Long overdue UPDATE

2017 was an awesome year!
Unfortunately I have been busy and successful with my new career in real estate but was unsuccessful in continuing my Whole30 lifestyle. I re-started a few times but it just didn’t seem to “work” again for me.

So, what should I do? I decided to go back to my go-to of Trim Healthy Mama!
I started a no-cheat goal and have been on plan 100% for about 5 days now and I’m feeling great. Despite having two under the weather kids I’ve been on plan without fail!
My other goal is to be more consistent with exercise. I’m pretty disappointed in myself because in June I ran the farthest distance I’ve ever ran before in my first race - I completed the Newport 10 Miler in just over 2 hours! I had wanted to continue running regularly but didn’t. So I’m trying to get in walks and runs as much as possible but with winter here now it’s going to be mostly treadmill workouts.

Here’s a few items I’ve enjoyed this past week:

Egg Roll in a Bowl
Chili
Quick and easy Peanut Butter Cookies
Skinny Chocolate
Good Girl Moon Shine
Oolong Tea
The Shrinker
Cream Soda Good Girl Moonshine

And that’s just what I can remember!

Hope all is well with you all and will check in again soon with an update!
~Carly

Ouch!

I'm so sore from legs day one of my BBG restart! 

I went for a walk today with my friend and our dogs for my LISS and my legs are sooooo sore! I've been ouching all day.

So I leave you with these funnies:

 

And a little Yoda :)

Sitting hurts. Stairs hurt - especially going down them and any sort of pressure on my legs hurts.

Call me crazy but I kind of love it!

Who am I?

~Carly

The D14 Day 12

It's crazy that I only have two days left on my first round of The D14 and then go into Maintenance! I plan to continue using the shakes and eating my THM way.

Cutting out some things from my diet hasn't been as hard as I thought - some moments yes but my body is thanking me for it. I'm much less bloated. I am bouncing a bit on the scale but still feeling so great! 

I went for a walk yesterday with my dog - a little over 2 miles. Then today I took her for a walk again but it started to rain so I brought her home and went to the gym and walked hills on the treadmill for about 35 minutes. It felt great to exercise today.

So, just a quick update. I'm going to make the most of these last two days!

~Carly

Labor Day and Update

Good morning and happy Labor Day!

I started an exercise challenge on a Facebook group and I've been going strong for the last few weeks. I went to spin class 4 times in the past week and have been incorporating weight training, circuit training and H.I.I.T. Training as well. I'm feeling pretty good and accomplished and have definetly made exercise a priority again and hopefully a permanent habit. 

I am up a few pounds still on the scaled from my vacation splurges but am still following the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle and plan to do another Fuel Cycle starting next Monday. 

I went to spin class yesterday morning and today I did a HIIT workoit I found on Pinterest:

I did it twice and really worked up a sweat and felt those jump squats and lunges. Whew!

That's all for now.

~Carly

Still going

Well hello! Apparently I've taken a two month hiatus from the blog world but I'm still going strong! Well, not without a few bumps in the road - or lbs should I say 😮 I've gone off my lifestyle plan a bit during social gatherings and a vacation with the family but I'm only a few pounds up from my lowest weight ever. However, if I had been eating my pre-THM fare I'd have to say I don't think the scale would be as low at all. 

As far as exercise, I had been going regularly to spin class and running but hadn't been incorporating weights really at all - though I had wanted to. So as a "get back on track" thing I'm day 4 or so into a new program incorporating cardio and weights. I'm using my three Jillian DVDs - 30 Day Shred, Ripped in 30, and No More Trouble Zones and will use the Lindsay Brin Pretty Fierce Weight Loss DVD set I have also. I will be doing cardio too and plan to exercise 6 days a week. 

Yep.

It's a lofty goal but I got this because I want it.

So I'm off for today's weights workout and I leave you with this...

~Carly

Weight Loss Update - 6 months

Hello!

It's a rainy miserable day here but I'm feeling all sunshine and rainbows!  Why?

Well, today marks an official 6 months on Trim Healthy Mama and I've got another update for you!

As of today, I'm 156 pounds - just 6 pounds away from my true pre-pregnancy and goal weight of 150! Woohooo! I haven't measured again for inches certainly but plan to shortly.

