BIG NEWS TO SHARE!!

EC is going to be a big brother! Thats right... I'M PREGNANT!!!

I'm going to have fun with this pregnancy. Come and join me for some fun events. Through these next 9 months I will be featuring maternity items that I love!

Grab the button and enjoy the giveaways!

<br /><a border="0" href="http://www.mommy-momo.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/morgankriwinski/ist2_5630261-pregnant-mom-2-1.jpg" /></a><br />

If you are a company that would like to feature your item please contact me (mommy-momo@live.com)
Also once we find out the gender of the babes stay tuned for a baby shower! Oh my... I can't believe it! We're BEYOND excited!!!

Tips for jogging with your baby!!!

As a past track athlete, I've always told myself I would continue to run my entire life. After having my first baby I quickly figured out how important it was for me to be able to load up the babes in the jogger. More than losing the baby weight, I needed it for my sanity. And honestly, now that my "baby" is almost 3 he loves it just as much!!! Ahhhh... what a relief! Its taken some fine tuning and I've learned some tricks along the way to make my runs relaxing with a happy baby. Maybe I'm lucky? I have heard of babies hating their stroller. I couldn't imagine? My little guy sits quietly and loves to get out. Take in the scenery. And if its even close to a nap time he will take his entire nap no matter where we are. I love it. Here are some things I've learned along the way.

Some tips I personally recommend:

• Timing- Choose to go for your run when your baby is happiest. After a full belly and before nap time. For us, morning runs were always the best. They are the perfect way to start the day! He was relaxed and happy.

• Make sure they have all their comforts. My son is a binky and blankie baby and we figured this out by trying to make him happy on our runs. A few runs without his brown blanket and the light went off! Ahhh... he only wanted his brown blanket! So we don't leave the house without either. Although, we would like to get rid of the binky real soon! Any tips? I'll take any advice! haha.

• Snacks. Make sure to be armed with a full sippy cup and snacks for the toddler/baby to munch on.

• Keep the weather in mind. Dress them comfortably. If I was about to sit for the next 30-60 minutes I wouldn't want to be bunched up in uncomfortable jeans and such would you? Keep in mind the weather. Dress them cool if hot and bundle them up when cold. There is nothing worse then a screaming baby because its cold out. That just makes me stressed and feel awful. When its hot don't forget the hat and sunblock! They're just sitting out there. Exposed to the sun.

• Purchase a high quality stroller. Really do some shopping for the right fit. For us, comfort and the swindle front wheel were MUSTS! I highly recommend the B.O.B. stroller (which I don't have right now!) Trying to hold off until we have another baby, and the double BOB is the first purchase we will make! I'm excited!!!

• Chose the proper route. When your baby is younger try to pick the smoother surfaces. I tried to keep the shaking minimal when EC was younger.

• Use all the safety harnesses. Make sure the baby is buckled in correctly and that you use the leash. Especially around busy streets. It would be horrible if you ever tripped.

• Don't expect to run your usual pace!!! This was a biggie for me until I changed my mind set when running with the jogger and the extra weight. I now treat it as a totally different workout. Yes you will run slower (at least one minute per mile slower than your normal pace), but you're burning more calories and doing resistance training. Now that my son is almost 3... HE IS HEAVY!! The more you run with the extra weight the easier it will get. And plus on the days I run without the jogger I feel so light and fast!!!

• Have fun!!! It should be fun for you AND your baby! Sometimes I chose routes that end at a park. The boy especially loves that. What a great reward for being patience in the stroller for mommy!

EA SPORTS Active MORE workouts Wii Review!

The hubs and I are fairly new Wii owners. I'm not usually a fan of video games at all. I've always said I don't want video games in the house. Its just me. I don't like them. But when I started to see all the workout options you can do on the Wii I was all for it! I love finding other fun, and creative ways to workout. Some of you may not know that I'm heavily involved with Mamavation. Mamavation is a social experiment and weight loss campaign. I'm the head cheerleader of the program and love encouraging other Moms to achieve the healthy lifestyle they want. EA SPORTS Active is one of the awesome sponsors. So when the Mom's were always excited and eager to share their EA SPORTS Active workouts, I was very interested in giving it a try.

We first purchased the EA SPORTS Active personal trainer Wii video game and totally loved it. Its so much fun. My hubs, the fitness buff even enjoys it. So when I got the opportunity to review the newest EA Sports Active More Workouts fitness game for Wii I was very eager to try it.

