In Case You Missed It..

We want to thank all of you who attended for coming to our recent Holiday Party! We had a great turnout and it was really great to see everyone outside of the gym. There are no words to express how much we appreciate each of you who continue to help us build Train for Life into an amazing community. We've watched this place grow and many of you change for the better. We also want to thank those of you who participated in our recent survey and answered our questions on how we did in 2012! We read through all of your responses and wanted to let you know what to expect in 2013 as well as give you some better understanding of some of the how's and why's of what we do at Train for Life. This is a lot to read through so I will be posting on our blog page as well so you can reference it in the future as well. 1. What did you LIKE in 2012? - We had a great turnout for the Charity Boot Camps that we held in 2012 and plan to bring you many more. With your help, we were able to support some great causes including the American Lung Association, Raise of Hope and Behcets and Arthritis. We plan to continue bringing you more of these throughout 2013 and if you have any suggestions on organizations that are close you, please let us know.

- Tough Mudder, Rugged Maniac, Holyoke St Patrick's Day Road Race and More… We love getting you guys moving outside of the gym. We brought many of you to tackle your first 5K or mud run this past year and plan to continue on with these in 2013. We have the St. Patrick's Day Road Race and Tough Mudder coming up very soon. If you'd like to join us, we'd love to help you prepare and challenge yourself.

- Our Family style Atmosphere is one of the biggest things that separates us at Train for Life. You guys mean a lot to us and create the comfortable atmosphere that has allowed so many of you to achieve goals and meet a ton of positive people. They say, "You are the sum of those around you.." and we have a LOT of great people here. So thank you for being so positive and as we grow we intend to ensure this remains a big part of Train for Life.

- The Quality and Variety of Our Workouts at Train for Life is something we pride ourselves on. We want to remind you that we are constantly learning and educating ourselves on the most up to date information and techniques in the industry. We already have 3 certifications lined up for this year and plan to continue to build on what we in our workouts. As we learn new and better ways to teach you, you will get better! Form is something that is extremely important to us, we want all of you to know to perform an exercise and feel comfortable doing it. Specific exercises should not be causing you pain, burning in a specific muscle, sure; your heart pounding after doing 30 seconds on the ropes, sure! However, if your knee always bothers you while doing a Split Squat or Lunge, that's not an appropriate exercise for you. In 2013, we plan to continue to better our programming to help correct some of the issues you may/may not be experiencing. It's common for pain or an injury to occur in any workout regimen, but we can't let it go without notice. We need to know about it in order to help you or to refer you to someone in our network that can!

- Challenges and Testing are a great way to keep everyone motivated! Our most recent challenge saw the top 3 individuals lose a combined total of over 20 inches! We will continue to bring you more of these throughout the year so you will constantly be motivated. During the first 5-6 months of 2012, we were testing things like push ups and planks during recovery week as a means to help you gauge your progress. We plan to add more ways for us to track your progress and for you to see your improvements. We always want you strive for small goals, each workout, each week, each month as those small goals get you to your BIG goals!

2. What you did NOT LIKE in 2012? - More HELP and less cancelled classes is a big priority of ours in 2013. We plan to bring on at least one more person to help Jordan and I by summer, and most likely two by the end of the year. We want to be sure as we open our doors to an employee(s) we still provide you with the best possible program and experience. With that said, you may see interns come and go as we find the right fit for Train for Life. We want you to know that no matter who is here helping us, we believe in them and that they are just as capable as we are. We needed to be away in 2012 at times in order to better our education and build our experience here. While we were away this past weekend, Chris Watton and Jim Scripture did an amazing job filling in and keeping everyone moving on Saturday!

- Lack of showers and places to change - This is something we considered when we selected our location and while it is possible for us to add a 'locker room' and showers this is a large investment which we cannot justify without a large increase in price for something that not that a very small percentage has asked for. However, we will be finishing the men's bathroom with a bench and clean area to change. We will also be adding one in the women's room to make changing easier for everyone!

- Cleanliness of mats, foam rollers, etc. - We are constantly cleaning at Train for Life so after you leave we spend plenty of time daily keeping your equipment sanitized. We have also taken action to add equipment wipes and Purel hand sanitizers in both rooms. We ask that you aid in keeping items you use clean by whipping them down after each class.