If you remember, I posted an update in March and while the scale has been slow and steady I'm just thrilled. I continue to feel great, I'm eating delicious food - including dessert - and I've been exercising consistently. Nothing too crazy - I've been incorporating Winsor Pilates into my week as well as one or two spin classes and some walking/running.  I'm on the right track and I plan to stay here.

So what has helped? I did a one week fuel cycle a few months ago which helped me move the scale a bit and decided since I was feeling a bit "stuck" again and my weight was being stubborn I needed a metabolic kick start again. I was bouncing around between 159-160 again and I just couldn't get the scale to move down again.

Today is my second to last day of a a two week fuel cycle and this is how I've come much closer to my goal weight.  You can find the details of the diet here and the fuel cycle chapter is 28 in the book.

That's really why I love this way of eating - it gives you sooooo many options and even tools and tricks to get your metabolism going again.

So just a little visual re-cap....

Here I am from the previous update - December 2013 and March 2014

Here's the same image from March 2014 and the right is this past Tuesday, June 10th - granted the top I'm wearing on the right is a bit loose and flowy so it doesn't look like too much difference to me. 

And here's an oldie on the left I dug up from July 2012 and on the right is just this past week in my exercise clothes.  You can see how wider I look in my midsection and legs from almost two years ago. 

So there you have it!  I'm thrilled that THM has been so successful for me I'm so happy to be on this journey still closer to my health and wellness goals every day!  

And now that I have one preschooler and an almost first grader - it's truly not called toddler weight :)

~Carly

Motivate Me Monday - 5/5/2014

Happy Cinco de Mayo! 

I hope this post finds you well! 

Every day we are faced with choices. I've been focused on my daily choices and how they affect my personal health and wellness goals. So when I saw this image today on Pinterest, I knew it was meant to be to share it here. Because, also (ironically) I've also started up again doing Jillian Michael's DVDs again. 

Saturday I did a few circuits of No More Trouble Zones and on Sunday I did Level 1 of her 30 Day Shred. I also went for a 4+ mile walk with my friends. 

Feeling great and continuing to choose the right choices for my goals. I'm about 7-8 pounds from my goal weight now and for the first time in a few years I'm ready to welcome spring and summer without feeling overwhelmed by skirts, shorts, tanks, tees and even (gasp!)  bathing suits!

~Carly

Motivate Me Monday - 4/6/2014

Happy Monday! 

For the last few weeks I feel I've finally made a true commitment to be more active and to make exercise a priority. That's something I've struggles with before. My husband and I joined a gym again and we've both been going and I love it! I've been taking spinning classes for a few weeks now and I'm hooked. I incorporate it now into my weekly exercise mixed in with running and weights and occasionally the elliptical machine.  So, I'm absolutely finding the following is true - my legs, butt and abs are slowly but surely coming back!

Did you exercise today? If not, do something. Anything. You will feel better afterwards. I promise.

~Carly

Pinterest Picks - 7/25/12

Keep Going!

Pinterest Picks - 6/2/2012

Hello and Happy Saturday!

As we just came home from a family trip to the gym - I thought this Pinterest Pick was quite fitting:

Article: 50 Ways to Make Your Diet Work

Happy Friday!

Image from article 50 Ways To Make Your Diet Work

I came across this article and it's got some really great advice - complete article can be found here.

While there are a few things in here that are a bit silly and I would never do.  For example I'd never do suggestion 31 and I find that suggestion 35 isn't a problem for me with two kiddos!

I really love this quote from the article:

"...the word "diet" no longer refers to that thing you routinely cheat on with the trendy name. Those days are over. "Diet" refers to the ongoing, consistent delivery of essential nutrients in sufficient amounts for the sole purpose of fueling the body efficiently for muscle development, recovery, movement, and the production of heat for burning fat."

If you have time, I'd highly recommend reading it and skimming through or bookmarking it for later.

Have a great Friday!
~Carly

Motivation...got some?

Hope you are well on this lovely Memorial Day Monday!  Thank you to all those who serve and have served our country.

One thing I've been struggling with lately is motivation. How to find it, how to keep it going and how to keep it at the forefront of all that goes on in day to day life.

I'm sure we can all agree that a huge part of weight loss, exercise, eating right and lifestyle changes all stem from motivation.

