Author Archives: Fiona Bryan

Friday’s Guest: Sadie Nardini ~ Yoga

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I am really excited about this week at MomActive! Our guest this Friday is Sadie Nardini a master yogi from New York City. She is the co-owner of The Fierce Club in New York City, the author of the Road Trip Guide to Your Soul, and creator of the bestselling DVDs The Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga: Power Hour and Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga:Total Body Transformation and Weight Loss. If you take a look at her website and her YouTube site you’ll instantly feel like Sadie is just like all of your best friends! What I’m loving about all of her YouTube videos is that they are all short in length and TOTALLY accessible to anyone. Take a peak at the different videos and spend 10 minutes with Sadie, you won’t regret it. You can also see the MomActive featured video this week on the right side bar of this blog.


I’m so excited to bring Yoga to MomActive this week because it is YOGA that has transformed my body the most! My experience with yoga as a physical exercise has been varied over the years but overall it is the one activity that I credit with my strength. When “HOT” yoga or “Bikram” yoga became the trend several years ago, I jumped on the bandwagon with everyone else sweating their asses off. I enjoyed it but it became a bit routine and I lost interest in yoga until about three years ago when I injured my back.

I’m a runner by nature and a few summers ago while training for a half marathon (my favorite distance to race by the way), I did something really unpleasant to my back. It took me by surprise because I’d never had an injury before. I ran through the pain for a bit but ultimately had to face the fact that something wasn’t right and rest was in order.

If you know me at all, you know that without exercise I go nuts and become unbearably grumpy! I went with a friend to a Core Power Yoga class and quickly realized that this was something I could totally get into. I’ve since been practicing with several yogis at my current club and it is now a part of my weekly routine. On days that I can’t get to a class I pull out my mat and spend a few minutes with my favorite poses. Nothing more invigorating!

My body loves me for the time I spend practicing Yoga. All of my running and the fact that I’ve born three big babies has my hips in a crazy state. The combination of hip openers and working to keep my hamstrings loose protects my back from re-injury, this I am sure of. Need to strength train but hate weights? There is no better weight to train with than your own body weight! Even my trainer is in awe of the results I get from yoga three times a week.
So, my goal for Friday’s show? To introduce you to Sadie, to have a conversation in which we dispel the myths about Yoga and talk about ways you can incorporate Yoga into your life!

Namaste Chickies!
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Friday’s Guest: Jennifer Leal on Nutrition and Smart Eating

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MomActive is excited to introduce Jennifer Leal of Savor The Thyme blog as our guest on this Friday’s radio program. We will discuss smart nutrition and the challenges we all face when trying to incorporate healthy foods into our childrens’ diets.


Jennifer is a stay-at-home mom with two children ages 3 and 5. She obtained a Master’s of Science in Immunology and worked for a large pharmaceutical company prior to becoming the creator of Savor The Thyme blog, which focuses on family-friendly healthy food and lifestyle. By coincidence, she happens to be my roommate for Blogher this year and I’m hoping she’ll turn a blind eye to the high calorie margarita that I plan to imbibe the first day we are there! There has to be some goodness in a margarita… I shall find it and expose it!

From the time she was a young girl, Jennifer witnessed the deaths of family members due to cancer, heart attacks, strokes and obesity related illness. Although, she cannot prove or say that many of the diseases/deaths in her family were caused by what they ate, it made her determined to raise herself and her children to respect their bodies through exercise and food.

You can find Jennifer on Twitter @savorthethyme. We are excited to welcome this active mom who enjoys Pilates and lifting weights, to help us figure out the real deal with our kiddos and nutrition!

Jennifer has been kind enough to share several links to family recipes that will help us all get started in the right direction.

Sweet Potato ‘Fries’
Strawberry Muffins
Sweet Potato Muffins
Turkey Meatballs
Alphabet Soup
Even Oatmeal cookies can be enjoyed but I sneak in a nutritional boost!

