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Over and over again, I hear how busy moms (and dads) are – and how difficult it is to try to fit in some time to exercise. It occurred to me that there IS time…you just need to see it. Here are three opportunities our peer group has identified:

First, if your child(ren) is(are) on the after-school-activity circuit…soccer, t-ball, baseball, dance class, etc…you may constantly be on the road. “I feel like all I am is a taxi cab” seems to be a common comment. I say, “That’s perfect! What a great opportunity to exercise yourself!”

If you have an hour with nothing to do but wait for your child’s activity to be over…DO SOMETHING WITH IT. Our children go to Tumblebus once a week – which is a great program that builds self-confidence and enhances physical and motor development in children. It’s a gym on wheels with bars, beam, vault, ropes, rings, zip line and monkey bars inside (for children ages 2-10; for more information call 985-725-0143 or email thetumblebus@bellsouth.net).

During that hour, parents must stay on site – so, a few of us decided to jog around the parking lot and up the local street. We’ve turned an hour of sitting in our cars doing nothing into a 30-minute cardio session followed by a round of push-ups. Kids exercise; moms exercise.

Another great “family time” option is just going for a walk around your neighborhood. Bring the dog, have the kids ride a bike, skip, jump rope, bounce a ball, tell a story about every green thing they see…whatever it takes, just walk out the front door.

The last idea came from a former colleague of mine who moved to New Orleans from up North. He was so excited to have a swimming pool he could use most days of the year. Every night after work and school, he and his daughters would hop in the pool for 30-45 minutes of swimming time. He would do laps while they played and talked. If you’re lucky enough to have a pool – go for it! Make it a habit and embrace these hot summers with a cold splash.
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Alison Soileau is currently the owner of Self Confidence LLC, and is a District Manager/Independent Consultant with Arbonne International, a 30-year-old international health and wellness company. Experience includes 11 years with Ochsner Health System. Alison is the mother of 5-year-old twins, Cole & Cassidy…who led her to gain and then lose over 80 pounds…through diet, nutrition and exercise.

I am in no way, shape or form a professional racquetball player. I am, however, a girl/lady/woman who LOVES playing it just for the fun of it – and the cardiovascular benefits are amazing.

When I think of racquetball, I tend to think of the sweaty guy with the headband, goggles and armpit stains on his shirt…oh-so-not ladylike. When I was in college, my boyfriend and I decided to try it out – and immediately fell in love with the sport, if not each other. Fifteen years later, the level of enjoyment is still as high – competition rears it’s little head, and GAME ON!

After one hour of play, you feel more invigorated – alive – and completely satisfied with a fabulous cardio workout. Racquetball is one of the ways I helped shed the pounds after having twins – and it is an outstanding stress reliever! Here are some interesting factoids regarding the health benefits of racquetball (Source: www.homefieldadvantage.com):

• Average number of calories burned during racquetball play: 640/hour [Prevention, 1995] to 794/hour [Men's Health, 1995] — can get to a very high level at 13.7 per minute (or 822/hour) [Sports Training Institute]
• An average game takes 20 minutes, during which a player will run a distance of approximately 3,650 feet — or over two miles in one hour of play. [U.S. Olympic Training Center]
• Racquetball players work at a constant rate of 75 to 85% of their maximum heart rate for the duration of a typical racquetball game. [USRA Elite Training Camp, 1992]
• Racquetball offers both aerobic and anaerobic benefits, with both sustained high level heart rate activity and quick bursts of energy required during play.
• Racquetball works nearly every muscle group, including sustained, repetitive use of large muscles that increase calorie burn and reduce fat percentage. (from USRA.org)

Want to try racquetball for yourself? Here are some of the racquetball courts in the New Orleans area:

Elmwood Fitness Center
Harahan; 733-1600

Recreation & Fitness Center at UNO
UNO campus; 280-6357

New Orleans Athletic Club
New Orleans; 525-2375

Hilton New Orleans Riverside
New Orleans; 556-3742

Manhatten Athletic Club
Marrero; 341-2582

Also, you might want to check-out the Louisiana Racquetball Association

Have fun – and always be sure to wear goggles…not the best fashion accessory, but certainly the best way to maintain good vision in the future.

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Alison is currently the owner of Self Confidence LLC, and is a District Manager/Independent Consultant with Arbonne International, a 30-year-old international health and wellness company. Experience includes 11 years with Ochsner Health System. Alison is the mother of 5-year-old twins, Cole & Cassidy…who led her to gain and then lose over 80 pounds…through diet, nutrition and exercise.

Some of my friends are blessed with children who love to eat fruits and vegetables. I always watch in astonishment while we are at City Park or the Zoo and the children gladly eat an orange or some broccoli. They pull out their little bag of apple slices and munch away. Not my children…no, they are on a constant search for the “man in the wagon with the sticky candy” – yes, Roman candy/taffy is their snack of choice.

Sure, when they were toddlers it was no problem. They didn’t know any other way of eating, but then reality kicked in – pizza at birthday parties! Chicken nuggets with Grandma! Meanwhile, I’m buying organic fruits at the local farmer’s market, serving vegetables with every dinner – and watching the look of horror on my 5-year-old twins’ faces as they realize the cauliflower is actually TOUCHING the wheat pasta on their plate!

I finally bought the book Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld.

Deceptively Delicious Cookbook

I struggled with deceiving the children just to get nutritious food in their bellies. The premise of the cookbook is to use purees that are added to regular meals…thereby hiding the beets, prunes, carrots, zucchini, etc. in the French Toast, spaghetti or muffins.

We have tried several recipes – and finally hit a home run! We enjoyed shopping at the German Coast Farmers Market in Destrehan this past weekend, and decided to put our vegetables to good use. Unbelievably, this recipe was a favorite for the entire family – I hope it is for your family, too.

