It’s spring, the weather is getting better (sort of) and on a recent trip to the local mall, one thing became very clear to me.

Tis the season to feel fat.

Why would I notice this? And at at the mall of all places?

Well for one thing, it was packed. Clearly, other people don’t rely on the mail service for their shopping needs the way I do. The second thing I noticed was the droves of women crowding around the shoe wall in the local Sport Chek.

These women were three deep, there were running shoes everywhere, and even with the handy little gadgets in their hands to check inventory, I couldn’t get someone to even look at me to ask them a question. When I finally grabbed my own shoes off the shelf, someone almost took them away because we were the same size. It was surreal.

And the reason they (we) were all there? One lady who had one hand on her stroller and the other on a Starbucks Skinny Mocha, summed it up fairly succinctly:

“I need these shoes to be comfortable. So I don’t quit running after a week. Because I’m fat and I need to lose weight.”

Yup.

She didn’t look fat to me, but the heads nodding in agreement all along the shoe wall said that there were others who were there for the exact same thing.

And as I wandered around, peeking into stores here and there, I saw a lot of different types of women in the mall. Women walking out of bathing suit stores with a facial expressions you might only expect to see if someone is chasing you with a chain saw, women rushing past the cupcake store as if a big gooey hand is going to reach out and suck them into a vat of icing against their will.

After a winter of rain, cold, and eating cookies, Moms everywhere are realizing (as we do every year) that hiding behind our sweatshirts isn’t going to be an option for much longer. And let’s face it, those hot pink and blue retro Capri pants the stores are coming out with in a homage to the 80′s don’t fit very well after eating 6 months of muffins or while sporting a muffin top.

So that’s why I find this recent story on Good Morning American fairly horrifying. The K-E Diet is being used by new brides to lose 10-20 pounds before their big day, and it works by strapping on a feeding tube and wearing it out and about for 10 days.

For $1500, you too can hook up your feeding bag and lose weight. It’s simple, and with no running required, I’m sure the women are heading toward the Doctor promoting this in droves.

I won’t even go into the complete weirdness of wearing a feeding tube as you go about your daily business. Or,  how odd you look using one when feeding tubes are associated with illness. No, what worries me about this is if brides are doing this, those brides will eventually become mothers.

And once they’re mothers? Baby weight, lack of time to exercise, bad eating habits fueled from long nights of coffee and no sleep – All of these will contribute to weight gain, and once you gain weight, what are you going to do? Head back to the feeding tube.

Not only will this contribute to a viscous cycle of weight loss and weight gain, it sets a really ridiculous example for our daughters. Which makes me angry when I consider how I’ve already heard a few 9 year olds say “No thank you” to a tiny slice of birthday cake in case it goes to their still baby sized hips.

It remains to be seen whether this diet, like so many others, will be a flash in the pan. In the meantime, you’d be best to avoid the shoe wall at your local sports store between 10 and 4 pm on Saturdays. You’re likely to get hit in the head by flying shoes.

A few months ago, I wrote an article on how Canadians can get access to US Netflix. It’s a pretty popular article for good reason. US Netflix is amazing, much more so than Canadian Netflix.

Today I wrote an updated version for The Vancouver Province. Check it out if you are still looking for an easy way to tap into the best video streaming in Canada.

Want to keep up with the latest tech trends and read a great newspaper at the same time? Check out my Tech Blog on The Vancouver Province.

Get the 411 on Dual-Band Routers and weigh in if you think your home needs one.

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Spring can be a nasty time of year, just because its a reminder that we’re all really sick of old man winter and are impatiently waiting for the warmth and sunshine the Universe clearly isn’t ready to hand over quite yet. And, even worse, it’s that time when we’re seeing the new shorts, tank tops, and cute little shirts (except for the neon stuff. Seriously, I was happy to leave neon pink pants firmly back in my childhood. The horror of trying a pair of those on now would scar me for the rest of my life) that we’re dying to try on for size to see if they a.) Still fit, and b.) make us look flabby.

Even if it doesn’t look or feel like Spring out there, it’s going to sneak up on you before you know it. With Spring and Summer comes kids outside, playing in the park, and enjoying ourselves at the beach. When you have extra Winter weight holding you back, you can’t feel as healthy as you’d like. This Spring, do more for yourself than simply thinking, ‘I want to be skinny”. Focus on being healthy instead.

