At the first signs of spring, many new moms will emerge from their winter hibernation ready to resume outdoor workouts and reverse recent indulgences in cold-weather comfort foods. But a foray into post-baby fitness following a seasonal hiatus does require some major mom motivation, so Stroller Strides founder and LEAN MOMMY author Lisa Druxman is sharing her expertise on how to spring back into good health – and stick with it.

“Just like any other time of the year, starting back into fitness for spring requires baby steps,” said Druxman, a pre/postnatal fitness expert. “Don’t push yourself too hard – if you progress a little each day, you’ll stay motivated to meet your goals and avoid unnecessary strain. Challenge yourself, but make it enjoyable.”

One of the benefits of a spring workout is that the great outdoors can act as a gym, which means baby can come along. Believe it or not, a total body workout can be achieved at virtually any neighborhood playground. Druxman recommends:

• PLANK AT A PARK BENCH to develop endurance in core muscles that help support the lower back
• REVERSE CURL ON THE SLIDE to target the abdominal six-pack with an emphasis on the lower abs
• TRICEP EXTENSIONS ON THE MONKEY BARS with exercise tubing to strengthen triceps

But just because Mom is breaking a sweat, spring sunshine doesn’t necessarily mean warm temperatures.

“It can still be chilly, so make sure to dress in breathable layers,” Druxman said. “While you may warm up because of exercise, baby won’t, so make sure to bring a blanket for the stroller to keep her cozy.”

In addition to comfortable clothing, Druxman recommends the following key pieces of equipment to support and motivate a successful spring workout:

• Xertube® – This lightweight, inexpensive resistance band can support a total body conditioning program at home, at the park – anywhere! I of course prefer the Stroller Strides ones by SPRI®.
• BODYBUGG® – This armband is great for tracking caloric expenditure and intake.
• Nike + iPod Sport Kit – This works with your iPod so you can see your speed, distance, calories burned and more while walking or running. My favorite motivating iPod track? “Proud” by Heather Small
• ENELL® Sports Bra – Great for resuming your outdoor runs, this bra is the most supportive out there.
• SIGG™ Water Bottle – It’s so important to stay hydrated during your spring workout, and these aluminum water bottles are great for you and the environment.

Finally, to ensure new moms don’t undo their spring fitness strides, Druxman suggests “spring cleaning” a few items from the home pantry.

“Get rid of the comfort foods like boxed mac & cheese and other processed items,” she said. “Instead, stock up on the fresh fruits and veggies coming into season. A diet loaded with water, fruits and vegetables will help put an extra ‘spring’ in your step.”

Stroller Strides classes are offered in more than 1000 locations in the United States and now in Canada. The hour-long classes emphasize cardiovascular activities and muscle-strengthening exercises using resistance bands and strollers, allowing moms to interact with their babies throughout their workout. To further assist mothers in all aspects of their lives, Stroller Strides partners with LUNA® and BOB®. For more information about Stroller Strides, including class locations, visit www.strollerstrides.com.

With all the discussion in the HHC forums over the past five years, more than marriage, more than children, the subject of ‘girlfriends’ comes up over and over. Making friends is hard for housewives and keeping them is even harder. Why? Why are women so hard on each other? Just look at the Housewives television series on Bravo. These women are crazy. Friends one minute, stabbing each other in the back the next. The New York series just started. The promo for the show each woman said the same thing, ‘Is she my friend? Does she have my back?’ I thought it was pathetic that each of these women well into their thirties and forties were so insecure. They all have the best of everything.

All these housewives on these shows sporting their fancy watches and living in big houses, are desperate to feel truly loved by a female friend. It’s the kind of thing you yearn for even if you have the best marriage. Someone you can chit chat with during the day on the phone. Someone you can stroll the mall with. Someone you can call at three AM when you need to take your children to the hospital. How many 3am girls do you have? That is how I judge a real friendship. Who can you call in the middle of the night? Who can you drop your kids off in a pinch? Who can you trust? Who has your back?

