THE MOTHER NATURE

THE FAMILY GROOVE’S PROFILE OF A MOM WHO’S MAKING IT HAPPEN

Gone are the days of the traditional coffee clutch, because at THE FAMILY GROOVE, we’re doing it
new school, bringing people together to laugh, learn, share and commiserate in the global village
called the Internet.

Lori Sawyer, founder of Mommy-Moves! and co-founder of Kids-Move!, is a woman who shows up.
Despite having two young kids, two booming businesses, several multimedia projects in production
and a monthly gig as THE FAMILY GROOVE’s fitness guru, Lori is always present and accounted for.
It’s a feat rarely seen in the go-go-go (read: insane, frenzied, whirlwind) world of momtrepreneurism today. Hey, we all work like fiends, juggling several things at once, but very few of us are actually in the moment as we go from mom to wife to businesswoman to friend to daughter and back to mom again. We’re not sure if it’s all that exercise and clean eating or if it’s just Lori being Lori, but whatever the case, Lori brings her positive you-can-do-it outlook into every arena of her life and is a beacon of light for the moms whose lives (ours included) that she’s forever changed for the better.

And so, we could think of no one more apropos than Lori Sawyer to spotlight as our mom of the month for this, our annual Health Issue. Yes, if there ever were a mom who’s making it happen—for her friends, her clients, her team, her family, her dreams, her goals and herself—it’s Lori.

Here, she talks balance and being there, fitness and family—and says that an evening glass of wine with her man is the key to her groove. Lori Sawyer

1. Who are you?
A mom, a wife, an athlete and a momtrepreneur trying to make it happen

2. How old are you?
36

3. Where do you live?
Middletown, N.J.

4. How many children do you have? How old?
Two beautiful boys, Jake and Chase, ages 4 and 2 and a half. Oh, and my first baby, a chocolate lab who is 5 named Bruin.

5. What time do you get up?
Depends on the day—usually when my younger son wakes me at 6:30 or so. But sometimes I am at the gym or working out at 5 before they get up. It’s the only time to get it in some days. I try to shoot for getting up early to work out two days a week.

6. What daily rituals must you do to feel normal?
Coffee—as soon as I get up. It starts my day. I also need to move and work out—if I don’t, everything is out of balance.

7. What do you wish you’d do every day, but haven’t been able to incorporate into your routine?
Cook a healthy dinner every night. Leftovers work, but I would love to try a new recipe every night. We have to do what we have to do, and eating healthy is the most important, so I tend to precook and have it ready when we want it. It works for us, but I would love to have a few more hours in the day to just cook.

Mothers Who Love Fitness 8. Do you work?
Yes, I am the owner of LS-Fitness LLC.

9. What do you do?
I run a family-based fitness company focused on whipping moms back in shape (www.mommy-moves.com). We educate them on proper form and how to incorporate fitness, health and good choices for their family into their lifestyle. We also focus on kids’ fitness and health (www.kids-move.com) and preventing obesity before it starts by empowering children to make healthy choices and teaching them to make smart decisions about food. We have created a series of workshops that focus on family health and wellness. We are also launching a corporate wellness program.

10. Tell us more about your companies!
We believe that balance in your life is the key to a healthy and happy family life. Our top priority is to help you with nutrition, fitness, sleep, hydration and an overall sense of wellness for your family. We counsel individuals and groups about how to create a healthy and balanced home life. We stress the importance of eating natural (versus processed) foods. The more natural, the better. We can come in and revamp your entire lifestyle, from fitness to nutrition to helping you reorganize your life so you can create a space for healthy living. We are a one-stop shop when it comes to family wellness. If we can not help you directly, we know someone who can. We refer to amazing yoginis, massage therapists, chiropractors, midwives, nurses and more. We consider ourselves the top of the pyramid for family wellness.

11. What’s the best thing your mother ever told you?
You can do anything you want to—and do not let anyone tell you anything different. She is right. She has always been an amazing supporter of anything and everything (well, almost anything) I have done.

Mommy-Moves 12. What does being a good mother mean?
Being there—and I mean REALLY being there, not just being in the same room. Being a good mom means spending time with your kids, really listening to them and enjoying them. They grow so fast. There is nothing I love more than to hang with my kids and play games, hike and run around. I love to be active with them. My relationship with my children is top priority.

13. What’s your mantra/personal philosophy?
Balance and positive energy. And I have brought this into my business. I honestly believe if you surround yourself with positive people and really visualize your goals and dreams, you can succeed at anything. I am not saying that they will just pop up on your doorstep—you have to work hard to achieve them. But if you visualize your goals and remain positive about the process, you will get to where you want to be.

14. What do you tell other mothers?
Enjoy every moment—and don’t worry about what other mothers say and do. Be strong in what you believe in and don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Do what is best for you and your family.

15. Finish this sentence: I want my children to know…
…life is short. They need to love every day, respect others and know that they can do anything they set their mind to. Know what is important, and don’t sweat the small stuff. I want my children to have level heads and love every day.

Mike Lori Jake Chase Sawyer 16. Who inspires you?
My husband. He is my rock.

17. What are you passionate about?
Fitness and my family.

18. How do you balance your life as a woman, a mother, a friend?
Ahhh…good one, that is hard. I am lucky that my job surrounds me with other mothers who have become my dear friends. Also, my children are with me a lot at work because we teach a lot of mommy-and-me classes. But I make sure when I am with my kids, I am not answering my phone; I focus all my energy on them. Sometimes it’s hard and I find myself thinking about—or doing—work when I am with them. So I stop, breathe and remember that e-mail and phone calls will always be there. My husband is amazing and lets me have some “woman” time when I want. You know, pedicures and hair, that kind of stuff. I am also crazy lucky to have some super-close friends I have known since childhood, and we make sure to have girls’ night often. It’s my friends that keep me in check and focused. I am what I am today because of my childhood girlfriends.

19. What do you wish you knew then that you know now?
How petty some people can be! I wish I did not worry so much about what people thought in the past. It just doesn’t matter. I laugh now when I hear where those people are.

20. How do you get into your groove?
A good night’s sleep, good friends and a goal. Oh, and don’t forget a glass of wine with my man in the evening!

For more from Lori, go to www.mommy-moves.com.