Archive for the 'Pregnancy Exercise' Category

Stop boredom with Cross Training! By team member – Donna Foster-Laroque

Before I begin to review some examples of the benefits of cross training, let’s first define what Cross Training is.

Cross Training refers to training your muscles in a variety of ways to improve overall performance. So whether you are pregnant or a new mom, cross training is ideal so you can “train” for the various activities ahead.

So, what are the benefits of Cross Training and why should we incorporate them into a fitness program?

First and foremost, cross training reduces the risk of injury and this is music to any (especially a new) moms ears. If you consistently perform the same routine on a regular basis, you are basically working the same muscle groups over and over.  As a result, you are actually adding more “stress” on the muscles which can result in repetitive strain or overuse.  By Cross Training, you can reduce the amount of stress that can occur on a specific muscle group because by doing different activities, you use muscles in a slightly different way.

Read the rest of this entry »

What NOT to do for your Mummy Tummy

So if you have a mummy tummy, a pooch or roundness right around your belly button that’s bigger at night than in the morning, there is a pretty good chance it’s more than just those wings and beer you had last night. The most common cause of this post-delivery belly is a condition called diastasis recti, or in lay mans terms, separation of the rectus abdominis.

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know I am more than just a personal trainer, but more an educator when it comes to what happens to your body both during pregnancy and postpartum. I am basically here to tell you the sh*t no one else does so you can feel confident knowing what you can and can not do when it comes to fitness pre and post.

So for all of you who may know (or not know, but suspect) that you do have diastasis recti, know this; you are very NORMAL as this affects approximately 85% of FIRST pregnancies. Some physiotherapists, however, would say it’s more like 95% because if your abdominals have separated at all, that’s a diastasis. I mean, before, your abdominals weren’t separated, right? (or were they?) Read the rest of this entry »

Getting back on the horse….mommy or not: By team member – Aida Estacio

So you’ve fallen off the horse and now you have to get back on before it’s too late and the more time passes the harder it becomes to get back on.  It’s not just about your motivation either. If you wait too long, scar tissue can form and other injuries can follow. And if you’re a mom, injuries are the LAST thing you need.

Now if this is you, let’s hope you have been seeing a certified health care provider such as a physiotherapist or chiropractor for treatment and doing the exercises they gave you.  If you haven’t, that would be a good start.

Whether it’s been a few weeks, a few months or a few years, the best start would be easing into your workouts so you don’t get re-injured or create a new injury as a result. Going too hard, too fast is just asking for trouble. Read the rest of this entry »

Energy survival tips for moms

It makes me giggle sometimes when a client will comment on how “good” I look or how “full of energy” I am. Hey…don’t forget, looks can be deceiving but then I do have a few secrets up my sleeve.

Like every mom on the planet, my days are filled with schedules, routines and lack there of. As much as I try my best to prepare, life still throws me curve balls to keep me on my toes. Having said that, if something does come up out of the blue, I try my best not to panic because we all know what that does; it only creates more panic and the domino’s begin to roll…

Now although we would love to control the way the universe works, there are somethings that we just need to put out there and let things fall where they may. However, we DO have a choice on how good and energetic we feel so we are better prepared for nature’s surprises. Read the rest of this entry »

Training your body as a “whole” – By team member: Alycia Spadafora

I personally believe in training our bodies as a whole. What do I mean by that? To train whole means to incorporate not only our physical body but also our mental and emotional bodies into our workouts. How our physical body reacts to our chosen lifestyle (good or bad) is a direct reflection of how our minds feel. Lets take a look at each element in more detail.

Physical: the things we can see, feel and touch

We are very familiar with our physical body, especially after we have a baby. The postpartum body can be difficult for some when the media does an extensive job on examining what is accepted as “beautiful” or “normal”. We often compare ourselves to others and expect our bodies to transform instantly. Working out is not just a quick fix it’s a lifestyle change. It takes time and hard work to succeed. So when you’re looking through magazines and watching what seems like perfection, don’t sit there and compare.  How can you compare your beginning to someone else’s ending?  Read the rest of this entry »

A moms dream!! Increase your energy and mood in 60 seconds flat! – By team member: Donna Foster-Larocque

As we head into the third month of the winter season, you might find your energy level is low and that you feel tired or simply exhausted all the time! If you’re like me, you’re also looking forward to waking up to warmer weather and to more sunshine!

But there are ways that you can kick start your body to increase your energy level and improve your mood in just 60 seconds! Yes, you read correctly, in just 60 seconds you can improve your overall mental and physical health.

First, let’s focus on some tips to help improve you mentally. Read the rest of this entry »

Pregnant? Exhausted? Don’t give up!! by team member: Lisa Mawas

I have a client who I see once a week at her home but is also a member at the same gym I go to where she does classes three times a week. I love when we do the same class at the gym because we both motivate each other. She is 5 years younger than me and is extremely strong and fit. We both like to kick it up a notch and will start adding in high intensity alternatives when we want an extra challenge during the class. She is not a fitness professional but certainly looks like one! Sometimes she’ll follow my lead and other times I will follow hers. We both have young kids who use up a lot of our physical and emotional energy, so when we see each other at the gym,  we are usually looking for an exercise class that will set us straight and wake us up for the day. Read the rest of this entry »

Exercise during pregnancy?? No guff!!

A friend forwarded this post to me last month from the Globe and Mail called Pregnant? It’s a good time to start exercising. Yah…no guff Sherlock.

I guess I am a bit tired of reading articles from larger publications just regurgitating the same-ole same-ole information that has been out for years about how moving as opposed to being sedentary, can be beneficial during pregnancy. Well that doesn’t seem like such a huge reach to me. Aren’t the benefits quite clear when you’re not pregnant? So then it only makes sense that if you are growing a human being inside you, exercise is even more important, no?? Call me crazy. Read the rest of this entry »