There is a book that one of my friends is reading, ‘Tripping the Prom Queen.’ In it women tell their girlfriend horror stories. One women was so traumatized by the ‘bleached blonde skinny girl’ in high school that she is still isn’t over it even though she is married and her life is considered successful. Another woman admits that deep down she has hated her best friend of 20 years. The author suggests that true friendship just cannot exist among women. I think that is crap!

You know, I have often heard women say, ‘they like men more than women.’ That they ‘have more guy friends than female.’ And yes, is true, women are crazy. But, what type of woman are you? In life you get what you give out. If you are nice, friendly, fun, and trustworthy, that is the type of woman you will attract. The Bravo Housewives of NY, claim they just want good girlfriends yet each of them bad mouths the other behind their back. Jill, the redhead, was invited for a boating day and all she did was bad mouth the hostess Ramona. This is in poor taste. This girl Jill, is a mean lady. And that is key.

There are positive people and negative people. If you make a choice to stay away from negative women, and you refuse to get in the dirt with them, you will stay above the drama. Are there mean girls? Yes. Are there great gals? Absolutely. I have been lucky enough to have a bunch of great girlfriends who I know I can depend on no matter what. We are happy for each other and we love each other’s children. I am blessed for this. I started the HHC forums so housewives can talk to other housewives. And the ladies on HHC are amazing.

So open yourself up to meet nice ladies. Join your local mom’s group. Go to the library. Strike up a conversation at the park. Join the PTA. And remember you will get back the vibes you give out.

• 2 c oats
• 1 c whole wheat flour
• 1 c white flour (I’m sure you could use 2 c of either flour, I was just experimenting a bit)
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• Dash salt
• 1 c butter
• 1 – 2 c berries, fruit, jelly, whatever… you have to eyeball it a bit and make sure it covers the entire tray. (PLUS 2 tsp cornstarch if you’re using just fruit

For the fruit part, I used about 1 3/4 c frozen blueberries,frozen strawberries, and raisins. I added the cornstarch when they were thawed and mixed it in to thicken them a bit.

So here’s what you do:
Preheat your oven to 350. Grease a 9×13″ baking pan.

Combine oats, flour(s), brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter, 2 forks, or use a food processor. It’ll be chunky and crumbly, which is what you want. The cutting in the butter part is a bit of a pain, but not too bad. You can reward yourself by sampling some of the product along the way!

So anyway, take HALF of this mixture and press it into your pan. Bake it for 15ish minutes, until it’s a bit brown and set. Spread your berries/fruit/jelly over top of this and then cover with remaining dough, press down firmly, and bake another 15 minutes!

Voila! It makes a ton of cereal bars, so I took that Glad Press ‘N Seal stuff and laid each bar flat on it and covered with another piece and made individual wrappers to take the bars on the go! I also froze a bunch and they kept well! My uncle says a bit of lemon zest in the fruit part would be a nice touch, too, so try that if you want!

Sleep deprivation causes these feelings that, with time, can grow to be very intense and life altering. Did you know that no matter how it’s done, when you miss out on even a few hours of sleep, your body will eventually make it up. Whether it’s on a Saturday morning, or a too long nap in the middle of the day, lack of sleep catches up with you and can throw off your sleep schedule more.

So how can we avoid problems like this?

• Go to bed the same time every night. I know that nursing mothers will have more of a problem with this, but try. Getting yourself on a regular schedule is the first step to regulating your sleep patterns.
• Wake up early, and the same time every day. Other than maybe one day a week, try not to oversleep. But on the same note, don’t get up unless you’ve had at least six, preferably eight hours of sleep.
• Stop with the caffeine. Research indicates that to get the caffiene out of your system in order to keep sleep patterns, all sugary drinks must be stopped after Noon.
• Exercise. People who regularly exercise have less problems with restlessness, insomnia, and restless leg disorder.