- There has been some mention of large class sizes being a concern. We want to ensure you that this has been part of our vision all along and we understand that some of you who have been with us for a long time can remember when 10 people was a lot. We hope that you will continue to grow with us and know that the classes will be capped at 30 people in our Boot Camps and 10 people in our Small Group sessions and that we have adequate room and equipment for that many. We are working with a software company called MindBody to set up an online system where you can check in for each class so that we know how many people will be expected per class and if and when we need to add classes. If you have issues with learning exercises, questions about your own training or nutrition, please speak with us. We have no idea if you don't talk to us directly. We continue to put thought into our programming to ensure plenty of room for exercises and will be adding more equipment when needed to keep the quality top notch!

- More variety of classes - Our program centers around our Boot Camp and Small Group sessions. Many of you have mentioned a variety of classes such as an abs only classes, kettle bells, yoga, etc. We are constantly working to provide you with as much variety in our program while sticking to our roots of quality programming based on the scientific backing of metabolic strength training, full body strength training and more. With that in mind, we will be adding a new time for our Strongman classes, Tuesday nights at 7:15 pm and we will be looking for a yoga instructor in the near future. You won't see an abs only class as some of you mentioned for the sole reason that it does not align with our philosophies. We want to remind you that abs are MADE IN THE KITCHEN, NOT IN THE GYM! We strongly believe in our principles of core stability training and incorporate a ton of core work into our boot camp workouts. Anything that we will bring to you in the future we will strongly stand behind in the science that backs it! It is our mission to always provide you with the best the fitness and strength and conditioning industry has to offer.

- Parking - The parking lot tends to get very full requiring you to park at the far ends of the building. We want to remind the walk is good for you and you are coming to the gym! On a serious note, our landlord plans to add additional lighting on the building and if you feel unsafe walking in the dark, we would be glad to walk with you.

3. What's coming in 2013!? - Individual Goal Setting, Challenges, and Check Ins - We will continue to bring you more and more ways to keep you on task and getting the results you are working so hard for. In February, you will see the return of another 7 Week Challenge. We will be scheduling workshops on topics including Chi Running, Nutrition and Food Prep, and Mindset for Success. We will be working be checking in with to see that you've set some great goals for yourself for 2013, so put your thinking caps on!

- We promise to continue working on building Train for Life in the place that you can call the BEST PART OF YOUR DAY! We are constantly working to better ourselves and Train for Life and we always look for suggestions so going forward if your questions or concerns weren't answered here, TALK TO US! We don't bite. Talk to us about ways to better the environment and community here as well as how you can conquer each and every goal you have!

Check out this article from BYO Family!

A big thank you to BYO Family for featuring Train for Life in this month's edition of their online magazine. Check out the great write up they gave us!

CHICOPEE – Vanessa Begolli of Belchertown knows that if she doesn’t show up to work out at her gym, Train For Life in Chicopee, she’s going to hear about it.

“Train For Life is very different than regular gyms due to the fact that you create a network of friends, which almost becomes your family,” says Begolli. “You are expected to be there, and if you aren’t, then someone will find out what’s going on to put you back on track.”

This connection is critical for the 39-year-old mother of two. A five-year breast cancer survivor, she says she looks half her age because of it... Click below to read the rest from Janice Beetle of BYO Family.

http://www.byofamily.com/life/healthy-family/train-life/

Holiday Hours

We will be running a modified schedule the week between Christmas and New Years. Saturday, December 22nd - Normal Hours, No Changes Sunday, December 23rd - CLOSED Monday, December 24th - We will hold one large class at 8 AM, please sign up at the front desk. If this fills or issues come up, we will potentially schedule a second time. Tuesday, December 25th - CLOSED Wednesday, December 26th - OPEN Gym from 2-7PM Thursday, December 27th - OPEN Gym from 2-7PM Friday, December 28th - OPEN Gym from 2-7PM Saturday, December 29th - Normal Schedule, 7 AM, 8:30 AM and 10 AM Sunday, December 30th - CLOSED Monday, December 31st - CLOSED Tuesday, January 1st aka Jordan's Birthday! - CLOSED Wednesday, January 2nd - We will reopen back on our normal weekday schedule!

*Open Gym: A generic interval timer will be running for the whole time, and workouts will be posted on the boards. This is set up for your own convenience to get some good workouts in between the holidays. Come as a group with your TFL friends or come alone, either way... GET ONE IN, TWO OR THREE EVEN!!

