exercise Archives - Dad of Divas

Getting your fitness in as you get back into school schedule

August 23, 2019 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Tara Zimliki, founder of Tara’s Bootcamp, is no stranger to finding time for fitness. As a mom of 4 children, she has the art of balancing back to school with her workouts. Below are some of her favorite tips for those looking to maximize their time for fitness:

Growing up, I remember the lazy days of summer which included sleeping in with no real priorities, staying out with family at the beach all day and heading to the boardwalk in the evening. A midday nap to recharge was not uncommon in preparation for an evening out with the family. When my sister and I woke up my parents took us to the boardwalk for hours of arcade games, roller coasters and the evening usually ending with ice cream, yes, life was good. On our day trips out to museums, water parks or family vacations; one or both of my parents were always there to supervise. Naturally, I just assumed this was loads of fun for them, as it was for my sister and I. I mean how could parents not have a blast as the squeals and laughter of children would indicate. But as a mom of 4, I now realize things are not as simple as it seems. Sure, us moms have fun but the summer is also a great deal of work trying to find time for self care activities like fitness. As we head back into the fall schedule with children’s sports activities, managing completion of school work we naturally get back into a routine. And as much as it can be tough managing time, it is somewhat easier having a schedule to follow by. But be sure to include exercise in your back to school schedule. And to get on track to success follow my back to school fitness tips:

1) Early bird gets the 6 pack

The earlier you rise, the more you get accomplished. Get up an hour or two earlier so you can squeeze in your workout before you even get the kids off to school. This is not only a good example to your children but you will also be amazed in how this sets the stage for a more positive and productive day. As a personal trainer for over 14 years, the majority of my dedicated clients exercise in the wee hours of the morning. Why? The best time for no excuses, other then I am tired is in the AM. And the only regret you will ever have is the workout you may have missed. So make sure to not hit that snooze button and get out of bed sleepy head!

2) Exercise after the kids head off

If you find the mere thought of exercising at the crack of dawn to be daunting, find the best time that works best for you. Some prefer exercising after the kids head off to school. If you have time to do so before heading to work, go for it. But be sure to make this a tip top priority so you stay on track to your goals. When scheduling your kids activities be sure to schedule your workouts.

3) Workout during the kids activities

Instead of standing on the sidelines while your child practices soccer, go for a run or walk around the park. Do not be a bench warmer, warm up your body with a super sweaty session. In just 45 minutes to an hour several days a week you can get in better shape while feeling world’s better. Who knows?! You may even begin a fitness trend that all the other team parents adopt also.

4) Midday workout can transform you

Break out of your afternoon slump, and awake your senses with a workout. As your children are back in school you may find the free time in the afternoon to squeeze in a workout. This will give you a surge of energy to fuel the remainder of the day when the kids get home.

So as the kids head back to school, schedule your routine for regular exercise. Design a plan that works best for you and stick to it. As fall begins, it is time for you to fall back into fitness. I promise you that you will not regret it. And you will have an established routine to help you manage your time best!

About Tara Zimliki

Tara is a Certified Personal Trainer, Boot Camp Instructor and a mother of four. She has competed and trained with top athletes at the University of South Carolina where she was awarded a full cross country scholarship. Tara has a degree and specializes in fat loss and nutrition. She is passionate about helping people change both body and mind, believing positive results stem from positive attitudes. She helps clients maintain this attitude with fun, challenging and rewarding workouts. Tara’s love of fitness started as a child when she began running at the young age of 7. She played numerous sports but running was her passion. Tara enjoyed it so much that she continued running right up until she had children, completing the New York Marathon 8 months pregnant with her 2nd daughter and the New York Marathon 6 months pregnant with her 3rd child and 4th child and even ran 1 mile the day she gave birth to her first daughter and 3 miles the day she gave birth to her second daughter and taught and participated in two bootcamp classes before she went to the hospital to deliver her third healthy and happy child. Tara has completed 36 Marathons and hundreds of races worldwide. In addition, she has won many 5Ks and placed top in many long distance runs. In 2008, Tara placed in the top 500 women for the NYC Marathon. Recently, she won the USATF New Balance Long Distance Grand Prix for women 34 and under for the 5th consecutive year. Tara’s practices what she preaches in all aspects of fitness and health and for this reason she is a trusted trainer that produces results. For more information, please visit

