[MELISSA]: Between writing notes, filing insurance claims and scheduling with clients, it can be hard to stay organized. That’s why I recommend TherapyNotes. Their easy to use platform lets you manage your practice securely and efficiently. Visit therapynotes.com to get two free months of TherapyNotes today. Just use the promo code “JOE”, when you sign up for a free trial at therapynotes.com. The Bomb Mom podcast is part of the Practice of the Practice Podcast Network, a family of podcasts, that are making the world better. You’ll also probably like the Imperfect Thriving podcast, Beta Male Revolution, and Empowered and Unapologetic podcast. Check them out at www.practiceofthepractice.com/network. Hey, what’s up everyone? If you’re looking to be inspired, motivated, educated, and entertained, you have come to the right place. Welcome to the Bomb Mom podcast, the podcast where we explore your fitness, life mindsets, and actions that help you become unstoppable. You’re worth it and it’s time to finally make changes in your life that will last you the rest of your life. Hello everyone and welcome back to the Bomb Mom podcast. My name is Melissa Vogel, your host, and we have a very special episode today for everyone. You guys get three special little guests, and they are my kids. So, why don’t you… they’re sitting here very quietly, not so quietly. There’s gonna be a lot of snapping and giving them the eye look to pay attention and to behave on this episode. So, why don’t you guys introduce yourselves? Say hi to everyone. Tell them your name. [ALONDRA]: Hello, my name is Alondra Vogel. [JOVINA]: Hi, my name is Jovina Vogel. [HAVANNAH]: And I’m HAVANNAH. [MELISSA]: So, apparently only two of them have last names, and not the third. Awesome. And they did it in the wrong birth order too. Wasn’t even in the birth order. It’s fine. It’s fine. So, today we’re just gonna talk about, with the kids, our active lifestyle, what their thoughts are on it all, food, activities, exercise. I want you guys to get their opinion. They’re going to tell you a little bit more about me. What’s it like to have me as their mom? This should be really fun, just fun and interesting episode. HAVANNAH, how old are you? Why don’t you tell them a little bit about yourself? Tell them about yourself. Tell them your age. [HAVANNAH]: I’m 14 and I play club volleyball, I love to dance and yeah. [MELISSA]: What else? Okay, Jo, your turn. [JOVINA]: Hi, I’m Jovina, and I play two sports. I am in Taekwondo and volleyball. I love to be outside. Just today, I rode my bike, and it’s pretty awesome to be outside and on the beach and stuff. [MELISSA]: Alright, and your turn. [ALONDRA]: I’m Alondra. I do Taekwondo for sports. I love being outside, and bike riding, and I love my dog, Flex, and for fun I like to do wakeboarding in the summer. [MELISSA]: Yes, that’s right. We’re a very big wakeboarding family. We are into wake surfing, wakeboarding, we love anything to do with the water and the beach, and it’s part of just who we are. And it helps keep us busy and active in the summertime huh, girls? [A, J & H]: Yeah. [MELISSA]: Okay, so being a fit family, let’s dive into this. What do you guys think about being raised as my kids? What do you think about Melissa Vogel being your mom? Huh? Go ahead. Do you want to start, Alondra? [ALONDRA]: I think it’s great because we get to be healthy and not like the others. [MELISSA]: Here’s the safe answers, you guys. I did not prompt her to say that. Safe answers. No, really like what do you guys think about, not living exactly like all your friends? We do a lot of things that’s different. We do not go through McDonald’s drive-thru; we do not stop at Wendy’s and get food. When we eat out, it’s actually quite difficult for us to eat out because it’s really hard to find a place where we all like certain things. We all have different tastes. And you know, and that’s hard because, not only do we all have different tastes and we like certain things and… but, at the same time, we don’t eat junk, we don’t eat crap. So, it does make eating out a little bit difficult. And we all like to eat a lot and sometimes at different restaurants and stuff, depending on where you go, you don’t get the biggest portions and then there’s the exact opposite where you go out and you get huge portions which we don’t really want either, but it’s kind of a challenge. HAVANNAH, what do you think about like, when we go out to eat and stuff? [HAVANNAH]: It is a challenge because everybody wants to eat the same food that… everyone wants that good food, that junk food, but you got to make the choice to just not eat it. Because it not only gives you… it makes your body feel horrible after… [MELISSA]: It does, that’s