mommymuscle™

The Do's and Don'ts

As children, it seemed that we heard two words in particular over and over as our parents tried to mold us into productive adults: "Do" and "Don't".  As we got older, that list of things we should or shouldn't do got even longer: do work hard, do spend time with your family, do eat your fruits and vegetables, don't drink too much, don't work too much, and don't waste your time and money.

The litany of the do's and don'ts of acceptable and healthy behaviors and attitudes seems to greet us at every turn.  We can't read magazines, turn on the TV, or listen to the radio without hearing what we should or should not be doing to be healthy and fit.  It's hard to sift through what is really important and what can be disregarded.  Thankfully, there are some easy do's and don'ts that you can remember that will help to make you healthier and more fit.

Do -

• Find 30 minutes a day to devote to moving, even if that means you have to complete it in smaller increments.  Once you can exercise for 30 minutes, increase the time little by little.
• Decide on 3 days a week that you will devote to exercising.  Planning ahead can help you maintain your devotion to your exercise regime.  If you are able to stick to exercising 3 days a week, add another day to your schedule.
• Add strength training to your exercise schedule twice a week with a day of rest in between.  Using resistance bands and tubing is an easy and portable way to strengthen your muscles.

Don't -

• Follow the latest fitness craze just because everyone else is doing it.  Find an activity that YOU like - you'll be much more likely to continue exercising if it's something that you enjoy.
• Become a slave to your scale.  Weighing yourself occasionally is fine, but becoming preoccupied with the scale can be detrimental.  There are many factors that affect your body weight from day to day and moment to moment.  Exercise, eat well and do your best to be fit, but don't concentrate too hard on a certain weight or a certain size.
• Let your past habits determine what your future health will be.  We can all be fit and healthy, no matter what our own past or our family history is.

mommymuscle guest author Cassidy Carow owns the StrollerFit Franchise in Panama City, Florida.

Ask mommymuscle™: It's Never Too Late to get Results from Postpartum Exercises After a C-section?

QUESTION:
"I had two c sections (2001) & (2004) do you think i should still do the mommymuscle DVD's?"

ANSWER:
Yes, Yes, Yes!!! Once a mom, always a mom!! In my eyes, post-natal refers to all of the years after pregnancy, not just the first few!

It's About Your Core
It is never too late to "restore the core"! I just started working with a gal whose kids are 30 years plus and I am happy to say that she is feeling muscles she hasn't felt in 30 years!

Exercise Science
There really is a science to restoring the post natal abdominal region. The mommymuscle dvd's utilize a proven method for strengthening and tightening up the muscles that are overstretched and overused during pregnancy. It is never too late to start, but starting is a must.

The Fit-n-Fun post natal workout is appropriate for all women, no matter how young or old the children are.  The fit 'n fun balls that come with the fit 'n fun mat & DVD package are used to help your body retrain all of the core muscles (anything & everything attached to the spine). 

I would start with the DVD and keep coming back to our website for more workout ideas and fitness tips to challenge your body further down the line. Consistency is key for getting long lasting results! Good luck with the DVD!

Mary Beth Knight
Chief Fitness Director

Ask mommymuscle™: Recovering From Diastasis and Postnatal Pilates

Question:
My question is about repairing diastasis recti from a long time ago without surgery! I had an ovarectomy (vertical incision navel to pubis) in my second trimester, and was never instructed about diastasis or it's repair. I delivered vaginally 14 months ago and have a 3 finger gap ...

I have been doing Pilates for 9 months (I did not know about the diastasis) and have strong abs but can't do leg lowering exercises! Can I repair it with specific exercises? Should I stop doing Pilates? What are the potential problems of untreated diastasis? any help welcomed ... thank you!
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This question was so good we decided to give two answers.  The first is from our Chief Fitness Director, Mary Beth Knight.  The second is from Dr. Robert J. Stephens, OBGYN. of Seven Hills Women's Health Centers in Cincinnati, Ohio
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Mary Beth's Answer:
I myself am a reformer and mat certified pilates instructor, and I teach pre/post natal Pilates! It is funny how many people think that post-natal only refers to 3-4 months after your baby arrives. I believe that post-natal refers to the rest of your life! Some of the physical changes that take place in a mom’s body during pregnancy seem like they last forever…

Pilates Is Great For Postnatal Posture
I am glad that you are doing pilates! It is the only exercise program that really teaches us how to properly use the postural muscles. One muscle in particular, the transverse abdominus is extremely important and greatly under-used by most people. Anyone practicing Pilates-type stabilizing techniques will find their transverse abdominus!

Recovering From Diastasis
For all moms who experienced diastasis during and after pregnancy, they key is to begin to work the core on the most basic level. This means breathing into all four quadrants. You should feel your breath lift your abdomen all the way down below your belly button and on the exhale, pull your transverse abdominus down towards your spine. I am sure you know this from the “Pilates breathing”. 

I would also recommend that you learn pulling and scooping with no movement first. Stabilizing moves with the transverse abdominus can actually help the diastasis close. As far as specifics for Pilates mat or reformer, here you go!

• All supine work is fine… stabilization and hundreds are perfect!

• Roll ups and roll downs need to be modified for you! A mommymuscle fit 'n fun ball beneath your lower back is the perfect modification. Place one of these balls beneath your low back anytime  you are performing a roll down or roll up. The idea is to shorten the range of motion for the rectus abdominus by not starting or ending in the flat back position.

• Working the pelvic floor is extremely important for you! Again the mommymuscle fit 'n fun ball is perfect for this. Place the ball between your knees and squeeze, this will engage the adductors and the pelvic floor. Try to pop that ball! I would take your ball to Pilates class and place it between your knees while exercising any time you can!