www.tarasbootcamp.com

Kicking That Dad Bod This Summer

August 13, 2019 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Are you amazed at how quickly your partner managed to get back into shape after giving birth and wondering what her secret was? You don’t know how it happened, but one day you looked around and found you couldn’t see your toes anymore. It’s only to be expected for mom to put on a little weight when she’s pregnant, but where did your extra pounds come from? If you’re wondering how to get back into shape, so you can enjoy running around after the little ones, here are some tips that might help.

Skip the Late Night Meals

Do you find yourself overeating unhealthy snacks late at night? Do toasted waffles, tacos, potato chips, and pancakes get the better of you in the evening? As a busy parent, you’re going to use your evenings for chilling and relaxing, but that doesn’t mean you should be eating as well. Eating late in the evening is not the best time if you want to kick your dad bod. Consuming extra food at any time of the day is not great for the waistline. Your metabolism slows down when you sleep, which means your body is digesting and using calories at a much slower rate.

Drink Light Beer

If you regularly enjoy a few beers after a long day at work, you might not realize, but you’re consuming large amounts of unnecessary calories. If you really can’t ditch the habit all together, consider switching out to much lighter beers. Try to limit your intake to one or two beers a day or only drink on Friday and Saturday nights.

Quit Snacking

Life can become very hectic when there’s a baby on the way. This often means regular meals get replaced with unhealthy snacks. The problem with snack food is that it only fills you up for short periods of time and it’s not long before you’re reaching for the potato chips again because you’re hungry. Find the time to eat proper meals, and if you need some extra help, consider weight loss meal delivery from Jenny Craig.

Be Active

One of the best ways to lose those extra belly inches is to be more active. It’s possible to exercise at home but if you need added incentive or encouragement, consider joining your local gym. There are lots of other ways you can exercise; for example, joining a sports team, kickboxing, running, swimming or cycling. It doesn’t matter what it is as long as it gets your heart pumping at least once every day. The trick is also to keep as active as you can. Rather than driving everywhere, try walking. Take the stairs rather than the elevator. Take every opportunity to take your new addition out in the pram and show everyone in the neighborhood what a proud dad you are.

Don’t spend too long gazing in the mirror, wondering where all your extra inches have come from. Get out there and do something about it. With a little bit of effort and a few small changes, you can have a bod you’re proud of.

Cheap Upgrades For A Better You

July 31, 2019 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

In today’s modern society, so full of daily tasks and obligations, it can be difficult to find some time to truly focus on you. Balancing work, family life, and other daily commitments can be a struggle, and self well-being often takes a back seat. However, it is important that everyone takes some time to focus on ways to improve themselves – whether this is through fitness, professional training, or supporting those less fortunate in the community. With this in mind, here are some affordable ways to create a better you.

Invest in a gym membership

Becoming more active and adopting healthy habits is a great way to improve your confidence and self-image. Research has found that physical activity releases serotonin, which is the ‘feel good’ chemical that creates feelings of happiness. Hitting the gym at the end of a busy day in the office, can, therefore, be an effective way to de-stress and boost your mood. The first step to becoming healthier is to create some realistic fitness goals based on what you want to achieve – this could be to lose a few pounds, gain muscle mass, or increase stamina. Set your fitness goals early and have a clear plan in place to achieve them.

Fortunately, there are plenty of quality fitness centers offering great sign up deals and affordable gym memberships, so developing an effective workout routine doesn’t have to be expensive. Remember that it takes time for exercise to have a physical effect on your body, so you won’t see results instantly. Make sure you are consistent with your exercise efforts, remain positive, and continue working towards your fitness goals.

Take advantage of training opportunities

Completing professional qualifications and training has a number of benefits. This includes – improving your skills and knowledge, increasing job satisfaction, enhancing your employability, and increasing your chances of being offered a promotion with your current employer. What’s more, your employer may even offer to fund certain training courses, if you demonstrate the benefits it could have on their business. If you cannot receive funding, then don’t worry! There is a huge range of affordable courses online that will instantly boost your skills and qualifications.

