Motivate Children to Get Moving with 'NFL PLAY 60' Digital Library and App

Getting active for 60 minutes a day is critical as kids who are regularly active have a better chance of a healthy adulthood! Yet according to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services, only 1 in 5 children and adolescents partake in an adequate amount of physical activity that's recommended (*1). Thankfully organizations like the NFL, The American Heart Association, and Discovery Education have made it their mission to provide families and schools with physical activities and low-cost resources to get kids moving all year through 'NFL Play 60'.

Girls Who Move, Move the World: The Brooklyn Nets and Nike Team Up to Encourage Teen Girls to Play Sports

Did you know that by age 14, girls are dropping out of sports at twice the rate of boys? According to a 2018 study from the Women’s Sports Foundation, nearly 40 percent of girls don’t participate in sport, versus 25 percent of boys. As the number of coronavirus cases spike across the U.S and right here in our city of NY, I'm sure the number is significantly higher as participation in sports programs has decreased or ceased completely due to closures.

The Ultimate Guide to Unplugged Fun to Get Tweens and Teens Moving in NYC #LilMonstersinNYC #LilMonstersMove

Spring break in NYC is wrapping up but that doesn't mean the fun has to stop! The weather's warming, the sun shines brightly past 6pm and we're ready to get the boys out and about so they don't drive us nuts in the house with all of their energy. Who else can relate? We've got the ultimate guide to unplugged fun for your tweens and teens to stay active and off the gadgets and gizmos.

I'll be darned if we just sit at home and watch youtube stars have a great time experiencing cool things to do, from the sidelines of our sofa. We'll be adding along to this list periodically to help source places to go as Spring Break comes to an end, Summer fun (especially if you're camp mom), staycations and everything in between. So make sure to save this list to your favorite Pinterest boards for future planning and stay tuned for videos over on Lil' Monsters in NYC's Youtube channel.

Mom's Day Out: Fitness Boxing Release for Nintendo Switch #FitnessBoxing

Disclosure: I attended this event as media and received a review copy of the game. Opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

The beginning of the year usually rings in a new set of goals meant to inspire positive change, especially when it comes to creating healthier habits and working out. My inbox has been flooded with promotions for memberships to the latest and trendiest workout classes here in the city, but the frosty winter temperatures have definitely been a deterrent. Not even cute, new, multi print and vibrant colored workout gear have been able to motivate me to get off the couch. The polar vortex has definitely made the 90 minute trek into the city by bus and two trains, just to sweat among strangers for an hour less appealing. Thanks to the new Fitness Boxing game that recently launched for the Nintendo Switch I can still get a start on my fitness goals from the comfort of my apartment. 

Babes of All Ages Protect Your Booty with a Barre Class and Boudreaux's Buttpaste #ButtpasteBooty #Sponsored

Dislcosure: This Post is Sponsored by Momtrends & Boudreaux's Buttpaste. Opinions expressed 100% my own!

Leave it to a Booty focused Barre class in the Exhale Fitness and Spa at the Gansevoort Hotel, a chat about the newest line of protective pastes for a babies bum from Boudreaux's Buttpaste & your 35th birthday to remind you that you aren't getting any younger!  I hate working out alone so I will adjust my schedule as needed when a call for a group fitness class comes along. I'm way more motivated to work up a sweat these days with a tribe of my favorite mama's and girlfriends. As a mom and former preschool teacher those roles ended up keeping me tone and fit as I tried to keep up with all of my littles nearly 15 hours a day, plus my energy level was zilch after the commute from Midtown back to Queens during rush hour.  At work during the lunch & diapering {a.ka. the most ridiculously chaotic portion of they day}, it felt like a mad dash getting one lil' monster after the either wiped and de-crusted, while others started to smell a little less than baby powder fresh and their tushies agitated. Squatting down to pick them up, sometimes leg lifts over wooden safety gates {because their was mess everywhere} while easing them on to the table with a calmly hum song, just to bend down again to grab the wipes and sometimes greatly needed Boudreaux's buttpaste. 

Put Down the Gadgets and Get Outdoors for Nickelodeon's WorldWide Day of Play

Our apartment walls are paper thin, so I know my neighbors must think I'm some crazed maniac as I scream at the boys for running from room to room as if we lived in a space the size of a football field opposed to the over-stuffed, over-rated NYC rental we live in. Over the summer we were very laid back about our day to day plans, with so many family passing's and life altering changes we tried not to over extend ourselves too much and wanted the kids to just enjoy relaxing - which if left to them to decide meant the involvement of some sort of gadget or gizmo or them imitating their favorite wrestling moves on our furniture. Every year right before we bid summer farewell we look forward to shutting off the television and the tablets to head outdoors for one awesome day of fun & fitness.  

