It had been one of those weeks. Three nights in row of 2 am breathing treatments with my 4 year old and of course, subsequent middle of the night visits from her curious little brother. Having only banked 12 hours of sleep in three days I was beyond cranky and tired. As we all know, mommies cannot afford to get sick.  So I popped into my doctor’s office for a B12 shot with the notion a heavy dose of vitamins would immediately tranform my zombie-like demeanor. No such luck.

Here’s what a B12 shot is supposed to do:

B12 increases metabolism, the side effect of which can be weight loss. With regular B12 shots and a combination of other weight loss regimens, people have reported to lose weight much faster and they attribute it to the shot.

B12 is also a great energy booster. What better way to deliver an energy booster than directly into the bloodstream?

B12 is a highly recommended mood booster. If you suffer from mild depression once in a while, you can try a B12 shot as a mood booster – some people have reported feeling happily giddy afterwards, but not for long. In a few hours, it settles and you are just happy.

Who wouldn’t want all of those amazing benefits?? Well, here was my experience getting a B12 shot:

Waited 45 minutes for the nurse.

Received painful injection in left shoulder

Paid $25

Waited with baited breath for energy boost…..

Waited some more….maybe the giddiness will come later??

and ZERO increase in energy.

But as an added bonus, my arm did hurt for the remainder of the day.

My expectations may have been a tad high. I was hoping for something closer to a Kennedy-era vitamin boost. I guess I’ll go back to the basics for an increase in energy. You know, the fun stuff like getting 8 hours of sleep, limiting caffeine and alcohol intake and regular exercise. If that doesn’t work maybe I’ll just hit one of the mom’s in the car line up for an Adderall…

Written by Lea Barlow • 1 Comment

Name: Wendy Ryan

Kids: 5 month old – Raquel Ryan Ritchey

Occupation: TV Anchor/Reporter – WFTS-TV

Hometown: Originally - Cleveland, Ohio.  Since 2003- Tampa, FL

Full H&H Interview with Wendy:

1. What are the top 3 items in your grocery cart?

1.5 liter water bottles, bananas, and a bag of fresh spinach

2. What are you reading (honestly)?

I’m a news junky so I spend WAY too much time reading news stories online every single day. But when I get a free moment lately, I’ve been reading a recent gift from a friend – “Chicken Soup for the Soul: New Moms”

3. What is your guilty pleasure when you get a little time for yourself?

Deep tissue massage or pedicure

4. What would we be surprised to find in your purse?

A few packets of Truvia, and individual dental flossers – hate having food stuck in my teeth!

5. What is your favorite reality TV show?

I don’t watch much Reality TV- But I do LOVE the chick shows – Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice.

6. What is your cocktail of choice?

A very dry Napa Valley Cabernet…

7. What is the cutest thing your baby has done lately?

Well – she’s still so young that just a simple smile or giggle fills my eyes with tears…. After all, she is my little miracle.:)

8. What is your favorite quotation?

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.” Randy Paush

“Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don’t, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it.  If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.”

9. What songs are on your workout playlist?

I teach spin classes so I use the CD’s I’ve bought and/or my students have put together for me. The songs I love are those that motivate me… some of my favorites come from Black Eye Peas, Lady Gaga, and Pink.

10. Who is your favorite celebrity mom and why?

Angelina Jolie with 6 kids! (3 biological children and 3 adopted children) Even with all her fame and fortune, she still seems to be a very hands-on mom. She also continues to help thousands of other vulnerable children with her extensive humanitarian work in the Third World.

11. What is something most people don’t know about you?

I was a child actress and did my first national commercial when I was 4 years old.

12. What is your secret to staying Hot & Healthy?

I teach spin classes, do yoga when I can slow downL, drink lots and lots of water, pack fruits and veggies for work every day, and always try to have healthy snacks everywhere… in my car, in my purse, and in my desk. I also make all my meals on Sunday nights, wash/cut up all the fruit/veggies – so they’re ready to go during the week.

Written by Lea Barlow • 6 Comments

Pancakes and health food are not typically found in the same sentence. Most are made with refined white flour and topped with sugar-laden syrups. Delicious? Absolutely.  A healthy way to start the day? Uh, no.

Lately I have noticed when we go out to breakfast as a family my daughter’s go-to has been an order of pancakes topped heavily with syrup. It wouldn’t be my first, second or even third food choice for her but because she is such a picky-eater frankly I’m just happy she’s actually eating. After she started asking for pancakes at home, I decided to find a healthier alternative. I am rather proud to say – mission accomplished!


Here’s how to make the perfect protein pancake for your family this weekend:

Ingredients

- 1/2 cup rolled oats

- 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese

- 1/2 cup egg whites

- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

- pinch of cinnamon

Preparation:

1.  Blend all ingredients until smooth

2.  Pour approximately 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto heated griddle or non-stick pan (check to see if its hot enough with a splash of water-if it sizzles, its hot enough)

3.  When pancake bubbles, flip and cook the other side

4.  Top with frozen, organic strawberries-warmed  and sliced and poured over the top with their juices. Or substitute fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or bananas. Warming the berries bring out the fruit’s natural juices. If that’s not sweet enough for you drizzle a bit of agave nectar on the pancake. Enjoy!

Nutrition per pancake (recipe yields 6):

260 calories, 3g fat, 25g protein, 33g carbohydrates

*Happy Friday*

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment

by Alexis Novak

For twelve long weeks, I toted my tiny ballerina to “Creative Movement” class and for twelve long weeks she barnacled herself to my side for the 30 minute class duration.  The miniature dancers tip toed into pretend sticky cake icing.  Punky clung to my legs.  The toddlers roared at the bear in the cave and hopped over the river.  Punky froze next to me, staring at the performance.  The girls hula-hooped, and held hands and laughed.  Punky clawed at my body as if to crawl back into my womb.

Us Novaks are not quitters. So every Tuesday morning I took her, her baby sister bjourned to my chest and I encouraged Punky to join the class in my sweetest non-threatening teacher voice.  This was the little white swan who dances in her tutu all day long, at home, by herself.

My frustration was bubbling over since she always wanted to go to class but she didn’t want to perform.  Parents looked at us funny.  They stopped asking me questions about my shy ballerina.  They stopped looking at us.  Every week we watched the other tots happily prance and plie around the studio.  Every non-dancing dance class made me feel more and more like a zitty middle schooler sitting by herself at lunchtime waiting for someone to say hello.  No one was ever going to friend us at this rate.

One Tuesday morning I didn’t feel up to getting two kids under three ready for an hour to sit on a dance floor studio for 25 minutes while my upper lip sweat gave away that I hoped against all logic that today was the day she was finally going to start dancing.  That morning, and with my pediatrician’s permission, we quit.

I was watching “Parenthood” last week and Lauren Graham’s character was talking her teenage daughter through her performance anxiety.  The gist of her speech was that no one warns you when you have a child that they are not you.  “You look at them and think they are you but they are not you”.  Simple enough but hard for my brain to accept.   The mom was trying to protect her daughter (and possibly herself) from the audience’s reaction to the music she was going to play but instead the mom made the daughter second-guess herself and wilt.  I don’t want to do the same.

Punky’s anxiety gave me anxiety and I had no clue how to handle the situation.  I am pretty sure that parental insecurities are exactly what make people insane, Barbra Hershey-like stage moms.  And I for one will not be featured on “Toddlers and Tiaras” anytime soon.

I think Punky and I both need to sit out this dance season.  We will go back at some point in a year or two.  Until then, Punky will be performing every day, by herself, in her living room, and usually to Michael Jackson.

Written by Alexis Novak • 2 Comments