In today’s modern businesses, things are constantly evolving. For that reason, it is important to take advantage of any training opportunities on offer and be proactive when it comes to your professional development. This will ensure that your skills are up to date, so you can perform at the highest level possible, which in turn, should improve how satisfied you are in your job role. There are hundreds of qualifications and courses out there to enhance a career in pretty much any industry, so make sure you do your research and find any courses that could benefit your career. Click here for information on some of the most popular professional development courses on offer now.

Learn a new language

Learning a new language is a fantastic way to improve your skills and broaden your knowledge of a new country and culture. One of the biggest benefits of learning a new language is having the ability to interact and connect with people all around the world in a meaningful way. Lead with Languages explain how – “Bilinguals have the unique opportunity to communicate with a wider range of people in their personal and professional lives.” Knowing the language means you can instantly connect with local people when you travel. This will help you develop a richer understanding of the culture and local customs, which will improve your travel experiences.

Learning a new language can also help with career advancement. Many businesses now trade with organizations abroad, so translation skills are in high demand. Being bilingual is an impressive skill that is highly regarded by employers across all industries. Demonstrating the commitment to learn a second language is a fantastic way to set yourself apart from your peers and put yourself ahead of the competition. Language skills can also help you negotiate higher salaries and other benefits when applying for new jobs. The best thing about learning a new language is that it doesn’t have to be expensive. There are plenty of affordable online language courses and apps that you can download, then learn from home in your spare time. The most popular language apps include – Humble Bundle, Babbel, Udemy, and Rosetta Rose.

Support others with volunteer work

Helping others is probably the first thing that comes to mind when people are looking for ways to become a better person. Sacrificing some of your spare time to help others will cost you nothing, and can have a significant effect on your own mental well-being. Research has found that helping others can be an effective way to boost mood, reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, and improve self-esteem.

In today’s busy society, many people feel too stressed and busy worrying about their own problems, that they don’t consider the issues faced by other people. Expanding your ability to focus on the needs of others and supporting those less fortunate will help you to truly appreciate the positive things in your life and become less affected by minor daily stresses. Many argue that altruism, i.e., helping others, is a reward in itself. Here are some great ideas for ways that you can support people in your community:

Do random acts of kindness, for example, helping an elderly person carry their shopping to the car.
Get involved as a volunteer for a local charity like an animal shelter or care home
Arrange sponsored activities to raise money.
Offer mentoring services to people in educational or criminal settings.
Organize a local community clean up.
Become a regular blood donor.

Final thought

As you can see, there are plenty of great affordable (and free) ways to improve yourself. Not only will this help make you a better person, but it can also improve your job satisfaction and career prospects, and make you a happier, healthier person overall. Give some of these ideas a go and see the amazing effects they can have on your mental and physical well being.

How to Forge a Deeper Connection with Yourself

July 30, 2019 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

The world we live in today is full of distractions. On a daily basis, we’re bombarded with information and our senses are flooded with a myriad of things. Our minds are constantly being influenced by things around us, whether it’s advertisements we watch, magazines we read, or social media we follow. We’re also influenced by color, tones and even a slight gesture in someone’s eyes. We might not realize it’s happening but all these things make us spend our time, energy or money on things we don’t really want or need.

Have you found yourself looking forward to the next gadget you want to buy, the next episode of a TV series you’ve just can’t miss, or feel the compulsion to avidly follow a certain persons social media news feed? There’s so much going on in your life that you’ve got little time left to reflect or ponder. If you do find yourself looking inward all you feel is a sense of fear and emptiness. You don’t know what to do and try to fill the gap with external sources of gratification. What you should be doing instead is reconnecting with yourself. If you’re more connected, you’ll be more capable, strong, confident, loving and compassionate.

Here are some ways you can find that connection with yourself again.

Sit with Yourself on a Daily Basis

Start your day with a few minutes meditation. It’s an excellent way of connecting with yourself. Each day is going to be different because you’re going to face a variety of situations, feelings and emotions. However, starting your day in the same way helps you understand where you stand, how you’re feeling and prepares you for the day.

