Our bi-annual planking contest is BACK, mamas and bigger than ever. Are you ready to show us your planks?

1. Post an image on Facebook or Instagram of you planking either at home or in a public place. Get creative! Get the kids involved if you can!
2. Add a caption to the photo using the hashtag #planksgiving and mention FIT4MOM by tagging our public Facebook (www.facebook.com/Fit4MomFallsChurchVienna) or Instagram (www.instagram.com/fit4momfallschurchvienna) page. IMPORTANT: Please be sure to change the privacy settings for your entry post to "Public" on Facebook or make your Instagram account public so that we are notified and can qualify your entry. If you are uncomfortable with a public post, please send us a direct message letting us know you have submitted an entry so that we can "follow" or "friend" you to see it.
3. Ask your friends/family to “like” and share your photo post. FIT4MOM will also be...

Bedtime is one of those things about motherhood that is constantly changing. As my children get older, I'm getting closer and closer to the day where the tuck me in-get me a glass of water-scratch my back routine is quickly coming to an end, and I thought I was excited about that.

Truth be told, I've never enjoyed the whole bedtime routine thing. I'm tired, they're tired (or not), and I just want it to all be over with so I can sit on the couch and binge watch Netflix. I've frequently rushed through it all just to "get it over with". I realize now, which makes me feel a little mom-guilt, that I have rushed one of the most precious times with my kids. #momconfession

For the bulk of my motherhood journey, I have done the bedtime routine by myself. While I still do bedtime during the week when I'm not teaching class, I've actually been tucking my kids in less and less the busier I get with work. Last night I realized that I had not tucked my littlest one in in almost 3 weeks! While snuggling her, it hit me...these days are fleeting. I won't have too many tuck in moments...

Above-My children discovering that their mother can wear something other than yoga pants and tank tops!

Do you know that airlines have to tell people to put their own oxygen masks on before assisting others because they know that mamas are going to care for their babies and everyone else on that plane in the event of an emergency and totally forget about themselves? I assume that the dads on the plane would do the same but for arguments sake, let's say it's really said for the mamas on board. :)

I'm one of those moms. I dove head first into wife-hood and then mama hood and left behind the old me. I love the girl I am now but I've been so elbow deep in diaper changes, erratic sleep schedules, homework shuffle and work hustle that I forgot who Jaclyn was. That girl I was before I became WIFE and MAMA. She was kind of cool from what I remember!

One night while teaching Body Back I asked my mamas what was one thing they'd like to do that they haven't done in awhile. My thing was "act in a play". While I am generally the one doing the encouraging...

Today's blog is from our sister franchisee, Kat out in sunny CA! To read more about Kat (and maybe refer a friend!) and find out about her classes, visit her website.

I Want to Try Stroller Strides, But My Child Won’t Stay in the Stroller!

This is the number one reason moms of toddlers won't try a class, even though our classes are filled with toddlers. And I get it! There was a period of about 6 months where my daughter didn't want to stay in the stroller either. She fussed, she whined. She took off her seat belt and would run around, so I would have to teach and try to catch her at the same time. It was frustrating and exhausting, but it didn't last. If there is one thing I've learned while raising my children, it's that I can be infinitely more patient than them and I will always win in the end. It's because I am their mom and eventually they will have to follow my rules. So to all the moms of toddlers struggling with the idea of coming to a Stroller Strides class, I'd love to share a little mommy-to-mommy advice.

1....

Motherhood is usually portrayed online by smiles, kisses and cuddles, but in reality, it’s SO much more. Let’s pull back the curtain to help make moms struggling with sleep deprivation, sickness, messes and toddler meltdowns know they’re not alone. We’ve all been there and have humorous stories to share. From now until Friday, August 18th, we are hosting a contest to encourage our village to share REAL mom moments. Here’s how it works:

1. Post an image on Facebook or Instagram of a REAL mom moment – this could be anything from spit-up running down your shoulder to your kid on the ground at the store kicking and screaming. These photos don’t have to include photos of you or your children… they could be photos of the mess they left behind, or for you pregnant mamas out there, it could be a photo depicting one of the many unwanted side effects (e.g. "pregnancy brain" moments, swollen feet, crackers by the bed).
2. Add a caption to the photo using the hashtag #themotherhoodisreal and mention FIT4MOM by tagging our public Facebook (...

