A Customized Wellness Plan: You’re Worth It!

Whenever I read about some celebrity who has regained their pre-baby figure within a few weeks of giving birth, or another who has completely turned around their health with a new diet, I tend to roll my eyes.   While some would let this sort of thing either inspire them or send them running for [...]

Why Hello, Pattypan Squash!

“Veggie wrap, please,” I said each day to the woman behind the deli at my company’s onsite cafeteria.  As if she really needed me to specify…
I was a little obsessed with roasted vegetables.   Never tiring of the sweet flavor of zucchini and summer squash blended with vidalia onion and roasted red pepper, there was [...]

Miles and Smiles

Being outgoing and social has always worked for me.  I love to volunteer at community events, hang out with other families, spend time with good friends, and meet new people.  For me, friendship and support have been essential in these early years of parenting, and I’m not sure I could have survived the various tests [...]

Healthy Family Meals on a Budget (Livestrong)

When trying to feed your family wholesome and nutritious meals, it’s not always easy to keep your budget in check.   Last fall, Tracey Miller offered her advice in her guest post, Eating Local Tips for Moms on a Budget. Now, Livestrong.com has offered three tasty and budget-friendly, healthy recipes for dinner, including some of [...]

To Bond or to Bake? That is the Question.

OK, I admit it.  No matter how hard I try, I will never enjoy baking.  I can’t quite put my finger on it, since I love to cook and enjoy eating even more.  But there is something about the mess of flour, the stickiness of dough and the overflowing sink of dishes that turns me [...]

Bedtime Bliss (The Kids Yoga Resource)

If you’ve got young children, you know the importance of a regular bedtime routine.  In my opinion, tired kids aren’t capable of thinking clearly, so they benefit from knowing exactly what to expect as they prepare to drift off to sleep.  No matter what your routine, you know what works in your household, and that’s [...]

A Good Mumma

Mother’s Day came early for me this year.
It’s an average Thursday, four days before the holiday, and my two-year-old son and I are on our own for a change.  His sister has been at a friend’s house since school let out, giving me the pleasure of spending the day with my youngest child.
I’m buckling him [...]

5 Ways to Make Time for Your Workout (Active.com)

Here are some quick tips on how to fit exercise into your busy lifestyle.  But I have to say, I was disappointed by the advice.  Seems all of these suggestions were ways to increase activity during your other daily tasks, but none focused on what the title promised: how to make time for YOUR WORKOUT.
My [...]

First Drink of the Day (Yogamint)

How many of you drink enough water throughout the day?  I know I sure don’t.  That’s why Yogamint’s advice on how and why to drink water first thing in the morning spoke to me.  When I workout in the morning, I drink a full glass of water before my jog.  Between the water and the [...]

8 Things People Never Tell You About Having Kids (Zen Family Habits)

I love this post.  It reminds me of all the things that have left me exasperated, frustrated and exhausted, but gives a positive spin on each and every one.  Everyone feels this way at some point or another after having kids.  ”If only someone had told me….”  My biggest one to date has been, “If [...]

Rise and Shine – It’s Workout Time!

I’m a self-professed night owl.  After long and busy days filled with work, kids’ pre-school, activities, playdates, housework , meetings and projects, I am energized at about 8 p.m. and I don’t go to sleep willingly.  My husband starts asking me if I’m ready to go up around 10 p.m.  By 11 p.m., he starts [...]

Celebrate National Nutrition Month!

March is National Nutrition Month, and the good folks at the American Dietetic Association have inspired bloggers to write a post based on this year’s theme, “Nutrition from the Ground Up.”  In honor of their work, as well as Michelle Obama’s campaign to end childhood obesity, I’m happy to oblige!
As a mom, it’s hard to [...]

Breaking Out of The Comfort Zone

Facing the dilemma of what to write about tonight, it was going to be one of two possible topics.
One: a recent weekend getaway with friends and family to an area never before visited.  Two: a new recipe using tempeh, an ingredient never before introduced at my dinner table.
As I procastinated a bit, switching between the [...]

The Great Grocery Smackdown (The Atlantic)

“It’s getting harder and harder to hate Wal-mart,” — Michelle Harvey of the Environmental Defense Fund
If you’re a mom who cares about sustainable agriculture and supports local farmers, but worry about blowing the food budget at high-end organic markets like Whole Foods, this article will surprise and delight you!
In the past, I’ve shopped at Wal-mart [...]

Hakuna Matata

My two-year-old has recently taken a liking to the Disney hit “Hakuna Matata” from The Lion King.  In my opinion, this catchy tune ranks third on the list of all-time most fun Disney songs, right behind “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid (#2), and “Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious” from Mary Poppins (#1).
While all three will put a [...]

Keep Your Workout Simple! Real Tips from Real Runners (Runner’s World)

Sticking to any exercise regimen can be stressful.   For me, running is such a head game.  If I think too much about it, I worry – stressing about the very activity that is supposed to relieve tension and anxiety.    In addition to working through my own mindset, I struggle to schedule my workouts [...]

Peace in Prana

How many times have you rushed the kids out the door, five minutes after you intended, hustled them in the car, buckled the car seats, jumped in the front seat, fumbled for your keys, only to realize you left them inside?  The stress of getting yourself and little ones ready for the day can make [...]

In 2010, Listen to your Inner Child

It’s a new year.  A new beginning.  Time to reflect on your past and make plans for the future.  2009 brought The PranaMama to life, as I began to listen to my heart and do more for myself than ever before.   As a result, I am a happier mother than I was one year [...]

Off the Mat Moms: Santosha (Contentment)

“You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.” -the advertising slogan of RadioShack, a national consumer electronics chain
Oh, how I wish being a parent were only as confusing as buying a new digital camera or hooking up a DVD player to a television.
From that very first copy of What to Expect when you’re Expecting (Heidi Murkoff), to [...]

Off the Mat Moms-Lesson 5: SAUCHA

We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are. – Nutritionist & Author Adelle Davis
Being a mom is much harder than I ever expected.  One day it’s figuring out how to keep a kid in bed (when you have [...]

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