true. [HAVANNAH]: It puts that in your body, and it tells your mind that like it’s the wrong, it’s the wrong thing. And I know it, my mom has taught me that it is the wrong thing and she has put it into my mind that it is the wrong thing to eat. [MELISSA]: And why? Why do you think like, you know, just… and there’s a balance, they know all about balance, right? Do we like never eat french fries? [A, J & H]: No. [MELISSA]: Do we never get ice cream and cookies? [JOVINA]: We always get them every once in a while. [MELISSA]: Every once in a while. It’s about balance, you guys. It’s about teaching the kids about balance and it’s important for them, and your kids to see, the moms listening to this, it’s important for them to see, and the dads, to see balance. It’s important for them to see us eating healthy making the right choices, but then also enjoying life and eating the treats and stuff. So, tell me how HAVANNAH, since we were already talking with you, why? Explain to the listeners, and maybe some other teens are listening too; why is it important to not pig out all the time? You know, why is it important to not go out and eat the burgers and fries, you know, all the time every day? [HAVANNAH]: I mean, it can be fun sometimes, you know, you want to go out with your friends, you want to eat that food and it’s, I do it too. I go out, I eat. Every once in a while, on a birthday, I will go out with my friends and I will eat… [MELISSA]: Yeah, balance. [HAVANNAH]: Like, I’ll eat the food, you know, and then, um, but it’s just not, it’s not fuel. It doesn’t fuel my body to give it like, since I play a club sport, it doesn’t fuel my body enough the rest of the day to be able to go to practice. If I went and I ate junk for lunch, then I can’t do, I can’t practice the same. [MELISSA]: Yeah, it’s true. You feel slow and sluggish. And you’ll crash too, you’ll definitely crash. So, one of the things we do every day, no matter what, and they’re going to do this forever and ever, is we pack our own lunches, right, for school and stuff. Now, right now, we’re currently not in school because of everything going on around us, but we’re still practicing all that at home. So, every day for lunch for school, what do you guys have? We have the same thing just about every day, we just change it up. What do we have? What do we pack for our lunch, so we can help other people listening? [HAVANNAH]: We have, it’s always a sandwich. Always… [MELISSA]: Always a sandwich. [HAVANNAH]: Whether it’s turkey, peanut butter & jelly, just peanut butter, um… [MELISSA]: Chicken. [HAVANNAH]: Yeah, chicken. [MELISSA]: And why is that? Do you know? Why do we do a sandwich? Do you guys know why we do a sandwich? [JOVINA]: To get carbs? [MELISSA]: To get carbs. And in the middle, we get our protein. Right? [JOVINA]: Yes, I have avocado. [MELISSA]: Yes, they have avocado sandwiches, which is like, awesome. We have chicken. That’s right. But it’s important because then they’re getting a source of fuel, good fat, carb, and a protein. What else do we have in our lunch that we have to have? [ALONDRA]: Well, we have a sandwich. We have fruit. We usually get some chips, cookies. [MELISSA]: And why do we have fruit? Every day we have some type of different fruit, right? [A, J & H]: Yes. [JOVINA]: It gives us good nutrients for our body. [MELISSA]: Yep. And a good sugar. It’ll give them a little midday sugar kick. We typically do strawberries, grapes, when they’re in season, blueberries. Two of them actually, two out of the three are fructose intolerant. So, what that means is their body can’t break down fructose. So, high fructose corn syrup can’t even be an option in our home. It would literally shut their little guts down. But this also means they can’t have natural fructose as well, and that can be found in honey, agave, pears, apples, so we have to be really careful with the fruit that we put in their lunch. Cantaloupe is good, but too much of it can give them a tummy ache. So, we stick with a lot of berries, but this is a great source for antioxidants for them every day. Now, you guys have heard me talk about food, maybe I have, maybe I haven’t. A mommy getting ripped and trying to, you know, really shed fat, build muscle and stuff, probably shouldn’t have fruit in her lunch every day. Why? It’s a lot of sugar. A lot of sugar for a mommy trying to get ripped up and lean. But kids, since we’re talking about meeting the family today and talking about kids, absolutely fine. It’s great antioxidants for them. It’s a natural sugar boost for that midday, you know, they’re probably getting tired, they’re really hungry, and it’s a great combination with the carb, the protein and then the sugar rush. And then we get