Fit Mom-Wellness
Moms That Kick A** — Professional Fighter Rosi Sexton
The other day I watched a video about a mother whos also a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter.Her fitness level was awe-inspiring and her commitment to her art intense.Im on the fence, though. My hubby (who also studies mixed martial arts and is a big fan) and I debate this in my home often. While I love the idea of full exertion fitness and I love the idea of competition, ...
Read more...Top 10 Reasons to Exercise During Pregnancy
Moms and moms-to-be often find themselves debating the benefits of exercise during or just after pregnancy. I have put together some information for those inquiring minds to help ease some of the frustration in fact finding. I’ve found that mothers enquiring about the Fitmom program tend to have many questions and concerns and are often misinformed. I feel the best thing for moms is to do a little...
Read more...
Abdominal Separation Identification in Pregnancy
Are you concerned about abdominal separation? Do you know how to address it? During pregnancy, most woman separate down the middle of their rectus abdominus (the six pack) a small amount. A small amount of separation is normal but pregnant women should take a preventative approach to prevent further separation that can lead to complete separation. At Fitmom, we recommend having your abdominals c...
Read more...
Pregnancy Weight Gain: Not a One-Size-Fits-All Approach
Weight gain in pregnancy is a controversial issue due to the varying reports on what is recommended and what isn’t. The “eating for two” philosophy has long been dismissed as a sensible approach to healthy weight gain in pregnancy. Most health care providers don’t advocate this at all. The facts are: You need fewer calories in pregnancy then you do postpartum while breastfeeding—150 for pregnanc...
Read more...
Embracing Fat During Pregnancy and Beyond
Fatty acids are simply components of fats. There are three essential fatty acids (EFAs). Essential means your body needs these for proper function. The two below need to be included in your diet because your body cannot manufacture them. • The first is alpha-linolenic acid (LNA or ALA), from the omega-3 family of fatty acids. · Found in flax (abundantly), and in small quantities in walnuts, cold ...
Read more...Get Going on a Path to Feeling Good
If I had a dollar for every time a mom told me she is just not motivated to exercise, I would have a lot of money put away! Undoubtedly, the first weeks and months after the birth of a child can be nothing short of emotionally and physically exhausting. For many moms these feelings of exhaustion become a fixture with the birth of each additional child and growing demands. Exercise may be the last ...
Read more...Yoga During Pregnancy and Labor
Yoga is a great component of preparing for labor and delivery and preventing injury. Mimicking some yoga postures in the labor room has been shown to be helpful for a variety of different reasons.Yoga during pregnancy was a growing trend during the 80s and 90s, and is still widely viewed as beneficial for the expectant mom. Yoga in and of itself improves posture, core strength, joint stabi...
Read more...Pumped for Pregnancy
During my first pregnancy I was a sluggish mess, validated by all the excuses and inaccurate information I could get my hands on. When my preterm baby was born as a result of hypertension (linked to excessive weight gain—mine to the tune of 60 pounds!), I had an awakening. My baby needed me to be healthy—before and after birth. With a background in fitness, I knew better. But like a lot of women, ...
Read more...Taking the Fad Out of Abs for New Moms
Does any new mom like her post-baby belly? Whether you call it your muffin-top or belly jelly or have some other name for the roll that your new baby has left around your waist, we know you are not happy about it being there. Almost all women come to Fitmom asking “How (the *&%#@!) do I get my abs back?” Many women weep that they’ve been doing 100 sit-ups a day and nothing is changing. We know...
Read more...Beyond the Belly: Fitness for the New Mom
No other day in life quite compares to the day you bring home your new baby for the first time. The knowledge that the beautiful little person laying in your arms comes from you can be so rewarding, but at the same time, very overwhelming. Those first months bring you (and by you, I mean all moms!) great joy, extreme exhaustion, and very little time for yourself. Just the very thought of throwing ...
Read more...Injury Prevention: Yoga During Pregnancy
While it's safe for many pregnant athletes to continue their pre-pregnancy exercise regime, a pregnant body not only looks but also behaves differently and requires a new focus when it comes to exercise goals and injury prevention.The pregnant athlete who continues to follow her regular training program may be at risk of straining her joints, which become more lax during pregnancy due...
Read more...Running During Pregnancy
Running during pregnancy has been and continues to be a controversial issue in which clear answers seem often hard to find. This is because there is no right answer for everybody. Individual factors need to be taken into consideration. Here are some guidelines to follow: New Ventures: If running is a new venture for you, don’t start during pregnancy. Running in and of itself does involve some impa...
Read more...Exercise and Breastfeeding
All new moms who choose to breastfeed are often concerned that the quality and supply of their milk may be compromised as a result of exercise. Just as nursing moms tend to become meticulous about selecting healthy foods and avoiding toxins in pregnancy and postpartum, many are concerned that exercising may adversely affect their breast milk. There are clear ways to reap all the benefits of exerci...
Read more...Mamas Too Tired for Exercise?
This is something I hear all the time. It’s a fact: Moms don’t get much sleep. For those who don’t love exercise, this is just the excuse they need to not be active. Heck, I’ve been there. When pregnant with my first child almost nine years ago, I used my constant exhaustion (and the myth that pregnancy and exercise don’t mix) as the justification for lying around. The problem is this leads to a v...
