Replenish the Well

Today I was reading through an email I got from one of our partners Luna Bar about postpartum depression. There were some great suggestions for taking care of yourself during the postpartum period. I thought the tips could easily relate to the everyday life of a mom, not just those who are recently postpartum, so I wanted to share with you all.

Suggestions for taking care of yourself during the postpartum period

· Even if you are unable to sleep, try to rest when the baby sleeps. Your body has worked hard to create the baby you delivered, and your body needs to recover.
· Eat healthfully. Avoid ‘junk food’ and try to eat recommended servings of fruits, vegetables and grains daily. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and sugary drinks, opting for water instead.
· Try to exercise regularly. Physical activity releases endorphins in the brain, resulting in a ‘natural high’.
· Ask for and accept help. Realize that there are no perfect mothers, and that everyone needs help from time to time. Also remember that others are unable to read your mind, but are often willing to help in any way possible. Concrete suggestions (“please wash and put away the baby’s laundry”) will ensure that you are getting the help you want the most.
· Avoid stress when possible. For example, if you know the news broadcast on the radio will upset you, put in some favorite music or change the station. Take time for your relationship. Try doing things you enjoyed doing ‘pre-baby’ together. Make regular ‘dates’ with yourself. Schedule time for you to go to the park, get your nails done, take a walk, or whatever it is that soothes you. As a mother you give of yourself seemingly constantly. You need time to ‘replenish the well’ so that you can feel healthy and more relaxed

Stroller Strides on You Tube

Check out this Stroller Strides video on You Tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itqXxt9Fxqk

This one features Farel, our fabulous Stroller Strides National Fitness Director who some of you met last April when she came to our Chicago class. There are a couple other videos too- enjoy!

Busy weekend!

We had a very busy weekend at Stroller Strides. It all began on Friday with a Closing Ceremony Celebration. All month long we have had an Olympic Theme at Stroller Strides classes and we had the "Closing Ceremonies" at My Gym. The ever creative My Gym instructors put together an entire program of Olympic themed activities for the little ones- including a balance beam, floor exercise and a medal ceremony at the end (it was the cutest ever!). Not to be forgotten, our Olympian moms got to show off their stuff with a push-up contest and plank-off (holding the plank position as long as possible). A fun time was had by all and I guarantee that everyone slept well that night!

On Sunday, several of us participated in the WTTW Fun and Run, a fundraising run for our local PBS station. There was a 5k run and a 3k family walk. All of the favorite PBS characters were in attendance- Elmo, Cookie Monster, Curious George, Clifford... the list goes on. A few of the dad's and grandma's came out and gave the moms a break from the strollers for the run- thanks guys! Anyone else feel weird without the stroller? I just love activities that get the entire family involved in fitness together. After the race there were photo ops for the kids and giant bouncy slides and obstacle coarses- although I think they had the most fun chasing eachother around before the race.

Here we go!

Ok, so I've decided to give this whole blogging thing a shot. I am now officially a blogger! I created this blog to help spread the word about Stroller Strides, a fitness programs for moms that has absolutely changed my life. I am always asked in class how I got started, so here's my story:


I had my daughter M in September 2006. I returned to work after 8 weeks maternity leave to find that my entire mindset had changed. I just couldn't bear leaving her at home with someone else, while I went to work and counted the hours down until I got home. So I began looking in to other options. I had seen the Stroller Strides on the Today show years ago, before I'd had children, and it seemed like such a great program! Mom's could get a great workout, meet other moms and do it all with their baby. I looked up Stroller Strides online to see if there were any classes in the area. When I found out that there was no location in the City yet, something clicked. One thing led to another, and I decided to take a leap of faith and start Stroller Strides Chicago.


I became a Certified Group Fitness Instructor through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America and Stroller Strides Certified in pre and post natal fitness. We started offering classes in July of last year, and have been going strong ever since.

So what is it I LOVE about Stroller Strides? Everything! Not only is Stroller Strides an excellent workout, but it's fun. We keep things fresh and change things up as much as possible so there is no getting bored with your workout. It's not like you dread going to Stroller Strides like you may dread going to the gym to squeeze in that workout. You get to stay with your little one, get to see your friends in class and get a great workout- what more could you ask for? More? Ok, well not only do we have 7 classes a week to choose from, but we have playgroups 2 times a week, Mom's Night's Out at least once a month, and special afternoon playtimes. Stroller Strides is as much a social and support network of moms as it is an exercise class.

Want to check out our current schedule? Visit Stroller Strides Chicago for more information. Your first class is always FREE! You can sign up for a FREE preview online.