what? What else did you say? [JOVINA]: Chips. [MELISSA]: Chips, some form of like a cruncher chip. So, we do organic pita chips, the little one likes organic Doritos. We do veggie straws. If we do a potato chip, it’s definitely organic. We don’t stray from organic as much as we can. And this just provides them a different texture as well, moms. Listen up. So when you have a squishy sandwich, right, filling the squish need, and then you have fruit – that can usually have a little bit of crunch if it’s a hard grape, or if you’re putting apples in your kid’s lunch, that’s awesome. The chip is going to provide that crunch. And that gives them a different type of sensory input, it can be a little salty and stuff, and that helps them feel satisfied and full when you’re meeting all of their needs like that. So, think about that and think about the different textures that they’re getting with their foods. You want to take a look at your kids’ lunch and never be like, oh my god, everything in their lunch comes out of a package. And that’s sad, huh? Who was just telling me the other day about their friend’s lunch? Okay, they can’t see you raise your hands. You’re gonna have to come closer. What were you telling mommy about your friends lunch the other day? [ALONDRA]: Well, I have a friend and I just felt bad. We all felt bad for her because she didn’t have any like food, she didn’t have real food. She only had snacks like dried apples, goldfish, cheeses. [MELISSA]: And that was her whole lunch? [ALONDRA]: Yeah, she only had snacks. It wasn’t healthy stuff. [MELISSA]: Yeah. And what’s really funny, you guys, is your kids know my kids, and they see your lunch and they’re totally judging you. I’m not gonna lie. They’re totally judging your kids’ lunch and they’re looking and picking it out. It’s true huh, you guys are judging it. But it’s just because they know so much, and they don’t say anything. Did you say anything to your friend? [ALONDRA]: No. [MELISSA]: And was like, “Oh my God, your whole lunch is snacks.” [ALONDRA]: I’m just gonna feel bad. [MELISSA]: You just yeah, well, you came home and told me all about that right? So, think about that, parents. Look at, take a look at your kid’s lunch. Put it on the counter, take three steps back and look at it. Add up mentally, how much sugar is in their lunch right now? Like if you had to do a quick run through, the bread, the jelly, the chips, the snack, you know, the treats after. Do a quick run through of how much sugar they’re going to consume in that lunch. And I’m not gonna lie, when I go on field trips, oh my god, all I do is stare at all the kids’ food. And I look at what other parents pack the kids and I’m like, that’s out of a package, that’s out of a package, oh my god, that’s sugar, that’s more sugar, that’s more sugar. And the juices that they drink, and like, you know, they come in the plastic containers, right? And they look like a, like a jug or, I don’t know and then they got the foil that you peel off, I don’t even know the names of this you guys. And it’s just pure sugar and it’s blue and it’s red, and you guys know that was not colored by blue blueberries. [JOVINA]: (whispering) Kool Aid. [MELISSA]: Kool Aid, yep. The red isn’t colored by raspberries, you know. This is artificial red 40, blue 5, all this is just junk. So, we…huh? [JOVINA]: Coloring? [MELISSA]: Yeah, food coloring and stuff. So, it’s really, really important to pay attention to your ingredients, your labels. And something that they’re eating every day and that you can help them with is their lunch. Lunch programs at the school, not the best options all the time, you guys. [A, J & H]: No. [MELISSA]: What do you guys get at school? Like if… You guys have never bought lunch at school before, but what do they have? What are the options at school? [HAVANNAH]: A lot of the options at my school are never, never actual food, like never sandwiches. It’s always hotdogs or pizza, or like, even in the breakfast, they have like big packs of sugary doughnuts. Or like big chocolate muffins or just, it’s just not good. I sometimes wish that sometimes if I did buy lunch that they would have like a salad bar at school or some sort of fruit that you could grab, but it’s just always packaged, like hotdogs, or cheeseburgers, or pizza or anything. [MELISSA]: Yeah. When they bring home the menu, it kind of makes me cringe, cos it’s like, chicken nuggets one day, mac ‘n cheese one day and I’m like, when do they get real food? And I understand the struggles of the school, they’re on a budget. They’re trying to watch… they offer fruit, right? They offer milk, which we don’t drink milk – that’s a whole different episode. We don’t drink cow’s milk, but that’s a whole different