May was all about Mama but that doesn't mean the kiddos didn't have fun as well! While it's been raining a lot in NOVA, we've been taking advantage of the sunshine while we have it with impromptu playdates after Stroller Strides classes.

Mosaic instructor Carrie brought her big parachute to class and it was a HUGE hit for the mamas and littles. We took turns making it go up and down and even giggled when we got "trapped" underneath it.

Our craft for the month was handprint flower pots for Mother's Day. Each kiddo had the opportunity to make as many as they wanted and we know there were big smiles on mamas and grandmas faces when they received them!

The best part about Stroller Strides are the connections we make with other moms and the friendships for the kids. While we do meet after almost every class for chat, snacks, and bonding, we do host four playgroups a month that are themed. You can register for these free playgroups HERE! (We do ask that you attend Stroller Strides before...

Body Back Week 8

I’m so excited about my results, you guys! I lost seven pounds and more than seven inches during my eight-week session. I beat my previous times and did more reps on all my strength and endurance tests (except for sit-ups--oof). Check my stats and photos!

Big thanks to Jeanine, Nikki, Jaclyn, all the Body Back instructors, and my teammates. It’s great to be surrounded by so many inspiring women.

I’ve gotten a monthly pass and plan on keeping up Body Back at least twice a week and a Stroller Barre or Stroller Strides class once a week too. I feel like the subtle strength moves in Stroller Barre especially are a nice complement to Body Back’s HIIT format. I’ve come a long way from when I’d go to Stroller Strides maybe once every couple of weeks. I’m the strongest and most energetic I’ve ever been, which helps me help my family and community.

I’m not sure if I’ll continue journaling, but I’ve hit a happy medium with food. I haven’t cut certain foods out...

Hello, friends! Just a quick check-in with you guys. By the time you read this, I will be a few days away from wrapping up my Transformation session. I’m feeling pretty confident about what my results will be, at least in terms of my goals (planking for at least a minute, lose at least five pounds and then maintain after Easter). Otherwise, I haven’t tested myself on any of the assessment points, such has how many bicep curls I can do in a minute, but I figure there should be improvements on every point.

As with Stroller Strides and Stroller Barre, I’ve enjoyed being part of this great group of strong, motivated women. For many years I was too self-conscious about my body to exercise in any format other than solo. I love the challenge of doing something that wouldn’t have come naturally to my younger self but now helps me feel good.

Physically, the hardest part of this session is getting enough sleep the night before class! (Your mileage may vary if you choose a class at a different time of day.) I love my quiet...

We survived spring break! We stayed in town and (I’m dating myself here) I became Cruise Director Julie and shuttled Elena and Daniel to various activities. Stroller Strides wasn’t in the cards for us because I’d just sold off our double stroller, so those early-morning Body Back classes were more important than ever to keep me sane before I had to be on for the day.

Our usual Saturday early morning activities were on hold during spring break, so I was able to go on the weekend as well. Yay for outdoor classes! Nikki taught one of the ones I went to; her class combined spring holidays, with one station dedicated to the Cliffs Notes version of the Ten Plagues (e.g. boils starts with b, so do a minute of burpees, which also start with b and are only slightly less fun). The last station was a very hoppy egg hunt. Most eggs had exercises inside--I think I did about 45 push-ups total--but some had treats; one of my eggs had a couple of tiny chocolate chip cookies.

Something I’ve learned these past few weeks is that if...