On Saturday, Sept. 17, Nickelodeon celebrated its 13th annual Worldwide Day of Play in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. The slime-filled event featured Nickelodeon-themed games and fitness-themed activities hosted by Nick’s long-standing local partners, including the Art of Stepping, Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City, Canine Companions for Independence, Major League Baseball’s PLAY BALL and World Baseball Classic, NBA Fit, New York Road Runners (NYRR), NFL PLAY 60, Playworks, Special Olympics, Street Soccer USA and USA BMX.

Working It Out with WWE Women's Revolution at Tapout Fitness #TapoutFitness #WomensRevolution

Honestly, I have no idea what possessed me into believing that it was a smart idea to join the phenomenal WWE Women's Revolution along with television personality & NY Times best selling author, Maria Menuonos in a workout event at Tapout Fitness, other than the fact that I've been an admiring fan of these hard-working, driven and athletic women for years! As part of the the WWE Summer Slam NYC Take Over my blogger babes and I, alongside other media outlets and WWE universe super fans joined in on a 60 minute class that had us all sweating, or as WWE superstar Naomi would say "Glowing". After a stressful morning of dealing with extended family drama, working it out in my head & in the gym was a more than welcomed way for me to clear my head! I was almost deterred from going because I was mentally drained but knew i'd regret missing out on an opportunity to get my adrenaline pumping in a positive way. 

Yoga Expert Latham Thomas Helps Mamas Be Comfortable in the New Bravado Designs Yoga Nursing Bra #BeComfortable #BravadoYoga

My community of girlfriends, whether I've known them since our days swooning over boys on the football team in high school or if we've met over cocktails while checking out trendy new products at a blogger event here in NYC and instantly clicked --I'm so lucky to have a tribe of women I'm truly able to be comfortable in my skin with. One thing I know we all have in common is that as mothers, wives and business women we are multi-tasking nurturers who try to find the balance in the midst of juggling everything we have going on. It's surely no easy task but nonetheless those rare "me-time" moments are so very welcomed even if squeezed in between nursing or pumping to fill bottles, business meetings and school pick ups.

In mid-October in celebration of the launching of Bravado Designs New Body Silk Seamless yoga nursing bra and National Yoga Month,my dear friend Latham Thomas, {who I met at a launch party for celebrity stylist June Ambrose's eyewear line} who is a rockstar & expert in the realm of all things wellness, partnered with the brand to host a "Be Comfortable" yoga session at the newly opened Five Little Pillars yoga studio on Madison Avenue.

That morning I was beyond excited for the afternoon class, I hadn't been to a yoga class in nearly a year but always felt ah-mazing after leaving all my stress on the mat. I made sure to wear the new bra I received in charcoal heather (also comes in pink heather) that was so graciously sent to me prior to the class to try out. Ladies, I kid you not- even if you aren't in the nursing stage it's ok, you will absolutely love this bra anyway! There's nothing better than a bra that allows you to #becomfortable - I mean we live in them all day, they should feel great to wear, right?

According to a recent survey conducted during National Yoga Month, the vast majority of moms say that comfort is by far the most important factor when choosing a nursing bra for light activity – yet nearly half of all women say their current nursing bra used for light activity and/or yoga is just “so-so.” For those women surveyed who would rather go to the dentist (23 percent), do their taxes (16 percent), have a bikini wax (25 percent) or renew their license at the DMV (24 percent), rather than wear an uncomfortable nursing bra - nearly half said their current bra doesn’t fit well and a quarter of women also said they don’t like the way their current bra looks or it doesn’t mold to their body’s changing shape.  For the more than half of moms who practice yoga and/or do a light activity three to four times a week, a comfortable nursing bra is key.

With convertible criss-cross straps and four-way stretch fabric that molds to a woman’s changing shape, whether in the third trimester or throughout breastfeeding, the Body Silk Seamless Yoga nursing bra is luxuriously soft, seamless and wire-free for added comfort. It also features removable foam inserts for shape and discretion, as well as easy open and close clips and full drop-away bra cups for skin-to-skin contact. The bra also comes with a conversion kit for extended usage. Now moms can indulge in their favorite yoga practice or activity, in total comfort and style. The bra also features patented Silverbreeze technology which is an antimicrobial finish that is applied to the fabrics which prevents the growth of odor causing bacteria, mold and mildew that can cause unpleasant odors and premature decay of fabric and discoloration. This great feature means it'll stay fresh through your most rigorous Vinyasa class, Pilates routine and power walks.

“I’ve been teaching expectant and new moms yoga for years, and finding a comfortable nursing bra is a common concern I hear,” said Yoga expert, maternity lifestyle guru and Mama Glow co-founder, Latham Thomas. “I love that Bravado Designs has introduced a solution – a bra that feels comfortable and doesn’t restrict your movement.  It makes all the difference in the world, especially for an expectant or new mom whose body is constantly changing.”