Read more...Pushing Your Partner
I hope you are really enjoying the benefits of exercise and healthy living. Feeling fit and strong adds so much to your life. However, if you have small children, you might be the only one in your house who feels this way. As you know, finding time to exercise when you have little kids is really hard. You have carved out space, but has your partner? Obviously, you both can’t get up at 5:30 a.m. to...
Read more...Don’t Fast at Breakfast
A new study just recently released reaffirmed what we already know: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The five-year study by a Cambridge hospital followed nearly 7,000 people and found that those who ate breakfast generally put on the least amount of weight even though they ate more food during the course of the day. The researchers showed that people who did not eat substantial bre...
Read more...Can’t Seem to Shed the Pounds?
You’ve been working out regularly for months now but can’t seem to see the scale number drop. It doesn’t seem possible or fair because you are putting in the time and feel like you don’t deserve to still look four months pregnant. In our experience with clients, this happens for two main reasons. Read on and reflect on your practice to find out if this is the case for you. The first reason is hidd...
Read more...
Hurts So Bad
You are just getting back into your fitness routine and are starting to feel great when you are sidelined by an injury. You want to scream your head off and are panicking that all your hard work over the last few months is going to go out the window. Try not to have a major meltdown because that stress will lead you to likely do one of two unproductive things: 1. Work through the pain, further i...
Read more...Biceps, a Baby, and a Budget
Fiscal fitness is not only possible but necessary. Gone are the days of putting your wellness on the back burner due to lack of finances. Joining a gym is far from the only way to get in shape, so here are some tips for getting fit on a budget. 1. If you don’t know where to start, hire a personal trainer for only one or two sessions to review form and technique. Also, try sharing the expense with ...
Read more...5 Pregnancy Exercise Myths
MYTH: If you haven’t exercised before, you shouldn’t start. THE FACTS: Simply NOT TRUE. Exercise for pregnant women is recommended, even for women who do not exercise regularly, because the benefits drastically outweigh the risks. MYTH: You should not get your heart rate over 140 BPM. THE FACTS: This myth, which seems to travel the internet by storm, varies in its exact number. Heart rate during p...
Read more...Post-Season Rebalance for Mom
Depending on where you are in your life and what you did over the holidays, you may be buzzing with energy anticipating the New Year and all that lies ahead. Alternatively, you may be burnt out from all the bad food and wine consumed during the endless holiday parties. While it is such a pleasure to connect over the holidays with friends and family, some of us feel unsettled as we approach the New...
Read more...Lower Back Blues
Having kids can create an array of back problems that often start in pregnancy. Pregnancy posture shortens the hamstrings, causing stress on the lower back extensors. Middle and upper back pain can occur from enlarged breasts during pregnancy and poor breastfeeding posture postpartum. Women who don’t exercise regularly through the childbearing years often lose muscle mass and muscular balance lead...
Read more...Winter Workout
As your kids get older and they require more time for their own activities, there may be less time to fit in your own workouts. So, if you’re in a snow belt and you need to fit in fitness, go tobogganing with your kids and use the hill to train. Instead of standing around freezing your butt off, slide down with the kids and try these snowy uphill workouts: HILL • Giant step hill climb • Single leg...
Read more...Fitting In Fitness
Today’s busy mom is somewhat of a superhero. She must move faster than the speed of light to keep up with the demands of it all, including being a mother, working, and fitting in the all-important yet often elusive task of managing her own well-being. While I’m not sure how we actually manage, balance comes by making everything a priority when you are taking care of the needs of many. We often loo...
Read more...Family That Runs Together Stays Together
In my classes, I certainly sing the praises of strength training for increasing lean muscle mass, which in turn burns fat. That being said, I think running is also a great exercise option for new moms for one simple reason: convenience! While there are things to consider, especially for new moms (see my blog on feet issues), the one attractive quality is you can run almost anywhere! A favorite new...
Read more...Feet Facts: For New and Expecting Moms
Yes, there is one more thing for you new and expectant moms to be concerned about – your feet! They lug us around for life but sometimes we forget that they need a little TLC every now and then in order to continue to do their job well. Here’s why. During pregnancy, the hormone relaxin is released throughout your body. Its main purpose is to help certain areas of your body expand during pregnancy ...
Read more...Can Mommy Get a Six-Pack and Some ZZZs?
"Can mommy get a six-pack?" This is the most common question that new and even long-time moms ask. While many women work VERY hard to see results and are even doing a lot of the right things, like exercising the large muscle groups to increase their lean muscle mass and metabolism as well as eating right, some women still get stuck on their journey to being a mommy with a six-pack. One t...
Read more...Keeping Active Improves Your Sex Life
My thoughts about and desire for sex are limited by low energy (something I experience frequently now that I'm a mom). In our years of navigating a relationship with three kids, my husband and I have learned that being a fit mom and a fit dad is key to keeping the temperature up in our bedroom. Parenting and work can exhaust a couple so much they feel there is nothing left to give. Being fit ...
Read more...Pregnant Moms Get Moving
The exercise guidelines put out by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists highly recommend the benefits of keeping a regular fitness regime during pregnancy. However, most recent statistics still note the number of pregnant women in America who choose to exercise during pregnancy is just over 15%. In a healthy pregnancy the perceived risks of exercise are vastly outweighed by the ...
Read more...
