Dear Readers, as I mentioned last week, I plan to write more about raising a healthy family this year (see my interview with Dr. Oz from last week). This week, I have tips on getting active from Missy Chase Lapine and Larysa Didio, authors of the new book Sneaky Fitness: Fun, Foolproof Ways to Slip Fitness into Your Child’s Everyday Life. Back to the food on Monday!

I don’t know about you, but I’m still learning how to keep my two young kids active all year. Sure, it might sound like a reasonable expectation that we’d go outside whether it’s cold and snowy or warm and sunny, but the truth is that isn’t always possible. In fact, there are times when going outside isn’t smart or doable (think sub-zero temps or sick kids).

But having a fit family one of my goals for the Ten in 10 Challenge, so I am working on solving this problem for my family.

The good news? You don’t need to go outside to be active. Really, you don’t. And there is even a new book to help you figure out how to have an active family, no matter what season or temperature it is. Sneaky Fitness: Fun, Foolproof Ways to Slip Fitness into Your Child’s Everyday Life is written by Missy Chase Lapine (of The Sneaky Chef fame) and Larysa Didio, a celebrity trainer. It is filled with all sorts of fun activities that you can do with your kids.

I had the opportunity to interview the authors this week for my SheKnows column (turns out that Larysa and I are from the same area. Small world). The column will probably run sometime next week, but in the meantime, I wanted to share some things I learned. (I’ll be sure to include a link to the article next Friday so you can read it and learn more about the book!)

What does this whole ’sneaky’ thing mean? When I hear sneaky, my mind jumps to dirty kids in newsboy caps picking on Annie’s dog Sandy. I kid you not. But this is a different kind of sneaky. It’s a way of teaching kids to be active without turning active into a dreaded word. So yes, this sneaky is good.

Larysa said that sneaking fitness into everyday life is something that she developed out of need. “I was doing a lot of sneaky fitness. It’s really hard to get kids to work out. …so I got really creative with my program. … I would challenge them (her young clients) and then sneak it in,” Larysa says.

The concept fit well with Missy’s Sneaky Chef concept, and the two decided to team up on a book. “It was just a perfect solution for moms because we found that this was the perfect solution for us,” said Larysa.

The pair says that the sneaky concept works because it builds on kid’s natural desire to have fun, so moms and dads don’t have to nag to get results. “It’s the sneaky component that really works. What sneaky really means is small components result in big benefits,” says Missy.

And in terms of food, it’s not about tricking kids into eating healthy things so much as it’s about healthifying their favorite foods. Missy says that eating veggies is still a must.

How much activity do kids need? Honestly, this is something I wondered about. I have no idea how much full-on activity my kids should be getting. Yes, they play a lot — active games, racing around the house, etc. But is it enough? Perhaps, but they could certainly do more.

“The professionals [say] at least an hour and a half a day continuous,” says Larysa. If that sounds like a lot, it is. But Larysa and Missy point out that little bits all day can really add up.

So, how can you get active with your kids? There are so many ways to get active with your kids — indoors and out. Sledding, for instance, is a great calorie burner (it’s all that walking up the hill to go again!). From indoor hopscotch to finger painting with your feet, the book lists tons of ways to get active.

My personal favorite? Dancing. It’s a mainstay in my house and there are at least four different ways to use dancing as a fitness tool in the book. Missy says that her girls love #58: So You Wanna Be a Rock Star? Kids make their own music videos and record themselves. “Nobody makes a rock video sitting on a couch,” she said, adding that it’s a favorite playdate activity these days.

Hey, I can’t blame them — dancing is so much fun for everyone. My kids and I toss on a little music (love Elvis – who coincidentally would have been 75 years old today) and dance around the kitchen while I cook. It’s an awesome calorie burner.

Learn more about The Sneaky Chef and Sneaky Fitness here.

How do you get active with your kids when it’s cold outside? Share!

I’ve discovered the perfect workout video for me. And I can do the whole thing without thinking about it . . . that’s a great sign.

Anyway, the video arrived and I couldn’t help but think the woman on the cover looked awfully like an Asian Jane Fonda circa 1985. But, who am I to judge? The 80s are back, after all. Leggings, Bermuda shorts, Sweet Valley High books, and all . . .Will grabbed it off the counter yesterday — I hadn’t gotten to it yet. He wanted to watch it – especially after I told him it was a dance video. I obliged. Can’t turndown a chance to combine work and play with the kids.

Well, we did the whole video. No clock checking or water breaks. And Will was so cute – trying to master the dance moves too. As for being a workout, I could definitely feel different muscles being stretched and moved during the dances, which is a good thing. This is something I could easily do everyday – maybe even more than once a day.

My favorite dance (and Will’s too) was the Latin Groove.

We haven’t yet checked out the movement breakdown, but that’s a feature for another day. Seriously, this is a really fun workout.

