EmpowerMoms

Walk Strong PHASE I
This is the 4 DVD/10 workouts “Walk Strong 6 week transformation” set that was released the end of December 2015. It comes with a 6 week calendar.

Jessica Smith later released a PHASE II calendar rotation which includes the original set pictured above and additional DVDs pictured below. The Phase II calendar tells you exactly which DVD to use for what days. It also gives you the option for 2 workouts instead of 1, per day.

BRAND NEW-released March 1, 2016!

PHASE III Walk Strong 2.0 is currently being released and will include the original set, plus 4 brand new dvds:

Don’t have all the workouts listed here? Jessica Smith encourages you to mix and match with what you have to make it work for you. Visit her website here for more info:
http://walkonwalkstrong.com/

One of the free activities for the Fit Family Challenge has been PlayFitStayFit gym classes, located at Tanglewood Mall.

Jason-the owner-has offered a total of 5 free classes over the last 2 months, each on a different day of the week at 6pm.

According to the online schedule (located here: http://www.playfitstayfit.net/playfit-schedule.html) each night has a different theme-Move it Monday, Strong arms Thursday, etc.)

We made it to “Move it Monday” class workout on Monday May 9th.

and “Hump Day” Wednesday workout on May 25th.

Jason was the instructor for the Wednesday class and I was very impressed with the workout he had planned and how he clearly demonstrated the exercises and the rules of the gym. Although it was a mixture of kids and adults, he had a variety of weight options available for all fitness levels.

I had hoped to go to more than just the 2 workouts, but I really enjoyed the ones I went to and was pleased with the facility and variety of classes offered.

What Fit Family Challenge activities have you and your family been able to go to?

**3, 30-Minute Fat Blasting, Strength Building Workouts!
**Metabolic Conditioning Circuits With A Variety of Low Impact [no jumping] Exercises
**Build Muscular Endurance, Functional Strength, Boost Metabolism
**Prevent (Even Reverse) Bone Loss

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

If weight loss is one of your fitness goals, these strength routines may be just what you need to bust out of a plateau!

Studies show that regular strength training increases your overall calorie burn not only during your workouts but in everyday activities too – even while you sleep!

These 3 varied, metabolic conditioning circuits are designed to help you build muscular endurance, functional strength, boost your metabolism, prevent and even reverse bone loss.

Feel free to mix and match these workouts into your weekly schedule (we recommend alternating them with your favorite cardio and flexibility training routines 2-4 days a week).

Check out our other titles in this series, our “Walk STRONG: Burn Fat and Have Fun” and “Walk STRONG: Build Balance and Inner Strength,” for some great options! You can also use these workouts in conjunction with our “Walk STRONG: Total Transformation 6 Week System!”

Visit walkonwalkstrong.com/phase3 to download our free, printable “Phase III” calendar which includes our suggested 6 week schedule.

CIRCUIT 1: UPPER FOCUS – This circuit utilizes the entire body with a main emphasis on the upper half.

CIRCUIT 2: LOWER FOCUS – This circuit works your entire body with extra emphasis on the lower half.

CIRCUIT 3: TOTAL FOCUS – These full body moves target the major muscles throughout your entire body.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: A mat and two sets of dumbbells – one lighter set for smaller muscles like the arms, shoulders and a heavier set for larger muscles like the legs, chest and back. Only have 1 set of weights? No worries! Follow our modifier Debbie, age 60, for options.

About Your Instructor:
Jessica Smith has over 15 years of experience as a certified trainer, instructor and wellness coach.

This summer, you can join Adventures in Odyssey’s Clubhouse Magazine and help children in the Middle East go to school and learn English. It’s Adventures in Odyssey’s Clubhouse Magazine Exercise to Educate summer challenge!

The Problem

Nearly 7,000 miles away from the United States, there’s a war going on in the country of Syria. Many families have been forced from their homes. Parents have had to leave their jobs, and children have had to leave behind toys and friends.

Many of these families now live in refugee camps in nearby countries. They have tents instead of houses. Clean water is hard to come by. This war has put 2.6 million children out of school – some for more than four years already.

The Solution

Our friends at Focus on the Family Middle East know many families who don’t have the money to buy a school uniform and pay for their children to go to school. They also know people who would love to teach children English in local churches.

You may not have a lot of money to help, but you probably have time, energy and excitement. Here’s what you can do:

1. Go to to Whitsend.org/summer.

2. Print a sponsor sheet and exercise to earn points. You can do it for a week or the whole summer – just remember, the more you exercise, the more points you’ll earn!

3. Ask your family and friends to sponsor your efforts.

4. Beginning in July, tell us how you did and receive a digital bundle from your friends at Adventures in Odyssey and Focus on the Family. The deadline to submit your information is August 31, 2016. 

For participating and submitting your information, you will get a free Adventures in Odyssey episode from Album 51. You will also get 101 Surefire Ways to Strengthen Your Child’s Faith – eBook and the audio book of Imagination Station #1, “Voyage with the Vikings.”

Make the most of your summer—exercise for your health and help other kids in need while you do!

Don’t Be Bored This Summer!

Now is the time to make sure your kids have the greatest adventure this summer with over 800 Adventures in Odyssey episodes and non-stop listening fun! Sign up for the Odyssey Adventure Club today for just $9.99 per month at OACLUB.org.

I can not believe how fast this challenge and the past several weeks have gone! My family and I had a couple of trips in May so I apologize for the lack of updates from The DeVaughn Family!

How is the challenge going for you? Are you finding fun ways to stay active for you and your family?

Our family has been going to the YMCA gym 1-2 times per week for gym time, fitness classes and free play like swimming and basketball. I have been very impressed with the instructors and child care at both Kirk and Salem so far. I completed the “fit start” with Salem which is a free program with the wellness instructors. They showed me how to use all the weight machines and helped me set weekly goals.

We have also been loving this weather (well, except for all the rain!) and being able to play outside! We go to the local parks a lot on the weekends and when I get home from work. I have also been using my new suspension straps outside on my swing set, which has been a lot of fun!

One of our family trips last month was a weekend camping trip with my parents to Camp Alta Mons in Shawsville. We hiked up to the falls which was fun. It is definitely a hike, not a walking stroll. There were at least 4 areas on the trail where we had to cross over rivers and steams and not on dry ground. My boys ages 6 and 14 did awesome, but I definitely wouldn’t recommend taking kids younger than 6 or 7 because of some very steep climbing and narrow pathways in some areas.

Camp Alta Mons isn’t that far from Roanoke and is a beautiful area! The weather was perfect and we only saw 2 snakes! 🙁

One thing that I love about summer is the price of produce tends to go down, which means we can eat more of it! I have discovered shopping weekly at Aldi’s for produce and other specialty items has been saving us some money. Our family tends to eat pretty healthy, so this has been helping us even more with healthy foods and snacks. I love making up fresh salads for work and dinners!

We also have a garden and strawberry patch at our house (so we can save money and eat healthy) which my boys love. My youngest is a great gardener!

One of our struggles this month has been getting our weekly workouts done as a family. My husband and I work different shifts which makes it difficult for the 4 of us to be in one place, but we have gotten to do some Fit Family Challenge workouts together which I will share in a later post.

I hope you all are having a good, happy summer so far. Keep working hard and logging those fitness points!