Well I don't know about you but I am definitely excited about the sun
shining it's face around here more often. Being an Alaskan, I praise God
every time the warm sun glows my way. And especially now since with the
coming of Summer, the sun brings warmth along with it. So now we can hop
off of our treadmills and enjoy the beauty of God's creations outside.
I hope you have included lot's of family activities in your summer
plans. Whether you are enjoying fun in the sun at home or going on
vacation for the Summer, it is so important (and a lot more fun) to
enjoy those times with the ones you love.
Summer Fitness Strategies for the Busy Parent
Angela
J. Perez
If you are a parent with children in the home you are either busy
making plans for family fun during the Summer break, filling out
applications to send your kids of to camp, or you are totally stressing
about what to do with them so you can continue on with your fitness
routine without little ones hanging on your leg. I can tell you of
countless occasions when my children (all five of them-but not all at
once thank goodness!) have literally jumped right into my routine, which
was in progress, landing on me as well. At first I would get flustered
and shoo them away. But for some reason they kept coming back for more.
I finally got smart and realized that if I was going to get anything
accomplished, I had to include them.
Now I look forward to the summer with my children (for the most part
) so we can have a blast together in the sun and at the beach (yes, even
Juneau, Alaska has a beach). I don't know if I look forward to it now
more than I did in the past because my youngest is now six and no longer
hangs on my leg or because I now know the secret to exercising with them
around. Or rather, the secret to exercising with your kids, not just
with your kids around. I decided to share some of these strategies with
you so you can stop stressing and start looking forward to your altered
routine this Summer! Alter? You say, yes well, as most parents know,
children are constantly altering our lives and planning and fitness
routine with them will be no exception. But hopefully, it will be
fun-for all of you!
First of all we must stress that not only should your doctor approve
your fitness routine but your Pediatrician should approve your child's
or children's fitness routines as well. It is important to remember that
not only does that important rule apply to your children but so do
these: Just like mom or dad they must exercise safely, we want to get in
shape here, not get hurt. Make sure they stretch right along with you
before and after exercising. Drink plenty of water especially when you
are out in the sun. Get their carbs so they have plenty of energy,
breakfast is a must! And make sure they are exercising within their
physical capabilities, if they say ouch-you say stop! Plus, don't forget
this big one, Have Fun!
If you are a parent with a small (or light) child, you can involve
them in your stretching routine as well as your cardio and strength
training. Be sure to read all of our summer strategies!
When you are working out or even just playing with the kids this
summer, don't forget the added dangers of the heat and know their
warning signs. Here are just a few to watch out for and a few tips
to avoid or even treat them.
Sunburn: This may seem like a minor concern but a bad sunburn
can make you ill and even land you into the care of a doctor, not
to mention they can be very painful and even blister. A few tips
to help avoid them are: 1. Using a sunscreen with a good SPR (Sun
Protection Factor) to protect your skin. You want it to glow, not
burn. 2. Limit your time in the hot sun. Just like a tanning bed,
you must limit your time in the sun outside as well. Not only to
prevent burns but skin cancer too. 3. Wear a lightweight covering
that reflects the heat of the sun-light or pastels-rather than
blues, blacks, and other dark colors that draw in the heat. 4.
Don't forget to protect your eyes as well with a good pair of
sunglasses.
Heat Exhaustion: It is important to remember that too much heat
and not enough circulation can cause heat exhaustion or even heat
stroke. Sweating is how your body cools itself and sometimes when
it is not able to cool itself adequately, heat exhaustion can
occur. Heat exhaustion does not require a 911 call but it does
require treatment. The symptoms for heat exhaustion are: Nausea,
vomiting, severe headaches, lightheadedness, decreased
coordination and hypertension. If these symptoms are present you
need to: 1. Hydrate (drink water) immediately. 2. Get to a cooler
place that has good air circulation and 3. Watch for the signs of
possible heat stroke. Since your body is not able to cool itself,
you need to help.
Heat Stroke: Heat stroke is more severe and even life
threatening. The symptoms of heat stroke can present the same as
heat exhaustion but they also include: Very high temperature, A
lack of sweating (the easiest one to watch for) and
unconsciousness. If you notice someone or yourself as having the
signs/symptoms of heat stroke then you need to call 911
immediately! When you are in doubt it is always better to be safe
than sorry. After you have called 911 or even just for sunburn,
handle these and every illness or emergency with prayer.