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Who Knew? Camping is Fun and Will Get You Moving!

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If you heard Friday’s show, you know that I was approaching my weekend camping trip with some trepidation…. with a lot actually.  I knew the kids would have a blast, but I’m not one to go without showering for several days in a row and, while I enjoy the outdoors, sleeping with the critters has never been at the top of my “must do” list.  

It occurred to me within minutes of arriving at our campsite, that this adventure was going to be awesomely bloggable and VLOGable (still editing the video!).  From the moment we arrived at our campsite in the Rocky Mountain National Forest, we were all moving fast to get things set up.  There had been some rain on the way in and we wanted to get situated in case it started up again.  As we unloaded the car and set up our tent the kids were carrying backpacks and sleeping bags down the trail to our site.  They were so excited running back and forth, eager to help us set up our “abode”.  
Our friends had arrived before us and were starting up a fire for dinner.  I’d be lying if I said we had planned our meals with ultimate nutrition and health food in mind, but we did have whole wheat buns for our burgers so I think you’ll have to give us a pass this time!
The kids were climbing up and down and all around on the mountain of rocks and by 10pm they were all pooped out and bundled up in their sleeping bags. We stayed up chatting with our friends, gazing at the sky and enjoying the beauty of it all.
The next morning we took the kids horseback riding.  OK, that is not a passive activity folks!  The trail ride we took wound up and down steep hills and I could definitely feel my core working to stay on the horse.  I also had K riding on the horse with me and got a major bicep workout trying to keep her on the horse!
Later in the day we took a little hike and marveled at all the wildflowers, bunnies, deer, and awesome critters we never see in the city.  The kids were definitely tuckered out by the time they settled in for the night.
As we packed up the next day, I decided that this was definitely something our family should do a few times a summer.  We all enjoyed the outdoors and togetherness without computers or TV, and we created fun (and active) memories for our family.
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Friday’s Guest: International Fitness and Lifestyle Expert, Tracey Mallett

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Our special guest on the MomActive radio show this week will be international fitness and lifestyle expert, Tracey Mallett! We were so grateful to Tracy for being the guest at our twitter launch party last week and we can’t wait to chat with her on Friday.

Tracey is a mom just like us, and realizes the importance of teaching healthy habits early on. In fact, she leads the Jam School Program that provides lifestyle programs to over 1 millions school children across the country. I hadn’t been aware of this program before but check out the website because it may be something you’d like to bring to the attention of your school district.
Tracey’s resume is mind boggling! She contributes to a bazillion of the top health and fitness related magazines, including Prevention, Pilates Style, Shape, Fitness Magazine, Women’s Health, Fit Pregnancy, SELF, Fit Yoga … just to name a few! She is the author of Sexy in 6, and has created over 17 exercise DVD’s. I am sure we’ll also be talking on Friday about her new book coming out soon, Super Fit Mama covering pre and post natal exercise, and nutrition.
Just like you and I, Tracey experienced weight gain with her first pregnancy. 55 pounds to be exact! She lost the weight and made it her mission to inspire and motivate women to succeed in losing weight with quick (6 minutes, people!), simple, and realistic healthy solutions, along with smart nutrition.
I’m inspired! Six minutes inspires me and I can’t wait to “meet” Tracey live on the radio show. Especially because she has that adorable British accent! Please comment on this post with the questions you’d like us to ask Tracey.
Be sure to favorite our show on Blog Talk Radio HERE and sign up for a reminder email so you don’t miss our chat with Tracey Mallet!

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Mommatudes Karrie Gets Us ALL Motivated!