Aside from the obvious reasons for losing my toddler weight - my motivation was to not only look better but also feel better, too. I had really wanted to lose 30 pounds before my 30th birthday last year. That didn't even come close to happening. You can read more about that here.  However, my new goal is revised.

I'd like to lose 20 pounds by my 31st birthday. I'm just around the full 10 pounds lost so far and I don't plan on stopping any time soon.

As motivation wanes and disappears, I surprisingly got a little dose of motivation that has pretty much been exactly what I needed and seems to have really hit home.

So, what is this magical motivation?

I apologize for the blurriness of the picture - but if you look past my swinging iPod headphone cord, you'll clearly see that it is a walker in front of the treadmill next to me.  And, on that treadmill next to me was a very old man - close to 85 years old at least - walking on the treadmill.

I thought in that very moment:


WOW.  If he can get on that treadmill and walk then I sure as HELL can walk, if not RUN.


I mean, seriously - what on earth is my excuse?

The answer is - I don't really have one.  Not one good excuse.  If he can leave his walker and get on that treadmill despite his reasons or medical condition - then I can get my more than healthy @ss on that treadmill and work out.

I know the picture doesn't really do the power of the situation justice - but I ran/walked for 29 minutes this day.  What's so great about that?  Well, this situation really gave me a boost and reality check I needed.

I continued to be active for the rest of the week, too.  I went on a run Saturday morning and was going to go to the gym this morning - but they closed early and baby sitting was not available today. BUT, that's not an excuse, so I'll take a run on the treadmill in our basement in a little bit - too hot here to run outside today!

When you lose your source of motivation, where do you find it?  What re-ignites your passion for fitness and health?

I'd love to know!
~Carly

Beyonce, Mariah, Bethenny and me (?) in the news

That's right - just me, Beyonce, Mariah Carey and Bethenny Frankel mentioned in an article together.  Well - the article mentions them where I'm quoted.  So, kinda-sorta!
Anyways, here's the full article.  I'd love to hear your feedback and thoughts.
Either way - enjoy.
~Carly

Celebrity moms lose baby weight fast, but slow and steady wins the race for most women

By Scott Gargan 

Call it the mystery of the vanishing baby bulk.

This month, Internet gossip sites gushed over Beyonce's rapid weight loss after giving birth to her baby daughter, Blue Ivy, revealing photos of the slender "Single Ladies" star in form-fitting dresses and sexy swimsuits.

It is a trick that Carly Kirsch, who delivered two children in three years, wished she could have pulled off. "The weight didn't come off as quickly as I hoped," the Cheshire resident said. "I tried low calorie diets, exercising more -- everything under the sun."

A lot of celebrity moms magically morph into their pre-baby shape within weeks of leaving the hospital, she added, "but for most women, it's not realistic."  Indeed, it takes most women six to nine months to shed the excess poundage put on during their pregnancies -- a fact they need to keep in mind, even as they're bombarded by images of strikingly svelte, postpartum stars, experts said.

Kirsch, owner of Newly Nested, a Connecticut-based baby planning and consulting service, said celebrities such as Beyonce, Mariah Carey and Bethenny Frankel enjoy a "support system" -- a team of nannies, trainers and personal chefs -- that isn't available to the average child bearer.  "You have to take that into perspective," she said, adding that "it's more practical to lose the weight a little bit at a time."

New moms pack on an average of 25 to 30 extra pounds during their pregnancy, said Barbara Schmidt, nutrition and lifestyle specialist at Norwalk Hospital who heads the organization's Transformations weight-loss program. If they stick to a diet and exercise plan, they can safely lose 1.5 pounds per week.

But that's often easier said than done, Schmidt said. After all, new moms have enough to think about. So they must make it a point to treat themselves right, Schmidt said. She urged them to avoid "empty calories" from juice, soda, cookies and candy and stick to "healthy choices" such as skim milk, water, lean meats and vegetables.

"You want to make sure to eat a well-balanced diet and, over time, you'll start to see the difference," she added.

Another important weight loss tactic will come a little more naturally. According to Kari Gravitz, a registered dietitian at Albany (N.Y.) Memorial Hospital, pregnant women store fat during their last trimester that is "meant specifically for the purpose of breast-feeding."

"While you breast-feed, you lose this fat," she said, adding that the activity burns about 500 calories a day.

Lactating women should drink plenty of fluids to maintain milk production and remember that "a healthy diet equals healthy milk," Gravitz added.