The ball is also great for tabletop position, use it in shoulder bridge, spine articulation, place one ball behind your back for your modified roll-up and the other ball between your knees! Anytime the adductors are engaged the pelvic floor is getting a lift!

• Bridging and planking are both great for the transverse abdominus.  A full plank is fine or a modified plank on your knees works just as well.

• Avoid a “hard contraction” of the rectus abdominus. You can stabilize with the rectus, which is done during hundreds, c-curve, table-top, etc. But avoid stabilization and flexion at the same time unless you are able to support your rectus abdominus with your hands. This means pressing the two parts of the rectus abdominus close together and closing the diastasis gap, then you can flex the trunk and perform a hard contraction of the rectus!

• Avoid too much internal oblique work. Twisting actions may slow the closing of the diastasis. There has been some controversy on whether or not working the external obliques discourages the closing as well. However, the most current information available states that working the external obliques has no effect on diastasis.

Mary Beth Knight
Chief Fitness Director


Dr. Bob's Answer:
I am an OB/GYN working with the StrollerFit® and mommymuscle™ programs.  Mary Beth Kight sent me your questions.  Here are my thoughts. 

How Diastasis Happens
Diastasis is common in women who have had large babies, twins, or even excess amniotic fluid (anything that overdistends the abdomen).  In your case the second trimester surgery was obviously a big problem, as well as the pushing that you must have done in the second stage of labor prior to your delivery.  This pushing may have stressed an already weak
area.

Could You Have A Hernia?
I would first see your OB (or primary care physician) to make sure that the diastasis is not actually a hernia.  They are two different things. A diastasis is a weakness in the muscles, but a hernia is a defect in the fascial layer that holds the abdominal wall together.  A hernia is more serious and would likely need surgical repair in the somewhat near future.

A diastasis would not need immediate attention.

Problems With Postpartum, Postnatal Exercise
Unfortunately, there are no specific exercises that can repair either of these
defects.  However, I do not feel it is dangerous to continue to exercise if the defect is a diastasis.  If it is a hernia, then strenuous exercising may exacerbate the defect.

And one final thought.  I have had several patients with similar problems who had done as much as could be done with exercise and diet, but were still not completely happy.  After completing their families they saw a surgeon and had the defects repaired with good results.

Best Wishes!
Dr. Robert J. Stephens, OBGYN.
Seven Hills Women's Health Centers

Postnatal Pilates Can Be Invisible For Moms

In a mom's hectic world it can be tough to find time to exercise.  Yet there is always a way to do something good for your body regardless of time.  A new book entitled Your Ultimate Pilates Body Challenge" by Brooke Siler, applies Pilates principles to the actions of everyday life.  The result is an "invisible workout" that can be done whenever and wherever you have the inclination.

Essentially, the book is about challenging you to actively engage your core as you go about your daily activities.  In this way, you can improve your fitness anytime and anyplace.

From the mommymuscle point of view, moms with young children have the ultimate exercise aid for an invisible workout.  Consciously contracting your abdominal muscles and maintaining proper posture while lifting or playing with your baby or toddler creates excellent functional resistance on your muscles.  Here's why: 

When you hold or move with your baby and consciously contact your abdominal muscles while maintaining proper posture - your muscles are performing isometric and semi-dynamic contractions. You're essentially contracting a muscle against a muscle.  These contractions are also amplified by your baby's weight and their distance from your body.

Subjecting your body to this type of exercise "load" stresses your muscles from many different angles and recruits stabilizing muscles that strengthen your core.  The result is a bodyweight workout effect that can tone and sculpt your body much like dancing or gymnastics can.

So, next time you're holding your baby try this:  Slightly bend your knees, lengthen your back and neck, tuck in your tailbone and contract your buttocks slightly forward while bringing your abdominal muscles in, navel to spine.  (Keep in mind these are subtle not dramatic body shifts)  You should feel less stress on your back and feel your abdominal and gluteal muscles working.

Turn this practice into a habit and you should begin to notice better tone in your abs and a firmer bottom in about two weeks.  Not bad for an invisible workout... 

Ask mommymuscle™ - Exercise after C-section or flattening your tummy after a cesarian section

  QUESTION: Hi - i have had a c- section about 9 months ago now- my pregnancy was
difficult - i am short woman and may baby was very large - during my
pregnancy i had privia- and almost lost him at 4 months-

When i finally gave "birth" they found that i had two uterus- and that is why
i looked like i was carring twins and my baby could not turn atall  during the pregnancy - he also weighed in at 4.8.5kg and was 58.8 cm
in birth-

After the c-sec i found it extreamly difficult and painfull
to walk- or even to urinate and when i did my whole stomache suck in
wards- it took a long almost two months for the pain in my abdomen to
finally subside- i find it now uncomfortable to have sex or even sore
and am finding it extreamly difficult to lose the weight gained.

Although i did not gain to much- if =/- 12kg is not to much - how can
i lose the stomach pouch as it seams to be extreamly enlarged- and
difficult to tone back- friends of mine also fell pregnant the same
time - all of almos t same weight- only they gave c-sectons to small
babies and did not have any complecatinons-

I'm feeling a little depressed and would really like to go back to normal- please do you have any advice it would be greatly appreciated!

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Answer:
WOW! A rough start to motherhood, huh? I too had a c-section and found the recovery process challenging. I was very surprised by it! However, the good news is that there are certain things you can do and they will make a BIG difference. Before the advice comes, please run all of this past your doctor! He/she will know what your body is ready for, not ready for.  Again, be sure to get your doctor's approval before doing any exercising. 

