Adult Essentials: Update on my ShesConnected Health Journey

Writing is a pretty sedentary activity.

Yes, between all the twitter parties and the bon bon eating, navel gazing and naps, there’s scarcely any time for anything else…(cue awful sound of screechy needle dragged across a record).Say what? Truth: I run so hard and so fast most days my head spins. These are a few little snapshots of our life. When we were still for purposes of capturing a moment in time. Us in Cape Canaveral, Us doing a story and meeting the amazing Olympian Kurt Browning. Us at martial arts. The whole family trains. I run them around and to keep my own strength I do pilates, centergy, weights and workouts. What you don’t see is me playing soccer in the yard, me fetching the baseball from the neighbour’s yard yet again, as my little one frequently belts that thing so hard it lands in my neighbour’s yard, us swimming together, running after one another, playing tag, climbing in the climber, hitting the gym together, skating and bicycle riding together. Family schedule looks like this: martial arts three nights a week, swimming lessons one afternoon, Dad does laps while Mom runs upstairs to run and work abs or arms, Mom’s night pilates and then centergy workouts, Original Kids acting and singing upto three nights or days a week and the requisite performances. Oh and I almost forgot, SARI horseback riding one night and the occasional afternoon on weekends. Volunteering, running a non profit and then, you know, school Mom stuff. Oh but wait then there’s also grandma, because she lives near us now and we help care for her, and business and book reviews and yoga and yikes! 

I have a lot going on. It’s life at the Schuck casa. Life is good and busy, and well, active kids have made me a health, fitness and nutrition advocate. Our kids are active, so we are too. Last month I blogged here about my journey with Adult Essentials. I have taken Adult Essentials Omega vitamins for months now. But I was only introduced to the full regimen about two months ago. Last month I told you how the vitamin D and B were already making a difference. I felt a difference fast when these vitamins kicked in. The B seemed to help with stress and mood and Vitamin D, well it’s a great tool for so many things. My energy level began returning, but the biggest difference was my immune system. I noted rapidly that I started getting fewer colds and even when I did get the children’s cold and flu bugs they didn’t last as long or knock me down as hard as they usually do. Right after I posted that first Adult Essentials post, well I got laryngitis. Naturally, because  I drew attention to the gods of Karma, I was stricken with illness. I thought it would be a good test actually. Whereas my youngest had a bad throat bug with fever that lasted a long time and caused days off school, I got a milder version. The fever was shorter and I lost less work time as a result. That was further proof to me that this regimen of Adult Essentials vitamins work well. Adult gummies to the rescue. If I hadn’t seen it for myself, I wouldn’t have believed the difference. Truly, my immune system is always overtaxed so for it to be working with me suddenly now; instead of working against me, well that is invaluable and very unexpected.

I love the taste of the vitamins and I really am pleased with the results. This is a simple step to add to my busy morning routine. I take all four of my gummies first thing in the morning, even before breakfast. For the last two months I have been using the Omega, the Multi-vitamin, Vitamin D and Vitamin B-Complex.

Adult Essentials gummy vitamins for adults taste great and this is the only entire brand line of adult gummies approved by Health Canada.

My fitness journey has been kicked into high gear again ( by the imminent bathing suit and bare legs season.)

Also because I am 40 ish, I am super conscious always of the fact that I must work harder now to boost metabolism and stay healthy. Am I perfectly happy with all of my fitness and nutrition habits? Not yet. This is a constant journey for all of us. I know I feel better and more motivated and simply better able to cope if I spend time building my body up with pilates, weights, or walking. This summer will be a challenge because when school is out it is trickier to find care or camp for kids that permits me free time to workout. So, how will I work through the summer? Well, I will try to maintain 2-3 workouts a week, even if that means I need to rejig schedules. I will also include swimming as an activity with my family. That is a wonderful way to bond. And I will bring my older daughter with me when I can, because she has done the requisite training at our gym and she’s able now to use some of the machines and do some adult classes with me. I am still hoping to sculpt my arms better than they are. At my age, I don’t want those flabby saggy bits coming and staying for good. And I will make certain to sleep properly. In the summer, it can be challenging to remember, but we all function better with sleep.

1. Schedule workouts. Don’t just leave it to happenstance or fate, or maybe I can squeeze it in on Thursday next week type of thing. Schedule it just as you would a business meeting. The benefits are immense and even more essential once you have kids and once you are 40 plus. I slot them in at least twice a week. Usually three times. Even one hour at lunch on a Wednesday and one hour pilates every Monday night after the kids are in bed. The difference to my body is huge. I have abs. I never had abs before. Honest to goodness. I am really proud of this. I have definition in my abs.

2. Never over eat to the point where your stomach feels so full you cannot move. Never. ever. When I was a kid, this was common. Clean your plate. Never do I do that.

3. Don’t eat in front of the television. Never ever do we have dinner and TV. Not smart. Studies have shown, and I know this to be true with my own children, that when you watch TV and eat the receptors in your brain that indicate whether you are full or not, do not work. So mindless eating and TV make a good combination if you want to be overweight and unhealthy. (Obviously once in awhile we have popcorn and movies and my kids have been known to grab food and watch after school TV, but this is a habit I discourage. Backed up by my kid’s pediatrician.)

4. Just get up and move. After dinner or before dinner or at lunch after eating. Make it a regular habit of heading outside after dinner together to play soccer or climb the tree or take a walk. Fresh air and movement. Very important.

5. Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. That means – water. It’s good for everyone.

Don’t forget to follow Deb on twitter @AdultEssentials

and on facebook http://www.facebook.com/AdultEssentials

Disclosure: I am participating in the Adult Essentials Blogger Outreach program by Shes Connected and as such I received compensation and a supply of Adult Essentials vitamins. The opinions on my blog are all my own.