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We had so much fun on our first show and Leah and I are overwhelmed by how supportive you have all been! Thank you!
If you missed the show you can always listen to our archived shows HERE.
Our special guest on Friday was Karrie, otherwise known as @knitpurlgurl on twitter. Her blog Mommatudes is a must read for me each and every day. You think Bantering Blonde is funny? This girl is off the hook! She also blogs at Knit Purl Gurl and ya’ll should check out what she did with yarn yesterday!
Karrie had seen me and Leah on Chicks Keep Chatting and was motivated to make a change. She vlogged this experience and then instead of waiting until the next day to start her exercise program she just said, “what the heck” and jumped right in! To see this video click HERE! I asked her to come on the show because her story is EXACTLY what Leah and I are striving to do. Uplift women, empower them, and motivate them to take control and make positive changes in their lives.

I asked Karrie to tell us a little more about her blogging and vlogging life and to let us know how things have been going on her journey…

I’ve been blogging for about 1 ½ years. My philosophy is pretty simple – blog what you know and be true to yourself. If you try to mimic another blogger or write your blog in a format that is inconsistent with your personality, your blog will likely fail and you’ll be frustrated in the process. Basically, in real life I’m a pretty funny person (and modest, apparently). I like to see the humor in situations if at all possible. So I try to blog about the things that affect me personally in a manner consistent with my personality.

I just recently got into vlogging after I joined MomTV.com. Watching other moms’ vlog posts and participating in the live streaming web shows really sparked an interest in me. The social cues we normally pick up on in face to face conversations are often lost in written blog posts. So I was really excited about being able to convey my thoughts as though my readers and I were having a conversation.

Vlogging is a great way to make a personal connection with your readers. I’m an extremely expressive person in real life. (That’s code for drama queen.) And reading what I’ve typed doesn’t always convey the eyerolls, sighs, and expressions I meant for it to. When my readers can see me, they know I’m being authentic.

Simply, my basic philosophy is to have a concept in mind – but to go unscripted. Let it take you in the direction it wants to. It will be real, original, and more people will relate to it.



So since your decision to make changes do you see or feel a difference in anything?

Since my decision to make healthy changes, I’ve noticed that I have a more positive attitude. – the pity parties have ended. I feel like for the first time in a long time, I can control my destiny, or at least my health. When I first lost weight (after my first baby 13 years ago), I was rigid and ultra-disciplined. I never worked through the issues which caused me to hang onto the weight in the first place. I wasn’t willing to accept that the weight stayed on for any reason other than having a baby. This time around, I realize that it’s a life change. I know that if I am to be successful, I must work through the reasons I eat, or rather overeat. I realize that I am human and that occasionally I am going to eat BBQ ribs and potato salad. And I realize that I must incorporate these occasional splurges into my life. What’s important is what I do the other 29 days of the month.
How does that make you feel?
I feel like it’s a major breakthrough for me. Before, if I “fell off the wagon,” I threw in the towel and just gave up completely. I felt like I had failed and couldn’t possibly recover from the failure. But today, I know that the only failure is not striking a good balance between healthy eating, exercise, and occasional splurges.

What is your advice to people who know they should do something but don’t know what or where to start?


Jump in! Waiting for tomorrow or next week or next year will become a bad habit unto itself. Start researching healthy eating and exercise programs and then give them a whirl. You may have to try on a few different programs until you find the programs best suited for you. Don’t do anything you can’t see yourself doing 5 years from now. That means no fad diets! And most importantly – you’re human! Forgive yourself when you have had a bad day and move on!

Don’t forget to reach out for support and accept help when offered.




And my favorite bit of advice from this hot Mommatudes girl?

Love yourself no matter what. But love yourself enough to improve your quality of life. You’ll be glad you did.
Thank you to Karrie for making our first show so much fun and for showing us all that we can do it!
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Keep Moving ~ Your Children Are Watching!