Of course, dieting and breast-feeding aren't enough to get back into those pre-pregnancy jeans -- new moms need exercise, too. And though they might not have a team of personal trainers backing them up, there are plenty of ways to stay active, said Linda Antignani, owner of Mother's Embrace Yoga Studio in Shelton.

At her studio, Antignani offers Postnatal Pilates Workshop, Zumba for New Moms and Mommy's Time Infant Support Group -- classes designed to "burn calories and get the metabolism working," she said. If they don't have the time to take a class, new moms can always push a stroller or strap on a baby carrier and go for a walk.

"I encourage everybody to be as active as they possibly can," said Antignani, a mother of three. "It can be frustrating trying to lose the baby weight, but once you start exercising, it will make you feel a lot better."

New moms also will feel better when they keep their weight loss expectations in check, experts said. Depending on their weight, activity level and rate of metabolism, it can take six to nine months for the scale to go back to the way it was. The average woman packs on 25 to 30 extra pounds -- sometimes more -- during gestation.

"We usually say that if it took nine months to put the weight on, it's going to take nine months to take it off," Gravitz said.

Moreover, jumping into a strict diet or demanding exercise plan post-pregnancy isn't usually the best way -- after all, new moms need time to heal and adjust to their new role as parents.

So, when images of postpartum personalities pop up on television with their bikini bodies weeks after giving birth, new moms needn't agonize over how they did it. Perhaps, it's best left a mystery. "People don't know how to talk about it or where to begin, and the media doesn't help," Kirsch said of the pressure put on women to reclaim their pre-pregnancy bodies. "It's better to be honest with yourself and just as important, realistic."

Baby Weight Loss Timetable -- After getting the ago ahead from the doctor, new moms can start dieting and exercising (typically six weeks after giving birth, experts said). Here's how new moms should shape up month to month.

First 6 weeks -- Dieting and exercise may not be recommended. Consult your doctor.

At 2 Months -- 3 pounds

At 3 Months -- 9 pounds

At 4 Months -- 15 pounds

At 5 Months -- 21 pounds

At 6 Months -- 27 pounds (A postpartum woman should have returned to her pre-pregnancy weight by this time, but may need to continue a weight loss plan if she gained more than 25 to 30 pounds during gestation).

At 7 Months -- 33 pounds

At 8 Months -- 39 pounds

At 9 Months -- 45 pounds

Read more: http://www.ctpost.com/health/article/Celebrity-moms-lose-baby-weight-fast-but-slow-3573662.php#ixzz1vWVIEZnY

Ghosts of diets past & Day 4

Morning!

It's Day 4 of Cinch and I'm still loving it.

In doing this program and just in general, it's made me think back to my past efforts which I shall call:

Ghosts of Diets Past

Unfortunately, blogger doesn't offer any scary looking fonts. 

:sigh:

Since I've been actively dieting for well over a year now and nothing has really been working.

It's truly safe to say that hormonal weight related gain (or loss for that matter) is a completely different beast (oh yes. BEAST) to lose as opposed to me just getting regular fat.  And, by regular fat, I mean being lazy, overeating horrible foods, etc.

Pregnancy-related weight gain seems to be a huge issue for quite a lot of moms out there - look at all the chat boards like Cafe Mom, Baby Center and more who have boards dedicated to weight loss.  There's lots of sites out there geared towards losing the baby weight.  Well, at least everywhere I look anyways.

Just to re-cap for my own purposes here's what I've tried and have been unsuccessful at this past year:

1. Relying on chasing two toddlers and breast feeding to lose weight
2. Going low-carb (a few times) to see if I could drop a few pounds
3. Working out with Jillian Michaels DVDs and going to the gym 3-5 times a week
4. Tracking and closely monitoring every calorie I ate via my iPhone - first on the Lose It! application and then switching to MyFitnessPal (since July 2011)
5. Adding in a daily green smoothies (or at least every other day)
6. Eating more whole foods and less processed foods in general
7. Consciously not eating off of the kids plates, finishing their snacks or eating any of their leftovers
8. Staying away from added sugar unless it came from fruit, veggies or dairy

And, most recently, to add to this list:

9.  I've switched to eating a Vegetarian style diet for the last three weeks.  I guess I would consider it a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet meaning I am eating dairy and egg products.
10.  In conjunction, I have just started the Cinch Inch Loss Plan - four days ago now.