Meatball Soup
3 oz. bow tie whole wheat pasta (or more, if pasta is a favorite)
Cooking spray
1 T. Olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (28oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, with juice
1 1/2 t. salt
3 c. reduced-fat, low sodium chicken broth

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside. Coat a large pot with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. When pot is hot, add the oil, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until onion is softened but not browned. Puree tomatoes and their juice with the carrot puree in a food processor. Add tomatoes to the pot along with the purees and broth. Simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes.

Meatballs
3 slices whole-wheat bread, cubed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ c. sweet potato puree
¼ c. skim milk
2 T. grated Parmesan
¼ t. pepper
¼ t. paprika
½ pound lean ground turkey

Put the bread in a large bowl – add the egg, sweet potato puree, milk, parmesan, 1 t. salt, pepper and paprika. Let soak until the bread is very soft. Stir to break up the bread, add the turkey, mix until smooth. Form into mini-meatballs ½ inch in diameter.

Add the meatballs to the pot. Simmer, covered, until the meatballs are no longer pink (12-15 minutes). Stir in the pasta…sprinkle with parmesan – and finally! A dinner the whole family can enjoy.

This recipe is one of many delicious recipes in the Deceptively Delicious Cookbook – as you can see the recipes are not complicated.  You can find it on Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

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Alison is currently the owner of Self Confidence LLC, and is a District Manager/Independent Consultant with Arbonne International, a 30-year-old international health and wellness company. Experience includes 11 years with Ochsner Health System. Alison is the mother of 5-year-old twins, Cole & Cassidy…who led her to gain and then lose over 80 pounds…through diet, nutrition and exercise.

Have you ever done a Detox before?  Have you been thinking about doing a Detox?  The other question to ask yourself is: what’s driving you to detox – quick weight loss? Kick-starting a new diet? Are you feeling sluggish? Do you get sick all the time? Have you finally had one too many Po-Boys, fried food and Daiquiris so you want to try and reset your body?

Our body’s main detoxification organs and systems are liver, colon, kidneys, gallbladder, lungs, skin, lymph, and blood. They help rid your body of wastes and toxins. However, our bodily functions were designed when the world were less polluted. Our detoxification organs get overloaded & we need to help ourselves push the “reset” button. In our lifetime, our bodies will process 100 tons of food… that’s 20 elephants! A detox can help you “reset.”

We also live in a world with much more toxins and pollution, our body organs and systems have to work a lot harder to rid the exponentially increased waste and toxins.

Detoxification is a “cleansing” of the body – to release toxins – and depending on the method behind the detox, results vary. Methodologies vary widely – from juice fasts to supplements to only raw foods or fruits. Some encourage chewing; some do not (to “rest” the gastrointestinal tract”).

What Is a Toxin?

Toxins can be small molecules, peptides, or proteins that are capable of causing disease on contact with or absorption by body tissues interacting with biological macromolecules such as enzymes or cellular receptors.

A toxin can create an irritating or harmful effect on your body; it becomes toxic when your body cannot effectively eliminate this toxin.

You may be surprised at the toxins we are in contact with every day – pollutants, smoke, pesticides, fertilizer, plastics, petrochemicals, and even pool water. We also are not fully informed of the toxins that exist in the process (chemically altered) food we eat. These affect all of us!

We all experience external and internal toxins through the air we breathe, the water we drink, the things we touch, the food we eat – not to mention the stress we experience. Over time, toxins can build up and overwhelm the body, weakening the immune system and leading to:

• Poor Digestion
• Fatigue
• Stress
• Skin Breakouts
• Stiffness
• Weight Gain
• Premature Aging

Note:  Children, pregnant or nursing mothers and the elderly should not participate in detoxification programs.  There are many detoxing systems and programs out there – it’s always recommended to consult with a physician before doing a detox.

Cons of Detoxing:

Some extreme detoxes cause people to lose weight too quickly, and once the detox is over, the weight returns immediately.

Others lack essential nutrients, and can cause the loss of electrolytes and poor nutrition.

Some side effects may include fatigue, headaches, vomiting, or nausea.

Death, possibly from detoxification triggering a heart attack, has been reported for some undergoing intensive detoxification programs. Those fatalities were linked to previous health conditions such as drug abuse and undetected heart problems so it is important to understand that these types of programs should not be taken lightly.

Pros of Detoxing:

Detoxification supports the body’s natural ability to cleanse and restore itself

Improve your immune functions

Scavenge free radicals and eliminate toxins

Strengthen body’s fight against cancer cells and generate healthy cells in your body

Increase energy and Focus

Cleanse mucous, congestion, fermentation, inflammation in our digestive tract

Improving circulation and purification of your blood

Reform your lifestyle addictions for sugar, salt, high glycemic carbohydrates, alcohol, junk foods, nicotine, etc

Doing a Detox once a year or every other year – can enhance the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle and create a better relationship between you and your body – raising your awareness of what you put into your body and what you come into contact with everyday.

Choosing to Detox

When and if you choose to detox, strive to find a plan that will increase elimination from the body, cleanse the colon, enhance circulation to clear toxic substances, yet still provide nutrients to support and protect the liver, the main organ involved in detoxification.

Do your research and pick a program that you know you will be able to follow and that has provided positive results for other people.

Don’t choose a detox created for weight loss. Weight loss is NOT the point of a detox.  Resetting your body and removing toxins from your body is the point of a detox.

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Alison is currently the owner of Self Confidence LLC, and is a District Manager/Independent Consultant with Arbonne International, a 30-year-old international health and wellness company. Experience includes 11 years with Ochsner Health System. Alison is the mother of 5-year-old twins, Cole & Cassidy…who led her to gain and then lose over 80 pounds…through diet, nutrition and exercise.