May Newsletter

The May Newsletter is now available!

Click here to read about all SS events and activities coming up this month.

Trainer Momma

I came across this blog post about Stroller Strides and I love it. She sums up the program and why we love it so well!

If you are gearing up for a move back to the mainland, do not be put off by working out in the mall. As you'll see from this article, you can work out anywhere with Stroller Strides!

Final Friday at CORP, 4/30

Please remember to go to Central Oahu Regional Park (CORP) for Final Friday class this week! There will be NO parking at Kapolei Park due to an event at Island Pacific Academy so we have moved class.

Class begins at 8:45 AM.

From Ewa/Kapolei:
*Take H1 East and exit at 8C
*You will now be on the Kam highway (99) going northbound
*Drive through several lights. When you see Jack in the Box on your right, make a left into Central Oahu Regional Park.
*Enter the first parking lot you see (it will be on your left). Class meets here.

From Schofield/Mililani:
*Take the Kam Highway (99 S) through Mililani.
*You will drive through a valley and then enter Waipahu. CORP will be on your right (McDonald's intersection) but do not enter yet.
*Keep driving and turn right at the south entrance (Jack in the Box will be your left). Drive to the first parking lot, turn left, and park here.

Final Friday class allows you to track your progress on the timed mile, plank, and push-ups. You are only competing against yourself.

Bike Factory will be coming at the end of class to give us maintenance tips for jog strollers. We will also be completing our Earth Day craft for the children at Playgroup.

See you there, at CORP!

Community Shared Agriculture is @ Leeward!

I've learned of a local CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) that many of you may be interested in. Deliveries are made at the Kapolei Costco.

Never heard of a CSA before? Click here.

10 Pass Policy Change

The 10 Block Class Pass is now valid for 6 months instead of 3. The pass activates on the first day you use it (not on the date of purchase).

March of Dimes

From Angela:
The March of Dimes was a lot of fun! The Stroller Strides kids definitely enjoyed the carnival that followed the walk too!

SS moms raised $465 of the $1,545 that Team Scarlett raised!!! We are so thankful for the SS contributions and the SS turn out! We had 8 Stroller Strides moms walking with Team Scarlett and many of them brought their husbands and children.


Angela and her family

From Joni:
Thanks to all of the Stroller Strides moms who contributed to the March of Dimes and attended the walk. In addition, Gwen (Kapolei) had her company Baby Guru raise funds for Team Scarlett too.

Member Monday

Aloha! My name is Lisa and I have 3 crazy kids, Jacob (7), Keira (5), and Owen (3), who keep me running all the time! My husband is in the Army and currently deployed, but we feel so fortunate to be living in such a beautiful place and are loving every minute of it! We moved to Hawaii 3 years ago and spend most of our spare time exploring all the wonderful beaches this island has to offer. I also enjoy reading and gardening, even though I don't get to do it very often.

We live on Schofield and I was so excited to learn that Stroller Strides was starting a class here! I have always been fairly athletic, but unfortunately haven't made exercise a priority since having kids. I'm loving the "scheduled" workouts and all the fun people I've met since starting Stroller Strides. I'm even getting my kids excited about it as well, since they will be joining me this summer! No more excuses for this mom!

Welcome Isabella

Introducing Isabella Claire
born Thursday, April 22
4:55 pm
8lbs 8.7oz
19 inches

Shannon writes that she is doing well and at home. Congratulations to you and your family, Shannon! We can't wait to meet Isabella at an upcoming Playgroup.

Final Friday at CORP, 4/30

Next week's Final Friday class will be held at Central Oahu Regional Park (CORP) on Friday, April 30 at 8:45 AM.

We have moved class due to May Day at Island Pacific Academy. There will be no parking available at Kapolei Park that morning since it is located just down the road from the school.

For directions and more information about Final Friday class, please click here.

Beach Day!

Beach Day is Thursday, April 22, at 11 AM. Meet us at Ko Olina's Lagoon 2. I will have some goodies from PopChips and Luna Bar to hand out (since I can't bring myself to give out free potato chips, no matter how healthy, after class!).

March of Dimes "March for Babies" Is This Saturday!

Mark your calendars for the March For Babies 5K!

Saturday, April 24
Kapiolani Park, Honolulu
Start Time 7 AM

While Stroller Strides has always participated in March for Babies, we have a personal connection to this year's March. Angela is a member in Ocean Pointe and the mother of Scarlett. Here's her story:

Scarlett, now nearly 9 months and doing great, was born at 29 weeks. She was 1 lb and 14 oz and 13 inches in length, the size of a 26 weeker. Scarlett spent 50 days in the NICU. She is strong and healthy and has continued to do incredibly well. We did not know it until a week after Scarlett was born, but I had preeclampsia, resulting in Scarlett's growth restriction and early birth.

Every day, thousands of babies are born too soon, too small and often very sick. We feel blessed to have Scarlett in our lives and thankful that her journey has been such an inspirational one! We are very excited to be a part of March for Babies this year and hope you will join our team!