Journaling

Does it feel like there’s so much going on in your mind that you’re always losing track? When there are lots of different thoughts going on in your mind, it’s going to make you feel completely overwhelmed and disconnected from yourself. There is something you can do to stop yourself feeling this way. Journaling is a tool that can help you feel clearer and more connected. Spend a few minutes in the morning simply free-writing your thoughts. It’s a great way of letting it all go.

Notice and Name Your Feelings

For many people, noticing and acknowledging feelings can be very difficult. It’s not something people tend to do very often. Imagine yourself in the following situation. You’re rushing for an appointment and feeling very stressed. Pause, take a deep breath and think about where you’re holding your stress. Once you’ve decided, focus on breathing into it and feel more connected.

Naming your feelings can also help. It might just be a word or two but by identifying and describing your feelings you’re acknowledging them and giving them less importance.

Accept Your Thoughts and Emotions

This is something that might seem counterintuitive to begin with but accepting your thoughts and emotions without being judgmental is going to help you let go of stress, feel more grounded and alive in the world. Don’t spend time judging yourself but focus more on observing your feelings and the sensations that are happening. You don’t need to do anything or try to fix your feelings, just accept that you’ve got them.

Disconnect from Technology

You might be feeling disconnected from yourself but have you thought that maybe you’re too connected to your technology? The modern world is technology driven so it’s important to take time away from your screens, giving your eyes and mind a break. Take an hour out of every day and enjoy a digital detox.

Spend Time in Nature

Nature is all around you, even in you live in the middle of a city. Take some time out of your day to enjoy it and you’ll be amazed how much better you feel. Being with Mother Nature can be a very comforting experience, whether you’re taking a walk in a local park, heading to the beach or even sitting in your own garden.

Move Your Body

Movement and exercise can have a positive effect on your physical and mental health. Don’t think of it as a chore but think of it as a form of self-love. Listen to your body more and go with what it wants rather than forcing yourself to do something you don’t want to. It’s possible to move your body and exercise in a variety of ways. Hit your local yoga class, take a run, turn up the music and dance around your living room. Find ways to exercise that feel expansive and are a way of freeing your body.

Do Things That Make You Happy

Are there certain things that really make you smile and your heart sing? Is there’s something you really enjoy doing? It might be painting, singing, getting creative or gardening. It doesn’t really matter what it is as long as you enjoying doing it. Find time to do these things more often. If you’ve got a to-do list, take a critical look at it as there’s bound to be something you can drop so you’ve got room in your schedule for activities that make you happy.

Smile

A great way to start the day is by smiling at yourself in the mirror. Look into your own eyes and feel that connection. If you smile at yourself, you’ll feel your vibration rise. Positive affirmations and mantras can also help as they are a way of acknowledging your own presence before you go out and take on the day.

Try these small actions on a daily basis and you’ll feel a deeper connection within yourself. You’re helping yourself to stay grounded, gain confidence and live a life that’s in line with your values. Connecting to yourself is a daily process and it requires you to focus on your feelings, let go of judgment and be kind, not just to yourself but those around you. Take it one step, one thought and one feeling at a time.

Sports that can Help you Build Muscle

September 21, 2018 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

If one of your goals is to build muscle, there are lots of sports out there that can help you achieve that. A misconception that any exercise that allows you to do that is boring and tedious – however that doesn’t need to be the case. Below are some sports that are fun and can help you build muscle.

Surfing

Going surfing is a great way to build muscle. It may not be that you are in close proximity to a suitable spot for surfing – but it can be a great destination sport for you to enjoy. There is a definite learning curve that comes with the sport as every wave is different, but lots of people find surfing lessons very rewarding. Here are some great surfing destinations that you might want to check out.

Wrestling

If there are any aspiring wrestlers out there, you will be happy to know that wrestling is a sport that is perfect for you building muscle. If you ever get to a stage where you want to do it competitively, or even if you are having a friendly match – you need to watch your diet, so you won’t end up too bulky. It’s also a great calorie burner – and can improve other elements of your fitness such as endurance and stamina.