Three Ways To Lose Weight After A Cesarian Section
When it comes to losing weight (baby fat, pouches, love handles, saddlebags) you must incorporate three different things into your life. They are cardiovascular exercise, strength training and a healthy nutritional plan. When all three pieces of the weight loss puzzle are put together the results are amazing. I myself lost 50lbs eight years ago and have lost all of the baby weight that I gained (47lbs) with my first daughter. It doesn’t always come off easily, but the results are worth the effort!

Cardiovascular Exercise For Post C-section Weight Loss
A good rule of thumb for cardiovascular efforts are this, choose something you like. (For example walking, jogging, biking, swimming.) Aim for a minimum of 3 efforts per week
(Start with 2 if you haven’t ever done it or it has been a really long time since your last workout!)

These efforts should last about 20 minutes to start with. Each week add two minutes until you are at 35 minutes each time out! These efforts should be controlled, you should be able to say your name, but if you can sing you might not be going hard enough! (Again, check with your doctor and make sure cardio exercise is right for you!) If you are out of breath, panting a bit, slow down! This will ensure that you are using fat for fuel and not carbohydrates! The more cardio efforts you do per week the more fat calories you will use and the ore weight you will lose!

Strength Training For Post C-section Weight Loss
Strength training is also a must, this will help to build muscle which not only makes you stronger but… muscle burns 5 times as many calories as fat tissue. That means eventually you get to eat more without gaining weight! But we need to lose the fat first! Strength train a minimum of 2 times a week, but not more than 3! You need to space out your strength training efforts by 48 hours.

mommymuscle DVD's For Post C-section Weight Loss
The mommymuscle DVD’s are coming out this month and they are perfect for this very purpose! We actually have a c-section recovery DVD that will be available soon. I would try that one first and stick with it for 8 weeks. You can then move up to the Fit-N-Fun beginner and intermediate DVD! The most important thing is to try to and get back the strength and tone lost in the muscles of the entire body, but especially the core region.

A Key Muscle For Moms
One thing you can do starting now is to regain strength in your transverse abdominus. This is one of the core muscles that gets overstretched and overworked during pregnancy. This muscles main job is stabilizing the torso.

Work Your Transverse Abdominus Muscle and Flatten Your Tummy
Lay flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, contract your ab muscles and pretend like you are pulling your belly button down towards the floor. Hold this contraction for 10 seconds and then release, repeat ten times. Then lift your legs up off the floor into a bent knee position, place your hands behind your head and bring your head and shoulders up off the ground towards the ceiling (not towards your knees). Hold this position for 10 seconds and then release. Repeat this 10 times! 

Stay on your back with your knees bent and feet off the floor, Bring your knees close to your chest and your head, neck and shoulders up off the floor, reach your arms out and wrap them around your knees. You should be curled up like a ball! Release you right arm and extend the right leg out away from you, then pull it back in and switch legs. Your torso is staying lifted up the whole time! Try 5 extensions with each leg, alternating betweent he right and the left legs! These three exercises will target your abdominal muscles and start to tighten that area back up!

Eat Right For Post C-section Weight Loss
The third piece of the puzzle is food! Keep a food log for the next three days. Write down everything you eat! Then go to the calorieking.com website and enter in your foods to find out the calories in everything you ate! Add these numbers up and then review your food log and take out one thing everyday form your diet that equals 250 calories!

If you remove 250 calories a day from your diet, you will lose half a pound every week! (You will also be working out which will help you lose more). But simply adjusting your diet by as little as 250 calories will help a lot! Again, talk to your doctor. Most women should not eat under 1200 calories a day. If you are breastfeeding then don’t cut out more than 100 calories a day from your diet as to not slow your milk production down!

Try to eat foods that are going to give you energy. This means fruits, vegetables, good carbohydrates, good proteins. Try to keep all dairy products on the skim or non-fat side and stay away from desserts!

Weight loss seems to be a tricky thing post pregnancy. It certainly doesn’t always come off as quickly as it went on. But when you incorporate cardio exercise, strength training and proper nutrition, you will lose the weight! There are no quick fixes, only hard work will take it off and keep it off. But it feels great when your body becomes your own again!

I hope I have been of some help. Best of luck!

Mary Beth Knight
Chief Fitness Director

StrollerFit®, mommymuscle™

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Two Tips For Postpartum Weight Loss

Do you feel like you may not be losing weight fast enough?  Do you feel you have reached a plateau in your fitness regime?  There may be two factors stalling the process of fat loss – your consumption of water and sugar.

Water is considered a crucial factor for proper fitness, and a healthy life.  Water consumption affects every single aspect of your physical life.  It is the medium that almost every chemical reaction in the body takes place.  Water cleanses, restores and fuels your body!  Being properly hydrated flushes and detoxifies our vital organs and muscles.
 
Are You Dehydrated?
On the other hand, many people live their lives in a state of partial dehydration which prevents them from optimizing their body’s ability to operate efficiently and therefore, burn fat.

Fortunately, drinking more water is a simple and attainable goal.  It’s a matter of setting yourself up for success.  A good rule of thumb for hydration is drinking 64oz. of water a day.  So right around 8, 8oz glasses per day will do the trick.

Easy Ways To Get Hydrated
Here are some steps I recommend: 
#1.  Have a water bottle on your countertop (or desk) 24/7. 
#2.  Carry a bottle of water around everywhere you go and sip on it constantly. 
#3.  As your bottle gets low, fill it right back up. 

