Girls (and boys) just wanna have fun!!

According to a survey done by The Athletic Footwear Association, the #1 reason kids play their favorite sport is TO HAVE FUN!!! Sure we want to be sure they are picking up skills and putting in a good effort, BUT if they are not having fun they will NOT keep playing! 

Very good read if you have a minute....
http://www.insideyouthsports.org/2014/08/motivation-and-young-athlete-p

art-2.html

Keep up the great work Sports Moms!

As Sports Moms we know that involving our children in youth sports is beneficial.  It is one of the reasons we sacrifice so much for them to participate.  But did you know.....

Kids who play youth sports are less likely to:
-break the law or go to prison
-join a gang
-abuse alcohol or drugs
-abuse sex or become pregnant
-skip class
-have discipline problems in school
-drop out of school

Kids who play youth sports are more likely to:
-perform well in school
-have higher grades on national tests
-graduate from high school
-go to college
-become and remain employed
-become directors and managers
-become business and political leaders
-contribute to society by participating in social and charitable programs

The next time you are sitting in traffic, rushing from school to practice - keep this in mind.  You are helping to shape your child's future.  And THAT is worth all of the sacrifice in the world :)

Fit Mom Virtual Boot Camp

The Sacrificial Sports Mom’s 

Fit Mom Virtual Boot Camp

Sports Moms are constantly on the go.  Shuttling kids between practices, picking up sports equipment, attending parent meetings, etc.  Add on top of this regular “mom duties” – errands, laundry, cooking, cleaning, work, social life (haha) – the list goes on and on.  So where in all of this do you find time for YOU?

A healthy and happy mom equates to a thriving family.  How can you be “go go go” if you are too tired and sluggish to get anything done?  How can you be the best example for your kids if you are unhappy or just not feeling like you are at your best?

Like it or not, Moms are the center of our families.  We are the boss, the nurse, the therapist, the police, the taxi – we are everything to everyone in our families.  If we are taking care of all of those things, who is taking care of us?  We need to make time for ourselves, make fitness and nutrition a priority so that we have a strong foundation to build on and the endurance to get it all done!

There are so many things to take into consideration when putting together a program that delivers results - how many calories do you need to sustain your energy yet lose weight, what types of foods will provide adequate nutrition, what types of workouts should you do?  Forget trying to figure all of that on your own, The Sacrificial Sports Mom has developed a formula that is designed to get you the best possible results for busy Moms like you:

FITNESS + NUTRITION + SUPPORT = SUCCESS

FITNESS 

You and I will work together to choose a fitness solution that meets your needs and that will assist you in achieving your goals. There are quite a few fitness packages available for The Fit Mom Boot camp, although I find there are 2-3 that are perfect for busy moms because they fit into our busy lives. These Boot camp programs are quick-hitting programs that can be completed in your own home at any time of the day you choose! No taking time out of our busy days to drive to the gym; no trying to juggle your schedule to make the 5:30 class. This is important so you can focus your time on being a supportive SportsMom.

NUTRITION

All Fit Mom Boot Camp programs include a nutrition guide that has been prepared by a team of nutritionists. Why is this important? Because nutrition is 90% of the battle. Your Boot Camp package also includes a 30-day supply of a Super-Food meal replacement/nutrition supplement that contains over 70 natural, nutritious ingredients picked from the most fertile soils from around the world. Nothing artificial!!  This is important because we want you to get off on the right foot – especially during those first 30 days when you will need it the most.

SUPPORT

When you join the 30 Day Fit Mom Boot Camp, you will receive 1 on 1 peer support from a busy Sports Mom who understands how crazy our schedules can get.  As a community, we will work to achieve your fitness and nutrition goals. When you choose to be a member of the Fit Mom Boot Camp, you will be part of a community of busy moms committed to a balanced approach to fitness in order to be the healthiest mom you can be. This support system has been set up to ensure accountability and success for all, giving you a lifetime of a better/healthier you.

SUCCESS

When FITNESS + NUTRITION + SUPPORT come together, they create results!! By joining in the Sacrificial Sports Mom Boot Camp, you will have access to all three elements on a daily basis. No matter if you would like to lose weight, increase lean muscle or just be healthier overall; the proven formula of the Fit Mom Boot camp will give you the tools to get you the results you deserve. The only thing missing is YOU!!!

JOIN THE SACRIFICIAL SPORTS MOM’S FIT MOM BOOT CAMP

To join the Boot Camp, click on the registration link below and fill out the form and I will contact you with further instructions. Space is limited as to provide exceptional personal coaching for each participant. Once the Boot Camp is full, applicants will be placed on a waiting list for the next Boot Camp.

NEXT BOOT CAMP STARTS SEPTEMBER 15

REGISTRATION ENDS SEPTEMBER 8

Register HERE  Registration Link

Eau De 8 year old

I entered uncharted territory this week.  Our oldest is 8 and she is very active with gymnastics practice 3.5 hours a day 3 days a week.  This past week I noticed that she is now in need of deodorant (OMG WHAT??).  So knowing all the dangers of aluminum, I did not want to begin putting that into her body at such a young age.  So I went out and bought her Tom's of Maine all natural deodorant.  She is trying it out now, but this morning I read the reviews and most people say it doesn't work too well.  Which I am not that worried about because, well, she is 8 and how stinky can she get?

But in my research for reviews of Tom’s I came across this pretty cool website.  It is called Growing Basics www.growingbasics.com and is a line of personal hygiene products for big kids and tweens ages 6-13.  The products are all natural and non-toxic and most importantly for me do not contain aluminum, paraben, alcohol or sulfates.