episode, you guys. And I just… it makes me wonder. So that’s for the kids that, this is what their options are every single day. But we can only bring awareness to it by talking about it, talking to our principles about it, talking to the PTA board about it. And I know schools do the best they can with the budget and everything that they have, but one thing that we can control too is maybe not buying lunch every single day. Make sure your kid, your teen, has a proper lunch when they go out the door. And another thing is breakfast. Make sure your kids are fueled before they leave the house. Breakfast is so important for kids. Now, I know a lot of adults, they’re doing intermittent fasting, and they’re like, you don’t need breakfast, and… But kids and their brain, they need fuel in the morning. So, everything that we do in our home is pretty much organic or non-GMO. We really look at labels, we make sure that things are… we’re avoiding soy, we’re making sure that the sugar content is appropriate. They really want the pop tarts and stuff, right? And I think it’s Annie’s, right, that makes the organic one? [A, J & H]: Yeah. [MELISSA]: Annie’s makes the organic one but, you guys, it’s like 23 grams of sugar in one pop tart. Like, it’s ridiculous. So, pay attention to the ingredient labels. We can’t become fit parents and fuel our own bodies and get strong and ripped and not change the diet and the lifestyle of the kids and, you guys, it does cost more to eat organic. It does cost more to eat more natural. But in the long run, you’re going to have smarter, healthier, more well-behaved kids in the long run, and that’s gonna save you money right there. But also, if you can’t find organic foods, go for non-GMO. Look for the little butterfly symbol on the packages, because at least then, you know they were used with non-engineered ingredients and the crops weren’t sprayed and everything; everything wasn’t genetically modified and stuff. So non-GMO, always a better route to go if you can’t afford complete organic. All right. Let’s talk about your sports and stuff and being active every day. Okay, so like we said, we’re off of school right now because of everything going on with the Coronavirus and things like that. What are we doing at home to make sure we stay active, you guys? Because volleyball’s shut down, Taekwondo’s shut down. There’s nothing going on. What are we doing everyday around here? Tell em a little bit about your experience. [JOVINA]: Well, we do have a gym in our garage. So, we also have a kicking bag and because we do Taekwondo we always, every day we always do like about 100 kicks on the bag. Just the other day I did 250 squats in the gym. [MELISSA]: You’re such a rock star. [JOVINA]: 100 pushups. [MELISSA]: Oh my god. [JOVINA]: 100 sit-ups and 100 burpees. [MELISSA]: This is a true story. I was out there with her. [JOVINA]: Yes. [MELISSA]: And we didn’t… It wasn’t like, Jo get your workout done. It was more of like, we know that one day Taekwondo is gonna come back open again, right? [JOVINA]: Yes. [MELISSA]: Everything’s gonna go back to normal. We want to make sure that we’re still in shape. Right? [JOVINA]: Mm hmm. [MELISSA]: Physical activity every single day is super important. How did you feel after you did that workout, that little circuit? [JOVINA]: Well, I was pretty tired out and the next day I was extremely sore. [MELISSA]: Definitely sore. She was feeling it. Now, let’s talk about that with kids and fitness and working out. Jovina’s 11, okay? So, we have to be very careful with kids, and their growth plates, and how wide open they are still. So, for her to go out in the garage and start doing a ton of resistance training with me, not the best option. We did a couple of squats with like five-pound dumbbells. But that’s about it. Everything else was body resistance, you know, just using her own bodyweight with pushups, squats, she did some burpees; that is totally fine. And you guys, never force the workout on your kids. Do not use it as a form of punishment, and do not force it on them because then they’re going to grow up to hate it. We want our kids growing up and seeing and knowing that fitness is just part of life. Like, right? It’s just what we do. Right? [A, J & H]: Yes, yeah. [MELISSA]: It’s like, and this is their norm. And if you’re going yeah, but my kids haven’t grown up seeing me do this and like, oh my God, I’ve already ruined my kids, they’re too old to learn, you guys. It’s not, it’s never too late. Even if your kids are 18, 19, 20, they’re adult kids, right? You still lead by example. And it’s never too late to help them and to change and let them know that this is just the way of life. This is what we do. HAVANNAH, what are you