As you start to drink more water, you may notice a couple of things: 
1.  You will need to use the restroom more frequently (now you are flushing toxins!) pun intended! 
2.  You will not be as hungry for little snacks treats.  Drinking water can reduce your appetite for sweets...  which brings me to factor number two in weight loss!

Sugar Isn't Sweet For Postpartum Fat Loss
Sugar!  Oh, it's so tasty...and I am addicted!  Ok, you splurged on Valentines Day...but Valentines Day is over!  It's time to reach your goals by reducing your sugar intake!  Sugar loves to stick around.  Sugar wants to "hang" out with you and be your best friend.  If you will cut sugar from your regular eating pattern.

I promise you will see results much faster.  Here’s why:
Your digestive system was designed to consume foods that are readily available in our natural environment.  These foods are broken down in digestion to provide fuel for your body.

Unfortunately, many processed foods are spiked with too much sugar.  Consuming too much sugar floods your body with insulin and promotes the storage of fat.  It also plays a role in increasing appetite as your body never feels completely satisfied.  To learn more about the impact sugar has on your body, check out Using The Glycemic Index To Lose Weight After Pregnancy.

Beat The Sugar Addiction
Combat excess sugar consumption by eating natural foods and limiting sugary treats to a once a week free day.  This basic strategy is a sure fire way to lose body fat, increase health and energy.

I know we are all human and a treat every now and then is well deserved.  But if you set goals, you owe it to yourself to achieve them! 

If I Did It So Can You
On a personal note, I cut the sugar (completely) and was faithful with drinking enough water to ensure I was properly hydrated.  The result -  I went from a size 14 to a size 6 in FIVE months!  Doesn't that sound appealing?   

If you are serious about reaching your fitness and ideal body weight goals soon, remember to increase water and decrease sugar.  These practices can help you see the new you in your mirror in record time!  After all, you deserve to look in the mirror and say: "I am happy with the way I look! I look awesome!" 

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mommymuscle™ guest author, Amee Fisher teaches StrollerFit® in Lubbock, Texas.
   

Fitness Training V.S. Potty Training: Sometimes you can't rush results

We all want our fitness training to produce results in a predictable period of time.  It's funny how training for results pervades every aspect of being a parent.  Perhaps there's a common lesson in everything we train for...

Ahh…potty training.  I wrote about this awhile back and have received a couple of comments from frustrated mommies whose children aren’t yet potty trained.  I just read back over my post and feel I must follow up.  Mommies, please don’t despair.

The short of it is this:  Ava isn’t potty trained yet either.  In fact, we threw in the towel; we meaning my husband and me.  After four months of lots of accidents, scrubbing and steam cleaning urine out of everything in our house and vehicles, and countless shameless bribes to our daughter, my husband and I decided we just weren’t ready.  Meanwhile, two of Ava’s friends (one eight days younger and the other one month younger) potty trained themselves.  They just woke up one day and decided they wanted to use the toilet and it was a done deal.  What’s up with that? 

I’ve become the anti-potty trainer.  I’ve become so disinterested that when on the rare occasion Ava does tell me she needs to potty, I recommend to her that she just go in her pull up.  (She still wears pull ups, a throw back from the potty training days, because we can’t bear to fully admit defeat and go back to diapers.  I know, it’s all so contradictory.)  But my laissez faire attitude has actually spurred a new idea.  I’m thinking we should potty train using reverse psychology.  Why not?  Just imagine…Ava tells me she needs to go potty.  I say in my most disinterested voice, “Go ahead, you’ve got your pull up on.”  She says, “Ava tee tee potty,” (translation:  I’d like to urinate in the toilet) and I say, “Yeah, yeah, Ava.  Go right ahead [yawn].”

What do you think?  I know the child developmentalists reading this (and I’m sure there are thousands of them) are forming ulcers.  I realize you’re supposed to heap positive reinforcement on the kids when they do their thing in the bathroom.  But sometimes, and back me up here, parents, that just doesn’t work.  Sometimes we have to take our kids by surprise!  This may be one of those times.  What if we took the control from their little hands and declared, “I don’t care if you’re potty trained!  Take the potty or leave it!  I couldn’t care less!” 

But the truth is, I do care.  I’m pregnant again and do not want to deal with this after Small Fry comes.  Ava and I are spending nine days with her grandparents in Iowa

in March and I plan to hit the potty training hard during that visit.  There will be no distractions, two impressionable grandparents quick with the praise on hand, and one pregnant mommy who is ready to stop changing poopy diapers with a bandana tied over her nose. 

It seems as with fitness, weight loss, using the potty and most things you need to train for - if at first we don't succeed, try, try again - because deep down we all know the results are worth it. 

Lose The Soda = Lose The Baby Fat

If you're a soda drinker, it just may be preventing you from losing postpartum pounds or any pounds for that matter. 
Consider the following:

8 oz. of soda = 100 calories

3500 calories = 1 pound

Let's do the math:

1 20 oz. soda = 250 calories                                                                                                

1 20 oz. soda/day - 1750 calories/week

1 20 oz. soda/day for 2 weeks = 1 pound

1 20 oz. soda/day for 1 month = 2 pounds

1 20 oz. soda/day for 1 year = 24 pounds!

It's obvious how drinking non- diet soda won't help you attain a goal of losing the baby fat! 

My suggestion - replace your soda intake with H2O (water!)...add lemon juice to it if you have to, but drink lots of it!  Chances are you'll feel better, less hungry, more energetic and if you're a soda drinker, the baby weight will come off a lot faster.  Oh - and of course, don't forget to exercise.