• Vases. They were only taking up valuable cupboard space anyways. So even empty they look pretty grouped together.
• Colored storage boxes. I found some pretty photo boxes that fit perfect. I also have some odd and ends in one box that are always tough to find a home for. Batteries, candles, stationary, extra remote controls etc.
• Throws. How pretty they look folded up on the bottom shelf. It added the perfect shot of color, and they look neater then being “thrown”! With summer approaching it’s a perfect spot to keep them stored without taking up room in the linen closet.
• Framed photos and other memorabilia. Great spot to display your kids latest artwork, pictures of the family vacation, or birthday cards.
• Figurines. While I don’t have a lot of them, I do have a few and don’t like putting them on tables and other surfaces that are used often. This seemed like a good place to add a few items on the tops of books that I placed flat.
• Magazines. While I have a magazine rack, it’s usually pretty full. There are always magazines that I like to keep for certain articles or recipes. Tucked inside a wicker basket and placed on the bottom shelf added texture to the whole case. And now my magazines are in a neat orderly place.

There is a strong Mind and Body connection. Stress can be one of the strongest health hazards. Keep reading for tips on dealing with stress and learning to love yourself.

Girls, I have a problem. I am constantly stressed and worried. Oddly enough, not about myself, but about how there are other housewives out there who are always stressed and worried! I know that sometimes bad things happen, and our minds and bodies react to those stresses naturally, but we worry and stress so much that it’s seriously affecting our health!

Did you know that when you are under stress, your T-Cells (these fight infection and keep your immune system healthy) are supressed? So whenever you get overwhelmed, your immune system actually begins to shut down leaving you open to infection, viruses, and bacteria! Girls, we need to calm down.

Stress is natural, but how we deal with it isn’t. Meditation, yoga, exercise, laughing are all ways that we need to deal with things. Our bodies are connected with our minds. If our mind and spirit aren’t healthy, then our bodies aren’t going to be. So what are the first steps to a happier, healthier housewife?

Create a mantra. Anything that you can say to yourself first thing when you wake up, last thing before you go to bed, and most importantly, when the going gets tough. It can be anything. An inspirational quote, a self esteem booster, something that makes you laugh. Here are a few of mine:

• “Courage is not the lack of fear, but acting in spite of it.” This mantra is a quote by Mark Twain and it got me through so many things in my life. School, broken friendships and broken hearts, and even deaths in the family. Not to say that I didn’t stress and feel the overwhelming urge to scream, but it was something I could say to remind myself that I am strong.

• “I am happy, beautiful, intellegent and wonderful!” Something very simple. This is my self esteem booster. I am sick of everyone constantly hating everything about themselves. In fact, I think all of us need to take a good look in the mirror and learn to love what we see. No matter what shape or size! Girls, I’m 230 pounds, full of cellulite and stretch marks, old acne scars and hair on my chin. But do you know what I see when I look in the mirror. A hot little redhead with a killer rack and a behind to match! Why do I see that? Because I choose to. Because it’s true.

• “Nothing will go right today, so I will laugh and be amused.” Okay, so at first it’s a little on the downside, but if we can’t laugh then what good is there in life? We expect too much of ourselves and rarely give ourselves a break. I remember my first year of marriage crying over a meatloaf I dropped on the floor. I bawled for hours. Nowadays, I just laugh at myself. Why? Because it’s not the end of the world. Because tomorrow I still get to wake up next to a handsome husband who loves me, and I still get to eat the food I love, enjoy the things that make me happy, and have a roof over my head. Yes we should cook and clean, but don’t let those things make you miserable. Clean because it makes you happy to have a clean home. Cook because you love being in the kitchen, and the looks on your families faces when they bite into your creation.

We are Happy Housewives! Let’s show the world that we are Happy! Be kind to yourself, sit back and relax once in a while, and always remember to laugh.

For anyone who has ever been on a plane, they tell you that if something should happen, you are to place the oxygen mask on yourself first and then assist your children. The reason is simple. If you are not able to breathe, how are you going to take care of others?

The same can be said for daily living. If you cannot breathe, relax, stay in good health, how is your family supposed to do so? This week I challenge you to take a half hour every day for yourself. Nourish your mind by reading a new book. Nourish your spirit by praying or meditating. Nourish your body by taking a walk or a relaxing bubble bath. Become your balanced self and your whole family will reap the benefits of a new and happier you!

I always choose sweet potatoes over white potatoes because they are so much more nutritious, but it’s Easter, and there are certain traditions that you don’t want to break at holiday time. Roasted white potatoes are a must on the plate next to a nice portion of Leg of Lamb. Just remember to choose organic potatoes and spices, and cook them in glass instead of aluminum.