They are priced comparatively to the other natural deodorants out there as well.  I just ordered a twin pack for her to try along with the Tom’s to see which works better for her, but I really like that the Growing Basics deodorant is created specifically for kids, while Tom’s is not. 

I will do an update once she has tried both products and I will share with you which one we like best!!

Overnight Oats To the Rescue!!

Weekends mean sleeping in, waking up and slowly rolling into the kitchen and preparing a big, involved breakfast for the family.  Well….not in MY HOUSE.

For me Saturday mornings mean waking up early, getting a workout in, walking the dogs and getting Riley off to gymnastics practice by 9am. 

Because of the hectic schedule, breakfast is always rushed and hurried, but I always want to get her full of a nice hearty breakfast to prepare her for 3 hours of practice.  While cereal is quick, it usually doesn’t keep her full for very long.

Enter overnight oats!  Yes that is right, they cook overnight – while you sleep.  So you wake up in the morning with breakfast already done and ready to eat (minus a little reheating and adding in some toppings!

I gave it a try this weekend.  We got into the kitchen in the morning and all I had to do was turn on the stove, reheat the oats and add in some brown sugar and fresh blueberries and it was ready to be devoured.

The oats were a huge hit and I felt good knowing that she had a nutritious breakfast that would keep her full and give her energy during her practice. 

The beauty of it is that you can add in anything you want!  I made mine with bananas and walnuts and it was amazing!  You can even put in a dollop of peanut butter instead of the brown sugar or use maple syrup.  Just get creative.  Below is the recipe and a few pics (I forgot to take a pic of the finished product until mine was all gone and Riley’s was near finished, lol).

Ingredients (serves 4):

4 cups filtered water (filtered water is KEY here as some tap water leaves a green slime on the oats, which is safe to eat, but not very yummy looking)

1 cup steal cut oats

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

Boil 4 cups water, and bring to a full, rolling boil, then pour in the oats and salt.  Give it a quick stir and let it cook for 1 minute (set a timer, it goes faster than you think!).

After 1 minute, turn off the heat, give the oats a quick stir, cover and let it sit out on the stove ALL NIGHT.

When you wake up the next morning, simply turn on the stove to medium heat and stir until heated through. 

Pour the oats into bowls and top with your favorite toppings (brown sugar, strawberries, blueberries, bananas you name it!)

Enjoy!!

How to help kids beat the heat on the field

Soccer season is rapidly approaching for my family.  We live in Southern California and it can get pretty hot sometimes for the kids’ games.  Keeping kids hydrated and safe during a game is a huge priority for me as a Mom and also as a coach.  But we all know that getting kids to drink enough water can be challenging sometimes to say the least.  If your kids are anything like mine, they love to snack! So I have put together a list of the best snacks for kids that help hydrate them:

Fruits and Veggies

Fruits and veggies contain 70-95 percent water.  Good ones to try are watermelon, strawberries, and cucumbers.  My kids LOVE frozen grapes.  Not only will this help hydrate but the coldness of the frozen grapes will help them feel cooler.

Yogurt

Whether plain or fruity, it is 80 percent water!  Try freezing one of the yogurt tubes and throwing them into your cooler.  That way the yogurt will stay well in the heat.

Popsicles/Frozen Fruit Bars

Make your own with pureed watermelon and white grape juice, then freeze.  Now these may not be the best idea to take with you to a game, but they could be great on the way or once you return for a nice, after game treat.

Signs of Dehydration:

Early signs of dehydration in children are fatigue and irritability.  If your child seems to be much less energetic or is crabby, it’s time to get him out of the heat for a water break.  Other symptoms may be sunken eyes, dry mucous membranes, decrease in urination, headaches, nausea and clammy skin.

A look inside my daily meal plan

People are always asking me how often they should be eating, or even what my daily meal plan looks like.  So today I thought I would give you a look at what a typical day looks like for me with my meal plan. 

I always try to keep it simple with easy snack ideas and quick recipes for dinner.  I recently did a few rounds of the 21 Day Fix and my eating was pretty structured then, but now I am back to my own plan, but I have incorporated the 21 Day Fix portions and style of eating into my everyday life.  Check it out below:

Breakfast (7am):  Shakeology – always, lol.  I usually make chocolate with 1 tablespoon peanut butter, ¼ banana and 6 almonds.  Delish!!!

Snack (10am): 1 whole wheat tortilla with peanut butter and ¼ banana (do you sense a theme here?  Haha).  Handful of grapes on the side.

Lunch (12:30pm):  Spinach salad with feta cheese, walnuts, cucumbers and grilled chicken.  I use my own homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing (I’d love to share the recipe with you, hit me up!)  4-5 strawberries on the side.

Snack (3pm):  Roughly ½ cup plain greek yogurt with blueberries.  1/8 avocado sliced (so basically one half of one half of an avocado) on the side.  I sometimes like to add a few crushed red pepper flakes to them for a little kick.

Dinner (between 6 and 7 depending on our hectic kids’ sports schedules):  Steak (usually filet mignon) and grilled veggies with diced green chiles.  Our favorite is squash and zucchini.  For us, these types of meals are usually kid friendly meals because our kids love steak and veggies.  Your mileage may vary J

If I am starved between afternoon snack and dinner I may have a small snack to tie me over until dinner – a piece of fruit or some trail mix.

You’ll note I try to eat every 3 hours as it helps increase your metabolism while keeping you just full enough in between meals where you aren't ravenous and eating everything in sight. 

I also drink water, all day every day!  You need to be drinking half of your body weight in ounces every day.  It not only helps keep you feeling fuller, it aids in digestion and just overall makes your body work better!