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mommymuscle™ guest author, Kelly Rodgers, owns the StrollerFit Lubbock Texas Franchise.  She holds a B.S. in Exercise and Sports Science from Texas Tech University.  Her current fitness certifications include: ACSM Health/Fitness Instructor, Cooper's Certified Personal Trainer, StrollerFit Specialist, W.A.K.A.I. Kickboxing Certification, Cooper's Special Populations Certification, Adult & Infant CPR.

Pregnancy One=Night & Pregnancy Two=Day

My husband and I found out that we’re expecting our second baby a few weeks ago, and it has been an interesting journey already.  What makes it most interesting is that it is a totally different experience than the first one.  When I was only five or six weeks pregnant with our daughter, Ava, I began bleeding and it was one complication after the next until she was born five weeks prematurely.  The kicker was that I wasn’t allowed to exercise at all during that pregnancy.  (They told me not to lift more than five pounds.  My purse weighs more than five pounds!)  As a result, I packed on the pounds (62 in 7 ½ months of pregnancy) and became totally out of shape.

This time has been different.  We’re only 13 weeks into the pregnancy, but everything is totally normal—thankfully.  I’m teaching my StrollerFit classes and feeling just as strong and fit as before I was pregnant.  Now that the nausea has passed and I don’t have to dry heave behind a tree during Ring Around the Rosie, I’m actually—and I never thought I’d say this—enjoying being pregnant! 

Fitness and Pregnancy
Comparing the two pregnancies is intriguing in a lot of ways.  Obviously the fitness piece is huge and plays a big role in other aspects of being pregnant, e.g.:  energy level, nutrition (I always eat better when I’m exercising regularly), and my overall mood (thank you, endorphins).  But there are other things that I’ve noticed too.  Remember how during the first pregnancy, you pored over What to Expect When You’re Expecting, Your Pregnancy Week By Week, and Dr. Sears’s weekly update website?  This time, it only occurred to me last week (at 12 weeks) that I should maybe check to see what’s going on with the Small Fry.  But, then I got distracted and didn’t follow through.

When I was pregnant with Ava, I was also a bit obsessed with The Nursery.  I think I looked at every bedding option and coordinating paint chip in the city of Houston.  This time, I figure we’ll nail that down at some point around month six or so…give or take…whatever. 

One thing that has been more consuming this time, on the other hand, is the name thing.  My husband and I knew what we’d name our first boy or girl before we even were 100% sure we wanted to have kids.  So when I became pregnant, it was a five second conversation: 

“So, Ava Juliet for a girl and Jack William for a boy?” 

“Yep.” 

“Okay!”

The Name Game
Now that the favorite girl name is already in use, we’re struggling a bit.  We love family names, but we both come from long lines of women with, let’s just say, names one might happily pass over in the baby name book.  And while we both love Jack, it seems everyone else where we live does also.  I’m afraid if I yelled, “Jack!” out the front door to call my son in from playing, I might get charged by 12 little boys ranging in age from two to five. So we’ve decided just to table the discussion for a couple months until we know the gender and can eliminate the head-pounding by 50%.

I used to joke that I would love to have a second child if I could just find the right surrogate mother.  My idea of pregnancy was endless ultra sounds with heart-thumping, hand-wringing results; a sore back; pounding headaches; and people commenting on how much weight I had gained.  Did I mention the back acne?  I felt like a walking science project and not the fun, exciting kind.

My mom always reassured me that each pregnancy is different, but I didn’t trust her because she was one of those women who LOVED being pregnant.  She clearly was skewed.  But, amazingly, I think I’m a convert.  So, if you’re a woman who had a tough first pregnancy, hear this:  each pregnancy is different.  There’s no guarantee that subsequent pregnancies will be easier, but I’m here to attest that it is possible.  And that is something I would never have believed 14 weeks ago.

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MommyMuscle™ Guest Author, Jacque Butler, owns the Northwest Houston StrollerFit franchise

Got mommymuscle?

Motherhood is without a doubt a marathon.  From the moment of conception until we welcome our grandchildren to the world, being a mom is an extraordinary feat of stamina, endurance, strength and grace.

The Secret Energy Booster
Our days fly by in a tornado of pattycake, Dora, Cheerios and “Mommy-make-it-betters” until we sink gratefully into our beds at night, praying everyone sleeps till morning.  Who among us wouldn’t give her eyeteeth for a little more “oomph”?  There’s one proven way to get more energy  -- and the beautiful part is, it’s the same way we boost a slowing metabolism and burn more calories.  It’s called MUSCLE.

Muscle takes us through the day with confidence.  Muscle gives us back our get-up-and-go even after it already got up and went.  Muscle makes sure that no matter what life throws at us, we can catch it and throw it back.  If ever there was a mom’s best friend, it’s muscle.

Eat More But Don't Look Like It
Did I mention that muscle is also the key to eating more without gaining weight?  Here’s how: each of us has a Resting Metabolic Rate (the total number of calories our body needs at rest to maintain our current weight and body composition while keeping everything running.)  Our RMR is partially dependent on genetics, but we also have the ability to change it by BUILDING MUSCLE. 

Research shows that on average, muscle tissue utilizes up to five times the calories of fat tissue.  Because muscle tissue is so active, the more you have, the higher your RMR and the hotter your internal calorie-burning furnace will blaze.

As you add muscle you burn more calories throughout the day – that means you lose more weight and see better results than ever from your fitness program.  While cardiovascular training is very important, it cannot change your RMR.  To have long-term fitness success, you must add muscle.   

Build Your Own
So how can you build muscle and rev up your metabolism and energy levels?  In my StrollerFit® classes, I build strength training right into our regular routine.  Here’s how I do it, plus some tips for building muscle on your own.

