simple and common sense tips above, pool time won’t have to be a stressful time.

• Swimming: Swimming is an activity that my little ones always enjoy. It’s a cool and fun way to keep active. This can be as easy as filling up a little baby pool for your back yard if you don’t have a pool or a pool membership.
•  The park: My kids are always more interested in playing outside if it involves the park rather than our own back yard. Find a shaded park and go in the morning before it’s too hot. You can even pack up a healthy lunch to enjoy before leaving.
•  Indoor Activity-Gyms: Our area has a lot of nice places where you can get your little ones active inside. Get together a group and most of these inside gyms or bounce houses offer open jump or play time at discounted rates. Some even offer family memberships for the summer.
•  Water parks. Water parks are another place to stay cool while running around and being active. Don’t have the money for the water park? Make one in your back yard! We set up a sprinkler, a small pool and slip and slide. If you have a small slide in your yard you can put the pool at the bottom and let the kids slide in. My kids love this!
•  Mall Walk: Most indoor malls open their doors an hour or two before the stores open for walkers. I’ve taken my little ones to “walk the mall.” This is such a great way to fit in a walk without the heat. Call your local mall and see if they offer this opportunity for early walkers.

Home equipment is a great way to get your workouts in at home. While some home fitness equipment can be very pricey there are some options that are less costly. These are just a few of the less expensive options:

Hand Weights: Hand weights for strength training are not expensive, come in all sizes and can give anyone a very effective workout.

Jump Rope: Jumping rope is a great cardio workout.

Yoga Mat: For about $20 you can invest in a yoga mat that will enable you to do yoga poses and stretching wherever you can find a little space to spread out. 

Resistance Bands: Resistance bands are a great way to workout just about anywhere without putting a noticeable dent in your budget. 

Another great option for working out at home are exercise or workout videos. Most workout videos require little to no equipment. You usually need only a designated space near the television to spread out. If you do not own a video most cable companies have a designated exercise channel in their on demand line-up. There are definitely some videos out there that give you a serious hard-core workout… Jillian Micheals 30 day shred is no joke!

Lastly, my favorite option where no gym membership is required is getting outside for a run or walk. The only thing required for this type of workout is a good pair of running or walking sneakers and workout clothing. Of course there are so many things you could add to the mix, like an ipod or a fancy heart-rate monitor but these are not necessary. Weather can sometimes interfere with your outdoor plans but that is when the home equipment and videos are a great option. Also, outdoor sweat sessions work best when they can be squeezed in while the other parent is home to avoid having to worry about childcare.