So go ahead and do your research – Buy a few apps, join a fitness club, or grab yourself a jogging stroller, then follow a few of these really simple (so simple you’ve probably thought of them but maybe you just need a reminder) tips to get started on the road to a healthier you right now.

Let the cat eat the waffles

I have a Ragdoll kitten. She arrived at Christmas time, brought by Santa and placed in the loving arms of my daughter. Since she has come to live with us, we’ve been taught a few things about receiving a pet from the North Pole. For one, if you watch Elf, you know that their food groups are slightly different than ours. An example? According to Buddy the Elf, syrup is a big part of their daily diet. Clearly the North Pole pet shop is on the same program, because our cat Belle thinks that waffles and syrup are the best thing going. The kids will finish half a waffle and leave it on the table, then Belle will move in all stealth like and try to get to the waffles. Sometimes she succeeds. She’ll attack anything sweet, including canisters of whip cream that we were planning on using for hot chocolate.

The point I’m making here? Sometimes, when the kids leave food on the table, you may be tempted to eat it. It’s the kind of eating we, as parents, do without even thinking. Something left on your plate? Send it over to Dad. Half a bowl of Mac & Cheese? Mom will clean it up on the way to the dishwasher.

A very small step you can make in the right direction as far as health improvement/weight loss? When there is left over food on the table, let someone else eat it. Maybe not the cat, but definitely not yourself.

Green Shakes

I’ve seen pictures of Green Shakes before. McDonalds has one which I haven’t tried since I was a kid, mostly because, well I just can’t drink that stuff anymore than I can put a McRib sandwich anywhere near my mouth. No, thank you. The Green Shakes I’m talking about are healthy, easy to make, and include things like Kale and Spinach. And here’s the most surprisingly thing – They taste really, really good and you stay seriously full for a long time.

If you replace even one meal a day with a shake like this, you’ll see an inch or two melt off before you know it. Just put a cup of Activa non-fat yogurt in a blender with half a cup of skim milk and one scoop of protein powder. Then add Blueberries, fresh peaches, strawberries, and a good old handful of Kale and Spinach. It won’t look overly green and it won’t taste green either.

Want to see how long it keeps you full? Make a note of when you drank it and then note when you’re hungry again. You’ll see, it’s completely worth it. You can buy a big bag of pre-washed “Power Greens” in your local grocery store.

Go to sleep instead of eating late at night

I don’t know about you, but it used to be that late at night when I was working, the Cookie Monster in my house would come out and Me Wanted Cookie. And without anyone around to tell me not to or distract me, me ate a lot of Cookies. Or Mini-Wheats, whatever was handier. So just once, I decided to go to bed hungry instead of full of Cookie, and an amazing thing happened.

I slept better. Obviously when you don’t have to process a lot of sugary junk while you are sleeping, you don’t have bad dreams and your body is able to sleep soundly. Unless I have to stay up until 2 am because I have a deadline, if I start to get munchy now I get out of the kitchen and go to bed. And if I do have to stay up, I drink a bottle of flavored water and see if that helps before I start ripping apart the kitchen.  It’s working for me, maybe it will work for you.

Really, it’s not about weight loss is it? It’s about being healthier, feeling better, and having the energy to keep up with your kids. The weight loss is a secondary thing.

What’s your plan for getting fit this Spring? Share it here.

Spring has sprung, at least in most places, and you know what that means? It’s time to get off your duff and get back into your exercise program.

I’m a huge proponent of using Apps for Exercise. There is literally an App for everything, including situps, pushups, Pilates, Yoga, and all around strength training. But in my humble opinion, the best of the bunch are Running Apps.

I’ve written about Couch to 5K before, and I’ve discussed Bridge to 10K and Nike + GPS. They’re great, but I’ve found something even better. It’s motivating, it’s fun, and it has Zombies – I’m not sure you could ask for much more.

Cool Fact: The company that created the App did a fundraising campaign for it on KickStarter.

Zombies, Run! is a running game/audio adventure, and once you put your ear buds on you are literally immersed in the middle of a Post-Apocolyptic world full of crazed Zombies. As Runner 5, your goal is to pick up items and help the township fight off the Zombies.