doing right now for your training and stuff? [HAVANNAH]: Um, since I am in club volleyball, and of course that is shut down, I always… every day in volleyball I’m always like working really hard or I’m like getting a good like… I would say it’s good cardio. [MELISSA]: Yeah, volleyball’s tough. [HAVANNAH]: Volleyball is good cardio and… [MELISSA]: And they go for like two hours plus, you have another hour of lifting. [HAVANNAH]: Yeah, yep. So, it’s definitely hard not to have that like option open. But there are always stuff at home, especially having a mom like her. My trainer… Today, and the last couple days, I have done a stair workout to just help keep my cardio up and also stay in shape. And I also have been doing Some lifting in the garage, just not a lot of weight because I am still growing, and I don’t want to hurt myself. But I still do some weight because I am trying to grow muscle and get stronger as a volleyball player. But I also do stuff like just passes on the wall, sets on the wall. I do a whole bunch of blocks in my garage, or I’ll go run with my dog you know. It’s just easy stuff like that. Just to help keep up my training and I do it with Jovina too, I do it with my little sister. We actually worked out this morning, did a whole bunch of passes on the wall, [unclear], you know. Just stuff like that, just to keep up my training. Because as we might be in quarantine, in this Coronavirus, I still want to keep up my heart rate and stay safe. [MELISSA]: Yeah. And we kind of learned… not we. She learned a hard lesson; this past Christmas, instead of gifts this year, we took a family cruise. And how long were we gone for, like seven or eight days, I think on this cruise? [HAVANNAH]: Yeah, a week. [MELISSA]: And the whole time we were gone. And again, you moms, remember, we don’t want to push, right? We want it to come from the kids to do it on their own. And if you’re like, my kid will never do it if I don’t push him, lead by example. Eventually they will come around. But when we’re on this cruise, I kept telling HAVANNAH, the oldest, that, hey, you should just go run on the treadmill. Come with me to the gym, you know. Do a little bit here, do a little bit there, take some laps and stuff. Keep your heart and your lungs conditioned. Right? Keep them going. HAVANNAH went to the gym once and I wasn’t going to push it. We’re on Christmas break. We’re on vacation. You know, like I get it. I totally get it and I wasn’t going to push it. It was endless buffet, endless ice cream, and we’re supposed to be having fun, this is a vacation. But I told her, I’m like, you’re gonna come back and you’re gonna regret… everyone else was training while you were gone, and your lungs and your heart they’re like a balloon, right? If you don’t pull them and work it, they’re gonna be really tight when you get back. What happened when you got back, HAVANNAH? [HAVANNAH]: Well, I came back and first day back in practice everyone else was practicing a couple times… of course it was Christmas, no, they didn’t have practice on Christmas, but they still practiced a couple days. I came back and I basically wanted to throw up everywhere, all over the court. [MELISSA]: Yup. And I know a lot of it was our sea legs and getting back, adjusted to being on land and stuff, but yeah, a lot of it was just a week of inactivity, huh? [HAVANNAH]: I just wish I would have gotten up and actually done something. Of course, during the cruise I wanted to go have fun, explore everything around it, around me, and like eat endless ice cream but, you know, you learn those hard lessons. Yeah. And it was tough. [MELISSA]: I was definitely, um, I knew that would happen. But that’s how you learn too, you know, you learn the hard way and she’s never she’s never gonna forget that now. [HAVANNAH]: Nope. [MELISSA]: The next time we’re on vacation, I’m like, hey, maybe you should just go run, you know, like a quick mile, just give your lungs a little kick in the butt there. Because if you come back and you have practice and stuff…. She will probably listen to me a lot better. [HAVANNAH]: Yip. [MELISSA]: And it’s even more important, now that we’re all home, that we just stay in routine. We keep active every day, do a little bit, it doesn’t have to be hardcore, like a million burpees like Karate Kid Jo over here. But definitely just moving, activity and stuff. Okay, you guys. So, what are some tips and some pointers that you have for the moms or the kids listening to this, right now? What is something… we’ve talked about school lunches, we talked about reading ingredients and eating organic and stuff. What are some tips that you can give them to help them be more fit parents or, if their kids are listening right now, to