1. Today just get up and go because yesterday, you said tomorrow.
2. You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great. — Zig Ziglar
3. Any exercise is better than no exercise.
4. What fits your busy schedule better — exercising one hour a day or being dead 24 hours a day?
5. It’s a shame for a woman to grow old without seeing the strength and beauty her body is capable of.
6. Every choice you make about what you will put in your body and how you will move your body will either put you one step closer to good health or one step further away.
7. What you eat in private, you wear in public.
8. It’s hard to be optimistic when your fat pants are tight.
9. The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do.
10. A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything. — Irish proverb

Do you have a favorite saying that keeps you motivated with regard to health and fitness (or life in general)? Feel free to share it in a comment below.

And then this morning, I open my Facebook page to an opportunity that isn’t so hard. The Jump Rope Challenge 2012 is fairly straight-forward. You jump rope every day for as long as you want. You count your jumps/skips. You report them on the Facebook page, listing your daily and your cumulative total.

Milo Bryant, fitness expert and creator of the Jump Rope Challenge 2012

I learned about the Jump Rope Challenge 2012 from fellow FitCity Mom Kelly Young. A friend of hers from high school, Milo Bryant, is the mastermind behind it. Wanting to learn a little more, I contacted Milo to ask a few questions. My questions and his responses are listed below:

What made you decide to create this challenge?
I tend to do something crazy/challenging every year. Not enough of us move our bodies with impact as part of the process. Jumping rope is a low-grade plyometric exercise. So, it’s something that virtually everybody has done before and can do again. Plus it’s pretty cheap to get a rope.

How long have you been jumping rope?
Wow. Off and on for 35 years. My earliest jump rope memories were when I was five. So, yes, 35 years worth. But the past 15 or so have been pretty serious. I probably own 45-55 ropes of varying grades.

What makes jumping rope a good addition or start to someone’s fitness regimen?

Jumping rope is a self-limiting exercise. That means it is an exercise that is nearly impossible to do with bad form and bad technique. If a person has poor technique or movement quality, an inability to perform the exercise is a plus because it doesn’t allow the reinforcement of poor movement. As a point of reference, people can and do sprint all the time with poor movement mechanics. But, because the times are fast, the poor movement mechanics are overlooked. Poor movement mechanics lead to injury – the last thing we want when exercising.

Any advice about finding the right rope? How do you know if it’s long enough/too long, etc?
There is no exact method for this. What’s standard is stepping in the middle of the rope, placing the handles together and making sure they reach the armpits. However, the longer the rope, the more arm action that’s required AND the slower the rope turns. The shorter the rope the faster it can turn, and less the arms are needed.

I just measured a couple of my ropes and they come just above my belly button. I’m a shade over 6-feet tall.

What’s the most consecutive jumps you’ve ever done without missing?
That a tough one. I don’t know that I know. I’ll hit my foot sometimes but keep jumping. Just because you hit your foot doesn’t mean the exercise has to stop so you can adjust the rope. We’re dexterous enough to work the rope back to normal even while we’re jumping. The longest I’ve jumped is 59 minutes. I got sweat in one eye at about the 45 minute mark. Then sweat got in the other eye. So I stopped, looked at the clock and got mad because I could’ve gotten that hour! During that 59 minutes I might have hit my feet five or six times.

So there you have it, from the expert. What I, a definite non-expert, like about this challenge is this:

1. It’s simple. All you need is a jump rope. If you want to get kind of fancy, the American Heart Association has some jump rope skills that you can work on to mix things up.
2. It’s not expensive. Again, all you need is a jump rope.
3. It doesn’t require lots of scheduling. Have jump rope, will travel. Waiting in the pick-up line at school? Get out the rope and do your jumping next to the car. Sure, other parents will look at you funny, but who knows? Maybe they’ll decide to join you.
4. It’s something the whole family can do. Create a mini-competition in your family. The one with the most jumps at the end of the week gets to choose the movie for family movie night.

On December 31, 2012 the jumper with the highest jump count in the official challenge will win $3,000 to donate to a fitness related charity. But the real win, I imagine, will come in the increased fitness and the sense of accomplishment of watching your jump count grow on a daily basis.

My first thought was fresh pine, of course. However, my middle child is allergic to nearly every tree on earth, so it’s an imposter tree for us. Then my mind wandered to citrus scents, cinnamon and peppermint. I began to think about how I could bring those scents into my house in a calorie-free way. Candles are an easy answer, but I was looking for something that also might help build a memory or two. Here’s what I came up with:

Clove-studded oranges

Photo credit: The Recipe Club blog

This simple project looks pretty and has a spicy sweet smell.

