I have teenagers on my mind. My daughter Annie turned 13 today, and that makes four Hetzels that are teenaged! Eight years ago our oldest (now 21) became a teenager. Although we really shouldn’t have done the math, my husband and I realized this morning that we have 18 more years of parenting teenagers! By that time I will be able to write a book…but for now, I’m just hanging on for dear life. [Read more…]
Teenagers on My Mind!
April 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment
My Goal…100 Push-ups!
April 12, 2011 by 5 Comments
My favorite exercise is the push-up. It is great for upper body and core strength, and you don’t have to have any equipment to do it. I remember my good friend Karrie, who is a personal trainer, telling me that when she is pressed for time with her clients, she likes to do push-ups because they are such an efficient strength exercise. Since I don’t do sit-ups because of the pelvic floor muscles, the push-up is one of the main abdominal exercises I do. [Read more…]
Like Love, Exercise is a Decision
April 11, 2011 by 4 Comments
James and I first heard the words, “Love is a decision” from a Catholic priest about five years after we were married. It was a bit of a paradigm shift. Even in the pre-marriage class we attended, we could not remember hearing that concept. However, after only five years of marriage, we both knew the truth of those words.
In the early years of our married life, we still relied on good “old-fashioned love”. We figured that is what would sustain us through inevitable hard times. And good times, too. Our immature hearts would trump our rational brains into believing that love is a feeling, always there, always reliable. But by the time we heard those words, like most married couples, the honeymoon was over, and the reality of three children, a mortgage, and the everyday stresses of life had taken its place. At this point the decision to love seemed like an idea worth exploring. [Read more…]
Ran Five With #5
April 10, 2011 by Leave a Comment
I ran five miles yesterday with #5 (Annie), on a trail not too far from where we live. Annie will be 13 next week and is a very good little runner. We ran a warm-up mile, then a pick-up mile, and then one mile hard (she ran a 7:01, and I just tried to catch her…unsuccessfully). We finished with two easy miles. It was a beautiful spring Saturday and the sky was a true Carolina blue! [Read more…]
Wounded Warrior Project…Great Races, Awesome Cause
April 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment
I was completely inspired last October when I did the Marine Corps Marathon alongside some of the men and women who had recently served our country. Throughout the 26.2 miles, I saw signs for the Wounded Warrior Project. Intrigued, I did a little research when I came home. What I discovered was a cause worth racing for! [Read more…]
Five Reasons Exercise Makes Me a Better Mom
April 7, 2011 by 1 Comment
Here are five quick and dirty reasons why I think exercise makes me a better mom. I will elaborate on each of these in the weeks to come, but for now…
1.Exercise enhances my mood. Whether it’s the endorphins, the fresh air, or a good sweat, I almost always feel better after I exercise. And when I feel better…I can be a better mom. Exercise is also a stress reliever. If I am tired, sluggish, or a little blue, running or working out usually gives me a new outlook. When I’m positive, my kids are more likely to be positive! And if they are not…at least someone is!
2. Exercise keeps me sharp. Brain functioning has been shown to improve with exercise. Dr. John Ratey, a Harvard psychiatrist, has studied the relationship between the brain and exercise and the results are exciting. He explains how even a brisk walk can enhance brain function. “Exercise stimulates our gray matter to produce ‘Miracle-Gro’ for the brain,” he said. “I can’t understate how important regular exercise is in improving the function and performance of the brain,” he says. “It’s such wonderful medicine.” [Read more…]
But Dr. Sears, I Love Hershey Bars!