I'm hoping a plant based diet and Cinch is just what I need to finally lose some pounds and inches and finally lose this stubborn baby  toddler weight.

Have a great day and I'm off now to make my Cinch breakfast shake!
~Carly

Making the most of each day

Don't worry.  I promise I'm not going to go into some crazy rant about making the most of each day and yada yada yada.

This post is just a tiny PSA and mostly for me to just put it out there :)

You know how each day can be a clean slate.  Forget yesterday's slip ups or things you pushed aside.

Focus on today.  I really do think it's important to take a step back and truly think about our actions.  This post is just a reminder to pause and take each day as an opportunity to make the best decisions we can and make the most of each day.

Yesterday I ate decent but did not exercise.

So - today I made the choice to be active and go somewhere fun with my kids.  We went to one of our favorite places - an 18,000 square foot indoor bounce house.

And you got it!  I bounced around the indoor bounce house inflatables with them.  Luckily, it made them both tired enough to both take a nap today.

So, after coming home I felt a bit tired myself.  And here's where this post comes into play.

Instead of plopping down on the couch and watching TV or sitting and browsing Pinterest or Facebook, what did I do?  I popped in a Winsor Pilates DVD and did about 15 minutes of Pilates and then ate my lunch.  Today, I had a flax/omega/whole grain wrap with black beans, reduced fat cheese and salsa.

So, I made some good decisions today regarding activity and food.  Because, at the end of the day it was me who gained the pregnancy pounds.  It's me who does the grocery shopping, cooking and plans our family meals.

ME.  
At the end of the day, it's only me who can be accountable.  It's me who is going to motivate myself to make these changes.

Okay - end PSA.

What about you?  How do you feel about your day to day activities?  What small changes do you think you could incorporate tomorrow that you may have missed out on today?
~Carly

Squeeze in the Exercise

Happy Tuesday!

It's really hard to fit in "me" time once you have kids.  Like, really hard.  I was guilty of this before having kids - thinking things like "Oh, come on.  How hard can it be to grab a coffee with your friends or go out once in awhile? They are just babies and kids, how hard can it really be?"

Um. Yeah.  Silly pre-kiddo me thinking those crazy thoughts!  It is really hard.  And it's because it's not just the mere fact that you have kids.  It is way bigger than that.  It's your entire life that shifts and your priorities change to ensure these precious beings become the focus.  And yes, the needs of myself and my husband take the back burner for a bit and our kids become the priority.  It's not a bad thing.  It's just the way it is for us.  I'm finding it's the case for some other parents I know also.  We don't intend for it to happen, but somehow it does. (As they have gotten older, I'd like to note we have gotten some of that time back, but are working on getting more!)

So, how do you get back on track?  How do you sneak in those well-deserved and much needed "me" moments?  And, if those "me" time moments include a focus on getting healthy, or exercise - like it is right now for me - how can it be accomplished while keeping all the other balls in the air from crashing down around you?

Well, it's not easy, but with some planning, it can be done.

During the day, it's hard to do.  I've recently re-joined a gym here in town and they have babysitting while you work out.  It's been wonderful - I get some "me" time while I work out.  It's a double win for me.  After that, it's back to taking care of the kids, squeezing in work here and there, cleaning, household tasks, feeding the kids, feeding the dog, feeding myself, activities with the kids, etc. etc. But, I look forward to that time now that it's become enjoyable and fun for me again.

However, if you don't have the luxury of joining a gym, what do you do to fit exercise in?  After I had my first child, I relied on nap time and some great work out DVDs.

But then, one day, I made an awesome discovery that I'm not sure too many know about or don't realize they have access to.  And, it's on your TV.

If you have cable and the "On-Demand" programming feature, there's a section under the free areas called Health and Wellness (note: names of these may vary depending on your cable provider).  Under that section is something called Exercise TV and it has quite a few work out choices on there - ranging from 10 minute workouts to 45 minute ones.  There's dance, cardio, strength, yoga and pilates.  They feature some popular workout trainers too - including Jillian Michaels, Bob Harper and more!

