Yo, Momma . . . September 2004

"The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving." - Oliver Wendell Holmes

September marks the beginning of Fall - what a great time to start moving in a new direction!  For those of you with older kids, school is probably back in session, giving you a bit more time during the morning hours to revisit your goals and evaluate your progress toward achieving them.  Do you still have a copy of your New Year?s Resolutions?  If so, take it out and see how you?re doing.  Do your goals need a bit of tweaking?  Do you need to revamp your efforts?  Do you need to add or subtract something from the list?  Keep moving forward, give yourself a pat on the back for all the great things you?re doing, and have a very safe and happy Labor Day celebration!

Thanks for joining Fit For 2's e-newsletter list!  Please feel free to forward this message to anyone you know who is pregnant or has just had a baby. 

**IN THIS ISSUE**
~Book of the Month
~Featured Site
~Online Survey Results
~Tip of the Month
~Recipe of the Month
~September Special
~For Instructors Only

**BOOK OF THE MONTH  Pellie Runs A Marathon by Michele Craemer.  What a wonderful back-to-school book to help kids learn about perseverance!  Find out why at www.fitfor2.com/bookmonth.shtml.

**FEATURED SITE  Visit www.cozyrosie.com to get your stroller ready for the cooler Fall weather!  These unique stroller blankets will keep your baby warm while you go exploring!

**ONLINE SURVEY RESULTS  A huge thank you to everyone who took time to complete our online survey!  Here is what you told us:

*34.2% of you workout an average of 3 times per week, 26.3% workout 5 or more times.  Most of you (39.3%) workout for an hour at a time.
*Walking is your activity of choice with 76.3% currently participating in a regular fitness walking program.  Free weights was the next most common form of exercise at 44.7%.
*For those of you who do not currently workout regularly, the reason given most often was lack of time (62.5%), followed by being too tired (50%).
*When asked what were the most important features of a group exercise program, class format (34%) came in first, followed closely by available childcare (33%).
*Those of you currently participating in a group pre/postnatal fitness program most likely heard about the program from a friend or your health club (27.8% each).  Only 16.7% of you heard about the program from your Ob or midwife.  However, 43.8% of you said that if you were looking for a pre/postnatal fitness program, your Ob/midwife would be the first person you would ask for information.
*The most common price range for group fitness classes is $5.00-9.00 per class.
*Your current class sizes are split evenly between 6-8 participants or 15+ participants.
*40.9% answered that they didn't know if their instructor was a certified pre/postnatal specialist.
*The majority of you (70.4%) said that your Ob/midwife discussed exercise with you during your pregnancy.  However, most of you indicated that your Ob/midwife gave you very vague advice in regards to the types of exercise that were appropriate during pregnancy.  You also indicated that some of the advice given by your healthcare provider did NOT adhere to the most recent guidelines set forth by the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists.
*When we asked you, specifically, what you are looking for in a pre/postnatal fitness program, you had some very clear advice for us!  You definitely want the program to include the baby so you don?t have to worry about childcare.  Many of you are looking for a more athletic program with appropriate modifications for pregnancy.  You also want a way to meet other new mothers.

Again, thank you for taking the time to express your wants and needs for us.  We will take your responses to heart and use them to continue making Fit For 2 better in the future!

**TIP OF THE MONTH  If you are pregnant, visualize hugging around your baby with your abdominal muscles to keep your abs strong and toned throughout your pregnancy.

If you have a pregnancy, parenting, or fitness tip you'd like to share, please email it to us at tips@fitfor2.com.  We'll publish it in an upcoming issue of "Yo, Momma . . ."

**RECIPE OF THE MONTH (Courtesy of America On The Move)  Steamed vegetables are delicious but can become boring if that's all you cook.  Use these ideas for a change of pace:
*Stir fry vegetables, in a bit of extra virgin olive oil (try cauliflower, spinach, and plum tomatoes) with curry, cumin, and coriander
*Grill onions, potatoes, carrots, and zucchini slices with lime juice
*Bake a low-calorie vegetable quiche
*Marinate cucumbers, radishes, and jicama in a flavored vinegar (or balsamic) before adding to salad
*Add sliced almonds to green beans or asparagus
*Sprinkle strips of sweet potato with parmesan, then bake till crispy
*Stuff artichokes with finely chopped mint and garlic before steaming.

**SEPTEMBER SPECIAL!  Order the Fit For 2 . . . On The Go! Fitness walking tape during the month of September and receive 10% off the retail price when you put SEPTCOUP in the Special Instructions area of the online Order Form!  Visit www.fitfor2.com/shopping.shtml for more information.

**FOR INSTRUCTORS ONLY!  The next Fit For 2 Instructor Training is scheduled for September 18-19 in Atlanta.  If you?re interested in getting more information or registering, click on www.fitfor2.com/instructor.shtml!


Thanks for visiting us at Fit For 2.  If you have comments or suggestions, we want to know!  Contact me at lisa@fitfor2.com or call 770-509-8078. 

Lisa :)