Get fit for the new year

It's tough to stick with for the rest of the year.

Before you write this Idea off as utter nonsense I ask you to read this Article from beginning to end. Most of us, especially us Mothers, seem to have a hard time finding a few moments to our-self in which we are able to improve our fitness, exercise or just make time to build stamina. This problem is not necessary, you can be the attentive Mom while doing the things you feel need to be done for your overall fitness. Kids are the greatest little fitness experts you will ever find. Think I am joking; just take a very good look at most healthy child. They are constantly on the go, have energy you can only wish for and are most of the time in a good mood. What is even more, they love to help. I have done this with my kids from early ages on; they have always been my Cheering Squad, Fitness Trainers, Work-out Partners and Diet Counselors. Let me show you how this works and why. Kids want to spend time with you and they love to help. If you tell a child that they are in charge, you have just made their day. Sounds dangerous? Not at all! When my kids were little, 4 and up, I would let them know that Mommy was getting too chubby and that she needed to loose some weight and tone back up. Of course that means nothing to them, but telling them that their Mommy's tummy had to go away and that she needed them to help her run, exercise and eat less, they understood. As soon as I would say this, my kids were ready. I would hear at least once or twice a day the invitation to go play catch with them. I wanted to run and believe me run I did. Chasing them all over the park. Playing Catch or playing ball, later as they got a bit older Soccer, is a great way to sweat, loose weight and built stamina. I never needed weights either. I would do sit ups with one or the other of my kids sitting on my legs as I would execute the sit-ups. A bonus here was that they had to count for me. A learning tool for them. Need to work your Arms? Just keep picking those kids up and setting them down. I was still carrying my daughters and my son on my shoulders when they were almost 8 Years old. As they got older they started exercising with me. We would challenge each other to greater heights and if we did well, we all got a treat. Worked out well. As for the diet - simple they would simple not let me eat things that I told them I should not have. My kids would go as far as taking it out of my mouth at times literally. Everything is more fun when you do it together.If I really felt tired or couldn't do another thing, or so I felt my kids were right there. Their little encouraging words and quoting my own phrases back at me made my workouts and attempt a lot easier. My Sons favorite thing was: "You told me never to quit, so you can't quit either." My Imp at age 16 is my daily workout partner now and she will let me know loudly: "You can do it Mommy! I believe in you!" Wow, what more can you ask for. When I see my inches going away, she is the first I show off to and she does the same with me. My oldest was more of the bribe inducing one. She had a very hard time reading when she was younger so her offer often looked something like this: "I read to you while you exercise Mommy!" The things you do in the name of education. If you don't like it, then just don't eat it. There would be times when I would sit in front of a dietary food and my eyes would just cross over. Of course I tried to be a good example, but my kids taught me a very important point, you can not force someone to eat something they hate. So if you don't like it, then just don't eat it. Find a healthy alternative instead and stick to it. That makes loosing weight a lot easier. You don't get to eat out of depression Mommy!When things would go bad for me, I had the very bad habit to eat. I didn't eat because I was hungry; I ate because I wanted to dull the emotional pain. My kids wouldn't have any of it. They would make sure I was busy, up to and including volunteering me as Teachers Aids in their School when I wasn't working that day. If we were at home and they knew I had just eaten, so my hangdog face, I would be dragged outside instead. They just had to go to the park and there was no food there. Or we would pack a small picnic lunch for 4, a few books, some drawing stuff and a few simple take with us games. Of we went to an afternoon outside adventuring. We never knew where we would end up at; we would step out of our door and turn right or left and just kept going until we found some interesting looking spot. By the time my kids were done with me I was roaring with laughter, reducing my stress levels and the depression would go away. Hurray for my little coaches. Make it colorful!There is nothing more depressing then gray. By adding color to your food you are not only eating with your mouth but with your eyes as well. Believe it or not, you get a lot more satisfied and faster if your food presentation is nice, colorful and smells good. Sharing is caring!Instead of each of us getting cookies we would make these large sized cookies and bread them in half. Then we would share with each other. Not only are a half of a large cookie smaller then a regular one, but we felt connected as well. We each had a treat and we did it together. You make them feel important and they will give you the time you need. If you let kids be there, they well let you do what needs to be done. After all they are not left out. Nobody likes to be left out. Just picture your child proudly telling Grandma or Grandpa, "I made my mommy loose weight! I am a big helper!" Come on isn't that too cute. The best thing is that kids are relentless. They are one 100% focused and you can not talk them out of something once you have put them in charge of anything. Trust me on this, if they get to be boss, they won't let you ever forget it. Want to pay them for it? How about a day out at a fun place, a new toy or a special good night treat. Believe me you will come a lot cheaper then hiring that expensive personal trainer.