Stay in Stride......

Check out our September Newsletter!

We're Growing!

Stroller Strides of Havelock (our second location!) is up and running!!! Our Grand Opening was Wednesday, September 1st and it turned out to be a wonderful, fun-filled day. It was very inspiring to meet so many new moms who are excited to incorporate fitness (with their kiddos!) into their daily routine. I am so proud of each mom who attended class, it was an extremely hot day! By the end of class the moms were over-heated and the babies were a little cranky but everyone finished with a smile=).I am so blessed to be able to offer Stroller Strides to moms in Morehead City and now Havelock (and surrounding areas- we have quite a few New Bern mommies too!). Thank you Stroller Strides for this amazing opportunity and thank you to all the moms who attend class, your enthusiasm and smiles make my day!

13.1...Let the fun begin!

On Tuesday, myself and 3 other brave Stroller Striding mommies started training for a half marathon. Yes, that's right, 13.1 miles. Considering I've never run more than a 5k (ever!) this is going to be quite a challenge AND an accomplishment! I am so inspired by the moms I'm training with, there is no doubt in my mind that each of us can and will finish the race!

Our first run was 3 miles in extreme heat! We all walked a bit but the important thing is that we all finished. 3 miles is a long way from 13.1 but I know we'll get there. Slowly but surely, we'll be logging miles in the double digits! As we start, the road to the half seems long but it's a journey I'm looking forward to completing with the strongest, toughest group of mommies I know!

I seem to have lost my motivation....

....to run! I was on a roll, running atleast 3 times a week. And then allergies hit me followed by brutal hot weather and here I am, no motivation to run and a half marathon lurking in the near future. Ok, I own a treadmill, hot weather is really no excuse! I have run a few random times since I stopped running consistently (runners guilt maybe?) and honestly, I totally sucked. I even had to take walking breaks! I know that I need to start running again, just do it and not think about all the other things I should be doing instead. I know I need to start slow and gradually build up to where I was before I fell off the running wagon. So what is holding me back?...nothing. I'll start tomorrow, I promise! If you see me tomorow, please hold me to this.

What keeps you motivated?

Why I do what I do.....

Nothing makes me happier than to see the impact that Stroller Strides has! I especially love to hear the cute stories of the kiddos playing Stroller Strides after class and at home. I know my daughter loves to do squats, jumping jacks, fast feet, and tickle drills.


I am so proud of my Stroller Strides moms as well as all Stroller Striders out there who are impacting their children each and every day as they exercise with their kiddos!

You know you're a Stroller Strider if.....

*Your kiddos learn to count....backwards.

*You know "just 1 more rep" really means at least 8 more.

*Your kiddos like to show Daddy their "Fast Feet."

*You call Suicides "Tickle Drills."

*You push your shopping cart with shoulders down and back, core engaged, wrists in neutral.

*You see a park bench as a great place to do Step-ups, not sit down.

*You do your Kegels!

*You know the most important stretch of all is a SMILE!

*You are surrounded by an amazing support group of women.

*You are making strides in fitness, motherhood, and life.

Mommy Spotlight

Alisa Vrable

Alisa is mommy to 2 1/2 year-old Jack and brand new baby Sam (born 2/28). Alisa has been with our group from the very start, she attended our first playgroup at City Park and has been an active Stroller Strides member (she was at class 2 days before Sam was born!).

What are your goals as a mom?
My goals as a Mom are to instill in my children a belief in God, to be a good role model for them, teach them to respect women, teach them good values, to be hard-working and honest at all times. To let them know it's ok to fail, as long as they tried.

What is your #1 challenge as a mom?
I think my challenges just changed, as of six days ago. My fear of having a second baby was having the quality of time that I would like for both of them. This has proven very true this past week. Hopefully I'll find that balance very quickly!!

What are your fitness goals for 2010?
My fitness goals for this year are to lose the rest of my baby weight by May-June and strengthen/tone myself up again. I foresee a lot of squats, lunges, tricep and ab exercises in my future!

List some of your previous "jobs".
After college, I worked with children who were in crisis and that had been abused/neglected. I then entered the Columbus(Ohio) Police Academy and spent over eight yrs. with the dept. This was definitely the best shape I have ever been in in my life. After getting married and moving across the country to be with my husband, who was stationed at Camp Pendleton, I worked at the Armed Services YMCA facilitating an after-school program called Operation Hero. It was a program that was designed to help grade school children, who were having issues with socialization and deployments. This was a very rewarding job watching my 'kids' grow and flourish throughout the program.

