This spring brings goodness galore. As you can see, I have sprinkled pixie dust on my brand – thanks to JPD Studio, my website is sparkly-fresh. And, thanks to Snow Day Works, I have more than a book in the works: friends, we have ourselves a TV show!!!!

I star in ‘Pushing It’, a reality show based on the lives and challenges of several of my clients, all at varying stages of pregnancy and motherhood. It airs on NBC’s lifestyle network, COZI TV. Stay tuned for the launch date – I promise it’s very soon!

Pretending to know it all is a mistake.  Just like exercise, nutrition is a science. Nobody, not Jillian Michaels or even Doctor Oz knows everything there is to know about energy balance, weight loss, maintenance or gain. But a good doctor, fitness trainer, nutritionist or wellness coach will have an open and hungry mind and stay up-to-date on the latest research.

Each week, I promise to pass along new nuggets of information. Follow me on twitter, facebook, pinterest and right here – on my blog – for recipes, tips, and tricks to staying healthy and battling the bulge.

I consume around 3 whole avocados every week. Here are some great ways to incorporate avocados into your dietary plan:

1. Replace your sandwich cheese and mayonaise with 1/4 avocado.
2. Instead of salad dressing, cut up 1/2 avocado and mix well.
3. Make guacamole and dip with your favorite spear vegetable.
4. Enjoy an avocado roll in your sushi lineup.
5. Search for an avocado/yogurt/cucumber soup recipe.
6. Make a roasted beet & avocado salad.
7. Toss an avocado into your smoothie for a creamy finish.

As a certified doula, I’ve coached dozens of women through the rigors of childbirth. If you’ve even heard of a doula, you probably think she’s some incense burning, sandal-and-sock wearing chick from the 70’s. I’m here to shatter that image bust the myths around doulas and explain why having a doula with you in the birthing room might be the right choice for you:

Myth # 1: Doulas are for moms who plan to have their babies in
a) the woods
b) a pool
c) any place other than a maternity ward

Doulas are not a hippie-dippy replacement for doctors, nurses and hospitals. Doulas are not there to offer medical advice. Doulas are not midwives and cannot perform any medical procedures unless they have specific education or a licensing. Doulas ARE there to comfort, calm and coach a woman through childbirth. Doulas are an added member of the birthing team, who can help advocate for your wishes during labor, help guide you through the steps and help ensure that your baby’s birthday is a positive experience for you and your partner.

Myth #2: Doulas are for single moms who have no one else for support

Doulas are not for the Lonely Hearts Club Band. Doulas are for everyone. They can help calm a nervous father, ease an argument with a nurse or facilitate comfort measures between couples. I’ve had as many grateful dads thanking me for being in the delivery room as moms. But if you are a woman who doesn’t have family close (in proximity or relationship), a doula can provide comfort and advice throughout your pregnancy and in the delivery room.

Myth # 3: Doulas are old spinsters who burn candles and rub your tummy during labor

Let’s get one thing straight — I’m not old and I am no massage-therapist-aromatherapy-yogi Doula. I am a coach. I keep track of labor progression, including timing contractions and labor positioning for comfort. I’m knowledgeable with speeding up and slowing down labor. Some doulas help naviagte hospital policies. I like to say I am a confident, stick-by-your-side partner every step of the way, beginning with active labor through your first hour of motherhood.

Research what doulas can do and think about whether a doula might be a good fit for your family, the kind of delivery you want to have and your budget. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. Finally, do work out specifics with the doulas you are considering and know what you are hiring her for as you put together a birth plan.

For more information about Doulas or to find one near you, visit www.dona.org.

Have you used a doula? How did the doula participate in your labor and delivery?

Jenny Skoogs is a certified international doula and certified personal trainer who specializes in coaching new and expectant mothers, teens and people recovering from injuries and illness.