The money we raise will support March of Dimes research and programs that help moms have full-term pregnancies and babies begin healthy lives. And it will be used to bring comfort and information to families with a baby in newborn intensive care.

I hope you will join us this year at the March for Babies walk. In lieu of donating to the Stroller Strides team, we will joining forces with Team Scarlett.

Join the team by clicking here.

If you can't make it to the March, I hope you'll still support our team with a donation. This is the only fundraiser of 2010 for Stroller Strides moms, and it doesn't take much for a little support from all of us to really add up.

Last year's event was great fun and my kids had a total blast at the Kid Zone following the walk. Let Angela or Joni know if you'll be participating so that we can be sure to walk together!

Member Monday

Aloha! My name is Christie and I have a beautiful 10 week old daughter named Sam. My husband Scott is in the military and that is how we ended up here in Hawaii. We have been here for almost 4 years and LOVE it here. I think we would stay forever if we could.

In our spare time we love to hike around the island and hang out on the beach. We can't wait for Scott to get back from his latest deployment so we can be a real family! I attend Stroller Strides in Kapolei and love every second of it. OK, maybe not at the time, but definitely by the time class is over! I would definitely not push myself the same way working out alone. I had lost nearly 30 lbs in the two years prior to getting pregnant with Sam and Stroller Strides helps to keep me on the right track!

Daytime LEAN Class Now Available

The Spring session of LEAN will now be offered on Wednesday mornings as well as Tuesday evenings.

I have taught LEAN in the day and evening. It is easier to focus on the material at night, and for this reason I recommend the evening class. However, a big part of LEAN is learning that the "best choice" isn't always practical, and for many of us, having someone home in the evenings to watch the kids is not possible.

A daytime class is a lot more do-able for the bulk of you, and we can still accomplish a lot in 8 weeks. (Plus, I won't have to clean my house for class!)

* LEAN will be held after Wednesday class @ Kapolei Regional Park, 10:10–11:30.
* Classes begin Wednesday, May 5 and end Wednesday, June 23.
* The session fee will be reduced to $119 since we will not be able to cover as much as in the evening session.
* We'll find a cozy section of the park, lay out our blankets, bring a picnic lunch and let the kids play while we go over the material.
* Class needs a minimum of 5 participants to run.

Register here if you are interested.

I am also extending the Early Registration deadline to April 23 for the evening session since we have so many new members this month.

I really believe in the principles behind LEAN. Being healthy and fit is not just about the exercise. It's about your relationship to food, your behaviors, and your habits. I hope you'll join me!

Get LEAN this Spring

The next 8-week session of LEAN begins Tuesday, May 4. Class runs from 7 to 8:30 PM and will be taught by Joni at my home in Ko Olina.

Living well is a lifestyle, not a diet, and LEAN uses cognitive behavior techniques and strategies to help you develop healthy habits. Classes include eating with awareness, nutrition know-how, exercising smarter, and even a night at the Cheesecake Factory (eating well while eating out!).

This is the 3rd session of LEAN I've taught and I will tell you now: LEAN is not a magic bullet. There is no secret to losing weight—it takes knowledge, consistency, and effort. By participating in LEAN, you allow yourself time and group support to stay focused and to achieve your goals, so that you can translate "what you know you should do," to what you actually do.

From a former participant:
I am so happy with the LEAN experience and am taking away so many habits that I will stick with for my lifetime. I love that it was a gradual process and didn't ever seem like a lot of work, but I got good results. Also, it was nice to focus on me for a change!

Receive $25 off if you register before Friday, April 23. I hope you'll get in touch if you have specific questions about the program and what it involves. Thanks!

Friday Class at Schofield!

In just two weeks, we are ready to expand Schofield and it will now be a Monday/Wednesday/Friday class, starting this week, April 16. Class is held from 8:30 to 9:45 AM at Stoneman Stadium and it is open to all Stroller Strides members.

(If you are not military and do not have base access, you can still take class at Schofield. Enter Schofield Barracks at Lyman Gate and have driver's license, insurance, and registration ready. For directions to Stoneman from Lyman Gate, please refer to the email we sent, or let me know if you need it resent.)

Member Monday

Stroller Strides is growing rapidly and there are so many moms to meet! We'll be starting "Member Monday" where we profile a member every Monday, moving through the franchise one week at a time. We'll begin with CORP... thanks to Crystal for starting us off!

Aloha! My name is Crystal and I am originally from Coral Springs, FL. I moved out here is September 2008 to be with the love of my life. His name is Sean and he is my best friend. He is stationed here in Hawaii with the Navy. We have been married for a year now and live in Waipahu with our dogs Kiper and Kona.

We also have a 3 month old little boy named Liam. Liam is the light of our lives and has taught us so much in a short amount of time. I enjoy spending time with my family. I also love turning my music up and singing and dancing to it when no one is watching. I'm one of those crazy people you'll see at a red light sing along to the radio! I have always loved music!

