From our Family to yours . . .

I have waited years for this day to arrive! My 3rd and youngest daughter has finally learned to ride a two wheeler and yes, you read it right, it means this mama now has HER freedom! While many parents watch their children learn to ride a two wheeler for the first time they are teary realizing their babies are growing up, they are proud of the independence the kids are gaining and sad for the baby tricycle and training wheel stages now behind them. I too felt all of these things when my first 2 daughters learned to ride, but when it’s your youngest it’s different. Don’t get me wrong, I was still the proud Mom out there snapping photos, taking videos and cheering her on, but I was also doing a giant happy dance for ME!

So far, the big difference I have noticed is my sleep patterns. I used to have trouble getting to sleep so I would usually go to bed with my husband and then get back up after he fell asleep. Some nights I would be up until 2 or 3am and then have to drag myself out of bed in the morning to get the kids ready for school.

As cliche as this might sound, I firmly believe what we put into our bodies is what you get out of our bodies. Now I do have good reason to gain 30lbs over the last nine months. I’ve increase my calories and vitamin intake especially folic acid. I feel really good considering I’m in my last week of gestation.

We’ve all heard the routine before. Everyone should supplement their diet with vitamins. It’s true! Don’t kid yourselves. It would take an enormous amount of food to eat the required amounts of nutrients necessary to maintain premium health. Nearly five years ago, after a health scare, I listened to my doctor. As you grow older, your body has a harder time holding on to nutrients and absorbing them. Vitamins, like AdultEssentials are necessary.

I'll never forget to take my vitamins now. That is what I just literally told my husband two minutes ago. I have said it before and I'll say it again, my memory sucks these days (I'm blaming it on baby brain). I have always been conscious about taking my vitamins and it's always something that I mean to do but yet, I never do it. Taking a bland, boring supplement isn't high on my "to do" list, mostly because it's easily forgettable. I never thought I would say this but I'm excited to take my daily vitamins now. I'm confident that because of how great Adult Essentials Gummies taste that it will always be something I look forward to and therefore, I will no longer forget to take them.

First comes spring, then comes summer, then comes Wendy in a bathing suit! Yikes! That is not something that I'm looking forward to this year. I could sit here and write a huge list of excuses as to why I've put on weight. "I'm busy" "Not enough time" "Once we get the basement finished and we move the exercise bike, then it will be easier to exercise" You know...the same things that many of us say to ourselves. But over the last few months, I'm trying to be better.

Four months ago a friend and I made a commitment to each other; we were going to workout together. Twice a week. All winter. OUTSIDE! Neither of us had any idea what we were in for; if we could actually do it or how much we would both love it! I won’t pretend its been all sunshine and roses. At the beginning we were thrilled to have found a fitness buddy to workout with, however, a few weeks in to our winter bike rides and the temperatures and strong wind threatened to challenge us, but we peddled on!

It’s easy to grab the convenience food when you are on-the-go, but unfortunately, these prepackaged foods are full of not so healthy ingredients that aren’t all that good for us. Fresh fruit is simple when you are at home, but what about those situations when you know that banana will be mush by the time it arrives? Our family life involves a lot of travel between the around town marathon of after school activities and the commute to go skiing on the weekends. Packing healthy snacks has become a sport I am getting very good at!

It’s amazing what eating in a healthy manner and getting a bit of exercise can do. More important than my weight loss has been how I’m feeling. Along with the absence of bloating, I am more comfortable in my clothes and we all know this is a good thing. Historically I’ve been a person who meals were driven by my taste buds, I didn’t actually pay attention to the amount of vegetables and fruits I ingested nor did I focus upon my over all health. Times have definitely changed and as important as my food choices are my over-all health has become a great concern for me.

I’ve have been active all my life. I got a bike when I was 3 and it was my mode of transportation before I could drive. I took swimming lessons forever and was a lifeguard throughout High School and University. I grew up in an active family and I’ve been running since I was 10. After the birth of all 3 of my babies, my husband and I ran a ½ marathon in a different city with baby in the jogging stroller when they were only 8 months old. It seems only natural that I would eventually do a triathlon . . .

You make the announcement on a sunny Saturday morning, “let’s go for a family hike!” The support pours in immediately, ‘do we have to’, ‘it’s cold out there’, ‘how long will we be gone?’ Kids!
Thankfully I get to play my Mom card and today I have decided we are going on a Family Hike so that is what we shall do!

There is a popular saying among cyclist and runners, “May the wind always be at your back.” It is our hope as we strap on our bike helmet and tie up those running shoes that the weather will be kind to us. Of course, the wind can’t always be at your back, unless you plan to ride endlessly in one direction, eventually you have to turn around and face the wind. My Friend in Fitness and I are now in week 5 of our Winter Workout and we can tell you, the wind has NOT always been at our backs! We believe we have met our challenge and faced it, head down, head first and directly into the wind!

Are you a lone rider or a groupie when it comes to working out? Do you go to the gym regardless if Betty Sue can make it or do you use their ‘schedule conflict’ to cancel your own workout? As I started running on my own and got my own gym membership, I cannot count the number of friends who have said “I’ll work out with you”. They did. Once. Maybe twice. Never for very long. I became a lone rider. After I had kids it became harder to find time to get out so I would squeeze in a run at any opportunity, making it difficult to plan runs with friends.

I recently spoke to a colleague who I connected with on Twitter who specializes in fitness for kids. Personally, needing someone to specialize in something that should come so natural seems outrageous. However, seeing as this is supposed to be the first generation whereby parents are going to out-live their kids due to childhood obesity, clearly it's an area that needs a lot of help.

I have recently began a new transformation, something I needed...wanted...and desired. The lightbulb finally went off one day when I looked into the mirror and did not like the extra "flab". I know my body is thanking me now.....believe me I have had countless nights of tossing and turning wondering how the heck was I going to do this, how would I give up Coca-Cola, how would I give up eating whatever I wanted and whenever I wanted. Maybe I was convincing myself not to, in fear of the unknown. I owe many thanks to my friends on Facebook and other Social Media sites for encouraging me, giving me advice and also just letting me write updates and follow along with my journey. How am I losing the weight you ask?

This summer I stood on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro and watched the sunrise over a glacier at 19,341ft.
It was pretty incredible. It only took 6 days, 25 porters, 2 cooks, 3 guides, 1 experienced leader, my husband and 8 friends to get me the 66km we had to hiked up and down and up and down and up some more, to reach the top.
No one successfully climbs Kilimanjaro on their own. In fact, no one succeeds at anything on their own! This really had never occurred to me. I know it takes a village to raise kids. I rely on my ‘village’ all the time. But as an adult, I felt much of what I did for me, I did on my own. Climbing a mountain, taught me otherwise!

We know staying healthy & active is important & we think adventure & taking your vitamins are a big part of that! Follow this page for updates as we take Adult Essentials on the adventure of a lifetime! . . .trip begins in 9 days!! Team building has already been done for this once in a life time adventure. The team met to launch Adult Essentials Gummy Vitamins in May & then had fun hiking on a soggy day with thier kids to test out hiking boots! Their latest venture was ropes course designed by Scott.