be more fit kids? [HAVANNAH]: So, as me being a teenager, I’m 14, I have a phone, but I do not have social media. Now, a lot of people ask me at school, why do you not? Where’s your Instagram? Where’s your Snapchat? Where’s your bunch of followers because your mom has a bunch of followers? Why don’t you take the cool pictures? Like all that kinds of stuff, but I sit back and I look at them like, no thanks. I don’t have… I don’t need that kinds of things in my life right now. I am a teenager. I’m a growing girl. I’m an athlete. I have other ways to stay healthy. I have other people… [MELISSA]: They’re distractions, huh? [HAVANNAH]: Yes [MELISSA]: They’re definitely a distraction. [HAVANNAH]: They’re definitely distractions for girls on my team, sometimes. I do not need people to look at, on Instagram, like I don’t need people to look up to on there. I have a mom to do that. I’ve a mom that I look up to. And yeah, I would just advise like, maybe some of the moms out there with like teenagers that have it. You can have it, but maybe watch what they’re doing, what they’re looking at, you know. [MELISSA]: Putting some limits on it. [HAVANNAH]: Yeah. Putting limits on stuff, and um… [MELISSA]: I think that brings up a really good point because there’s been times HAVANNAH has come to me and we’ve had conversations just about like, what she’s seen at school and what she’s heard and what girls are putting on Snapchat at her age, just the inappropriate pictures and I’m like, oh my god, I wouldn’t even do that. And they’re her age, you guys, they’re in eighth grade. And I think that’s a really valid point that she’s bringing up of how much social media can distract your child from their athletics, from their activity, from their academics and their schooling and just proper social skills and stuff. So, I’m surprised she even brought that up. I did not tell her to bring that up. But I think that’s, it’s a very good point. And just something you know, we’re not going to parent perfect, you guys. It’s not going to be perfect, but I think that’s a really good, solid, valid point coming from another teen of like, hey, if you really do want your kid to live a healthy, balanced life, watch that social media, block it, take it away, balance, right? [HAVANNAH]: Yeah. [MELISSA]: Just like the ice cream and the fries and the cookies, and the veggies and the salads and the healthy food. Balance. It’s got to be a good balance, right? [HAVANNAH]: Yes. [MELISSA]: What else, HAVANNAH? Any tips from you about eating right, eating healthy, like what are some experiences that you see at school, you know, or at volleyball practices and tournaments and stuff, what other kids are doing versus what you’re doing? [HAVANNAH]: I always look, at volleyball tournaments, I always look around… like, you know, when you sit at the table with your team and you’re eating your lunch… [MELISSA]: Yup, everyone pulls out their food. [HAVANNAH]: Everyone go… actually everybody goes to the cafeteria. They always go to the cafeteria, and they’ll come back with bags of fries and chicken nuggets and, just horrible junk that you don’t want to be eating on tournament days. [MELISSA]: And you’re pretty aware of it, huh? [HAVANNAH]: Yeah, I’m pretty aware of it because I see it. I have been to thousands of tournaments, all the time. And I don’t think it’s a very good idea. And then me eating, I always have maybe something a little bit different than my normal lunch, just because um… [HAVANNAH]: Yeah, you need more when you’re at a tournament. [HAVANNAH]: I need more than just a little sandwich or some fruit and some chips or a little dessert. You know, I need like actual protein bars or like a good drink to have. But it’s just something I’ve been aware of that like when you’re on like a game day or practice, or something involving athletics or anything, you always want to be aware that you’re eating the right food to fuel yourself. [MELISSA]: Yeah, and I think it’s… sometimes we just look at each other and we don’t even need to say anything when the girl walks over with her basket of chicken fingers and fries. [HAVANNAH]: Yes. [MELISSA]: Or like, you know, the big pizza circle, circle of pizza, and we’re just like, she’s going to crash, or her stomach and her body’s going to work so hard at digesting that food, she’s gonna be slow on the court. You know, it’s sad. It’s sad, but be aware of that, you guys. Sports and tournaments, not the time to be giving them the sugary drinks at all, like not the time to be carb loading. And if you are, do it smart with like healthy bread, healthy granola bars and snacks like that, not, you know, the Doritos and the chips and stuff that aren’t going to fuel their body. Jovina, what are