Thanksgiving Schedule at TFL

Hey everyone, Thanksgiving is only a week away and our All I Want for Christmas Challenge is 2 weeks deep! How well are you eating these past 2 weeks? Have you been to every workout that you've planned for yourself? If you're falling short of your goals, be sure to stay strong through the holiday and refocus yourself to stay on task. This is the hardest time of the year so you need to set small goals and stay strong to them. I will continue to repeat that statement over the 7 weeks. If you set one goal each week over the 7 weeks, you will have created 7 NEW, HEALTHY habits for yourself! You WILL BE BETTER for having done this! This is only 7 weeks of your life! You can buckle down and make a big change NOW! Remember, indulge in your favorites on Thursday but don't overeat! A cheat meal is okay, but there is no reason to stuff yourself like you've never had turkey and stuffing before!

Next week we will be working out on Thanksgiving morning to help you stay on task. Here is our schedule below for Thursday and Friday next week.

Thursday, November 22, 2012 Boot Camp - 8 AM (Class is limited to 72 people, so sign up TODAY!)

Friday, November 23, 2012 Closed till 4 PM - NO Morning classes or Small Group sessions. Small Group clients contact us to reschedule for a different day or time next week. ALL Classes and Small Group sessions Friday Evening will go on as scheduled.

All I Want for Christmas!

Good morning! Here are the details for the 'All I Want for Christmas' Transformation Challenge! Good luck to everyone participating..

All I Want for Christmas 49 Day Transformation Challenge

1. To enter all participants must: a. Submit a BEFORE photo via e-mail or have one taken before or after a workout at TFL by November 8th b. Submit an AFTER photo via e-mail or have one taken before of after a workout at TFL by December 24th c. Have weight, body fat and measurements taken by one of your TFL trainers before AND after d. Submit the entrance fee of $25.00 by cash or check made payable to: Train for Life, Inc.

2. BEFORE and AFTER photos: *Submitted photos will be kept private upon request. a. Must be submitted or have had taken no later than close of business on Wednesday, November 7th b. If submitting photos via e-mail, send them to jordan@trainforlifema.com i. Must include Full Name, Front View and Side View ii. Men - Shorts and NO shirt iii. Women - Shorts and Sports Bra or Swimwear type outfit (The more visual difference between before and after pictures will be greatly beneficial in choosing our winners) iv. All email submitted photos must include a newspaper with the current date c. AFTER photos must be submitted no later than Monday, December 24th and follow the same rules as above

3. All Transformation Challenge winners will be selected by Jordan Marshall, Andrew McConaha, and Eric Stawarz

4. Other ways to WIN: a. Attendance - Each class participants attend will award them one raffle ticket. The more classes you attend the better your chances to win in this category, not to mention improve your overall chances of a more impressive transformation! The WINNER will receive a $100 Visa Gift Card

b. Physical Challenges - Each week, we will announce a challenge of the week. The top 3 finishers each week will be awarded 3 (1st Place), 2 (2nd Place) , or 1 (3rd Place) points. If there is a tie at the end of the 7 challenges, we will have a SUDDEN DEATH challenge to choose the winner. The WINNER will receive a $50 Visa Gift Card, one month of a package upgrade and a TFL t-shirt

c. Mr. or Ms. Congeniality - At the end of the 7 seven weeks, Jordan, Eric and Andrew will choose one member as our Congeniality award recipient. This individual will have shown marked improvements, made great efforts in food logs and attendance, and shown true TFL spirit throughout the contest. The WINNER will receive a $25 Visa Gift Card and one month of a package upgrade for FREE.

5. Prizes: 1st Place: $519.00 Value - $250 Visa Gift Card, 24" LG LED TV ($199.00 value), a TFL sweatshirt ($40.00 value), and Pro/Grade protein powder ($40.00 value) 2nd Place: $280.00 Value - $200 Visa Gift Card, a TFL sweatshirt ($40.00 value), and Pro/Grade protein powder ($40.00 value) 3rd Place: $170.00 Value - $100 Visa Gift Card, a TFL t-shirt ($30.00 value) and Pro/Grade protein powder ($40.00 value) *Prize values are subject to increase/decrease based on overall participation.