• To see results, you must strength train at least twice a week with at least a day of rest in between.
 
• Don’t forget your cardio – walking, running, swimming and fitness classes are still an integral part of your fitness regimen.  Invest in a set of resistance bands and take them to the park with you. This will enable you to strength train anytime and anywhere! To properly challenge the body and build strength, you must overload the muscle through repetition.  For most women, three sets of 12-20 repetitions will stimulate muscle growth.
 
• When you are able to perform 3 sets of 20 repetitions, it is time to move on to a more challenging exercise!

• Make sure to hit each major muscle group every week:  quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, shoulders, chest, back, biceps and triceps.

• Make the most of your workout time with “two-for-one” moves:  lunges with a bicep curl, squats and a shoulder press, calf raises and upright row, rows while squatting, and so forth.  This is a BIG help if you have the kids with you.

• Don’t hurry!  For resistance training to work, reps must be SLOW.  The beauty of using the bands is that muscles work harder on the release of the contraction (assuming you keep it SLOW) than on the contraction itself.

Make the investment in yourself and start training to build your mommy muscles today!

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mommymuscle® author Mary Beth Knight is StrollerFit Inc's Chief Fitness Mom. She holds A.C.E. and AFAA certifications in personal training, group fitness, pre- and postnatal fitness, Spinning®, mat and reformer Pilates, kids’ fitness and a core training certification.

Ongoing Series: A Journey Through Pregnancy

I have been in the fitness industry for eleven years now and Pre/Post natal fitness has been a passion of mine. I never had a baby of my own but as a personal trainer, I loved working with pregnant and new moms.  In fact, I now own the StrollerFit-Pearland franchise. Three weeks ago I took a home pregnancy test. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that we were pregnant with our first baby.

The Teacher Becomes The Student

I now am in the shoes of so many clients that I have trained. Everything I have studied and preached for years is going to be put into action in my own life. I am excited about this new journey and hope that I can encourage others that exercising and leading a healthy lifestyle before, during, and after pregnancy is beyond beneficial, it’s essential. 

Suprise Fatigue
My first symptom, which I did not even know was a symptom, was extreme fatigue. For no reason at all, I suddenly became exhausted and lost motivation to do anything around the house. This is unlike me as I am used to always being on the go. It was even more shocking to feel winded as I was exercising because the intensity was no different than what I had been doing for months.

Exercise and Reducing Prenatal Fatigue

I will always be an exercise advocate, but now more than ever do I believe exercise is key. Along with just listening to your body and resting, I have found getting at least three days a week of exercise is crucial in getting through the 1st trimester exhaustion. This would be of course if the morning sickness has not taken over your life and thankfully for me mine has been minimal.

I can honestly say that the four days a week that I teach StrollerFit are the four days that I have the most energy and feel the best. I listen to my body during exercise and some days I can’t do as much, but the important thing is that I am moving. I can only imagine how tired I would be if I wasn’t exercising right now.

Doctor Restrictions And Prenatal Exercise
Being the fitness professional, I must include that if you are pregnant make sure to consult your doctor about what kind of exercise you can do. Most will not allow you to do anything you haven’t previously been doing for the past six months. I myself was shocked when I asked my doctor if I could do pre-natal yoga. Due to the fact that Yoga is something I really have never done, he declined my request. It’s important to exercise and even more important to follow your doctor’s guidelines.

So here I am for the next eight months or so doing StrollerfFit along with light resistance training. Along with that I will be exploring the ins and outs of pregnancy and relating it to fitness, nutrition and exercise in a series of ongoing posts. What a joy I know this will be. I invite you to travel through this journey with me.  I'll get started...

Doctor Visit- Approaching Seven Weeks Symptoms

November 28th was our first doctor visit. We are officially almost seven weeks and have a due date of July 21st. Reality hit as I watched the monitor at the visit and actually saw the heart beating. There is life inside me and that is a miracle in itself. I can feel my fatigue setting in a little more now. The worst of it hits me in the afternoon and into the evening. I’m thankful for my StrollerFit workouts in the morning as it gives me some energy through lunch and helps me feel like I have done something good for my body/mind.

Nutrition

I finally have my appetite back after losing it the first few weeks. I have to eat often but try to stock my fridge with healthy food. I have never craved sweets before but guess what? I am now craving them. However if it’s a cookie I crave then its one cookie I eat. I am making an effort to include more fat in my diet, but good fat that is. Some of my choices have been peanut butter, avocados, etc. For now the only meat I can stomach is red meat. So I am eating lean ground beef. Chili or beef tacos have been a hit with me.

Fitness and Exercise

StrollerFit has been a huge plus for me. It gets me outdoors and into the fresh air. Seeing all the babies makes me even more excited about the little one growing inside me. Certain days I have to slow down, but I just listen to my body. I am still working my core muscles while flat on my back but as of the second trimester I will eliminate that from my workouts.

Body Tracker Stats November 28th (BTW my height is Height: 5’0.5 inches)

Weight: 108 OR Weight Gain: 0 lbs

Blood Pressure: 118/80

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mommymuscle™ Guest Author, Jennifer Philpot is posting an ongoing series to chronicle her own "Journey Through Pregnancy" in connection with fitness, nutrition and exercise.  She is an eleven year fitness industry veteran and is certified by the American College Of Sports Medicine.  She owns The StrollerFit® Pearland Franchise in Houston, Texas.

Postpartum Holiday Weight Loss

When it comes to the holidays, achieving your postnatal or other weight loss goals is like going to Vegas and not losing money – not bad, considering the odds!