What you’ll need –

• Small oranges
• Whole cloves (available at most grocery stores)
• Washable pen
• Small nail or metal skewer

Draw a design on the outside of the orange. Cloves can be placed randomly as well. Poke small holes along the design, then fill each hole with one whole clove. Continue until the design is covered. You may also choose to randomly place the cloves around the orange. Display your studded oranges in a glass bowl so family and visitors can enjoy both the smell and the pretty designs.  For more detailed instructions, click here.

Cinnamon applesauce ornaments

Photo credit: McCormick.com

These ornaments smell great, are easier to make than cut-out cookies, and look great hanging from the tree or tied to packages.

What you’ll need –

• 3/4 c. applesauce
• 1 4oz. bottle of cinnamon
• Cookie cutters (2-3 inches)
• Drinking straw
• Ribbon

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Mix the applesauce and cinnamon together until a small ball of dough is formed. Roll the dough out to 1/4-1/3 inch thick. Cut out shapes with the cookie cutters. Use the straw to make a hole in the top of the ornament. Bake for 2-1/2 hours then move to a wire rack to finish drying for 1-2 days. Once dry, tie each ornament with a ribbon and hang on your tree. Makes about a dozen ornaments. (Recipe and photo from McCormick.com)

A kid-friendly, non-edible craft to bring peppermint into the house was a little harder to find. That is until I happened upon Nana Moon Shop and her playfully scented recipe for an old standy.

Peppermint-scented playdough

• 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 10 drops peppermint extract
• red food coloring

Mix dry ingredients {only 2 1/2 cup flour, reserve 1 1/2 for kneading dough}. Add water and oil. Stir and let it cool, uncovered. Mix or knead with hands. Knead in remaining flour as needed to make dough desired consistency and less sticky. Store in plastic bag or container with lid. Lasts for several months.

These recipes should fill the house with wonderful holiday scents, allow for lots of together-time in the kitchen and create happy memories. Zero calories added.

The problem with hot breakfasts, though, is they can take time to fix, which can be a real challenge for busy moms — especially those trying to get dressed and out the door to a job. Here are a few make-ahead, crockpot, or fast morning meals that I’m going to try to add to our morning routine in the coming weeks.

Hidden Pumpkin Muffins — A can of pumpkin. A boxed cake mix. Stir and bake.  Easy as that.  I’ve shared this recipe here before. If you look for it in the Fit City recipe archive, it’s listed as a dessert, but I don’t see why these yummy treats can’t double as breakfast. Make them ahead of time — even freeze batches and thaw later — then give them a quick zap in the microwave (or a low, slow warming in the oven) for a quick, hot breakfast.

Slow Cooker Oatmeal — All the fast food places have jumped on to the oatmeal bandwagon, but for what you pay for one serving of their oatmeal, you can make a pot to serve the whole family. My friend Shelley raves about her slow cooker/baked oatmeal.  If you click here, you’ll get her recipe plus a host of variations she’s tried.

The one drawback is that this is a 3 hour crockpot recipe, so you either have to mix the stuff together the evening before and put it in the fridge, then run to the kitchen during a mid-of-the-night potty break (or feed the baby break or “why can’t I sleep” break) and start up the slow cooker. You could also cook it the night before and then just re-heat individuals servings in the microwave.  This recipe can also be made by cooking it for 1 hour at 375.  If you get up to get ready before the kids do, this might be a good option.

Egg Muffin Sandwich — My kids love this and it requires very few culinary skills (good for me!) and no pans!

1. Spray a small microwaveable bowl with non-stick spray (or it with butter).
2. Crack an egg into the bowl, pierce a few times with a fork.
3. Cover with a paper towel and microwave 45-60 seconds.
4. Keep cooked egg in the microwave while you toast a whole grain English muffin or sandwich thin.
5. Lightly butter the bread (optional), then slide the egg onto the bun.
6. Top the egg with a slice of cheese and complete sandwich with top bun.
7. Serve and collect the compliments.

Do you like to send your kids off with a hot breakfast on cold mornings? What’s on your breakfast menu? If you’ve got a kid-tested, mom-approved recipe, please share it below.

Case in point:

1. A few weeks ago, after I’d dropped one kid off at soccer and another at play practice, I asked Kid #3 what kind of activity he thought he might be interested in. “Do you want to play soccer? Gymnastics? Swimming?” “No. No. Nope” was the response. “Well, what kind of activity do you want to do?” His answer: “Sit on the couch and watch TV.”  His very honest answer reminded me that I need to encourage him to go outside and play and to engage in physical activity, even if it’s not an organized sport.
2. My very theatrical, but not athletically inclined daughter, has mentioned a couple of times recently that she really likes to run. Maybe now would be a good time to sign us up for a 5k and find a training program online to get us prepared for it.
3. One of my kids was practically born wearing a pair of cleats. He’s never met a sport he didn’t like and has asked if he can play lacrosse, rugby and run cross country all next spring. Tonight, he came home from school, sprawled out on the couch and said “I think I want to skip soccer practice tonight. I’m tired.” In the 7 years he’s been playing sports, I can count on one hand the number of times he’s wanted to skip any kind of practice. I could have given him a pep talk and told him how he’d be glad he was there once he got out on the field. But instead, my husband and I decided that he knows his own body and everyone needs a break from time to time.