Do you make resolutions? I do. Every year. I don’t necessarily keep them every year though. Wish I could say that I did, but honestly like most people I fall away from the resolutions after a few weeks or months.

But this year is different. My resolutions are grounded in things that I really want and need to do to lead a healthier, happier life. That’s really important for both me and for my family. So, here they are in no particular order:

• Lose 50 lbs.: I know, it sounds like a lot but really it’s about 50% baby weight (which should melt away with just a bit of effort). The second 25 lbs will be the real challenge.
• See that darned cookbook published (and the wonderful sales that will follow).: I don’t have a whole lot of control over this one. My draft is done and it’s a waiting game until the publisher/editor returns it to me for corrections and whatnot. But, once it’s returned, it’s up to me to turn it around and approve the changes (and make my own).
• Successfully pitch a second cookbook.: I already have the idea, though it needs to be fleshed out a bit. Then it’s just a matter of pulling together the proposal.
• Buy a new, larger home.: Who doesn’t want this? But seriously, it’s a need more than a want for us. Our expanding family is quickly outgrowing the small house that my husband and I purchased when we got married. We definitely need some more room (and some more bedrooms so that the kids don’t have to cram into one).
• Buy a new, larger, safer, four-wheel drive vehicle.: A few months after graduating from college, I bought a new car that I could afford on my slim salary – a Honda Civic. Definitely not the best choice for New England where many snowstorms dot the winter. Nonetheless, I am still driving that car today after . . . several years. So, I think it’s time to bite the bullet and invest in a car that is safer for the kids and has enough room to meet our needs (have you ever tried to transport a family in a Civic? Not fun.).
• Potty train Will.: Again, self explanatory. But this is a need more than a want as well. Will is supposed to start preschool in the fall but can’t unless he is a potty-using big boy . . . heaven help us.

**BREATHE** It’s not that much, right? Totally obtainable. Really.

With a demanding schedule between work, spending time with my family (and my son in particular) and writing, it can be hard to make the time for exercise. But recently, my husband finally got on board and he has been motivating me and pushing me to work out a lot more. I haven’t seen the benefits on the scale yet, but I can feel the small tinges in my muscles and the tightness that signals the completion of a good workout. I’m not there yet, but it does seem that I am on my way to finally being rid of the bulge.
Something else my husband has pushed me to do lately is drink a protein shake for breakfast everyday. I know what you are thinking – protein shakes are funky, chalky tasting, too thick drinks that are just gross.

Until recently I would have whole heartedly agreed with you. But this particular protein powder, Syntha-6, isn’t chalky (check out some reviews here). I drink one scoop, mixed with 8 oz of water, 5 strawberries and about a half of a mango . . . and it tastes good. It’s also very filling, so that has become my sole breakfast.

Now I am not suggesting that you run right out and buy this brand. I don’t care if you do or not. But have an open mind, there are a lot more options out there for protein supplement powders than the old chalky standard.

Here’s a rundown of different types of protein:

Whey Protein
This is a derivative of milk. It is also the most commonly found type of protein supplement. Benefits include that it contains amino acids, it promotes muscle regeneration and that it “boosts immunity.”

Soy Protein
Soy protein is a vegetable protein ideal for vegetarians and vegans looking for a supplement. It is derived from soy flour and can lower cholesterol. It may also reduce the risk of heart disease, a claim approved by the FDA in 1999.

Egg Protein
You know those scenes in movies and television shows were these pumped up guys would drink raw eggs before workouts? Well, it’s because eggs are a great source of natural protein. But the high cholesterol is an issue, so there is egg protein supplements that offer the nutrition without the bad side effect.

A good primer can be found here.

It’s incredibly hard to find good resources about this on the internet that aren’t put up by companies or muscular men with size complexes. Regardless, a protein supplement is sometimes important when you are working out because it helps your muscles. It’s also a filling meal replacement that has nutritional value.

But I am working on the healthier lifestyle thing, so dessert means healthier alternatives. That’s why I turned to Low-Fat Vegetarian Cooking by Jenny Stacy for our New Year’s Day dessert. It’s a handy book with quite a few excellent recipes. I definitely recommend checking it out.

I wanted the desserts to be light and refreshing since the dinner was filet mignon and potatoes – a heavy combination. Making something thick and rick wouldn’t compliment the meal at all, and that’s a meal that deserves to be complimented. I also wanted to provide several complimentary tastes.

The first thing that popped to mind was the vanilla mousse that I first made last year. When I last made it, it was good but it did have a strong yogurt taste (and I had used cheapo yogurt that time). This time, I used a much better quality yogurt (vanilla variety) and low-fat cream cheese. Substituting vanilla non-fat yogurt also seems to make up for not using vanilla sugar, I think. In any case, the result was superb. The mousse is airy and light and the fruit sauce is a great accompaniment. The combination drew raves.