If Thanksgiving is a four-day holiday from sensible eating habits and you celebrate all 12 days of Christmas, you’ll be wishing for drawstring pants by the New Year. Small changes in holiday eating and drinking can make a big difference on which weigh your holidays go and help you lose post pregnancy weight that much faster.

Here's some tips for moms who want to lose postpartum pounds or anyone who wants to avoid gaining gaining weight over the holidays.

Eat Before You Go
Never go to a holiday party hungry! Hunger can lead to low blood sugar, which leads to poor food choices. Stabilize your blood sugar by eating small sensible meals often throughout the day.

Forget The Appetizers
Better yet, bring a veggie tray with low-fat dressing.  Munching on low-calorie, high-fiber food will fill you up and make it easier to resist temptation.  Eating rabbit-like food will help you avoid feeling like a stuffed turkey!

Put The Leftovers Away Immediately
Out of sight, out of mind.  Nibbling DOES count.  Avoid temptation and put the good stuff away fast. 

All Or Nothing
A little of this and a little of that can add up to too much of everything. Instead of a slice of pie, a few small holidays cookies, half a candy cane, a bite of the Yule log, and a taste of the spiked eggnog, select your favorite dessert and treat yourself to a full serving. Savor every bite and when the last bite is finished, so is dessert!

Avoid Alcohol
Not only will the extra calories add up, alcohol slows your metabolism, promotes inactivity, weakens willpower and encourages overeating. Lose the alcohol and lose the weight. By the weigh, beer has always been low in carbs - don’t let a slick marketing campaign trick you into believing there’s anything new about that. All alcohol has 7 calories per gram that you just don’t need. Your body will burn the calories from alcohol first and store the food that follows it.

Get Moving
The more you move, the smaller the chance of getting bigger. Work exercise into your busy holiday schedule.  Try a StrollerFit® stroller fitness class.  Remember, just 15 to 20 minutes a day devoted to walking, running or weight lifting could be the difference between your current clothing size and the one you promised yourself you would never move up to.

Ring in the New Year a Month Early
Why wait until January to get the new you under way? Change a few small habits now and reach your goals sooner.

Track Your Behavior
Start a point system to reward your good habits. Aim for 100 points each day. When you reach 1000, 2500 and 5000 treat yourself to manicure, a massage, anything that will motivate you to stay on track.  Your system might look like this:
o 20 points for working out
o 20 points for eating six servings of veggies and fruits
o 20 points for keeping a food log and adding up the right number of calories
o 10 points for avoiding alcohol
o 10 points for drinking 8/8 oz servings of water
o 10 points for eight hours of sleep
o 10 points for avoiding high calorie desserts

Know Your Numbers
It takes 3500 extra calories to gain one pound. Consuming an extra 300 calories every day from Thanksgiving to the New Year will add up to four pounds. Think it’s hard to overeat by three hundred calories a day? Think again: eight ounces of eggnog has 320 calories, one chocolate chip cookie is 275 calories, a slice of fruit cake is 336 calories, and a pumpkin spice latte with non-fat milk and whipped cream counts for 320 calories!   Visit www.calorieking.com to see exactly how much of what your eating will pass the lips and end up on the hips.

Bottom line?  To lose fat after having a baby, eat smart through the holidays and start the New Year off without a few extra pounds to lose.

Potty Training & Exercise With Your Baby: Two Pees in a Pot

A question I am often asked as the owner of a StrollerFit franchise is, “What happens if the babies cry?”  Very fair question.  These days I could answer this way: “You think crying is tricky?  I’ll see your crying and raise you potty training your kid while teaching the class.”

The Quest
When my daughter turned 20 months old, we began the quest for independent toileting.  Two and a half months later, we’re still on the quest.  It’s actually going pretty well, as potty training goes.  Ava tells me most of the time in one way or another that she needs to “tee tee” or “poo poo.”  It’s usually at the most inconvenient time imaginable like on the freeway with no exit in sight, at a place like the pumpkin patch with no restroom in sight, or—and this happens daily—60 seconds into the warm up of the StrollerFit class that I happen to be teaching.

Potty Training Exercise
Here’s the tricky part:  Ava has learned that when she so much as breathes the word “tee tee,” I leap into action and she receives 100% of my attention with a whole lot of praise to boot.  She also knows that while StrollerFit classes provide a lot of stimulation for the youngest participants, as the instructor’s daughter, she isn’t exactly the center of attention.  Therefore, announcing “tee tee” during class has become Ava’s new m.o. for trying to get some attention from mommy who instead is focused on her class participants.

A Little Help
So what is a mommy/instructor (or is it instructor/mommy) to do?  I am very lucky in that one of my dearest friends also happens to be a regular in my class.  Because she loves Ava like I do, she is happy to trade strollers with me and make a run for my SUV—which happens to be outfitted with a portable toilet, wipes, and extra undies and clothing for emergencies—with Ava in tow while I continue teaching the class.  We’ve got this process down to a science.

"Pottytainment"
Unfortunately, Ava began to take advantage of these diversions, which involved lots of one-on-one performances of Heads, Shoulders, Knees & Toes and other Butler

favorites.  Ava found that it was quite pleasant sitting on the potty in the back of mommy’s car while one of her favorite grown-ups performed for her.  So much so that she began needing these potty breaks four and five times during class.  Mind you, there was rarely an appearance made by any urine.