The EA Sports Active More Workouts guides you through pre-set workouts, just like a personal trainer would in the gym. One of the features I loved about the original EA Sports Active is the 30-day challenge. Their pre-set workout kept me accountable and made it a fun game to get those workouts in for 30 days. Now EA Sports Active More Workouts contains a 6-week challenge, a “total-body structured fitness plan that works out all major body parts, adapts to your level of fitness and lets you track your progress week by week.”

I just started this challenge and love it even more!!! I love how they added more core workouts! The More Workouts emphasizes on abdominal exercises which is what I sooo need! One thing I have discovered is that it's difficult to cheat the game. The sensors pick up every movement! For the game you enter your profile and you can either follow a 6-week challenge program or pick from a selection of training sessions.

The new More workouts is also compatible with EA Sports Active Personal Trainer. These new workouts will transfer your data from the Active Personal Trainer and carry over your previous goals and trophies from four previous weeks of working out with the Active Personal Trainer.

I highly recommend both the EA Sports Active personal trainer game AND the new MORE workouts for Wii. But I do have to say the new MORE workouts is my favorite. Its much more challenging for me and targets the areas I would like to focus on. Such a fun new way to get in workouts!! Thank You so much @Active_Girl for the opportunity!!!

*Disclaimer- The review was made possible from @Active_Girl and EA SPORTS Active. I received the More Workouts Wii game for my review. This product was given to me to review and I did not receive any money compensation. This review is strictly MY opinion. For more details, my disclosure policy is located at the bottom of my blog*

Words to Sweat By -motivational workout towels!

NO EXCUSES!!! My favorite workout mantra! My motivational phrase that keeps me moving! On days when getting a workout in is hard I tell myself..."NO EXCUSES!" When I got the chance to pick out a witty motivational workout towel from Words to Sweat By I knew this one was the perfect one for me!

Dana from Words to Sweat By is giving one reader two workout towels. She is hoping the winner will keep one and give the other one away to a workout buddy or friend in hopes of inspiring others. I LOVE THIS IDEA!!!!

Check out my review of this fun towel and enter the giveaway HERE!!!

Now is the time.

It never fails. May rolls around and most woman start scrambling to get their workouts in because the dreaded idea of getting into a swim suit is looming over them. They get discouraged and frustrated when they don't see the results fast enough. Typically for the average person working out consistently (depending on how much they need to lose) it can take 4 weeks to a solid 3 months to see major results and body transformations. Obviously this depends on the person, but the point is it takes time.

"Your body gets used to whatever workout program you are doing in roughly 3-4 weeks, so if you don't keep changing SOMETHING about your workouts, you may find yourself reaching what's called a “training plateau” and stop making noticeable progress. Rule of thumb: whenever you start to get a little bored with your routine, it's time to change things to keep it interesting and varied. If you are not getting the results you want in 6 weeks, it’s time to make some more dramatic changes!"

-Body Results http://www.bodyresults.com/e2seeresults.asp

This is why this time of the year is the BEST TIME to workout. This is my favorite time to put in the hard work. Yes it can be harder to find the motivation when its cloudy, cold, and raining... but soooo worth it. Nothing is better than busting your butt now whatever way you can. Get in the runs whenever the weather permits and save the workout DVDs when you are holed up in the house. This is what I try to do.

It's way too easy to not pay attention to your weight when you are covered with the bulky winter clothes. NOW IS THE TIME TO START. It does feel pretty amazing to be able to strip off the sweaters and feel confident about your body. Imagine actually feeling excited to jump in the pool and enjoy the summer time. To not dread bathing suit shopping? Its a pretty neat feeling.

START NOW.

*This article is also published at www.momactive.com*

The cure to my headache.

This past week I've been in a workout rut. I've been exhausted and have been battling massive headaches. I thought maybe I was getting sick and needed the rest? I got plenty of rest. Took naps when the toddler did, etc. Still not sick and wasn't feeling better. I know for sure I'm not preggo, so we can all count that out! Maybe not enough water? Nope wasn't that.

I'm sure we all know when you feel like crap the LAST thing you want to do is go for a run. Workout. Or push yourself in general. I've been complaining to my dear hubby about how tired I am. How unmotivated I feel. The lack of energy...etc. His response most time is force yourself to go for a run or do a workout while "Easy" is sleeping. He's always telling me I will feel so much better. Blah. That's NOT what I wanted to hear!

Well, today the headache was getting bad. All I wanted to do was crawl back into bed and close my eyes. Obviously I couldn't do that with a very rambunctious toddler running around wanting to be entertained. And I've tried that all week. Didn't work. Soooo I did it. I made myself sweat it out and do the The Shred with my head pounding and all. Jumped in the shower, and BAM! My headache is gone!!!

