Who would have thought my inspiration to movewould arrive at my doorstep in a small box?

I was recently sent a digital fitness pedometer called Striiv, which I had heard about while at a BlogHer event hosted by my friends in the Blogging Angels a few months earlier, and I supposed I offered to be a early reviewer.  Now maybe now I wouldn’t just think about walking to my kids to school or taking the steps instead of the elevator into my doctor’s office. Now I would realize that even walking from one room to another burns calories, and that seeing the results in my hand on a device would actually inspire me, all with the help of a gadget you can git into the palm of your hand.  Using TruMotion technology based on an accelerometer and gyroscope, the gadget figures out whether you’re jogging, climbing stairs, dancing or doing some other type of exercise.  If you want to see what I’m talking about, watch this:

Striiv is challenging.  It inspires me to get up and move.  There are personal challenges, games and even donation opportunities based on how much exercise I get.  The more I move, the more I achieve.  I can play games and spend my points on trophies or badges (you have to see these to understand what I mean) and they push me to work harder.

But what I really like best about Striiv is that the more you walk or exercise, the device calculates your every move and donates to a charity on your behalf.  It’s very special. and very motivating.  Striiv, with the help of sponsors, has carefully chosen charities to donate to, including GlobalGiving which donates clean water to children in South America or a polio vaccine to children in India.

So, now when I am sitting at my desk, working or blogging, I sometimes still wear my gym clothes that I throw on when I work from home.  Only now, I grab my Striiv and head out the door, even if I have a short time period, feeling motivated to earn points to give back and shed some pounds. All while giving back.  How cool is that?

Striiv retails for $99 on the official Striiv website.

Disclosure: I was provided with a Striiv gadget to facilitate this review, but all opinions are my own.

When I received a copy of 15 Minutes Outside by Rebecca P. Cohen at Getting Gorgeous last week, I was curious and immediately drawn to the book.  I put it on my night table, joining my current pile of books that I want to read (and spend less time on Twitter in order to do so).

After working hard in the corporate world for 15 years, Cohen decided to regroup and spend more time with her children.  She started her own business, Rebecca Plants, LLC to pursue her love of gardening.  At the same time, she came up with the idea to spend 15 minutes outside with her children every day for 365 days.  Her kids sound a lot like mine, real  digital junkies.  It’s not always easy to get them out of the house, but my husband and I are also big believers in exercise and fresh air, and when we get them out, they are much happier for it.  Cohen states that “the average child spends more than 30 hours in front of television and electronics a week and gets only four to seven minutes a day of unstructured playtime outside.”   She goes on to say that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 60 minutes per day and that research shows that spending more time outside improves children’s concentration in school, lessons aggression and improves their ability to cooperate.  It also increases levels of vitamin D, which helps to ward off future problems like heart disease and diabetes.

She didn’t need to really convince me, but these are good arguments.  She also mentions that it helps to have the support of a spouse.  I have no problem there either.  My husband is really, really into getting out and about.  On the weekends, he grabs his SLR camera, puts the kids in the car and takes them for hikes around reservoirs, through the woods, on the paths around the Long Island Sound.    When the weather warms up, we’ll walk or ride bikes to school.

Nonetheless, for me, as a WAHM, I have flexibility but do tend to get wrapped up in my work.  Today I popped out with my son to play T-ball a few times, but I know I could do more.  When my babysitter comes, she takes them to the park, they ride bikes and scooters, they keep active.  But when I’m home, there is less outdoor activity and there should be more.

Cohen breaks down 15-minute outdoor activities by month.  She suggests eating breakfast outside, nature walks with binoculars, climbing hills, building forts, dancing outside, writing ABs with sticks, potting flowers for Mother’s Day, bird-watching, dipping toes in sand, sleeping under the stars, making fossils and more.  She has activities for every season, every holiday.  Much of it involves using one’s imagination to create a unique, original experience each time and keep the children interested.  As a result, everyone is happier, healthier and less stressed.  Her children journal and take photos of their experiences outside.  She says this has helped prepare them better for school assignments, as they are using their reading and writing skills each time.

Cohen says that these experiences have placed  her more in the moment of motherhood.  When outside, she is calm, replacing the “mundane with excitement and wonder in our everyday lives.”   The fresh air has made her more relaxed.

I’m not saying that I can easily commit to being as creative as Cohen in my own daily life, but I’d love to integrate some of her philosophy and ideas into our schedule.  Taking 15 minutes at the end of each day, at least 15, is not a lot of time, and it is time well spent for all of us.  It’s time to breathe.  Inhale.  Regroup.  As a family.  It’s so positive and a plan I hope to embrace in the coming days.

Disclosure: I did receive a complimentary copy of this book at Getting Gorgeous, however there was no obligation to review or give a certain opinion.  All expressed opinions are my own.

I recently discovered an amazing form of exercise called ZUMBA at my gym.  Say it – it’s even fun to say!  Zumba is an aerobic program that incorporates music and dance based on salsa, merengue, cumbia, reggaeton, calypso, soca, samba, African, cha cha, hip hop and other music.^[1]Even the Hora! I even felt like I was in Bollywood in class last week when we did a dance from India.

I must make it clear that I’m not very limber and my hips don’t shake all that well.  However, this class is so much fun and you even burn calories at the same time. Watch the Youtube video above and you’ll see what I mean.  Note: this video is not me, my gym, or my class!  If I can get myself there every week, anyone can.  It’s definitely a calorie-burner, no doubt about it.