Here's a great new chicken recipe to try out. I whipped this one
up a few nights ago and even the kids devoured it!
Ingredients:
1 Cut-Up Fryer Chicken
1 Fresh Lemon, sliced
2 Green Onions, cut up in ½" pieces
Garlic Powder
Basil
Rosemary
"I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" margarine spray
(Zero calories!)
Directions: Place chicken pieces right-side up. Spray
with margarine spray, sprinkle with Rosemary, Basil and Garlic
Powder. Place sliced lemon and cut onions on top of the chicken
and cook as desired until done. It is very important chicken is
cooked fully with no pink or blood before serving. I did this
one up in my Rotisserie but you can roast it in the oven just as
well. Just adjust the recipe a bit, IE: Roast on a rack in the
pan so that it doesn't sit in it's own fat while baking. Bake at
350 degrees until the meat thermometer inserted reaches 180
degrees. Or just pop it in the basket for your Rotisserie like I
did and let it cook according to the directions of your
Rotisserie. I cooked mine for about an hour it was full cooked,
very good but a little on the dry side. Next time I'll probably
try it at 45 minutes instead.
If you are watching your carbohydrate intake (especially at
dinnertime!) replace your carb containing side dish with a
boiled egg or two. Don't forget to eat your veggies and drink
your water.
We have new products on our site, some of our own and some from
our advertisers as well. Check them out!
Fit4Jesus@Cafepress- - Baseball Jerseys are now available in
size small! - Frosted Mugs are back in stock. - Backpacks have
been discontinued. Also, watch Fit4Jesus@Cafepress for new items
especially for Father's Day and Graduates. PLUS... here is a
special coupon offer for you, our customers! With this coupon,
you can save $5 when you spend $40 or more. Coupon offer expires
May 31, 2003. Coupon code: DADGRADS.
New products have been recently added to the Alaskan Gift
Mugs site. Drink your coffee, tea or cocoa and read poetry and
even add your own. Go to Alaskan
Gift Mugs
Plus, we have new advertisers that have decided to offer
their products and/or links on our site. Please join us in
welcoming: -ABC123 Toys- Their TOYS include: classic toys
(blocks, push cars, rocking horses, dollhouses etc), educational
toys (books & games), active indoor toys (play tents,
easels, bath toys etc.), and outdoor toys (wagons, battery
operated ride on vehicles, sleds, trikes, etc.). Our BABY
PRODUCTS include strollers, jog strollers, high chairs, car
seats, bike trailers and safety gear. Our unique GIFT BASKETS
and CHILDREN'S FURNITURE are also big sellers! You can link up
with their great toys on our Shop4Kids pages! Be sure to check
out their links or products and let them know how much you
appreciate them offering their products and helping to support
this growing Christian fitness site.
Our fitness training packages are right around the corner and
will be offered at a very low rate just for the summer. Keep
checking our site to watch for them. If you are a Fit4Jesus
newsletter subscriber and have checked the "New Get Fit
Services" category you will be notified immediately when
they become available.
Also! These advertisers have asked us to add them to our site
and may be coming soon to join the growing list of products and
links at Fit4Jesus:
*Joann.com* Check out hundreds of new fabrics, sewing
cabinets, scrap booking items and more! Amazing new products at
joann.com! Let us know if you would like to see Joann.com
products and links on our site.
*Mvelopes Personal* Mvelopes Personal is a remarkable new
family budgeting system that actually tracks your spending as it
happens. Let us know if you would be interested in learning more
about this new time saving program.
If you would like to submit an article, recipe, fitness tip or
any suggestions for our newsletter and website. Let us know.
the submissions have to be your own, not copyrighted material
that others have done unless you have express written
permission. You retain your copyright and receive a byline as
well.
For articles involving expertise on Fitness, Nutrition, or
other health related articles, you must include your personal
information IE: Degrees and Certification information.
For human interest related stories of your own to share IE:
"Playing Baseball With Your Kids", submit idea for
article, personal information (Name, City & State, email,
etc) and any other information you feel might be relevant or
that you would like our readers to know.