some tips that you have for us? Anything that you could give someone you know that’s your age and in school, to help them keep them healthy and strong or for the mom? You know the mom of kids your age. [JOVINA]: Well, even my age, most kids are always on social media. Like there’s this girl at my school, she’s in kindergarten and she has Instagram. [MELISSA]: What? [JOVINA]: Her mom like works it for her, but she has Instagram. [MELISSA]: Yeah, it’s pretty crazy. [JOVINA]: But studies are finding that, if you spend so much time on social media it starts… your frontal lobe starts to wear off. It’s crazy; scientists are finding that kids are spending so much time on social media that even parts of their brain are wearing off. [MELISSA]: I believe it. I secretly believe it. [JOVINA]: My recommendation would be don’t spend so much time on social media. Know that your brain, something can happen to your brain and it can… [MELISSA]: Change it. Yeah. [JOVINA]: It can change your, it can change your academic wise, it can change how smart you are. It can change how you get into college and stuff. It’s just crazy. [MELISSA]: It has like this whole trickle effect, right, that parents don’t realize. I don’t think parents realize that the electronics, and being on their phone, affects the health of their kids. [JOVINA]: Yes. [MELISSA]: What about food and nutrition tips? Do you have any food or nutrition or exercise tips for kids or their parents? [JOVINA]: Well, even in this big pandemic, um, it is crazy. So, just remember, um, just stay fit. Like, even if you don’t have any equipment at home, like HAVANNAH was saying, you could do something on the stairs, like maybe run up and down it 10 times or something. [MELISSA]: Yeah, so just be active and moving, huh? [JOVINA]: Yeah, maybe you can do some pushups on it. Like everybody knows how to do pushups. You don’t need all this crazy equipment in your garage and all that. [MELISSA]: You don’t have to. We’re lucky we have it, but you don’t have to have it. [JOVINA]: So, there are no excuses. [MELISSA]: That’s right. And you know, I know people are probably thinking like, oh my god, these kids only think this way or they act this way because you’re her parent, but this is just things… this is repetitive routine for them. This is what they hear all the time. They watch me and know that I don’t deviate. Like it’s, they know that if you keep bugging me, I will not stop and go through that McDonald’s drive thru. Like, right? Like, you can bug me all you want but I will not cave. Parents, be stern, stick to your guns, and don’t cave, because as soon as you do, they know that the more that they whine and cry, hey, we just need to keep it up for five more minutes and then she’ll finally cave. I don’t cave. Mom don’t play. But I think it’s just important to know that it doesn’t matter if your kids are 13 and 10, you can still make changes. It’s not too late. But you have to lead by example. Alondra, do you have any tips or pointers for kids your age? The littler kids? [ALONDRA]: Um, no. [MELISSA]: You got nothing? You got nothing to say? No? Okay, that’s okay. So, we’re going to wrap up this podcast, you guys. Thank you so much for coming on. We will definitely be doing this again. Remember, lead by example. Be what your kids need you to be. And also, you guys, make sure you sign up for my email course, okay? Go to melissavogelfitness.com/course and on there you guys are going to get a free 30-day guide to being a Bomb Mom. Now I say this in this episode because your kids can do everything on that calendar. It’s all body weight and body resistance. So, you can use that email course even for your kids in that free calendar that I’m going to give you. So, make sure you sign up for my free email course. Stay connected, follow us on Instagram, the kids are on there all the time. MelissaVogelFitness, and Facebook/melissavogelfitness, and you can just keep following and watching our crazy life and see them in action with their sports and everything too. But the most important thing: lead by example. ‘Monkey see, monkey do’ when it comes to kids. If they see you doing it, they will do it too, and they want to be just like you. As much as you think your kid doesn’t, they really do. So, thanks again for joining, you guys, and I will see you all next time. If you’re ready to become a bomb mom, join my free course over at www.melissavogelfitness.com/course. This podcast is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. This is given with the understanding that neither the host, Practice of the Practice, or the guests are providing legal, mental health, nutritional, or other professional information. If you need a professional, you should find one.