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Running down a dune
As Moms, fitness is not just important for keeping ourselves healthy, but also for the example we set with our children. These examples will stay with them their whole lives.  
Time, time, time.  Whether you are a working mom or a stay at home mom, it is often hard to find time for fitness.  No matter how hard it is to find the time, there is no doubt how important it is to carve out a place for activity in our lives. 
My mother has been a great example for me.  When I was very young she was “healthy”, but she wasn’t active and didn’t work out or participate in a fitness program of any sort.  Then, I remember one day, being in junior high and watching her start running around our backyard.  At the time, I didn’t think much of it.  As kids we were involved in sports and always outside playing baseball, kickball etc.  As I look back, I now see exactly what she was doing and I’m so very proud of her and grateful for her example.
My mother was a stay at home mom in the 70′s and 80′s and dedicated her entire life to raising me and my brother.  She had gained weight and was trying to get in shape.  She wasn’t comfortable running out on the road yet so she worked her way up by running laps around our backyard, and eventually she hit the road. She then joined an athletic club and ultimately became an aerobics instructor!  I can remember running road races with her when I was in high school, and it is amazing to me now to look back and remember that she started out by running laps around the backyard.  This is a great example of how to get started if you are not already active.
You may be interested to know that my mother is perhaps the most active 60 year old you’ll ever meet.  She wakes up early every morning and road bikes with a bike club, she then heads to tennis where she is a ranked player in the Senior Division.  She often ends her day with a run.  On the weekends she crews on a sailing team and, let me brag on her a bit more, has been the Southwest Florida Ladies Day Helmsman of the Year for four years running.  The only thing missing that would make this the dream life for me is winter snowboarding!!
Our children learn good and bad habits from us.  If you aren’t yet active, take a few moments and think of the ways that you can start.  
Involving your children in activity is a great way to get started and to spend quality time modeling a healthy and fit lifestyle.  Here are a few warm weather ideas that are fun for the whole family.  I challenge you to take time this summer to find some new activities that your family will enjoy.
Hiking – Google hikes in your local area to see what trails or hikes are suitable for families.  Many sources will even grade the difficulty of a hike.  
Geocaching – Geocaching is a high tech treasure hunting game that people all over the world play using GPS devices.  Visit geocaching.com for more information and stay tuned for a more detailed article on this topic soon!
Bike Riding – All kids love to ride bikes.  I live in the city and we have many paths that are designated just for bike riding.  My three year old rides in a seat on the back of my bike while my 9 and 6 year olds speed ahead.  There are all kinds of contraptions for riding with small babies or children.  You can often find great deals at yardsales or a used sporting goods store like Play It Again Sports.  On days that I am not able to get to the gym I will often get a good run in by jogging along with my kids as they ride their bikes or scooters.
Walking/Jogging – Whether you have babies or tweens on up, walking is not only a great activity for fitness but I find that I have had the most amazingly open conversations with my sons while out walking.  We walk to school and the park and often just take a short walk after dinner.  My 9 year-old will often ask to come running with me.  When we first started running together we moved slow but now that he is growing so tall I find that I’m getting a pretty decent workout when I’m with him!
Play Ball –  Grab a ball, any ball, and head outside!  Your kids will get a kick out of watching you and as they get older they’ll even get a little laugh, and every laugh helps to build a bond and memories that will stay with them forever.  I like to play basketball with my boys and since I’m 5′ tall and they are growing fast, I’m getting quite a run around at times  Soccer with my sons is a major workout, those boys move fast!  
Swinging - If you have younger children that still want you to push them on a swing you can turn it into a workout.  There is a fun game I play with my daughter.  She calls it “Freeze Underdog”.  I push her in the swing and run under the swing yelling “underdog”, back and forth.  Every now and then I surprise her by holding her up in the air and yelling “freeze”, I tease her by pushing her up and down (working my arms!) and then let her go… and then resume.  Trust me there have been many calories burned this way!
What are some ways that you are modeling a fit and healthy lifestyle?  Are there areas you could improve?  Share your ideas with our readers!

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About

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momactive logoThe mission of MomActive is to motivate and empower women to be positive role models for their families.  This effort encompasses a multi-faceted media outreach that includes the E-zine and forum community at MomActive.com, MomActive Radio on BTR and MomActive Live on MomTV.


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