Gymnastics

Because of the nature of the sport, gymnastics can be underrated or overlook as a sport that builds muscle. It might not be one that you could take up as you get older, but whether you are taking part in the rings, floor routines or bars – you need to have great muscle strength. You also need to manipulate your body into different variations, which will increase muscle strength further.

Kayaking

The reality is if you spend an hour kayaking, you will work more muscle groups than you would at a gym session. Your upper body will get a heave workout. You need to use your shoulders, back, arms, abdomen, chest and hands to paddle properly. As you have to rotate when completing the strokes, you are giving your core a good workout too. If you keep on doing it, you can expect some impressive abs. I was reading this article when I found some great reviews on the best kayaks out there which include inflatable ones that can easily be carried around. This means you can take a camping trip or walking holiday and take your kayak with you so that you can see the views in a brand new way.

Parkour

When you think of parkour, think of a military obstacle course. It will include you having to run, jump, roll, and even crawl to get from one end of the course to another. You can do this on your own or as part of a group for the social element. The idea is to move freely and create innovative ways to get to the end point as quickly as you can. Due to the fact there are so many movements involved – it is not only a calorie burner, but a fantastic way to strengthen muscles.

If building muscle is high on your agenda, then these sports are a great way to start.

Space Shaker – Protein Shakes Anywhere You Want Them

July 18, 2018 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Say hello to the future of protein shakes! SPACE SHAKER is shaking up the supplement industry with the super sleek, unique collapsible shaker bottle design.

Easy-to-use and easy-to-clean, collapsible SPACE SHAKER LUX bottle saves you tons of room in gym bags, purses, and cabinets. The unique design is made to help mix and break down protein powder, to make it as smooth as possible. The mixer is attached to the lid, leaving no loose parts in the bottle. The bottle is easy to grip and easy to clean and comes in four sleek colors.

The SPACE SHAKER LUX bottles keep your busy life moving that much faster. To learn more about the SPACE SHAKER and join their Indiegogo campaign, visit https://igg.me/at/SPACE-SHAKER.

SPACE SHAKER LUX:

Reusable
Compact, expandable design is easy to store in gym bags and purses
Built-in mixer breaks up clumps with no loose parts
Bellows design make it easy to grip
Dishwasher-safe
Compatible with any powdered supplement
Available for preorder in 4 sleek colors — Silver, Ash (matte silver), Onyx (matte black), and Jet (reflective black)

The team behind the innovative new bottle has also launched the first ever subscription model for protein powder with the SPACE SHAKER CLUB and SPACE SHAKER GO. This model makes your on the go life, that much simpler with ready to go, delivered to your door protein bottles.

The founders of SPACE SHAKER are simultaneously launching the “GO RECYCLE” initiative. Every used GO bottle recycled/returned will be converted into playground equipment for underprivileged communities. Each SPACE SHAKER CLUB box will come with a pre-paid return mailer bag inside.

My take on the Space Shaker

Below you will see my review of the Space Shaker. I will say that after making the below video I continued to use the Space Shaker and I added in my own protein powder. This space shaker truly does save you time and space and works very well. Even though this does accordion, it cleans well and I did not see any additional residue that was left behind after using this in general. This product saves you time, space and more and I, for one, was very impressed with how easy this was to use!

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Premier Protein – The Perfect Way To End Your Workout

April 29, 2018 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

As someone that enjoys working out, I know that it is very important to also have enough protein to make up for the tearing down of muscles that happens in my workout. While I can eat more food high in protein, lately I have also been looking recently at ways that I can build my protein intake through some types of shakes.

The new Premier Protein shake flavors of Cookies & Cream and Peaches & Cream were a great add to my daily workout routine. I found that after each workout I would mix up these two shake flavors and add them in as a post-workout boost. Usually I work out in the mornings and as these became my breakfast, I found that they also filled me up for the morning!

I appreciate that these new Premier Protein drinks taste great and have so much protein within them. Usually, it is hard to get that much protein as quickly as you can with these drinks without eating a meal with meat or some other high protein food, but these drinks make it easy.

