Stroller Strides - Fitness for Mom, fun for Baby!

When I find myself sick or stressed, I often realize it is after days of skipping healthy habits. As a result, I have created a daily wellness ritual that starts my day feeling good and is a proactive way for me to stay on top of my health. For me, it starts with a good multi vitamin with a big glass of water, followed by a nasal rinse (I know it’s gross but I get sinus infections) and then a couple of minutes of meditation. I know you are saying you don’t have time to meditate. Trust me. It’s just two minutes and really sets a tone for your whole day. You can find a list of my meditations at Pampers.com. Your daily ritual might be something totally different. A ritual is just a practice with a purpose that gives meaning to your life. I would love to know about what works for you!

Reuters reported on a German study earlier this week that shows moms who are overweight have more difficulty recognizing that their children are overweight. Overweight mothers, it seems, tend to underestimate their own children’s weight. According to the article, the researchers suggest this is not due to a “universal misperception of overweight children”, as most mothers in the study were able to correctly identify overweight and obese silhouettes, but rather emotional factors that make it hard for mothers to view their children with weight problems.

Though the rate of childhood obesity appears to have plateaued, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services still estimates that adolescents who are overweight have a 70% chance of becoming overweight adults. And while the causes of childhood obesity are primarily linked to a poor diet and insufficient exercise (with genetics playing some role, as well), a mother’s inability to see a problem with her child’s weight can be a contributing factor, too.

So how can a mother be sure that her child is a healthy weight and size? Your pediatrician should be the first person asked about your child’s health. At each check up, your child’s doctor will measure his height and weight to calculate his body mass index (BMI) and use the BMI as a basis of comparison to other children of the same age and gender. It’s important to be honest with your pediatrician about your child’s diet, including how much juice and soda she drinks each day, and level of exercise. It’s also important to listen without defensiveness to modifications your child’s doctor may suggest.

But most importantly, mothers (and fathers) can help their children by engaging in healthy habits, and when one or both parents are overweight, exercising as a family is critical. In an interview with Scholastic’s Parent & Child magazine, Dr. William Dietz of the Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stresses that diet should not be the primary focus when looking to control weight gain. “Common sense tells us that if you eat a lot of meals at fast-food restaurants, or drink soda every day, you’ll gain weight,” he says in the interview. “But there’s no data yet that proves food choices affect the likelihood of being overweight.”

Rather, parents need to engage their children in physical activity to give them an opportunity to burn off the excess calories they consume. Programs like Stroller Strides offer moms (and dads) with young children an opportunity to exercise with their kids in tow, but Dr. Dietz says structured classes are not needed for kids younger than eight years old. “Look for opportunities for physical activity after school and on the weekends,” he suggests. “It’s not necessary for kids to do sit-ups or push-ups or run laps. Just the chance to play and be children in a game of tag or hide-and-seek can do the trick.” Author Ellen Caines

Facts about Gestational Diabetes:

- 3-5% of pregnant women will get Gestational Diabetes
- To reduce risk, eat small meals; include protein, reduce sugars
- REGULAR exercise is one of the most important factors in prevention
- Exercise has an insulin like effect on the muscles causing blood sugar levels to drop