Here's a few more tips:

• If you have an iPad, tablet or a lap top computer - you can find tons and tons (and tons) of free online workouts from Shape, Fitness Magazine, Prevention and even videos on YouTube and more.
• When it's warmer weather, grab some friends and a stroller (nothing fancy needed) and get out and hit the trails or your neighborhood for a walk.
• I know it sounds silly, but when you're folding laundry or washing dishes or doing any of the chores around the house - add in some squats or suck your belly into your spine and contract your abs for intervals of 30 seconds. 
• Run up and down the stairs a few times
• When you put away the groceries, do a few bicep curls with your jarred goods or the milk jug
• If you're on the floor with your kids, play airplane with them (safely of course and if they are old enough) by laying down on the floor with your knees bent.  Then, place the bottoms of your feet, grabbing their hands with yours and letting them fly through the air by you extending your legs in the air.  You can even make them go up and down in a leg press motion.  My kids love this and I work out my legs a bit!

Just remember, any little thing you can do can help squeeze in that exercise!


How do you fit in exercise in your day?  I would love to hear your tips and tricks, too!

Hi - from the elliptical

So I'm literally on the elliptical at the gym, typing this post. Correction - I'm THAT annoying person at the gym typing on their phone. Oops.

Well, I saw the below image as I was aimlessly flipping through the pages passing the time.

At first I was drawn to the blurb about losing baby weight.

Do you do that as you read things in magazines or online - like a "woohoo they are talking to me!" moment?

Well, that just happened when I read this blurb just now.

Then I saw the stats. Then I saw Mariah. Go Mariah - not sucking it in and painting the "average" post-partum issues (except she had twins) and then my eyes scan to Victoria Beckham.

:sigh:

I will get there - wait - there meaning back to my healthy weight - not size 00.

But, thanks Redbook December 2011 issue for the last statistic of 38% that are "Err..I'm still working on it."

Me too!

Are you? If you are already back to your pre-baby fitness, how did you do it? If you aren't, what are you doing today to get there? (if that's your goal)

Me? I'm still on the elliptical ;) on my way!

If you can't beat 'em...

Yes, that old saying "If you can't beat 'em, join them."  We've all heard that used in reference to all sorts of situations.

A few months ago, feeling frustrated that (yet again) another day would go by without me exercising, I decided to pop in a work out DVD and do it with my kids in the room.

This may sound silly and ridiculous - but as any parent knows - the minute you sit down on the floor, couch, bed, chair or anywhere - if your kids are anything like mine - they plant their cute butts right next to you, on you or climb into your lap (or general vicinity).

The scenario pretty much went like this:

I started putting on my running/exercise shoes.

My three year old daughter enters the room and sees me doing this and says: "Where are you going?"
Me: "Nowhere."
Daughter: "Why are you putting on shoes?"
Me: "Because I'm going to do some exercise!"
Daughter: "Why you going to do some exercise?"
Me: "It's good to exercise - keeps you healthy and strong."
Daughter:  "Okay, Mommy. You go do exercising."  She wandered into the other room, then came back a few seconds later when she heard me putting on the TV.

Daughter promptly returns to room and continues with her line of questioning.
Daughter: "Mommy, who's that on the TV?"

Enter two year old son to the scenario.
Son: "Who 'dat, Mama?"
Me: "That's Jillian.  She's going to show me how to do exercises." (The DVD was Ripped in 30 for those who are curious)
Son: "Jill-ee-ann?"
Me: "Yes, Jillian."
Son: "Otay, Mama.  You do esserssisses."
Me: "Thanks, sweetie.  You want to do exercises, too?"
Daughter: "I do! I do!  Mommy can I do them, too? Can I?" I literally thought she was going to explode from excitement.

Here I was this entire time thinking I couldn't exercise because they were around.  My palm-to-forehead moment.

If I can't exercise without them, why not include them?

Brilliant!

So, that's just what I did.  They hopped around, did jumping jacks, crunches and other moves with me.  Did I almost hit them in the head a few times as they paced in front of me with my 4 lb. hand-weights?  Almost.  Were they "in my way" a bit? Of course.

But, it was an amazing moment for me as a mom - why would I NOT want to exercise around my kids?
I love that they see me taking time to exercise and work out.

I couldn't believe how long I had purposely avoided this!

So now, when I tell them I'm going to do exercises, they are actually my biggest supporters!

It's highly motivating to hear my daughter or son ask me "Are we doing exercises today?" or "Mom, can we go to the gym?"

How do you say no to that?