The Wild Planet team has done it again!!  FFC has been a HUUUUUUUUUGE fan of Hyper Dash for some time now and we were just thrilled to see these guys come up with another hyper-FUN way to keep the troops movin’!  Their latest game gets kids moving by jumping, bending, tapping and getting a total body workout all under the guise of having a hilariously good time playing this game.  Even adults will get a bit of a cardio blast playing all the fun versions Wild Planet has devised.  You can play alone, individually against other players or in teams. You gotta check this out…..AND stock up on this cool game to give for Christmas and Birthday gifts!  Here’s a couple of cool, handy links for you to get your HYPER on…. Now Go Get in the GAME!!!!

This yummy recipes comes to us from one of our loyal readers!  YAY~ and thanks, Gwen, for this FAB & EASY PEEZY muffin ditty (that was supposed to be some sort of rhyme, but didn’t quite turn out).  The muffins are GRRRRRREAT though!

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs, beaten 4 very ripe bananas, mashed 1 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 cup milk

DIRECTIONS:

A marathon is 26.2 miles.  That’s waaaaaay more than most teams can handle in a day.  BUT, why not make it a virtual event?  Draw a map of something that is 26.2 miles.  Then make a little marker to move along the route as you complete family walks.  When you’ve completed the marathon, treat yourselves to a family reward.  Maybe a night out at the movies, or a trip to a local pumpkin patch.  Most marathons give out T-shirts, so have one made or, make your own!  Print ‘Smith  Family virtual marathon finisher’ or come up with your own witty slogan.  Have fun with it and make everyone feel part of the team!

Ok, this snack may not have the MOST appealing name, but you gotta trust us- it’s GREAT stuff!  Fruit leather comes in 10 amazing flavors, so you’re sure to find something for everyone on your team.  FFC can’t get enough of the Pineapple Cocnut Paradise or the Orchard Cherry~mmmmmmmmmmmm, yummy!  Plus, fruit leather from Stretch Island Fruit Co. scores bonus points for being super-convenient and ridiculously easy to take anywhere- lunch boxes, school snacks, sports practice, in a purse, anywhere!  I mean it!  Oh, and by the way, check out these amazing snack stats:  only 45 calories and no fat or artifical ingredients!  Take that high-sugar imitation ‘fruit’ snacks!

For more info, or to order online go to www.stretchislandfruit.com .  Snack away!

Hold on to your hats, FFC readers!  We’ve got some more AB-SOLUTE-LY fabolous news!  I had the opportunity to speak directly with Heather Cabot, web life editor for Yahoo! and founder of www.thewellmom.com yesterday.  Ms. Cabot is an experienced network journalist and internet expert, and guess what?!?  She loves family fitness coach.com just like you!!  She gave me some great little tidbits of advice and we’re thrilled beyond belief to announce that we will be hosting a link right from our site to hers!!  YAY!  In the meantime, be sure to check out www.thewellmom.com and sign up for her most excellent (and FREE!) e-newsletter!  You’ll be glad you did!  Welcome to the Family Fitness Coach Family, Well Mom!  We’re so glad you’re in the game!!!

What are you saving it for anyway- Christmas?!  This little trick sounds too good (and too easy!) to be true!  But trust me, it works like a charm!  Instead of piling fruits and veggies on your kids’ regular dinner plate, serve up new varieties in fancy dishes or glasses.  Your team will be much more accepting of fruit for dessert if it’s served up in a way that makes it look extra special.  Serve cut up berries in a footed glass dish or place baby carrots in an individual bowl with a ramekin of hummus or low-fat ranch.  Watching those babies gobble up the good stuff will be well worth the extra effort!    If you’re really nervous about breaking your good dishes, invest in a couple of inexpensive but fancy looking pieces.  It’s a great way to keep your team on the healthy track!

Whenever I want my team to try out a new piece of fitness equipment, I make sure I don’t tell them!  That’s right!  I do NOT tell them the equipment is for them!!  In fact, I just bring whatever it is into the living room and plop in down in front of the TV they’re watching and start using it myself.  I’ll usually even throw in a little chuckle for good measure, just so the whole team sees how much fun I’m having!  After a short time, someone will crack and ask if they can try it.  This is crucial.  At this point, I always HES-I-TATE!  “Hmmmm,” I’ll say, “I’m not sure if you’re really old enough for this.  I guess if you promise to be very careful, and only use it for a quick minute, I guess you can give it a try.”

BAM!

They’re hooked!

This works exceptionally well with kid friendly, lightweight equipment such as balls, bands, stability disks, etc.

Have fun, but PLEASE do not tell your players about our little secret!

Check this out, mateys!  FFC has found another awesome backpack, lunch-bag friendly snack you can feel good about sending with your team!  Pirate’s Booty is a gluten-free, peanut-free snack that everyone will love.  It tastes just like cheese popcorn only without the gross sticky orange fingers and nutritional nightmare!  Pirate’s Booty is made from all natural ingredients, has no preservatives and tastes absolutely amazing!!  Check out these impressive snack food stats: Each 1 oz serving (the snack food standard) has just 130 calories and 5g fat plus 1g fiber and 2g protein!  WOOHOO!  Check out the super simple ingredient list, too!  We can’t wait to try the Caramel Booty and the BBQ Booty too!!  Booty on!    

Hey everyone!  I have some exciting news to share!  Last week I received an email from Kara Lubin, president and founder of a cool organization called the 100 Mile Club.  Her organization encourages kids to set a goal of running (or walking) 100 miles during the course of the school year!  This year, they expect more than 10,000 kids to accept this challenge and experience the thrill of being more active and attaining a personal goal!  WOOHOO!  So, you can imagine my excitement when Ms. Lubin emailed Family Fitness Coach to compliment us on the website and brainstorm for ideas on how we might work together in the future!   Be on the lookout for more info on this exciting partnership in the upcoming months!!  In the meantime, check out the 100 Mile Club for yourself!  It’s AMAZING!!!  Now go get in the game!!