              

Latham offers her top three favorite poses, that can easily be done at home, to help nursing moms feel their most comfortable.

·      Child’s Pose (Restore): This gentle stretch calms the brain, helping to relieve stress and fatigue, along with back and neck pain. It also helps stretch the hips, thighs and ankles. 

Instructional Tip: Kneel down to your mat and touch your big toes together. Then, press your hips back toward your heels, separate your knees to hips-width and lay your torso down onto the floor or a bolster. Simply breathe deeply and rest for 5-to-10 breaths to feel the benefits.

·      Leg Drain (Rejuvenate): Leg drain pose is an easy way to refresh and combat sleep deprivation by boosting circulation and helping to drain lymph and other fluids that have pooled in your legs, angles and feet.   

Instructional Tip: Find a wall and, lay on your back with your legs straight up against the wall. If you want, lay a folded blanket or towel under your lower back for extra comfort.  Now, rest in this posture for 20 minutes; it's equivalent to taking a two-hour nap!

·      Reclined Cobbler’s Pose (Restore): Reclined cobbler's pose is a restorative posture that supports the spine and opens the chest and heart area. This is especially comforting for nursing moms who often suffer mid back and shoulder pain from hunching forward and flexing shoulders with little or improper cushion support when breastfeeding. 

Instructional Tip:  Stack blocks on an angle and lay your bolster over the blocks so it is at a 45-degree angle. Bring your sacrum to the base of the bolster, press hands into the floor and feet into the floor as you gently lie back. Allow the spine to rest over the bolster, relax your neck and head and open your chest. Draw the soles of your feet together and let the knees splay out to the sides. Rest your arms to the sides, palms face up.

After penning love notes to ourselves,  to top the lovely afternoon guests were all treated to a personal portrait during a mini photo session with internationally recognized yoga photographer Robert Sturman, who shot us while showing of our favorite yoga poses. We all truly enjoyed this intimate yoga session and I need you guys to give this bra a try and tell me how much you love it. I promise you will want to wear it all the dang time and will even forget you have one on.

Thank you to Bravado Designs, Latham Thomas and Five Pillars Yoga for having me!

Bravado Designs Body Silk Seamless Yoga Nursing Bra is currently available in Charcoal Heather and Pink Heather for $55.00 in the US and Canada at www.BravadoDesigns.com and National and Specialty retailers including Diapers.com, Breakout Bras.com, Figure 8 Maternity.com, Bosom Buddies, The Pump Station, Yummy Mummy, and in Canada at West Coast Kids, Snuggle Bugz, andWell.ca.

Disclosure: I was invited to this event as media and received a gift bag for my attendance. Opinions expressed are 100% my own and no other compensation for this post was received.

10 Tips on How to Power Through the Outdoors w/ Duracell Quantum from Climbing Expert Kevin Jorgeson

Yepp, that's me on the bottom left, completely feeling myself for actually mustering up the courage to try indoor rock climbing. Oh man back in the day before being diagnosed with Crohns disease or juggling motherhood with grad school and work I used to run track and field, studied Ju Jitsu and Tae Kwon Do, and considered squats and crunches fun and had awesome rock-hard abs to prove it. These days I'm lucky if I can run to catch the bus without keeling over, undoubtedly out of breathe. But this year I've decided to make fitness more of a priority and my inner bad-ass was extremely excited to be invited to Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers by Duracell for a morning of rock climbing with climbing and outdoors expert Kevin Jorgeson. Most notably known for his record-breaking free climb of El Capitan's Dawn Wall, Kevin was there to explain first hand the rewards and challenges from outdoor climbing.

Indoor rock climbing is one of this year's biggest fitness trends, whether done at an indoor facility or braved in the great outdoors & with warm summer days in full effect it only makes sense that people are moving their workouts outside. I've always been in awe of watching the strength and power that help rock climbers persevere to the top & that afternoon I learned a lot about the challenges and importance of planning and proper gear.

To shine a light on taking your climb from the wall to the wild outdoors Kevin offered up some great tips on how to tackle the unpredictability of the outdoors no matter day or night:
One significant tip was the importance of dependable power "During my free climb of El Capitan's Dawn Wall, Duracell Quantum was the only battery I trusted to provide dependable power because it lasts longer in 99% of devices vs. the next leading brand."

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little anxious about climbing this wall in the dark but it made me even more so impressed with Kevin's level of skill and passion that had developed as a child. Fortunately I was confident climbing alongside him knowing we powered up the wall with all of Kevin's favorite, dependable essentials from the headlamp and shoes to the pack you are carrying. He coached me up the wall (which I only made it half way up, but to my credit it was the most difficult side) and I could totally relate to him sharing how rock climbing was a way to relax with his dad after all the hustle and bustle of the day to day.