April 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Two weeks ago my husband James, insisted that I get on Twitter. I don’t understand Twitter. I can’t communicate anything in 140 characters. But, I took the leap and entered the Twitterverse. Lo and behold, some people actually started following @9KidFitness (that’s me!). To my pleasant surprise, one of my first followers was the famous diet expert Dr. Barry Sears (a fellow Indiana University grad). Dr. Sears is the author of the famous Zone Diet. I love the Zone Diet. It is balanced, makes sense and can be followed by anyone committed to healthier eating. Dr. Sears made the gracious offer to provide 9 Kid Fitness with some articles for the site. So, I am starting off what I hope will be a regular series from Dr. Sears with “What’s the Story with Chocolate?” To read more of Dr. Sears excellent work, check out his author archives. Thank you Dr. Sears. Enjoy!
What’s the story on chocolate?
Posted on March 9, 2011 by Barry Sears
Chocolate is big business, generating about $50 billion in annual worldwide sales. But is it good medicine? Before I get to that answer, let me give you some background on the manufacturing of chocolate. [Read more…]
Move…Now!
April 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment
MOVE is a word my sister-in-law is thinking about lately. I talked to her a few weeks ago on the phone and she told me that word is on her mind because she has decided to make it her axiom. It is her rallying cry to get her to …well…to Move.
Maybe we all need a little motto to do the things that we really don’t want to do. For her, it is making time for fitness. Whether lifting some free weights or going for a walk, she has decided that she needs to stop the excuses and get moving. So throughout the day she thinks …Move!
It made me wonder, what word could motivate me to do things I really don’t want to do? Could one word challenge me in the same way that the word move challenges my sister-in-law? I thought about it. I am a procrastinator. Whether it is the laundry piling up, the call to the insurance company I need to make, or getting the dogs to the vet, if I can put it off till later, I will! I use the excuse that I am too busy… I can’t possibly get to that now. The truth is that I will be “too busy” for a long time! So I have decided that my one-word motto is NOW. Get the laundry done Now. Call to make an appointment Now. Clean that closet Now. I am beginning to think there might be a little drill sergeant that tiny word!
What is your motto? Can you come up with one word that will challenge you to do something you know you should do, but don’t really want to? Share it with us!
Those Darn Kegels!…and a Quote of the Week.
April 4, 2011 by 3 Comments
Quote of the Week: He that is good for making excuses, is rarely good for anything else. Benjamin Franklin
Those darn Kegels! Am I the only one who hates doing them? As a runner and a mother of nine, I realize that the Kegel exercise is crucial if I want to continue to exercise as I get older. Then why do I have such a hard time getting them done?
I have decided it is a little like changing the oil in your car. The results are not visible, and so it is hard to stay motivated to do them. If you have not changed the oil in your car, it still might run just fine for a while. However, if you neglect it for too long, it can cause problems for your engine. The same can be said for the muscles of the pelvic floor. [Read more…]
9 Kid Weekend…No Time For Exercise Today
April 2, 2011 by 1 Comment
Sometimes we just can’t fit it all in! When I woke up to my seven year-old asking about breakfast at 6:30 a.m., I glanced at my phone. Three text messages. Both of our highschool boys had stayed the night at friends. One message was from my 15 year-old asking if we could get him to to his morning practice. Another message was from our 17 year-old who was just checking in with us to tell us he was on his way to his morning swim practice (seems like we should have coordinated that better). The other message was from our 21 year-old son at the US Naval Academy. He was supposed to do a PST(I think that stands for physical standard test which I think consists of maximum push-ups, maximum pull-ups, maximum sit-ups, a 500 yard swim in camouflage, and a mile and a half run). His message had come in at 3:45 a.m., because he had been sick all night and was wondering if it could be food poisoning. He later sent a message saying he was sure it was the full blown stomach flu.
After sending him a quick message of encouragement, I got up to start the day, which would include three soccer games, three swim practices, possibly a nephew’s basketball game, and a combined birthday party for two of our daughters in our backyard (12 girls for pizza and ice cream)! Although I would like nothing else than to escape on a VERY long run or lose myself in a spin class, it looks like the only exercise I will be getting today is walking from the parking lot to the soccer game and fielding some birthday games in the yard. [Read more…]
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