Here’s the lowdown on Zombies, Run!

The Cost

$7.99. It appears to be quite a hefty price in a land of Apps not priced over $2.99, but I think it was money well spent.

Why does it work?

Most of us are lazy by nature. I mean, we aren’t 1975 style lazy where we watch hours of soap operas, blissfully unaware of where our children might be, but we definitely can be on the sluggish side.

Zombies, Run! works because it’s a really good story, and if you have a hard time putting down a book once you get really into it, you’ll definitely want to discover the next adventure. You just have to run to listen to it.

Where can you run?

Everywhere, even on a treadmill. It doesn’t track your distance the way Nike + GPS does. Instead, you are sent on a variety of ‘missions’ each day, picking up items as you go (in the game, not literally) and once you complete the mission radio mode kicks in. The more you run, the more missions open up to you.

Play your own music

Zombies, run! will access your playlists and play your favorite running music in between the vocal parts of the mission. I truly think one of the voices is Ricky Gervais. Someone please confirm this.

Want to sprint? Of course you do

Turn on Zombie Swarms and get ready for some teeth gnashing good times. It sounds like the Zombies are right on your back, and it’s motivating in a ‘I’m truly terrified’ kind of way. Because even if you are a skeptic, it’s hard not to believe in Zombies. I blame the Thriller video.

Just be sure to keep clear of high traffic areas, because you might get distracted and actually run into a car. Parks are good for Zombie swarms, as are dimly lit bike paths just at the point when the sun is going down. Think of how much weight you’ll lose if you turn it on at Twilight.

It works with Nike + GPS

I couldn’t find a FAQ on how to work it with Nike + GPS, so I figured it out myself. Open Nike + on your phone. Start your run as normal, but without music. Tap to close Nike + GPS (only once, not twice to completely close it). Then tap on Zombies, Run! and select your run. Be sure to enable music and choose your playlist. Keep the App running and you’ll hear updates from both Nike and Zombies, Run!

It’s a nice way to keep your miles adding up on Nike while still having a scary old time with the  Zombies.

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Have fun, out run the Zombies, and be sure to share your tips and tricks with us.

Welcoming a new baby into the world is one of the most exciting times in a parent’s life. Over the course of several months, the nursery has been painted, the wardrobe stocked with tiny clothes, the crib assembled, and the infant car seat adjusted—and readjusted. Sometime in the eighth or ninth month, the hospital bag is packed and eagerly placed by the front door. Everything is ready for the big day. Or is it? There are many things to prepare for when expecting a baby, not the least of which being the actual day of delivery.

Visit Your Hospital

One of the first things to consider when preparing for delivery day is hospital or birthing center protocol. Most medical facilities offer tours to future patients. This helps to ensure that the patient knows where to go when it comes time for admission, as well as to offer peace of mind regarding what to expect during their stay. Taking a tour also provides an opportunity for expecting parents to ask any questions they may have. This would be an ideal time to inquire about pre-admission registration forms, which are often available for pregnant patients to submit well before their due date. This is an excellent idea, as it eliminates having to fill out paperwork and submit medical insurance information while in the throes of labor.

Cord Blood Banking

Another important matter to consider is what to do with the baby’s umbilical cord blood. In the past, the umbilical cord—and the unique blood it contains—were simply discarded after birth. Today, cordbloodbanking makes it possible for a family to save this valuable resource to potentially help treat potential illnesses such as some cancers and immune diseases. In order to ensure that cord blood is properly handled and stored, the Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Foundation advises parents to choose an accredited cord blood bank in advance since cord blood can only be collected immediately after your baby is delivered.

Making a Birth Plan

A common concern of many pregnant women is what to expect during labor and delivery. While this varies from woman to woman, it is often reassuring to have a birth plan ready. Birth plans can have as much or as little detail as the expecting parents choose, and include the mother’s wishes regarding pain medication, medical interventions, and whether the mother wants to hold or feed the baby directly after birth. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health recommends discussing your birth plan ahead of time with your doctor or midwife. Although it is a good idea for a pregnant woman to know how her ideal birth would go, it is important to keep in mind that unexpected circumstances may arise, in which case some flexibility may be necessary.