The photos for the challenge aren't meant to cause participants anxiety.. It is a fact that these photos will increase results, and are very beneficial to success. Please use this as a tool in order to create great healthy habits. We wish everyone good luck and we are here to support you in any way we can to make this your healthiest holiday season yet! Keep the competition friendly and most importantly HAVE FUN!

Check us out on Mass Appeal!

Last Friday, I was asked to appear on Mass Appeal on WWLP to discuss how to prepare for the Fight for Air Climb and our charity Boot Camp coming up on Thursday, October 18th at 6 PM. You can visit the link to watch our segment. We hope many of you can come out and support two great causes, the American Lung Association and Breast Cancer Awareness. We will be hosting a BBQ after the workout and encourage many of you to stick around afterwards.http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/mass_appeal/health/get-in-shape-for-the-fight-for-air-climb

All You Have to Do is Decide!

Today is the one year anniversary for a client and great friend of mine at Train for Life! I wanted to share with you her progress and story through her words here for you today. We are capable of pushing ourselves beyond what we ever thought possible. All you have to do is decide and everything else will get out of your way. One year ago, Lauren decided to take it upon herself to change her life. Congratulations to her and all of her accomplishments! I'm very proud of all that she has! Thank you for letting me and the Train for Life family be a part of your journey!!

Here is her update since the original testimonial posted on the website last year, ENJOY!

Short update on my journey with Train for Life since you last heard from me at the end of October 2011. Weeks after completing the Rugged Maniac 5K, during a moment of temporary insanity and at the encouragement of the TFL crew, I signed up to participate in the May 2012 Tough Mudder race at Mount Snow. Tough Mudder events are 10-12 mile obstacle courses designed by the British Special Forces; they proclaim themselves to be “the toughest event on the planet.” This stuff is no joke and I decided it could never be too early to start to train. I began to step up my running, registered for another 5K, and increased my mileage. But I still wasn’t feeling like that was enough. What better way to prepare my body for that kind of torture? Train for a half marathon… naturally. Clearly, my streak of insanity had continued, or so I thought. It’s important I mention that I have been following the lead of my fellow TFLer’s into these races. I was inspired by those around me setting goals and aiming high and I believed I should do the same. I set my sites on two things, hit 100lbs lost by March 15 (my TFL anniversary) and a February trip to Florida to run…or walk, the 2012 Disney Princess ½ Marathon. While it might sound like I made all these decisions lightheartedly and with an “I got this” mentality. I questioned myself and my ability every step of the way. At this point I had lost over 70lbs, had a couple small races under my belt and was stronger than I had ever been but it’s true we are always our own worst critics and I had some serious doubts about my plans. To be honest that doubt always lingered but the people who never doubted me were my friends at Train for Life. I have joked with Drew that if I announced that I planned to climb Mt. Everest next week his reply would be “yeah buddy!” So, on the days that I didn’t believe in myself I relied on the fact that others had faith in me. For those of us prepping for long races, half and full marathons, Drew put together a 15 week running program. I’m not exaggerating when I say I struggled through almost every training run. I would listen to my friends talk about their runs, their pace, their mileage, and their…runner’s high?! I started to loathe the nice lady on my Nike app who reminded me of my pace every half mile. I questioned myself, why I did I decide to train for this over the winter? How much money would I lose if I back out now? Why did I do this? WHY did I DO this? My weight loss was a different struggle. I plateaued, like we all do, more than once. I did my fair share of beating myself up over 1lb, 2lbs, and all that wine I drank last weekend. And I certainly had a few “pull yourself together kid” conversations with my friends, there was no doubt, this part of my journey had some bumps. These thoughts stayed with me for months, pretty much until race day, at which point my goal was finish… running, walking, crawling, just finish. There is a photo of me somewhere on this page at mile 11, I look happy but at that moment I’m pretty sure I could have stopped and walked the last two miles, no question. But my longtime friend and running partner that day kept running and so did I. It was in mile 11 that I let myself think back on the previous 11 months (coincidence? Hmmm). I thought about what a different person I was, not just physically but in all areas of my life. The goals I had achieved and the ones I had yet to conquer, the people who’ve told me I’ve inspired them and most importantly the incredible people who have inspired and supported me. When I was done I was amazed with myself, I spent the entire rest of that day saying “I can’t believe we ran a half marathon this morning!... No, seriously, I can’t believe it.” What I failed to recognize until that day was the challenge of training truly had prepared my body, it was my head that was creating the struggle. I flew back from Florida just over a week ago considering myself a runner for the very first time. Yesterday, March 6, 2012, nine days before my 1 year anniversary at Train for Life I hit the 100lb mark. I am not the first of us to reach this milestone and I’m certain I won’t be the last. When I started out a year ago it was never my goal to lose 100lbs or to run a race of any kind I simply wanted to be healthier and happier. And I am. It’s funny now that I’m here, what should feel like the end of something instead feels like the beginning of something much bigger. I’m still not sure what, but I can’t wait for whatever comes next.