Body Back Week 4

I like to cook, but I don’t always love it, and it can be hard to make meals and snacks when the kids are underfoot. I’m a big fan of prepping ahead, or making ahead and freezing big batches. I try to do a lot of this when they’re asleep or in school, but sometimes that doesn’t work out and I just have to carry on in the kitchen while they’re otherwise occupied; during those times I try to ignore whatever they’re doing until I hear sobbing or screaming.

Here are some of the Body Back recipes I’ve tried so far that are now in regular rotation:

Berry Cobbler Overnight Oats - I like the generous portion of chunky fruit and the natural sweetener (maple syrup) rather than the artificial sweetener in the oatmeal packets I used to buy.

Egg and Avocado Sandwich - I’ve made egg-in-the-hole before, but never with avocado. I was surprised at how filling one slice of toast can be once it’s loaded with good stuff. Jeanine also suggested boiled eggs or...

Body Back Week 2

I’m loving the sunshine and warmer weather we’ve been having lately!

Spring has been the theme for the week at Body Back. One of Jeanine’s classes this week was picnic-themed; our props were red Solo cups and paper plates. I was able to carve out time to go to class on Saturday too, which Nikki taught. The rain predicted earlier in the week held off and we had class outdoors in the park. Some blossoms which must have bloomed after our late-season snow a few weeks ago were also out for us to admire.We ran or power-walked from station to station and had about two miles’ worth of steps during that hour. Not too shabby!

One of the things I love about Body Back classes is the variety. There’s a different format every time, so you’re never bored. Here’s my counting sheet from our I Can Do Hard Things workout. It’s a great example of competing only with yourself, with no judgement of any kind from anyone. For each round, you try to do as many of each move as you can in...

Week one of Body Back--done!

On the first day of the session, Jeanine took aside those of us participating in the Transformation program for assessments. She took our measurements (weight was self-reported) and then we did some fitness tests, like measuring how long you can plank, and how many bicep curls with 10-pound weights can you do in a minute.

Here are my stats:

Weight: 148.5 lbs.

Chest: 39 ⅜”

Waist: 39 ¼”

Hips: 41 ¾”

Thigh: 23”

Run: 1 minute 3 seconds

Bicep curls in one minute: 22

Plank: 52 seconds

Push ups in one minute: 30

Sit-ups: 0

Squats in one minute: 36

Side bridge: 31 seconds

I’m closer to my goal of a minute-long plank than I thought! We’ll see where I am with that as well as the other measurements in seven weeks.

During assessments, the rest of the class rotated through stations with different exercises at them; we joined in after assessments. My...

Body Back Blog Post - Pre-Session

Hi, I’m Jess, a FIT4MOM lifer! Over the next eight weeks I’ll keep you posted on my Body Back Transformation journey. I hope you’ll join me.

Let me tell you more about myself. My husband Steve and I have been living in the DC area since he graduated from law school; he’s an attorney for the federal government. I worked for a literacy nonprofit until our daughter Elena was a year old. She’s seven now, and big sister to our four-year-old son Daniel. I love making stuff (current favorite crafts include knitting and sewing) and would love to carve out time for more. I still volunteer at my old nonprofit too.

I’ve been going to Stroller Strides and Stroller Barre since Elena was a little less than two years old. (See? Lifer.) We went about once a week, all the way through my pregnancy with Daniel, and headed back once he was a few weeks old. It’s great to hang out with other moms, plus I know I’m doing something good for myself and my kids. As the...

Looking for an easy, non-candy Valentine for your kiddo to pass out at school or Stroller Strides?

Do you also have a million broken crayons lying around? (Raises hand)

Try these homemade heart crayons! You can take all of those old crayons and make these adorable Valentines.

Peel, break into pieces, fill a heart silicone mold, then place in the oven (place silicone heart tray on another cookie sheet) for 230 degree Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. After they are cooled, pop them out and place on a cute printed out or handmade card!

We like these because they are the perfect treat for kiddos with allergies and those avoiding processed treats. And what toddler doesn't love to color?

We found this idea from another blogger. Visit...