Read more: http://galtime.com/article/parenting/21097/50861/do-you-need-doula-myths-and-truths-moms#ixzz2E62vO31y

For expectant moms, there are a million things to think about. Everything from changes in the body to what color to paint the nursery keep pregnant women up at night. But one of the most important things to think about is how the delivery is going to go and how best to manage it. Too often, a birth plan gets left to the last minute. When your water breaks, it’s too late to wonder who might be the right person to have in the delivery room with you. Recently, doulas have been making a comeback in the delivery room to help birthing mothers manage it all —but not without a certain stigma.

As a certified doula, I’ve coached dozens of women through the rigors of childbirth. If you’ve even heard of a doula, you probably think she’s some incense burning, sandal-and-sock wearing chick from the 70’s. I’m here to shatter that image bust the myths around doulas and explain why having a doula with you in the birthing room might be the right choice for you:

Myth # 1: Doulas are for moms who plan to have their babies in
a) the woods
b) a pool
c) any place other than a maternity ward
RELATED Yoga for Fertility

Doulas are not a hippie-dippy replacement for doctors, nurses and hospitals. Doulas are not there to offer medical advice. Doulas are not midwives and cannot perform any medical procedures unless they have specific education or a licensing. Doulas ARE there to comfort, calm and coach a woman through childbirth. Doulas are an added member of the birthing team, who can help advocate for your wishes during labor, help guide you through the steps and help ensure that your baby’s birthday is a positive experience for you and your partner.

Myth #2: Doulas are for single moms who have no one else for support
Doulas are not for the Lonely Hearts Club Band. Doulas are for everyone. They can help calm a nervous father, ease an argument with a nurse or facilitate comfort measures between couples. I’ve had as many grateful dads thanking me for being in the delivery room as moms. But if you are a woman who doesn’t have family close (in proximity or relationship), a doula can provide comfort and advice throughout your pregnancy and in the delivery room.

RELATED He Says, She Says: Labored Thoughts

Myth # 3: Doulas are old spinsters who burn candles and rub your tummy during labor
Let’s get one thing straight — I’m not old and I am no massage-therapist-aromatherapy-yogi Doula. I am a coach. I keep track of labor progression, including timing contractions and labor positioning for comfort. I’m knowledgeable with speeding up and slowing down labor. Some doulas help naviagte hospital policies. I like to say I am a confident, stick-by-your-side partner every step of the way, beginning with active labor through your first hour of motherhood.

Research what doulas can do and think about whether a doula might be a good fit for your family, the kind of delivery you want to have and your budget. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. Finally, do work out specifics with the doulas you are considering and know what you are hiring her for as you put together a birth plan.

For more information about Doulas or to find one near you, visit www.dona.org.

Have you used a doula? How did the doula participate in your labor and delivery?

Jenny Skoog is a certified international doula and certified personal trainer who specializes in coaching new and expectant mothers, teens and people recovering from injuries and illness.

1. Stay strong and leave the wrapper on your kids’ treats. Instead, keep in-season sliced apples, pears, and dried fruits on hand to curb your sweet tooth.

2. Don’t have critters but hosting trick-or-treaters? Instead of giving out candy, hand out mini bags of pretzels, finger puppets or plastic bracelets.

3. Join in on the trickery. Put on your favorite costume and do a neighborhood scare-stroll. Check out your neighbors’ spooky lawn decor while burning a few calories and laughs.

4. Get rid of it. Donate all that sugary stuff to a good cause. Operation Gratitude is a candy buyback program that gets sugar out of the mouths and bellies of Americans and into those less-fortunate overseas.

Will you resist?

What can you do to stay perky this winter?

-Follow the sun. Get to a beach in the dead of winter. Not only will you have something to look forward to, you’ll stay bikini-ready during the holidays!

-Lace up your running shoes. Cardiovascular exercise releases mood-boosting endorphins!

-Get some Vitamin-D: invest in a sun lamp & use it! Or, sit on a park bench and soak up the sun. Even on cold or cloudy days, outdoor light can help.

-Make your environment sunnier and brighter. Open blinds, sit closer to bright windows while at home or in the office.

-Join in the fall fun: rake leaves (don’t forget your neighbor), pick apples (make applesauce) or carve a pumpkin (bake the seeds)!