Looks Like Success.. And Smells Like It Too!!!

One of the most important things I preach is how important it is to have a plan in order to achieve your goals. Each Sunday, you should take a couple hours to spend time in the kitchen to plan out your food for the week. The more prepared you are for you nutrition goals, the less likely you will be to make excuses! I have compiled part of my menu for this week and put it below for you to use a cheat sheet! Pick and choose or straight up the copy thing.. Just do it!

Protein Pumpkin Muffins:

Wet stuff: 15 ounces canned organic pumpkin 2 egg whites

Dry stuff: 1 cup oats, ground in food processor 2 scoops vanilla protein powder (this had 23g per scoop!) 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/4 cup splenda (you could certainly use sugar or agave nectar if you don't mind the calories) Handful chopped walnuts

Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 8-10 minutes. I will be enjoying these with my morning coffee or as a post workout snack!

Sirloin Burgers: (I multiplied the amounts to make 6 burgers, plus leftovers that I used in the meatloaf.)

Ingredients (for Sirloin Burger) Ground sirloin or extra lean ground beef (170 g) 6 oz Salt 2 pinches Pepper 1 pinch Chili powder 1 pinch Fresh garlic (minced) 1 tsp Onion (finely chopped) 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp Olive oil cooking spray

Serving Size Serves 1 large or 2 small.

Preparation Time 3 min. Preparation Time 10 min. Cooking Time

Introduction A great-tasting burger is hard to beat. This Sirloin Burger has an excellent texture and flavor and goes great with Coconut Cauliflower Mash or Miso Vegetable Brown Rice.

Instructions Preheat a non-stick frying pan on medium heat. Combine all ingredients except cooking spray together in a mixing bowl and stir until completely combined. Form into a round shape about ¾ inch thick. Lightly coat pan with spray and place the sirloin burger into the pan. Cook the burger until lightly browned and then gently flip and brown the other side. Cook all the way through and serve. Serves 1 large or 2 small.

Variations and Options To add flavor and texture, add finely chopped peppers, corn or herbs to the burger.

Nutritional Information (per serving) large small Calories (k/cal) 232.9 116.4 Fat (g) 8.4 4.2 Saturated (g) 3.8 1.9 Monounsaturated (g) 3.6 1.8 Polyunsaturated (g) 0.4 0.2 omega-3 (g) 0.1 0.0 omega-6 (g) 0.3 0.2 Carbohydrates (g) 3.1 1.6 fiber (g) 0.3 0.2 sugars (g) 1.4 0.7 Protein (g) 36.2 18.1

This recipe is from - http://www.precisionnutrition.com/favorite-gourmet-nutrition-recipes

I will be eating these with some of the oven roasted veggies, and possibly some baked sweet potato fries!

Meatloaf: Kinda winged it on this one, so not too sure on the amounts for each ingredient. I used the remaining beef from my sirloin burgers and added a few extras.. We will see how this actually tastes!

Ingredients: See above in the Sirloin Burgers, then I added 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 2 egg whites and 1/2 cup steel cut oats.

Oven Roasted Vegetables: Super easy one, took cherry tomatoes, squash, zucchini, and onions and sprinkles with salt, pepper and olive oil. Baked for 30-60 minutes until brown.

Along with the recipes above, I will have baked chicken (always a good standby), currently thawing swordfish and a pork loin which I will have the swordfish tomorrow at lunch (cooked fresh) and the pork loin will go in the crock pot tomorrow morning, frozen veggies, greek yogurt, frozen berries, salad mix and fresh fruit ready to eat! I chopped all of veggies for the next couple days, peppers, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc so that I easily make salads and add veggies to my omelets. That may seem like a ton of food to some of you, but remember you're aiming to have a lean protein and a veggie at every meal so there will be plenty of opportunity to eat of all this delicious food!