The lesson: I've yet again realized how amazing working out is for your mind, body, and soul! It truly is incredible. I feel a million times better and excited to go for a jog tonight.

Speed Work.

With all the distance type running I've been doing I've noticed that I've gotten slower. I need to pick it up a notch, especially if I want to start racing again. Not only to keep my speed, but to shock my body. I've been doing the same running workouts for a long time and speed work tears you up! (In a good way of course). It hurts, its uncomfortable, it sucks...even more of a reason that I need to do it.

I love this article "Speedwork for every runner," that Denise from Run DMT shared with us on twitter. Its a great article for beginners and advanced runners. It explains the different types of speed work and gives you tons of different speed workouts to do. One of the these types of workouts I swear by are fartleks! They're awesome. Give it a read!

I need to start racing again.

My runs have been missing something. I'm missing the drive. I'm not pushing myself my hardest. I'm staying in my comfort zone to much, and not gaining the mental strength that comes from stepping outside of what I know I can already do. I think its the lack of competition. As a ex-collegiate track athlete I miss that.

Competition CAN be a good thing. I'm not trying to get off on a tangent or piss too many people off, but healthy competition is important. Especially in kids... especially in boys! I don't believe in the "everyone should be the same" attitude. Competing teaches kids important life lessons. It forces them to push themselves, to find out what they're made of, to win, to lose, to strive to be better. Nothing wrong with that. Now with that being said we will teach our son good sportsmanship, to be kind, and not to be arrogant. But mostly importantly, we will be teaching him to be the best he can be. Its a hard world out there. He might actually be like his dad who lives to compete. That's one of the things I love most about him.

Back to me. I'm going to start racing again. I think this is what I need to force myself to push harder. I'll start with 10k races and move up. I'm excited and nervous for this challenge. Its good to get out of your comfort zone. It make you a stronger person.

So Cali runners... What are some good races coming up this year? I can't wait to start signing up.

Need some new tunes!

I'm in a music rut! I very badly need to update my running mix. Being a mommy to a toddler I feel out of the music loop. Can't keep up with whats in right now. So I will rely on my blogger buddies...Please share.

What's some of your favorite workout tunes?

Pushing the Limits Push-up challenge!

I have a love/hate relationship with push ups! I love them because I know they tone the core, arms, chest, and back. I know push-ups are very effective and make you super strong. I hate them because they have always been so hard for me. They're very uncomfortable. Even more of a reason I need to do them. When it comes to working out...

Hard=good. Hard=results

I'm always up for a good challenge. Anything that motivates me. So when RunningBetty challenged me to to 100 push-ups by the end of July, I was scared and eager! Yeah! So fun. This is how it works:

Run DMT and RunningBetty have teamed up to present their readers with the ultimate challenge. During the month of July, they're Pushing the Limits with their Push-up Challenge! With the help of hundredpushups.com, this goal will be achieved. 

Are you up for the challenge? Sign up here. Help spread the word. Grab the push up challenge button. And get involved! This is going to be fun!

*I just did the initial test. I did 30 girl push ups. Rank 4. Hmmm??? Does that count? should I be doing the standard "boy" push ups? I'll check into that :)

Why adult diets are not appropriate for kids.

The hubby and I have currently taken our healthy eating to a new level. I'll talk more about this later. I don't like to say we're on a diet because we're really not. We are just eating healthy and eating foods that boost your metabolism. While we do this its hard to remember that our 2 year old is not trying to lose weight... and should not! Actually the contrary. He needs to put good fat on. 

I have a running group on Mom Bloggers Club where we talk fitness. The goal is to share tips and motivate each other to get out and run. One of the ladies posted this article that I wanted to discuss.

Why adult diets are not appropriate for kids. 

Dr. Dolgoff blogs about the importance in separating your diet and your child's diet. This is a good read for every mother! Check the article for facts. 

*I'm going to start a Good Reads section on this blog so please feel free to send articles you come across!*

Workout DVD that works!

I've been looking for a work out to do on my non running days. Something I can do while the lil guy is napping. 

I found it my friends.

Billy Blanks Ultimate Boot Camp. Ouch! "Designed for those who have already achieved a certain level of physical fitness, Billy Blanks: Billy's Boot Camp -- Ultimate Boot Camp features the Tae Bo instructor leading the viewer through a variety of exercises designed to strengthen muscles and burn fat."

Kinda cheesy, but I've seen and heard of this workout DVD, then my friend recommended it... so I thought I'd give it a try. Seriously, its no joke! I'm so impressed. It kicks my butt. The day after the first time I did it I was so sore I felt sick. The sorest I've been since weight lifting in my college track days. Its a great strength training workout that focuses on the butt, quads, hamstrings, core, and arms. Its made my running days hard because my legs have been toast! 

