How My Daughter Revolutionized My Fitness Routine
I’ve always been told that having children will change your life forever. This is undoubtedly true—your love expands to depths that are indescribable. But I never expected that having children would revolutionize the way I view and support my fitness routine. (Photo: Alexander Kusak) Pre-Baby Fitness Goals Prior to having my daughter, I worked out every day. If it wasn’t for at least an hour, and at a high-intensity, I was convinced I didn’t get a “good workout.” Back then, my main purpose behind working out was to be fit and healthy, but if I’m being completely honest, my “why” was really to make sure I “looked” fit. Unfortunately, my mentality towards achieving fitness was void of tuning into how I felt on any given day. I was constantly pushing myself without taking the time to ask questions like, “Am I tired? Could I use a rest day?” “Am I under a lot of stress? Would I benefit more from a long leisurely walk than an insanely intense workout?” “Are my muscles really sore? Would doing yoga be a better way to support my recovery today?” It took having a child for me to begin shifting my mentality toward achieving whole-body health and fitness. Becoming More In-Tune With My Body It wasn’t until I was well into my first pregnancy with my daughter that I began to feel a shift in my body. While I was growing a little human being inside me, I suddenly started to notice signs indicating what my body was capable of doing or not doing. My body was adamantly telling me to shift my priorities and listen more carefully to its needs versus doing what I thought I needed to do to be “fit.” This was the beginning of my search for a more diverse fitness routine that would better support my “new” body and reality. After giving birth to my daughter, I transitioned into a new phase of life, which came with a new outlook on life and health in general. To say this transition was difficult would be an understatement. It was really, really hard. I was navigating new experiences and responsibilities, now with less time and energy (hello, constant feedings, diaper changings, working full-time and lack of sleep) while also trying to maintain my healthy lifestyle on the same level as I did pre-baby. Understanding My Body’s Limits As you might imagine, trying to be and do it all was beginning to take a toll on me. And my daily feelings that I was failing to meet my fitness goals added unnecessary stress. I quickly realized that my expectations were unrealistic for this stage of life. I knew I needed to shift my perspective and revolutionize the way I viewed my fitness routine, whether I liked it or not. Everyone can relate to experiencing a new season of life in some way. It could be starting a family, caring for a sick loved one, moving to a new city, starting a new career, etc. Does a new season, with new variables in life, mean we just stop investing in our health? No. Should I just stop exercising because I’m tired every day from caring for a newborn? No. I wasn’t going to give up on exercise altogether; it was too important to me. I just needed to redefine what exercise, or as I like to call it, “movement,” looked like for me. I let go of my past, reset my expectations, and did my best to embrace changes as they came. My Post-Baby Fitness Routine And there were a lot of changes. I began to celebrate a 10-minute yoga session while my daughter napped. I savored a walk—brisk or slow—while pushing her in the stroller. I included her in my workout videos and just had fun with it. It’s been a tough but incredible learning experience as I’ve walked through this new phase of life. Most importantly, I’ve learned that when you tune into what your body needs versus listening to external factors or being trapped by what you have always done, you begin to feel a new sense of freedom and empowerment. I have learned that life is dynamic, and so is our health. And, to optimize our health, I believe we must evolve with our ever-changing lives. We must listen to our inner voice at all times, even if it feels easier not to. My Ever-Changing Fitness Journey Fast-forward to today: I now have two children. My daughter is 5, and my son is 3. Once again, life has changed and so has my fitness routine to match my energy level, my priorities, and my goals. Today, we like to have family fitness time together, and my “why” has become so much bigger than myself. My needs and goals have stretched far beyond a desire to “look” fit. I want to be and feel fit and healthy because I want to feel energized enough to keep up with my kids all day. I also know that being healthy will support my mental health and allow me to be a positive influence on my kids’ health. Family Fitness Resources Fitness is a journey that changes through the different stages of your life. Starting a family can sometimes make it difficult to maintain strict fitness goals and routines. If you’re looking to start a new fitness routine that fits into your new phase of life, or want to begin incorporating family fitness time into your days, here are a few free resources that have supported our family fitness goals over the years: Yoga for kids Hundreds of simple, at-home workouts Our favorite large exercise & yoga mats for you and your family Affordable Rebounder designed for adults and children Your Fitness Journey What type of fitness routine makes sense for you right now? It’s okay if it’s not the same as it was 10 years ago or even five months ago. If it’s time for a change, try to let go
How Actor Boris Kodjoe’s Has Made Wellness a Family Priority