Make this your Sunday ritual and as I continue to experiment with cooking more often that I have been I will be following up with more of these posts! It's great to have a full kitchen back in working order..

BEFORE:

AFTER:

The Mayonnaise Jar

All of us who have committed to a goal have made training a priority. Until you do this, you will only go so far. Below is a very clever story about all the things in our lives. Many of us are extremely busy and the most common reason I hear from people of why they aren't exercising or eating right, etc. is that there is not enough time. You must look at your life and prioritize what is important to you. The harder you work the more time and energy you will have for all of the other things! I hope you enjoy the story as much as I did. It brought a smile to my face as I finished. I'm so lucky to have so many great people who have come into my life as a result of Train for Life and it's great to be reminded about these things that are so important.

When things in your life seem, almost too much to handle… When 24 hours in a day is not enough… Remember the mayonnaise jar and two cups of coffee. A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, He picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students, if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous ‘yes’. The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. “Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things – family, children, health, passions. Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else – the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. So… Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.” One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”

Something to Think About..

I came across this today on Mike Boyle's blog and it definitely made me think. As someone who has been wrapped up in working so hard, I make sure that I have time for things like this.. This isn't just an important message for kids, but us adults too. We are so busy that life just passes us by. Take sometime for yourself, a minute, an afternoon, a weekend to just enjoy the simple things in life. Life is too short, enjoy all the things it has to offer! This article was in a recent Parade Magazine:

Go ahead, kids. Lie in the grass. Study the clouds. Daydream. Be lazy. You have our permission.

I feel sorry for todays kids. Summer comes, theyre finally free from schooland bang! Band camp. Science seminars. Internships.

Instead of downtime, its get-up-and-go time. Chorus travel, archaeological digs, dance tours. My nephew from Michigan flew to Georgetown University for a summer medical program, replete with cadavers. He was 16.

He’s hardly alone. Some kids fill their summers with so many prep courses that theyre ready to graduate from college by the time they get there. Its all very admirable, but heres a question: Why so busy?

I can make the case for doing nothing all summer. Thats right. Nothing. I know it wont advance your kids career objectives or improve their SAT scores.

But it might be good for them.

When I think of my childhood summers, I remember lying in the grass, hands behind my head, feeling the blades dig into my fingers. I studied the clouds. I joked with my friends. None of us wore watches.

Weekdays were indistinguishable from weekends. Id wake up when my eyes opened, read comic books over bowls of -cereal, go outside with my baseball glove (just in case a game broke out), and find something to do on my bike, make things in the garage. Was it lazy? By todays standards, maybe. But there was a freedom that todays kids dont enjoy. We sat on curbs. We daydreamed. Think about the word. Daydream. It means your imagination wanders while your eyes are open.

What kid has time for that today? Preteens are on travel soccer teams. They fly to faraway cities. Play tournaments. Isnt that what pro players do?

Likewise, camps chew up the summer months, but theyre no longer just softball and swimming. There are fashion camps. Circus camps. Science camps. Achievement is emphasized.

Even kids at home find their free time under scrutiny. Some children are made to adhere to playdates as if keeping a doctors appointment. (By the way, the closest I ever came to a playdate was when my mother opened the door on summer mornings and said, Go. Dont come back until supper.)

We need to lighten it up. Sometimes doing nothing is doing something. Sure, camp can be fun, and travel ball is exciting, but if we cram in activities from the last day of school to the first, were ignoring an important fact: The way kids work during the academic yearhonestly, youd think homework was a full-time joba mental break may be needed. These are young minds, young bodies. Replenishing the juices by kicking back is not a bad idea. And if not in childhood, then when?

Now, I know what youre thinking: If we dont enroll our kids in an activity, all theyll do is text. Or watch TV (and text) or talk on the phone (and text).

Well, you could prevent that. You could take away the cell phone, the iPod, the Nintendo. Then see if you can get your kid to do four things in a day:

1. Have a face-to-face conversation with a friend.

2. Read something.

3. Build something.

4. Get wet. A pool. A hose. A sprinkler. Whatever.

Thats really enough. Before you can blink, its the school year again, where every day is jammed with sports, AP classes, student government, and field trips.

Thats fine for September. But if September is no different from June, July, and August, then were doing something wrong. And our kids are missing something precious.

Best-selling author Mitch Albom is a Detroit Free Press columnist.