Has anyone tried it? Feed back? I'm now a fan!

Its Monday and my new workout regimen begins!

Just thought I'd share my new workout routine. I'm not a gym rat. Not a fan of running on a treadmill. Oh no, that's not for me. I need fresh air. I need to breath. I need to get out and think. When I run, that's when most of my ideas come to me. This is when my mind is the clearest. This is how I relieve stress.

I am a little restricted having a toddler at home. I can't take off and run whatever distance I'd like. This boy and jogging stroller is getting heavy. But that doesn't mean I can't get good workouts in!

No Excuses!

During the week I do my shorter and faster runs. This is great for muscle building and speed work. Then on weekends, with the help of my hubby, I run my longer, slower runs. I enjoy these the most.

Summer is here and bathing suit weather has fastly approached. Time to step up my workouts. This tummy needs toning! 

This is what a strive for. My goal. Obviously life interferes from time to time.

Monday- Run 2.5-3.5 miles with the jogger.

Tuesday- Sit ups (300-500 total) and push ups (30-50) circuit. This is new. And I'm sore!

Wednesday- Run 2.5-3.5 miles with the jogger.

Thursday- Sit ups (300-500 total) and push ups (30-50) circuit.

Friday-Easy 2 mile run to get ready for tomorrow.

Saturday-4.0-6.0 mile run. Sit ups (300-5oo total) and push ups (30-50) circuit.

Sunday- try to run 4.0-6.0 mile run. I'm typically tired from the bigger run after Saturday.

Wish me luck! And please share your workouts. I love to bounce ideas around!

Basics.

I wanted to put together a list of basics. My must have items when it comes to running. In later posts I will go into more details, but this is just a quick list. I will be discussing how to choose the best running shoes for you, the difference between cotton clothes and dri-fit, and many more running accessories that makes your runs more enjoyable!

The Jogging stroller:

We have a version of this stroller. A must for a jogging stroller is that the front wheel has to swivel! You don't want to be lifting up the stroller every time you take a turn.  I like this stroller it has been great for us.
...but definitely when we decide to have another baby we're investing into this bad boy.... Ahhh... its beautiful! Everyone knows the B.O.B. Strollers rock!

The Nike Plus System:

Notice my fun little widget on the side bar that tracks my runs!?! Well, its AWESOME! It has been a real motivation. I wish it was around back in our track days. I'm a HUGE fan and have talked about it before on my other blog. Check out this post. It explains a little more how it works. 

Good Running Shoes:

Are SOOO important! We typically put 350 miles on each pair. Its great motivation. Put in the miles, get new shoes. Incentives are good.

My current shoes right now are... 
Running Clothes:

Recently I've been getting the good running gear. Its great to reward yourself as you reach your goals. I'll be talking about this soon also. Once I got the top of the line stuff I cant go back. Its made the world of difference. Comfort is key. Seriously, this doesn't have to be expensive. You can find this Nike dri-fit outfit at Ross or TJ Maxx. I love checking Sports Authority for sales as well. You just always have to be on the search. My favorite running apparel at the moment is different versions of this outfit...

Toddler items:

I make sure I have all of "Easy's" comforts with him in the stroller. He has his blanket, binky, snacks, sippy cup... and the No Throw tether strap for me (so he doesn't chuck the cup into the street). It fits around "Easy's" sippy cup which is attached to the stroller. There will be a review/giveaway on this item soon on my Mommy-Momo blog. 

Obviously you don't need all these items to get your runs in. This is just stuff I've come across that has made my runs easier and fun.

What this blogs all about...

I've decided to start this “Momo Runner” blog both because of my passion for running and what I see so many of us going through on a daily basis. We work so hard to be incredible mothers and wives, yet forget how to take care of ourselves. We forget that health and fitness not only makes us feel better, but also gives us the stamina to really be a part of the lives of our loved ones.

I enjoy everything running does for me, which makes me want to share my experiences with others. I plan to talk with fellow moms who also struggle to get their workouts in. Motivate each other and cheer each other on. I'd love to share workout tips, great articles I find helpful or interesting, healthy recipes, the newest and cutest workout gear, and pretty much my sweat, tears, and success!

Also, from time to time the hubby will be writing guest posts for some different perspective. He was a high school CIF pole vault champ and State Finalist, NCAA National college pole vault qualifier, coached college track for 5 years, and is still an all around work out nut. He has some great things to contribute, so keep an eye out for his comments.

So here we go! I am “Mommy-Momo” and this is the “Momo Runner” blog