You see, Premier Protein’s shakes have 30g protein, 160 calories and only 1g sugar. I love that this drink focuses on the protein and stays away from the heavy sugars. Because I work out in the mornings, I find that these drinks are perfect for breakfast on the go, and after drinking this I feel full! With that in mind I could also see that you could use these drinks for an afternoon snack, a healthy meal replacement or even a post workout boost.

As I have gone to my local Walmart I found that these Premier Protein shakes can be found in both 4 & 12- count 11-oz packs at Walmart but you can also find them at Sam’s Club, Amazon and PremierProtein.com.

If you are looking for a great protein shake, I have to say that I would highly recommend this to all!

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How to Get in Shape While Spending Time with Your Kids

March 28, 2017 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

You had your baby, and you couldn’t be prouder or happier…unless you felt like you were in better shape. Or, maybe you’re a few years into the family gig and just don’t seem to be able to find the time to get back into pre-baby shape. This doesn’t just plague new moms, though it’s more often thought of in those terms. Dads often have a hard time maintaining their fitness routines once they have children because that former regular gym time has morphed into family time instead. Plus, if he sympathy ate his way through the pregnancy, he may have “baby weight” to lose, too. And the truth is, now is the time you need the benefits of exercise the most. It increases metabolism, boosts energy, sheds pounds, builds muscle, enhances moods, and alleviates stress and anxiety, all things needed to keep up with the chaos of parenthood.

The good news is, the solution can be simple! Instead of trying to squeeze a workout in during naptime or in the wee hours of the night after the kids are in bed, exercise WITH your kids. Not only will you get the much wanted benefits and results of regular exercise, your kids will learn healthy life habits and emulate them, all while spending quality time with you.

While it’s not suggested you take junior to a CrossFit class, there are countless appropriate ways to exercise with your child that benefit your health and theirs. Make sure the activities match your child’s age, then have fun and get fit with some of these suggestions!

Invest in a baby jogger and take them for a spin, or for older kids, sign up for a road race together. You can run or walk it, but you’ll have fun doing it together while burning calories. Look for some of the more unique varieties, like a mud run, color run, or glow run to add some extra excitement!
Put the baby in a back carrier and go for a hike if you have a little one. For older kids, check out local parks and trails to hike and explore.
Go to the park. Each time you push them in the swing, do a squat. If they can “push” themselves, put your feet in the swing next to them in a plank position and do push-ups. Throw in some tricep dips on a park bench. While helping them learn how to cross the monkey bars, do pull-ups in between attempts. Be creative. Before you know it, the park will have turned into your personal gym.
Ride bikes together. For younger children, invest in a bike carrier/trailer. Your child will enjoy riding while you pedal and explore together.
Go rollerskating at a local rink, or take some roller blades to the local park.
Dance, dance, dance. No further explanation is really needed.
If you really need your time in the weight room, let the kids count your reps or clock your rest between sets. As they get old enough, they can start alternating reps with you.
Do yoga together. It will increase strength and flexibility while relieving stress and encouraging mindfulness. This is particularly beneficial for daughters, as females are 60% more at risk for anxiety.
While at their baseball/lacrosse/track/soccer practice, don’t sit on the sidelines, run or walk laps. Do stadium steps and Roman sit-ups on the bleachers.
Go to the pool. Instead of just sitting in a chair while they play, get in the pool with them.
Tread water while they play around you, have races, or walk back and forth in the shallow end while they splash with their friends.
Challenge older kids to a family kickball game or a pick-up baketball game. Play tennis together.
If your kids are old enough to be into video games, invest in a Wii, Just Dance, or some other fitness based program. You’ll be surprised how sweaty you might get and how much fun you will have together! Some programs even track your calories burned and your progress from workout to workout.

There are dozens of more ways to get active while spending time with your kids. Be creative and get moving on a regular basis. Your body, mind, and spirit will thank you, and your child will learn healthy behaviors from his most influential role model. You’ll both appreciate and benefit from the quality time together.