Check out this video of his story 

               

Thank you to Duracell and Kevin Jorgeson for such an inspiring and fun morning! I'm not sure you'll ever catch me outdoors journeying through the wild, climbing walls but I look forward to experiencing it with my boys at a local indoor location and powering up with Duracell Quantum which will be great for all our high drain devices and emergency needs.

    

Staying Fit and Having Fun at Nickelodeon World Wide Day of Play in Prospect Park #WWDoP #LilMonstersinNYC

We love our family time at home, especially when we get to chill out on our couch with a bowl of buttery popcorn after an extremely busy week.  We really get to enjoy each other's company while watching & cracking up laughing at our favorite Nickelodeon shows like Instant Mom, The Thundermans, The Haunted Hathaways and LabRats. Just as equally important to us is that we get away from the hours of screen time that can consume us watching television, checking emails and when gaming, so that we can get outdoors we try to explore new places and get in some physical activity like tossing around a football, riding scooters and rock climbing.

This fall, Nickelodeon empowered kids to get up and get active as their TV channels, websites and app went off air and offline for its 11th Annual  Nickelodeon World Wide Day of Play #WWDop. Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nick.com, NickJr.com, Nicktoons.com, TeenNick.com and the Emmy Award-winning  Nick App all participated and the network's national pro social partners ~ United States Tennis Association, NFL PLAY 60, the Boys and Girls Club of America and many others - hosted several thousand local events across the country to help celebrate kids' love of play.

Almost 4,000 events were hosted to encourage kids and their families everywhere to be more physically active & thanks to local blogger Rebecca of The Mommy Sauce, my two  monsters and hubby had the chance to join in on the fun at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY. The boys had such a blast and enjoyed playing awesome Nickelodeon-themed games, meeting costumed characters they love to laugh at like SpongeBob and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and live-action stars they are huge fans of such as Sydney Park and Tylen Jacob Williams (Instant Mom), Jack Griffo and Kira Kosarin (The Thundermans) and NBA player J.R. Smith (New York Knicks) and former NBA/WNBA players Larry Johnson (New York Knick), Kym Hampton (New York a Liberty) and Felipe Lopez.

CJ was in awe of meeting Jack Griffo and asked him "What it was like to be on TV ?" and the actor told him that it was really, pretty awesome. Receiving basketball pointers and practicing dribbling and lay ups on the court with Kym Hampton were great fitness activities and the DJ got the crowd excited as they participated in drills with NBA Cares, cheered, danced and burned off lots of energy.

Watch the kids and actors participate in a high energy drill.

What kid wouldn't want to get virtually slimed, right? I remember watching the Nickelodeon commercials as a kid and always wishing I could get covered in the gooey, green stuff just for laughs.

Tristan is a really active 4 year old and is fearless when it comes to trying out sports, he idolizes his daddy and big brother and always wants to play and toss around the ball when they are at the park. So I wasn't surprised at all when he excitedly told me he had lots of fun trying out the NFL RUSH PLAY60 fitness drills with Instant Mom actor Tylen and never wanted to leave his side, check out this video of them during the course.

                                        

During the Nickelodeon World Wide Day of Play event my two monsters probably had the most fun hanging in the demo area of the Yvolution Fliker Lift Track with the other kids, actors and of course the super cool Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!

Street Soccer USA was on site and the kids really got into the game, and now my boys are asking to join a team this year, which we are all for because it's a great team player sport. My hubby wasn't allowed to play on teams as a kid because he was raised as a Jehovah's witness and I only ran track and field, so we really love that our boys express an interest in sports and are always willing to try one out.

If we had a bigger apartment I would run out and buy myself a personal trampoline like the ones JumpLife were exercising on because it's such a simple and fun way to stay fit, especially if you are bouncing to some cool beats and the Art of Stepping performance on the mini stage had the actors and crowd moving their feet. 

During the event visitors also enjoyed interactive play structures for preschoolers, Hula Hooping, learned dance routines from the Broadway show Matilda, played slap shot with the New York Islanders, BMX biking activities, dry land Rowing and information on Tennis from the USTA.

Without a doubt this annual event is a fantastic way to show kids and their families how much fun they can have when they step away from the TV and get outdoors. So, make sure you stay tuned for when Nickelodeon celebrates their "Road to Worldwide Day of Play" next year to promote their health and wellness message through active play and sports programs for youth.

This years event at Prospect Park wasn't open to the public but check out the amazing time New Yorkers had at the 10th annual Nickelodeon World Wide Day of Play.