Nine months of excited anticipation leads up to the very rewarding experience of bringing a baby into the world. Whether everything on delivery day goes exactly according to plan or something unanticipated pops up, the key to a positive experience remembering that whatever it takes to safely deliver the baby is well worth it.

I will admit it. I skipped out on the iPad 2. I’m all for upgrading gadgets on a yearly basis, but even with the camera built-in I didn’t see the need to upgrade. I was, and still am, extremely happy with the first generation iPad. Basically, I was waiting it out for the #3.

And with the announcement of the new iPad, now might be the time to pick one up. Here’s a few reasons why:

But Mom, everybody has one!

Yes, they really do. Well, maybe not everybody but the numbers are definitely increasing. And in recent research, a whopping 70% of tablet owners said their kids used the device. Even if you didn’t want them to play anything but educational games, having a tablet is a brain-opener for your kids.

Before I had my iPad, my kids would play games on my computer. And when they’d get bored of that game, whether it be the ‘Grade One Fun Curriculum” game I spent $30 on or the drawing game I spent $50 on, I’d be faced with the cost of purchasing new games. Not to mention the fact despite my net-nanny and pop up blocker, when they surfed the Web stupid stuff still managed to infiltrate their computer and pop up at the most inopportune times. It was minor, but I don’t want to have to explain again the concept of scammers and why some Mom from Nebraska really isn’t making $2000 per day working at home.

With a tablet, you control the experience. If you don’t want them to surf the web, delete the web browser. Need to find a new game for them to play on a road trip? Download 5 for under $5. With a touch screen, it caters to toddler’s fingers. My 2 year old is so immersed in touch screens he’ll look at my computer and try to move things around the screen with his finger.

1080p Video recording

I don’t know about you, but my old camcorder doesn’t let me tape in 1080p. I’ve been sending my old tapes from previous camcorders into Costco to be put onto DVD and the result is dismal. Blurry, shaky, dark – It’s not really how I want to relive my kid’s at Disneyland or their Christmas concert. With 1080p video recording and built-in software stabilization to stop your shaky hands from ruining the moment, the new iPad will become your go-to recording device.

AirPlay Mirroring

If you have an 2nd generation iPad and Apple TV, you already know what AirPlay Mirroring is about. With AirPlay, you can display your iPad screen on your big screen TV. It’s a wireless feature with the new iPad, so you don’t even need to hook up via an HDMI cable anymore.

You can stream the videos and music you have on your new iPad to your big screen, which appeals when the kids are fighting over the iPad and everyone wants to watch one thing. But what about Apps? This is where it could get interesting.

Here’s a list of AirPlay-enabled apps, and although there aren’t very many, you can bet your hat on the fact more will be coming soon. I don’t know about you, but the option of playing my favourite apps on the big screen appeals to me. However I have been known to have issues with people peering over my shoulder, so it could be just me.

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There are many other features in the new iPad that make me want to get one, including a faster processor, retina display, and dictation (which appeals to the writer in me, although if I started dictating dialogue around the kids they’d think I’d lost my mind). If you’ve never had a tablet, this might be the time to pick one up.

Questions about the new iPad? Just ask - Email us, we’ll answer.

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Welcome Meredith Bland to Survive Parenthood Magazine –
Meredith blogs regularly at Pile of Babies: Take a Knee, I Have Nonsense to Spew (http://www.pileofbabies.com). She has been published at Errant Parent and Imperfect Parent.

Only the best for your little princess? Well, it’s time to put your considerable money where your mouth is and plunk down $949.99 (the extra .99 is for extra fancy) for the North Park Mansion kit.

The manufacturer estimates it will take about 40 hours to assemble and finish this stately home, so it’s time to take that week off work you’ve been saving up! And don’t forget to head to the hardware store, as you will need the following tools to build your little darling’s country estate:

“…a hammer, fine-toothed saw, glue, utility knife, masking tape, sandpaper, paint, brushes, screwdriver, ruler, square, and brads.”

I would go ahead and add in the cost of a hotel room, because by the time you get about 27 hours into this little project whoever is helping you build it is not going to want to listen to you breathe, let alone sleep in the same house as you.