Here are 5 tips to keep you on the straight-and-narrow and finally stay focused on those life goals:

1. Everyone at the table drinking alcohol? Order club soda & lime in a cocktail glass. Nobody will know you’re skipping the high-calorie alcohol except your waistline.

2. Going to a baby shower where there’ll be sweets galore? Eat beforehand. Keep a few apple slices in your purse for the post-shower sweet stave-off.

3. Social media like facebook and twitter keep calling you away from your work? Set an alarm on your computer and only check it during the allotted time you’ve given yourself. Practice discipline!

4. Just say no to late-night reveling. Nothing good happens after midnight, especially on a school night. A good night’s sleep means a clear head the next day.

5. Can’t afford that expensive handbag that everyone else has? Don’t buy it. Save your money for something that you really want or, better yet, need.

I wish it was Sunday
‘Cause that’s my funday
My I don’t have to runday

-”Manic Monday” The Bangles

I have always had a complicated relationship with Sunday. Growing up, it was an early morning scramble: put on an uncomfortable crumpled dress, painfully comb my long, snarly, tangled-up hair and quick (!!) — memorize those ten commandments in the car on the way to Sunday School! Three agonizing hours later, I was holding my best friend Barb’s hand on the way home from church where we’d lose the uncomfortable dress for barn clothes and imagine the day away before nighttime church killed our buzz.

As the years passed, I would go to bed as Sunday’s sun rose in the east…as it turned out, I needed to discover my own version of Sunday and adulthood with long nights of dancing and reveling in seedy Minneapolis establishments.

New York has given me yet another version of Sunday. In this workaholic town, I get just one day off to recover from the last week and prepare for the one ahead. It turns out, Sunday is my favorite day of the week. Without an alarm, I am staring at the ceiling at 7:30 am, wondering what’s in today’s New York Times headlines, feeling coffee and CBS Sunday Morning calling my name.

Each week, Sunday is a “new beginning” for me. It’s when I plan my week’s meals, workouts, my clients’ programs, and reaffirm my own commitment to health. At 7pm, it’s couch-time for 60 Minutes followed by an early bedtime: Monday morning starts at 5am!

I love the efficiency of using my entire body in kettlebell workouts as opposed to a simple dumbbell bicep curl or squat. And best of all, I keep my kettlebell tucked away in a corner of my office. When I’m not using it, it works double-duty as a door stop, a weapon for the would-be intruder and a constant happy reminder that I can do a home workout anytime.

Kettlebells are handles with heavy cast-iron balls underneath, similar to a purse or grocery bag. Using momentum is the name of the game, here, and they’re great for explosive power movements, too. Before embarking on your kettlebell journey, know proper form. Learn the ins and outs of swings, snatches, snatches, high-pulls, cleans, catches and jerks. What lingo, right?

Here are some basic moves to get you started:

1. Kettlebell swing with 2 hands
A favorite among kettlebell enthusiasts, this basic move targets shoulders, back, hips, booty and legs.
How it works: Stand tall, feet parallel and a bit wider than hip-distance apart, core engaged. Grab kettlebell with both hands, keeping the palms face down and arms in front of the body. Keeping back flat and maintaining a slight bend to the knees, drive the hips back, lowering the body — but keeping shoulders above hips. Then, squeeze glutes, engage core and thrust hips forward explosively, allowing kettlebell to swing in front of your body. Remember: The motion should come from the hips (not the arms!). Keep the momentum going and repeat the swing 12-15 reps (or more!).

2. 2-arm high pull
This awesome full-body exercise targets shoulders, biceps, glutes, hamstrings and quads
How it works: Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width. Place the kettlebell on the ground between both legs. Draw navel to spine, squat down and grab kettlebell with both hands. Then, using force from the hips, drive heels into floor, stand tall and use momentum to zip kettlebell straight upwards through the center line of body, elbows at shoulder-height, kettlebell just below chin. Repeat a million times (or just 12-15 again.)

3. Kettlebell push-up
Targets: Chest, triceps, shoulders, core, quads
This move is simply a push-up, but with the kettlebell lying on it’s side with 1 hand on the kettlebell’s “belly”. Do 6-8 reps on each side.