I joined Stroller Strides about 2 weeks ago and love it! My primary location is CORP, you will see me in Kapolei too! I use to do yoga with my mom when I lived in FL and occasionally would go to the gym and get on the treadmill. I would love to get my abs tight and tone the rest of my body. I think I've taken a step in the right direction since having Liam! I look forward to meeting you all! See you in class!

Spoil Me Rotten

I hosted Leah's birthday party today and we handed out the cutest party favors! Anne Marie (Ocean Pointe) is the owner of Spoil Me Rotten, a store that specializes in just these sorts of darling, handmade gifts. I'm happy to share her Web site with all of you, Spoil Me Rotten, since it's always fun to find hidden treasures like this. We are big fans of the Mini Princess Crayon Tote!

Retail Order Update

I emailed the Retail store to ask if they would be restocking the bamboo tank. So many of you wanted to order one but they only had sizes L and XL.

The store is receiving a new shipment of berry bamboo tanks (no black) in the next 10 business days, so I am going to hold the group order until the tanks are available.

If you would still like to order a bamboo tank, please email me and I will add you to the order. I hope to place the order by April 26. Even if you emailed me before about your order, go ahead and resend so I know you still want one with the 2-week delay.

Thursdays with Rosy

Our new class on Thursdays at Ocean Pointe has a specialty focus. Rosy will be structuring class as an active recovery day, using the flat band and spongeball as well as our regular resistance bands. (We will provide the flat band and spongeball for you.)

This class is an excellent chance to stretch your muscles, focus on core strength, recover from an intense Wednesday class, or to receive more individualized instruction since Thursdays are traditionally an off-peak day. Highly recommended for moms new to exercise, expecting a baby, just back from pregnancy, or simply really sore!

Class begins at 8:15 AM in Ocean Pointe (Ewa Beach). If you are not familiar with the area and are unsure of the directions listed on the main Web site, please send me an email or give me a call.

Retail Order

I will be placing a group Retail Order on Friday, April 9. Get your own Fit Moms Rock bamboo tank and join the club! Please add $1 for shipping and $6 for blankets. Email your order to Joni and I will charge your card on file.

Angela's Famous Hummus

Angela brought hummus to last Wednesday's luncheon for Buffy. By popular demand, here is the recipe!




Makes 8 servings

One 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt or Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

In food processor or blender, purée all the ingredients with 1 to 2 tablespoon water.

Tip: hummus sometimes includes tahini, a paste made from ground sesame seeds. If you have some on hand, add a teaspoon or so. Believe it or not, peanut butter (creamy, not chunky) is a great "fake-out" for tahini flavor.

Grand Opening at Schofield!

Thank you to EVERYONE who participated in today's Grand Opening at Schofield! This was truly a team effort and it was a fantastic start to our newest location.

THANK YOU
To Kim for instructing!

To Michaela and Jenna for ALL of their marketing efforts.

To current members Rayna, Kim G., both Stephanies, Heather, Liz, Debbie, Angie, Jen N., and Alison for attending class as experienced Stroller Striders:)

And a big THANK YOU to all those who came to see what Stroller Strides is all about and attended class for the first time today. Lindsey, Lisa, Bobbie, Candice, April, Jennifer, Rachael and Nadine: You rock!

You'll be feeling those glutes after today's giant set of lunges and sumo squats!

Buffy's Final Class

Buffy taught her final scheduled class last Wednesday and it was quite the event! It was classic Buffy -- she triumphed over the crazy wind and led 35+ women in squats, planks, dips, and organized an army crawl race. You haven't lived until you army crawl under 10 moms doing a plank, racing 2 other teams, with 30 push-ups thrown in.




After class, we had a potluck lunch and Buffy shared some of her thoughts about Stroller Strides. For those of you who don't know, Buffy was the original co-owner of SS and has been with the program for the past 7 years. Starting anything new is hard, and those first few years were a labor of love. Buffy has given her heart and soul to Stroller Strides and been a mentor and inspiration for so many moms here in Oahu. She has easily taught over 1,000 Stroller Strides classes, and a peek at her Facebook wall is a testament to how many of us have loved Buffy as our instructor and friend.


Buffy is moving on to new teaching opportunities as her children are older and out of the stroller now. You may still see her as a substitute instructor and she'll certainly be racing around Kapolei most mornings.

Good luck Buffy! We will really miss you.

Ford Island 10K

from left to right, Heather, Teresa, Gwen, Joni, Stephanie, Catherine

Congratulations to all the moms who ran the Ford Island 10K this morning! Several pushed strollers or brought Dad along to do it:) There may have been more SS moms at the event so please let me know if you were there and I didn't see you. For now, shout out to...

Kim M., Michaela, Teresa, Heather, Alison, Stephanie, Catherine, Bridget, Gwen (CORP), Kim G. (OP), and Jen N. and Joni (KAP)

We had several Top Ten Finishers in their age bracket too!
Kim G., 6th
Michaela, 7th
Bridget, 8th

And I am proud to say I finished in the Top 600 overall:)

Recreating last year's "Muscle" photo. Thanks to Teresa for our pictures.

April Newsletter

Click here for this month's Newsletter!