Well, I put the kabosch on that, of course.  The drastic change in our response to hearing her sing-songy “tee tee” resulted in some hard feelings.  Poor Ava…back to being the instructor’s kid who doesn’t get all the attention.  She has had a couple of accidents during class since our about-face, and she’s also had some successful trips to the car potty during class.  The trick is to determine what her real need is when she looks at me with those beautiful blue eyes and sweetly utters those magic words that every potty training mommy longs to hear:  “tee tee.”

How Many Months Left?

When I was reading about potty training a couple of months ago just before embarking on the journey with Ava, I came across something that said the average time it takes for a child to truly be potty trained is eight months.  I thought, “Surely not!”  Now I’m starting to wonder.  Ava turns two in December and my husband is sure she’ll be officially trained by then.  My fingers are crossed.

So, when people wonder how on earth we handle a crying baby in a StrollerFit class, I just smile and let them know that a crying baby is no cause for concern.  This is a class full of moms, after all.  Crying is a piece of cake.

Exercise After Baby

It's been exactly five weeks since Kate Rodgers was born.  It's been a whirlwind of fun, exhaustion, juggling two under two, did I mention exhaustion?   I do love having two kiddos and wouldn't trade it for the world.  Luckily I have mothers day out two days a week and a great husband that helps out.

I decided since I'll be going back to work in the next week or so, I had better try getting the baby fed (nursed) and dressed, Bella fed and dressed, myself fed and dressed and all out the door by 8:30 for a "practice" run.  I also have not been as "active" as I thought I would be during my time off.  I had it in my mind that it would be as easy as just having one and I could hop outside and take them for  a quick walk.  Well, I was wrong...especially after a sleepless night or two, or five. 

It makes me appreciate StrollerFit even more because we HAVE to get out by a certain time.  This forces me to get up earlier (hard, yes) and out the door earlier!  It's also a guaranteed workout and finished by 10am.  Needless to say, I walked about a total of 8 times.  I'm anxious to see how the StrollerFit workout helps me to lose these last 6-7 pounds.

Here's my latest health habits:

exercise:  See above! 

diet:  Eating 3 meals plus small snacks in between such as popcorn, carrots, cereal to curb my large appetite (I'm still breast feeding).

sleep:  Kate really sleeps well, however she's half way sleeping with us so I do get a better night's sleep not getting up and walking to her room.  I probably wake to feed her every 3 hours or so.  She never cries though, thank goodness!

mood:  Crazy at times.  Trying to get through this hard stage of getting used to two.  Bella has become louder and more active it seems.  Maybe it's a "two" thing. 

weight:  Still stuck at 160.  However as noted above I haven't done much to budge the scale besides run around and chase Bella all day. 

I go back for my 6 week check up on Tuesday.  We'll see what he says but looks like I"ll be good to go and more than ready for a little StrollerFit time!

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mommymuscle™ guest author, Kelly Rodgers, owns the StrollerFit Lubbock Texas Franchise.  She holds a B.S. in Exercise and Sports Science from Texas Tech University.  Her current fitness certifications include: ACSM Health/Fitness Instructor, Cooper's Certified Personal Trainer, StrollerFit Specialist, W.A.K.A.I. Kickboxing Certification, Cooper's Special Populations Certification, Adult & Infant CPR.

Double Jogger makes life easier with Two!

Saturday I received an awesome gift in the mail, my new double jogging stroller by Dreamer Design.  It's one of the best I've seen out there and I've seen and tested many in the five years of owning two StrollerFit Franchises.  It's light weight, has individual canopies for each baby and lots of storage space. 

The great thing about this stroller is I got free shipping AND only had to pay a minimal price for it out of my own pocket because I found a great website for jogging strollers that you can register for strollers and have friends and family "partial pay" on your choice of strollers and accessories.  It's called www.joggingstroller.com.  Great site if you're wanting a great stroller to exercise with your baby. 

Anyway, our first outing was wonderful.  Kate's side reclines almost all of the way.  I put an infant insert in her side as well to support her head.  Bella's side was big enough for her and both canopies come far enough down to shade them from the sun.  There's also an extra pull down shade to block sun rays but allows the kids to still see out. 

The weather was perfect, about 65 degrees, so we set out and walked for 30 minutes in the neighborhood.  Baby Kate slept the whole time and Bella sang songs and just enjoyed the outdoors.  She's really missed our daily StrollerFit routine since the new baby so getting some fresh air was good for both of us!

After our walk, I felt great!  My muscles were thanking me as I've felt them deteriorating over the past few weeks since giving birth.  I can't wait to get back to real exercise.  For now, though, walking with the girls will be my daily goal until I get my 6-week pass from the doc.  I figure I'll try and go for 30 minutes this week, 45 minutes next week and 1 hour the following. 

WEIGHT:  I'm down to 160# in 2.5 weeks.  I have about 5-7 pounds to lose to be back, although these last pounds I remember being the hardest to lose!  Hopefully the walking and StrollerFit will help out!

DIET:  I have a ravenous appetite.  I'm breastfeeding full-time so an extra 500 calories are permitted and encouraged.  We've had church friends, StrollerFit friends and neighbors bringing us food every other day for the past 2.5 weeks so I've had a variety of awesome homecooked meals.  Nothing too bad for me except the sweets....cookies, pies, etc.  I've had meals ranging from pork chops and wild rice to roasted chicken and veggies, to spaghetti and salad.  All well balanced and even better, I didn't have to lift a finger....well, to answer the door and say "thanks a million!!!"

SLEEP:  This time around the "waking up every 3 hours" thing just hasn't been too bad.  She's a great baby and I've been able to take a nap everyday with Bella.  This is a life saver and helps with my evening energy when my husband gets home. 

I'll be going out this afternoon with the two for my second day of exercise.  Will write soon with an update!