Kent’s 20” MT20 Mountain Bike – Perfect For The Holidays

November 6, 2016 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

The Kent MT20 hardtail mountain bike gives kids all the advanced features of an adult mountain bike at a size that’s right for them. This was perfect for my daughter as she is getting older and her old bicycle is getting much too small. Also, she is getting to an age where having different gears helps.

This holiday season we wanted to look into a bicycle that was well made but also one that was perfect for her style and for the type of riding that she wanted to be able to do. I also wanted a bicycle that offered comfort too. The Kent MT20 hardtail mountain bike performs and delivers on all fronts and with a MSRP of only $79.97 this bicycle is a great buy!

The Kent MT20 hardtail mountain bike also offers you a tuned travel front shock that absorbs the bumps while the sturdy steel frame keeps the bike straight. This bike features industry leader Shimano shifting with a seven-speed drive train. The padded seat can be adjusted without tools to grow with its owner.

While we tried out the girls’ version Kent also offers bicycles for boys.

One of the things that I appreciated was that this bicycle comes partially assembled so the amount of time that it takes to get the bike ready for use is minimal. Just pull the bicycle out of the box and you are almost ready to go!

When my daughter saw this she was ecstatic and now she does not want me to put this away for the winter. She told me that it was very comfortable to sit on and even better fun to ride.

If you are looking to not break the bank this holiday season and want to give a high quality bicycle to your own kids, definitely place the Kent MT20 hardtail mountain bike on your shopping list!

The Kent MT20 hardtail mountain bike is available online

Amazon
Walmart

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Swingy Gets Kids On Their Feet While Having Fun!

October 20, 2015 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

So many video games these days are sedimentary in nature. While I am a big fan of video games as many of you know from my past posts I also am very concerned by seeing my kids just sitting around all of the time playing the games (even though they are fun!). You might ask, why am I concerned? Well, so many studies have shown that high amounts of screen time equates to children being overweight and inactive. Seeing that 3/4 of all kids have access to mobile devices at home and the time spent on these screens has TRIPLED from 2011 to 2013, as parents e have to be diligent and find ways for our kids to keep the active lifestyle that we know they need.

So it was exciting to hear about Swingy . Swingy combines the idea that kids love technology and games as well as physical activity. Take a look at the video below!

Being the world’s first wireless balance board for playing games on tablets and smartphones it truly is redefining screen time by turning digital gaming into a beneficial physical activity. I had the chance to have my girls try it for themselves and after doing so I have to say that I am impressed.

The Swingy device is handmade wood and well crafted and constructed. The concept was sound and it connects through Bluetooth technology to your tablet or smartphone. I had no problems connecting it to my Apple IPad and once I did and we got the game itself the kids were all over it.

The game itself did take some coordination. It reminded me a bit of the old game Pong with much better graphics and the ability to control things with your feet. It is a bit more challenging than it sounds but I could easily see ages 7 and up for sure being able to handle this and with adult supervision you might even be able to go younger (a bit).

I think there is a lot of opportunity for future games to be developed with this too, so I am looking forward to seeing where it is going next!

Swing Pong

As I mentioned, the first game is called Swing Pong. In his game each sensor controls one of the sliders on the screen. The goal of the game is to keep the ball in play by intercepting it with one of the sliders. Power-ups randomly appear on the screen in the shape of forest fruits and animals. Forest fruits give lives, increase the size of the ball or the sliders, or decrease the speed of the ball. The animals either shrink the ball, or increase the speed of the ball.

Balance. It matters

Child’s play is an important source of physical activity and motor development, especially in the first years of life. And balance is the pillar beneath every motor skill we have. Children develop their vestibular system, also known as the balance system, up to the age of 15.

This is why the people who developed Swingy cooperated with doctors, teachers, and exercise physiologists to develop Swingy. With its curved form and back and forth movement, Swingy strengthens the core muscles required for a healthy posture and improves balance and coordination. Improving balance helps children in everyday life as well as at sports such as rollerblading, biking, skating, climbing, and skiing.

For me the device was very cool and the girls loved it. If this sounds like something that you would like your own kids to try, support them over at Kickstarter and make this product a consumer reality!

Find Out More!

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