I don’t think my kids are trying to tell me something all the time. Sometimes they really are just babbling for the sake of hearing their own voices.  And sometimes, I won’t go along with what they are telling me because it’s not in their best interest. But by tuning in, I can listen for clues that can help me help them lead healthy lives.

That would be my fault. Ice cream is my go-to celebratory treat. And, as made apparent by my daughter, I’ve passed that tradition down to my kids. Not that I expected Annie to get in the car and say, “Hey Mom, school was great! Let’s go run 3 miles to celebrate.” But her request did make me think about what kind of examples I set.

I drink Diet Coke first thing in the morning, so it doesn’t surprise me that I’ve had to scold my kids about drinking the same before they’ve even eaten breakfast. My husband has a habit of grabbing a snack at the gas station near our house. Not so coincidentally, our 8-year-old declares “I’m hungry” almost every time he gets in the car.

Sleeping on the couch with the TV on is a special comfort of mine. I seriously have a crazy-comfortable couch!  But when my 12-year-old starting sacking out there night after night this summer, I had to put the kibosh on that, telling him that he would get better sleep in the more restful space of his bedroom.

It’s not just negative examples that our children mimic. My husband is not a big fruit eater, but if I serve fruit at dinner, he always takes at least a little bit, not  because he likes it, but because he wants to set a good example.  When I make a regular effort to exercise — even if it’s just walking the dog — the kids often ask about joining in.

As a mother, I have a responsibility to prepare my children for their futures.  If I want those to be healthy and long futures, then I have a duty to model healthy practices for them in the present.

Oh. my. gosh. Did someone turn the heat up over Indianapolis or what? This weather has me thinking about those icy cold days in February — not because I wish they were here. But because my family has taken to being holed up inside the house to escape the elements.

If you’re a mom, you know that’s no real solution either. Kids + stuck indoors + cantankerous weather = stir craziness.  So what’s a mom to do?

Indoor interventions for the hot weather

1. Make fruity ice pops. Blend up fresh fruit with ice and a little fruit juice. Pour into paper cups and freeze. Once slightly solid, insert a popsicle stick. When completely frozen, tear off the paper and enjoy. Let your kids make their own flavor combos.  I’d go for peach/apple/raspberry.
2. Crank up the tunes. While you’re blasting the air conditioner, blast the iPod or the Pandora Radio station, too, and have a dance party. Vote for best moves, most creative, best use of props.
3. Play body-moving games. How long has it been since you’ve played Twister? When my kids were younger, they loved Cranium Hullaballoo. They might still love it — maybe we’ll try it tonight. Good old-fashioned charades can be fun or new-fangled games on the Wii or the xbox Kinect.
4. Build a fort with pillows and blankets. Let the kids crawl in it to watch wintry movies (you know, mind over matter). They can eat their fruity ice pops or make some easy fruit kabobs.
5. Put ‘em to work. Gather old toys and clothes to be donated to the Goodwill. Have them empty one kitchen cabinet at a time and wipe them down.  Maybe offer a small reward — a Redbox rental or a trip to the frozen yogurt shop — for a job well done.

Outdoor adventures for the hot weather

1. Hit the pool, the splash park or the sprinkler early. Even before lunch if it’s open. Even if you can only stay for an hour, everyone will appreciate the change of scenery. Late arrival (after 7pm) also offers (slightly) cooler weather to enjoy.
2. Go for a bike ride. Yes, the weather is still hot and yucky, but at least when you ride a bike, you create your own breeze. Plus, you can look for sprinklers to ride through.
3. Have a water gun fight. Make sure everyone is adequately armed — including Mom.
4. Make your own sidewalk paint. It might not keep them occupied for hours, but it could buy you the 20 minutes you need to recharge your sanity.
5. Do a few outdoor experiments. Can you really fry an egg on the sidewalk? How long does it take an ice cube to melt if it’s in a paper cup outside? What if it’s directly on the sidewalk? Try some of these ideas.

Photo credit: Denise Rosser

Honestly, I thought it might be awful. Relay races, chin-ups, jumping rope and dodge ball for 6 hours a day? Ugh.

But this was not the gym class of my high school years.

The school Annie will attend is located in an urban area. So much of their daily activity was spent walking to distant locations. Twice they went to the City Market to enjoy the weekly Wednesday Farmer’s Market. They walked to Military Park. They walked to the expanse of grass just south of the Central Library.

These “city walks,” as the teacher called them, would be anywhere from three to six miles round trip. Often, when they reached their destination, the class would play “capture the flag” or some other game suitable for large groups of teenagers.