Roasted Potatoes

There are no specific measurements. Estimate according to how many you are having for dinner.
I like to use either Red Potatoes or Yukon Gold. Cut them into quarters. Put in a glass or stainless steel baking dish coated with grapeseed oil spray. Sprinkle a little bit of grapeseed oil over the potatoes and dot with small pieces of butter. Add dried parsley, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, garlic powder and a little bit of dried rosemary. Toss to cover and bake at 450 degrees for about 30-40 minutes. Lower if potatoes are cooking too quickly. Check to make sure they are cooked through. Remove from oven and drizzle with just a touch of olive oil for flavor. You don’t want them to be greasy. Serve with your holiday meal.

Mop tile and linoleum floors with a solution of 1 Cup white vinegar and 1 gallon of water.

Toilets.

Pour in 1 Cup of white vinegar.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Brush and flush.  Or sprinkle baking soda around the inside of the toilet bowl and scrub with a toilet brush.  A cloth saturated in white vinegar can be used for the out side of the toilet as well.

Sinks and countertops.

Wipe down counters and sinks with a cloth saturated with white vinegar.  Or wet the sink, sprinkle it lightly with baking soda, and use a moist cloth or sponge to gently scrub the sink.  Rinse thoroughly to remove all the baking soda.

Faucets and fixtures.

Clean and shine faucets.  Rub with ½ of a lemon rubbed in salt and rinse.  Buff with a dry cloth and they will shine like new.

Tub and Tile.

Mix 1 2/3 Cup of baking soda, 2/3 cup of dishwashing liquid, and 2/3 Cup of water.  Then add 2 Tbs white vinegar.  Apply, scrub and rinse.  Helpful hint: Using a sponge mop to clean the shower and tub floor and walls make the job easier.

Baked Apples
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., then wash and core apples. Wrap each apple in a square of aluminum foil, and seal tightly. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, testing with a fork for desired softness. Remove foil, skin, and core. Mash apples. Count on two to three apples to produce 1 cup of mashed apple. You can use the same method for pears, which will reach the desired softness within 15 to 30 minutes.

Pureed Meats
Cut meat into 1/2-inch cubes. Trim off all fat. Add 1 cup of stock (either meat or vegetable) to 1 cup of meat. Simmer until meat is tender – 45 minutes to an hour. Drain stock, reserving the liquid. When you puree, use l/2 cup of cooking liquid for each cup of meat. Freeze extra portions immediately.

Pureed Legumes
Carefully rinse and pick over 1 cup of any legume. Soak in water overnight or bring to a boil for 2 minutes, cover, and then allow to sit for 2 hours. Drain off the soaking water or the cooking water, then add 3 cups fresh water and bring beans to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until beans are tender (anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on your choice of legume). Skim the surface often as beans are simmering. Puree with 3/4 cup milk. Freeze unused portions immediately.

Sweet Potatoes
Scrub sweet potatoes and bake at 450 degrees F. for 40 to 50 minutes, testing with a fork for desired softness. Allow to cool. Peel, then mash with a fork, adding vegetable cooking juices, milk, or a bit of apple juice. Acorn squash can be substituted for sweet potato.

Vegetable Purees
Cut vegetables into small pieces and steam them in a vegetable steamer over 1 or 2 inches of water in a tightly-covered pot. Use this water as a thinner when pureeing vegetables. The approximate ratio of vegetables to liquid is 2 cups of fresh vegetables to between 1/3 to 1/2 cup of liquid. Place steamed vegetables and a little of the steaming water in a food processor or baby-food grinder and puree to a soft consistency. To add flavor and protein, try adding an equal amount of baked or steamed potato to the steamed vegetables and puree together. Thin mixture with milk to desired consistency. Freeze unused portions immediately.

Combination Dinner
Place 1 cup cooked meat, 2/3 cup cooked vegetables, 1/3 cup cooked white or brown rice, and 1 cup stock in a blender or food processor. Puree, and freeze leftover portions immediately. Yield should be approximately 3 cups.