ActiveMoms

Hummus is a healthy, nutritious and delicious snack. Hummus is made using garbanzo beans (also known as chick peas), which are a great source of protein, and very low in fat. You can easily make your own hummus or you can buy it premade at the grocery store. Pita chips, or fresh pitas warmed and sliced into wedges, are good for dipping into the hummus. You can also use hummus as dip for fresh vegetables. This is a snack that is easily prepared ahead of time, and keeps well in the refrigerator for quite a while, so you can pull it out as an after school snack or any time you need a quick and easy snack.

Exercising with your spouse has numerous benefits. To begin with, it is time that you both set aside to spend with each other. With our busy lives, this doesn’t always happen, but if you exercise together, then you have planned time to spend with each other. Additionally, by exercising together, you are working together, and supporting each other to reach physical goals and accomplishments. By exercising together you will strengthen your relationship by learning to support each other. An added bonus of exercise is how positive it makes you feel about life in general. When you are done exercising you will feel good about yourself, your life, and your spouse. This is a great time to enjoy your spouse’s company.

Whether it is your spouse, friend, or partner; you should have a workout buddy to exercise with regularly. Having someone to workout with will help motivate you to workout on those days where you are dragging your feet, and keep the fun in your workout when you are happy to be exercising. Working out should not only be good for you physically, it should be good for you mentally too. A good workout buddy is essential, and will help to keep your workouts fresh and fun. Even if you only have a workout buddy a couple of days each week, and workout alone a couple days each, you will still benefit from having a workout buddy.

When you have kids it is extremely easy to pick-up germs and get sick. Kids bring home all sorts of germs that cause the common cold, viruses, the flu, and many other illnesses that may put a damper your winter. To stay healthy this winter make sure that you wash your hands frequently, and have your kids wash their hands frequently as well. You may also want to consider taking a Vitamin C supplement to boost your immune system. Getting plenty of sleep will also help your immune system fight off potential colds, so make sure you eat healthy, get plenty of Vitamin C and get lots of sleep.

If you enjoy running with your baby or toddler, you may want to enter a road race this spring. Now is the time to start training for the road race of your choice. Search for a calendar of race events for your area. Many communities and states have a list of race events posted on a website online. If you have never run a road race with a jogging stroller, you may want start out with a 5k, which is 3.1 miles. Kids love being a spectator to so much action and movement, and really enjoy the activity of a road race.

Running can be a great way to lose your baby weight. There are many jogging strollers that are made specifically for babies. These strollers have reclining seats, so that the baby can lie down. Many of strollers also have seats that can be adjusted, so that your baby can be propped up when he/she gets older, and wants to see what is going on. Running with your baby in a jogging stroller is a great way for you to exercise, and your baby will probably fall asleep from the vibration and get a great nap. In the end, mom and baby will feel refreshed!

Your body is made mostly of water, so you need to make sure that you drink enough water each day. Start with a tall glass of water first thing in the morning because your body will be dehydrated from going all night without any water. Each time you sit down to have a meal, have a glass of water with your food. Throughout the day, when you get hungry, have a glass of water. Sometimes your body is dehydrated, but you may initially interpret that thirst for hunger. So have a glass of water before you have a snack. If you have several glasses of water throughout the day, you will feel better and your body will be hydrated and healthy.

Is it a constant battle to get your kids to eat their vegetables? You may try to encourage your kids to eat their vegetables by providing dips for their carrot sticks and broccoli crowns, but if you do, choose healthy dips. Don’t serve vegetables with fatty dips, such as ranch and blue cheese dressing. These dips contain high levels of saturated fat, and will counteract the healthiness of the vegetables your kids just ate. Choose healthy dips like hummus, yogurt, and almond butter. Sit down and eat the veggie snacks with your kids. If they see you are eating the vegetables and dip, then they are more likely to try it. Enjoy!

Getting the family together for game night once a week can be very fun and entertaining for everyone. Choose one night each week that you will have your family game night. If you have a set night that you always play games, then the kids will have something to look forward to, and you won’t forget to have your game night. Turn off the television and remove other distractions, such as phones and computers, for the duration of the game. Make sure everyone has their homework done for the evening, so you can all play and relax. There are lots of fun family games available, from cards to board and trivia games. Your kids will remember game night for years to come.

When it is cold out and you have small children, you may not spend as much time outside as you used to. Take advantage of the warm winter days and go outside. Bundle up the kids, go out side and soak up the winter sun. Whether you are just playing in the yard, sledding, ice skating, or doing any other fun activity, it feels good to inhale some fresh air and feel the sun shining on you. So go outside the next day that it is relatively warm out. The temperature might drop again next week, and then you will be inside again, staying cozy next to the fire.