They also had to keep a journal and write a paper about a sport that is not popular in the U.S., but is played in another country. (Annie chose hurling from Ireland.) There definitely was no homework in my gym class.

I have a friend whose children are also taking summer gym in their school district. But instead of being comprised of hiking around town or playing team games, this school district offers online gym. Yep. Online gym. The kids have to log in each day and record their activities.  For $50 and an internet connection, you too can get credit for gym class. I suppose the onus is on the parents to make sure the kids are getting the activity and are being honest in their reporting.

Another friend of ours took gym during the regular school day. She said it was one of her hardest classes. Physically demanding. Papers, quizzes and tests.

The Indiana Department of Education does have standards for physical education programs at every grade level. And they are, I think, broad enough that they can be met in a variety of ways. I think it’s interesting to see how different schools choose to meet them.

What have your kids’ phys ed experiences been like? Has there been anything unique about them? How do they compare to gym class when you were a kid?

If you know anything about a little auto race in Indianapolis during the month of May, you probably know that the winner of the Indianapolis 500 drinks milk as part of the Victory Circle celebration. It’s a tradition that began in 1936 when winner Louis Meyer’s mother handed him a bottle of buttermilk, his favorite drink. But is milk still the drink of champions (and families) today?

Consider these facts from the Got Milk website:

• Chocolate milk is considered an ideal recovery drink after sports or exercise. The combination of carbohydrates and proteins replenish the body better than even sport drinks can.
• Drinking 3 glasses of milk each day can help significantly reduce the incidence of bone disease (such as osteoporosis) and fractures.
• When combined with routine brushing, the calcium in milk can help kids enjoy cavity-free teeth.
• A protein found in milk helps increase sleep and improve next-day alertness when milk is enjoyed in the evening.
• A diet rich in calcium (at least 1200mg of calcium a day) can help alleviate the physical and emotional symptoms of PMS.

Milk is important not just for the calcium it provides, but for other nutrients our bodies need.  AskDr.Sears.com reports an 8-ounce glass of milk provides:

• Protein: 8 grams.
• Carbohydrates – lactose, 11 grams
• Fat: Depending on what kind of milk (nonfat to whole milk), milk contains anywhere from negligible amounts of fat in non-fat milk to eight grams of fat per 8-ounce glass in whole milk.
• Calcium: 300 milligrams or 35 percent of the RDA for school children. Note that the percentage of calcium absorbed from dairy products is much higher than that absorbed from most vegetables. Milk is fortified with vitamin D, which boosts calcium absorption.
• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 8-ounces of milk supply half the RDA for children under three years, one-third of the vitamin B2 requirement for school-age children, and one-fourth the requirement for teens and adults.
• Vitamin B-12: 30 percent RDA for children
• Zinc: one eight-ounce glass, 10 percent RDA for children
• Vitamin D: 25 percent RDA for children and adults
• Vitamin A: 10 percent RDA for children and adults

Of course, several of the recipes submitted in the FitCity Make Your Own Smoothie challenge also contain healthy amounts of milk.

Still, there are people who prefer not to drink milk or who can’t because of allergies. If you fall into one of those categories, other good sources of dairy nutrition include rice milk, soy milk, broccoli, spinach, and calcium-fortified cereals and juices.

As for me, my preference for getting my daily requirement of milk is the good old-fashioned milk shake. Though prudence and the desire to wear pants that fit keep from a three-shake-a-day habit. What about your family — do you manage to get your three daily recommended servings of dairy, milk, cheese or yogurt  or do you find other ways to take in the calcium and other nutrients milk provides?

Making time for good health and fitness can seem like an overwhelming task.  But most of us can probably find at least 15 minutes in our day that we can use to jump-start or carry on our efforts incorporate healthy habits into our lives. So, just what fit activities can you do in 15 minutes?

1. Take a walk. At a brisk pace, you can cover one mile in 15 minutes.
2. Pre-cut veggies so they are ready for easy snacking.
3. Turn on the radio or your iPod and dance. 15 minutes will probably take you through 4 or 5 songs.
4. Do crunches, push-ups, jumping jacks or another no-equipment-required exercise.
5. Write down ideas for healthy dinners.  Keep a list on the fridge so you don’t forget that great idea you had yesterday.
6. Practice yoga or tai chi. Check out the on-demand cable channels for some pre-recorded programs.
7. Play some hoops or soccer or football with your kids.
8. Start some yummy whole-grain bread in the breadmaker.
9. Whip up a delicious smoothie in the blender. Click here to find recipes submitted in the Fit City Make-Your-Own-Smoothie Challenge.
10. Rest. Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is take a break. Sit down. Close your eyes. Breathe deeply.

What else can you (or do you) do in 15 minutes that help your health and fitness efforts?