What is your proudest "mommy" moment?
I have had so many over the past two and a half yrs. Becoming a mommy has presented itself to be the greatest blessing to me and the greatest challenge at times. Watching Jack learn has probably been some of the proudest moments. He picks up things so quickly and has such a wonderful disposition(most of the time). He has a way of always making me laugh. He already goes up to Sam and sings his ABCs and counts to 15 for him.

Happy 1st Birthday Crystal Coast Stroller Strides!

Check out our video in honor of a year of fitness, fun, and great memories!

Picture slideshow made with Smilebox

Blankets of Love

I've packed and unpacked my car many times during my (almost!) year long career as a Stroller Strides instructor. Yoga balls to use during our workout, craft supplies and snacks for playgroup, toys to keep the kiddos happy during Stroller Strides. You name it and it's most likely been packed in a bag and loaded into my car!

Today I loaded my car with bags and bags and bags full of baby blankets and hats. Packing and unpacking my car day in and day out can sometimes seem like a bit of a chore but, today, I couldn't help but smile to myself each time I loaded another very full (and heavy) bag.



For almost a year now, our LUNA Mom's Club has been collecting receiving blankets and newborn hats to donate to a very special charity, "Blankets of Love." These blankets and hats will be shipped to Uganda and various other impoverished areas where the mothers can not afford to provide a blanket and hat to keep their newborns warm after birth. In some cases this leads to hypothermia. The reason I was smiling- I know that the bags and bags of blankets and hats I was loading into my car truly have the potential to save the life of a newborn baby. What an amazing experience this has been!

I would like to sincerely thank the moms who helped make our blanket and hat drive a HUGE success including the LUNA Moms in Jacksonville and Wilmington as well as our local moms here at the Crystal Coast. As I was talking to Sonja, one of the midwives organizing the drive, she made a very good point- Moms are an amazing force, they can truly do anything!!

Crystal Coast Stroller Strides May Newsletter

May is the perfect month to celebrate Motherhood. At Stroller Strides, we like to spoil our moms all month long!! We have so many great events planned to show you just how much we appreciate our moms.
Click here to fun activities we have planned this month!

Stroller Strides Supports National Women's Health Week

Stroller Strides Supports National Women's Health Week
— Stroller Strides programs is encouraging women to honor National Women's Health Week, a weeklong celebration beginning on Mother's Day, May 9th.

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Check out what's happening this month with Crystal Coast Stroller Strides and Luna Mom's Club!!

Stay in stride with Crystal Coast Stroller Strides! Sign-up to receive our monthly newsletter.

Eat Smart!

"Studies have found potential links between pesticides and breast cancer risk. Pesticides and other synthetic chemicals are found in our food. Read labels, ask your grocer to stock organic produce and hormone-free meats and dairy products, and look for organic food at your local farmers’ market. Look for natural alternatives to chemical weed and bug killers and take preventative measures such as mulching for weeds and using traps, barriers, fabric row covers, or plant-based repellents to get rid of pests.

The pesticides of greatest concern for breast cancer are used in the agricultural setting. To take a step further, visit the Pesticide Action Network website (www.panna.org) to clean up the environment beyond your home."

Create a Healthy Home

Make your home a chemical-free sanctuary. Many household items, including paper products and cleaning supplies, contain cancer-causing chemicals. These products can be replaced with safer, non-toxic alternatives available at your local supermarkets and health food stores. Plus, by making smart purchases you let manufacturers and retailers know that you won’t stand for toxic products.

Some plastics leach chemicals into the substances they touch, so you should try to choose non-plastic alternatives when possible.
Avoid microwaving your food in plastic containers or in plastic wrap. Choose ceramic or glass containers instead.
Swap plastic water bottles for stainless steel or aluminum options.
Choose non-toxic baby toys and shower curtains instead of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), plastic or vinyl.

Get Fit in 2010 with Stroller Strides

"New Year, New You!"

Join Stroller Strides in 2010 and work towards reaching your fitness goals!! In honor of your commitment to fitness, Crystal Coast Stroller Strides will offer a greatly reduced registration fee of $20.10 (a savings of $40!) to all moms who join in the month of January. Click here to sign up for a FREE week of classes!

"Cheer to a new year and another chance for us to get it right." ~Oprah

Breast Cancer Prevention

Tip #1 from your LUNA Mom's Club-

Fewer than 10% of breast cancers occur due to a genetic link. Even when all traditional risk factors -including genetic predisposition, reproductive history, diet, exercise and alcohol- are aggregated, more than half of U.S. breast cancer cases remain unexplained. The Breast Cancer Fund believes that environmental exposures to toxic chemicals and radiation are increasing breast cancer risk. Visit and direct your friends to www.breastcancerfund.org to learn more and get people talking!