Boris Kodjoe has had a thriving career in Hollywood. The award winning actor has played a congressman (House of Cards), a doctor (Code Black), a fireman (ABC’s Station 19), and even a god (Luther). But while he continues to land dynamic roles that are the envy of many in his profession—what’s most important to Kodjoe above all is his family, wellbeing, community and health. Understanding the importance of giving back, he’s dedicated much of his life to philanthropy. In 2018 he and his wife, Nicole Ari Parker, launched The Kodjoe Family Foundation in honor of their daughter Sophie who was diagnosed with Spina Bifida at birth. Wanting to support her, they changed their lifestyle and found ways to address her mental, physical and medical needs. With exercise and nutrition as the core of their family values, they wanted to share how putting your well being first doesn’t have to be a chore—and can actually be something enjoyable for your kids to participate in (Kodjoe’s kids get in on the workouts in the app, too!). So they created KOFIT, a health and wellness app that optimizes your time and energy to stay fit, without sacrificing your schedule. They believe in simple, sustainable practices that allow you to enjoy your life, your body, and your loved ones more wholly. Sign us up! As we continue to stay home and self-quarantine, Kodjoe and his family are giving back by launching the #HelpOurHeroes initiative that donates directly to healthcare personnel and frontline heroes. As an extension, their company GymWrap is donating masks to those in need of protection with every mask sold. “ We have given away over half a million dollars’ worth of free masks to our front-line heroes,” Kodjoe tells Nutritious Life. “Every time somebody buys masks, we are able to give away more to those who put their own safety and health on the line to protect us.” He sits down with Nutritious Life to share how he and his family have created a system of prioritizing wellness. His simple ways of reframing how we think of motivation will help you to get up, get moving and actually accomplish your goals. How have things changed for you since COVID-19 hit? My family is blessed to have a home and food to eat. Our focus has been mainly on trying to stay active mentally and physically while in quarantine. Finding new ways to interact with each other, come up with games at home, get fresh air daily, ride our bikes, exercise, dance, read books. Not to succumb to our phones and social media has been a goal, too. It’s easy to fall down multiple rabbit holes and get swallowed up for hours, become reactive instead of being active. The pandemic has touched millions of lives and forced us to reexamine our physical and mental health. The impact of COVID-19 will be felt for years to come. What are some of your tips to stay focused…especially now. It’s hard to stay focused in the current climate of the pandemic and our ongoing struggle for social justice and equality. The economy is in free fall and people are fighting for survival every day. It feels like everything is out of control. I try to focus on little things I can control, like creating a schedule for myself around work, exercise, meditation, reading. Even the task of making your bed in the morning can give you a sense of accomplishment when the world seems crazy. How often do you exercise, and what’s your workout of choice? I exercise daily, mixing it up between riding my bike, doing HIIT workouts, yoga, lifting weights, and playing tennis. My objective is to feel healthy and strong. A combination of cardio, resistance, and mobility work does the trick for me. How do you motivate yourself to work out? There is no such thing as automatic motivation, so I challenge myself each day to stick to my schedule. I set my alarm to a certain time and plan to be in the gym 15 minutes after I wake up. Once I take my first steps, put my shoes on, turn on my music, I’m ready to go. I generate my own motivation by taking action. If you wait for motivation to kick in, you will wait forever. If you had to name your healthy diet, what would you call it? My way of eating would be defined as INTERMITTENT MODERATION. I eat everything, but at certain times and in moderation. Depriving yourself of foods you love, in my case ice-cream or mashed potatoes, isn’t sustainable. Diets don’t work because they force you to alter your way of living. You have to slowly adjust your habits to affect real change. Baby steps. One day at a time. Has it been hard to stay on track with your nutrition while in quarantine? It’s harder for me to stick to my healthy habits when I don’t have an incentive, like on-camera work. During phases like that I allow myself to relax and eat whatever I want. I don’t eat unhealthy foods so I’m not in danger of hurting myself, but I have indulged from time to time. What’s your go-to breakfast? I usually skip breakfast when I’m doing intermittent fasting. But when I eat breakfast, I enjoy a great Muesli (yoghurt, granola, berries), dark German bread with real butter, Swiss cheese, a few hard-boiled eggs, or avocado toast. Your go-to workday lunch? A nice mixed salad with some protein on top. I’m primarily plant based, so I enjoy lentils, tofu, eggs, chickpeas, and beans. What’s the one food you always have in your fridge? We always have tons of fruits and veggies in our fridge, and of course Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. What causes you stress? The whole world is stressful right now. The news outlets, social media feeds, all contribute to our daily fight or flight impulse and put us in constant survival mode. It’s putting tremendous strain
How to Add Joy to Your Healthy Lifestyle, a la Joy Bauer
The TV star nutritionist’s approach to wellness involves lots of hot sauce and even more hugging.