But being that I have a lot of yogurt, I wanted to make use of it so I decided to try a second dessert that sounded like it too would be light and airy. I figured the Strawberry Fool would be a good compliment to the mousse. It’s the first time I’ve made it, but I will definitely be making it again. The sweet but light fool was excellent and the hit of the dessert course. I served it in large burgundy balloon glasses with a mint leaf for garnish.

Strawberry Fool
Serves 4-6

10 oz strawberries, hulled (I used fresh frozen – unsweetened, of course – ones since they are out of season)
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 1/4 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt (use a good quality yogurt – it’s worth it) 2 egg whites
strawberries and/or mint for garnish

Combine strawberries and sugar in a food processor and blend until smooth – about 30 seconds.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine strawberry mixture and yogurt.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until they form stiff peaks (using a stand mixer or handheld speeds this process way up).

Fold egg whites into the strawberry/yogurt mixture. Stir until smooth (using a wire whisk can help).

Spoon into serving glasses and chill for at least one hour before serving. Garnish just before serving.

Why sinful? Because I am working hard on my healthy eating habits to shed the marriage weight (the baby weight is thankfully already gone. But, being the good dieter I am, I already know I had enough spare calories in my daily budget for a few slices…

And boy were they good.

But let me rewind for a moment.

Penance.

Yes, penance. And I paid penance before even picking up the deliciously sinful pizza.

The pizza place, which had the nicest staff and a wonderful pie, didn’t take debit or credit…which meant I had to do the bank sprint down to the nearest branch. I. Had. To. Walk. To. The. Bank. For. Money. To. Get. My. Pizza.

Ahhh, but the exercise was totally worth it.

Why sinful? Because I am working hard on my healthy eating habits to shed the marriage weight (the baby weight is thankfully already gone. But, being the good dieter I am, I already know I had enough spare calories in my daily budget for a few slices…

And boy were they good.

But let me rewind for a moment.

Penance.

Yes, penance. And I paid penance before even picking up the deliciously sinful pizza.

The pizza place, which had the nicest staff and a wonderful pie, didn’t take debit or credit…which meant I had to do the bank sprint down to the nearest branch. I. Had. To. Walk. To. The. Bank. For. Money. To. Get. My. Pizza.

Ahhh, but the exercise was totally worth it.

That’s changed.

I don’t want to be that woman – the one who’s complaining about her weight while stuffing food from a paper bag into her mouth, driving and chatting on her cell phone. And I don’t want the 1,000s of calories from food that leaves you hungrier than when you began unless you eat it en masse. It’s just not worth it to me.

To read more about fast food, fast food rankings and me, read my latest piece on Paper Palate.

One of the things that I’ve really learned and internalized is that low-fat, low-calorie and low-carb foods are not necessarily healthy. They may contain hidden dangers like excessive sodium (causes bloating), unhealthy ingredients (high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, etc), or could be devoid of nutrients (iron, potassium, calcium, etc). As a result, and to cut down on the amount of time grocery shopping takes, I have gone the whole foods route – buying fresh fruit and veggies, meats and fish, etc – and making my own snacks at home like fresh popcorn (not from a bag, but in a popcorn popper), homemade cookies, and fun Phyllo snacks (mmm, chocolate wrapped in Phyllo with a sprinkling of cocoa…mmmm).

Apparently, my transition to home cooking over canned, frozen, boxed and bagged foods is a good one. In the Washington Post today was an AP article by Candice Choi that talked about this issue exactly. ‘Healthy’ Foods a Pitfall for Dieters talks about how dieters confuse labels such as “organic” and “natural” for truly good for you eats. And worse yet, people take for granted that good things yogurt and granola are all healthy – some contain amazing amounts of fat, calories or carbs.

So if there is a lesson to be learned from any of this: don’t take for granted that you are buying a healthy product just because the enthusiastic packaging makes it seem that way. Read the labels and understand what they mean. That’s the only way to really know if you are really getting the best thing for you.

I gave birth to my son, Will, a little more than 7 months ago. After a turmultous pregnancy where I gained about 68 pounds, I dropped 34 pounds in the first three weeks after birth. Since then it’s been a constant struggle. But onward and upward, right?

Well back to the milestone. In late August, I joined SparkPeople, an online diet and health site. I got off to a very slow start with weight loss, losing approximately two pounds a month until recently when things really started moving for me.

So, in weighing myself this morning, I discovered that I am a half-pound away from having lost 20 pounds with SparkPeople. YAY!

I love the program on the site. It has really helped me to reassess how I eat and what I eat, not to mention when I eat. As a result, I feel healthier and happier than I did before. I still have quite a few pounds to go until I reach my goal weight, but I am confident I will get there by following the Spark.

Anyway, I just wanted to celebrate a bit here. I can’t believe I have really lost this much weight!