Why Tiffani Thiessen Prioritizes Cooking With Her Kids
If you know Tiffani Thiessen from her iconic roles on Saved by the Bell and 90210 (there was an “Amber” in her name back then), it may surprise you to learn the actor now hosts a cooking show, has a cookbook coming out, and regularly shares her adventures as a mom in the kitchen on her lifestyle website. (She’s also on a new Netflix show, Alexa and Katie, premiering in 2018.) “I’ve always considered myself a home cook,” she says. “I love being artistic as an actor, and for me cooking is another artistic outlet. That’s how I’ve always looked at it.” It’s also one of the major ways she says she connects with and teaches healthy habits to her seven-year-old daughter and two-year-old soon. She partnered with Uncle Ben’s #BensBeginners initiative to share that message, and we caught up with her to learn more. Tomorrow, by the way, is “Cook with Your Kids Day,” so consider this your inspiration to participate. (Keri will be in the kitchen with Rex and Maizy!) Q&A With Tiffani Thiessen You’ve been acting almost your whole life—how did you get interested in cooking? I’ve actually always had a love for cooking. Ever since I was little I have such vivid memories of being in the kitchen with my mom and aunt and grandmother, and it just kind of expanded as I got older, going from my love of traveling and experiencing different cuisines, and then wanting to entertain, and then being a mom and wanting to provide for my family. All of my skills were from my family and then trial and error. I’ve definitely gotten to know people in the food world and that has also influenced me…but I’m not at all professionally trained. Why are you so interested in getting your kids in the kitchen with you? My children are always cooking alongside me. It really can lead your children to eating healthier, and there are even statistics that shows kids have higher academic achievements [when they cook with their parents]. My daughter was very much a picky eater—my son never was, he eats everything— and throwing her in the kitchen more and more and having her actually see what goes into prepping a meal, even just the smells in the kitchen and then there’s just so much love involved…It gets her excited to try something new. It’s definitely changed a lot. RELATED: 5 Smart Tips to Get Kids to Eat Healthy What do you consider a healthy diet? For me, it’s been very much about balance. I do love good food, and so during the week I try to be very much on the healthier side of things, not splurging, making sure I go to the gym, try not to have wine during the week. And then I give myself a little more leeway on the weekends. I’ve been doing that for a while. It doesn’t always apply. I really try to stick to that 80-20 percent, like a lot of people. Do you have go-to meals you make often for your family? I always try to get my kids involved in wanting to tell me what they want to eat. I feel like that helps in getting them interested in healthy meals. Harper [her daughter] loves fried rice, so I’ll throw every single vegetable from my fridge into it. My husband is a Texas boy, he’s a big meat and potatoes guy, so anything on the grill. I like to ask my family because I like to please. I’m a people pleaser. RELATED: Genius Ikea Kitchen Hacks That Make Healthy Cooking Easier We know how crazy being a working mom can be. We all have our tricks to find time to cook—what’s yours? I try to do a lot of my shopping and prepping on the weekends. Usually it ends up being on a Sunday. It really cuts the time down drastically when it comes to dinner time. Everything’s already chopped, sliced, put together before it needs to go in the oven or whatever. I have a much easier time getting good meals on the table when I do this.
