Pregnancy Awareness » Exercise

CHOOSING YOUR HEALTH, FOR THE BENEFIT OF YOUR FAMILY

admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:50:49 +0000

I remember after my first child, my OBGYN did a post baby check up . She took a look down below and said “Well you sure look like you have had a baby now.” Well to be honest, everything seemed to change on my body, with that ‘look like I have had a baby’ look, and this momma wasn’t going down without a fight.

My oldest on will be turning ten this year and since his welcome into my world, I have moved 7 times, lived in China for 6 years, opened a café there, done a reality show and had two more children- all of that making my life, like yours, crazy. What has kept me sane? Choosing exercise and balanced eating for the benefit of myself, but also my whole family.

I can happily say that when I tell people that I have had three children that there is almost always a shock and awe factor. I have kept in shape, and it wasn’t genetics! I will also tell you my secret… it has been hard work! Sore muscles, smart shopping, and resourceful time used for workouts, that have brought me the post baby body that I am happy with.

Now I understand the demands of many stages of motherhood. Can I just say that they don’t always lessen, they just change. So it’s crucial for you to learn to take the time for yourself now, and choose to get back, or start a fit and healthy lifestyle. Yes the guilt will come, it will be hard to get out the front door at time, there may not be

THINK HABIT

If you are not already, you may need to start thinking of exercise as a daily choice. Once you establish a good resolve and see how daily exercise is beneficial, you will find it easier to make it a habit. People ask me how often I work out. That is a backwards way of thinking about exercise. It would be like me asking “how often do you brush your teeth?” We do it daily because we know we need to- for good healthy, and we also know what happens when we don’t- bad breath, rotten teeth, expensive dentist bills. Now you many not always feel like brushing your teeth, but you are always glad you did. That is the way your idea on daily exercise should be! You may not always feel like it, but you will always be glad you did, and there will always be days that exercise just doesn’t fit into the schedule, but make that the exception.

THINK VARIATIONS

I am an avid runner and weigh lifter, but I also love trying new fitness classes and sports to keep me interested and to keep my body challenged. Just this week I tried Pole Dancing and am in the middle of my Kite surfing lessons (which my boys think is soooo cool)! The Fitness industry is really coming up with the most crazy, fun and challenging classes to keep you interested! If you are on a budget, use the equipment at the park to try some push up, pull up and sprint combinations. Keep your eyes on the internet group deals where you can get dance classes, boot camps and memberships for crazy high discounts. Or go get that membership you need, grab another mom who needs an accountability partner and start

THINK OWNERSHIP

I love to exercise because of the energy, ownership and the strength it gives me. There are so many variables in life that we cannot control, but what we do to our body and how we treat it, is up to you. Sometimes I will say that exercise is my ‘vice’ and what a good vice to have. It is a tough job trying to schedule in that workout, when you have PTA meetings, appointments, work and dinner to figure out. Here are a few of my “time for me” strategies.

Always have in the car, or wear your workout clothes, so you will be ready to use that random free time slot in the day.
Schedule it in, like a doctors appointment, so that you plan your day accordingly.
Sign up for a race, or have a specific goal so that you can share with others, and they will be encouraged and want to enlist to help with what you are doing
Swap care time with another friend on trade or find places where your child is welcomed or has daycare.
Do it before the troops wake up or after the hit the hay. I prefer the latter.

THINK EXAMPLE

I believe much of our overweight issues really stem from the choices we make. Doesn’t everything stem from choices, and isn’t that the lesson we are teaching our kids daily. Obesity or the opposite, anorexia and bulimia are just the choices we make of something much deeper that needs to be addressed. We are becoming a culture that can’t restrain itself from our wants and desires, and that shows true with how we treat our bodies. When we choose to live a balanced lifestyle of healthy food and fitness choices, that is the best example that we can give our family and friends. And that will benefit you, and your adorable family in the long term!

So I hope you are ready to go grab a yoga mat, get your groove on with a dance class, or tie those running shoes on! Keep your daily exercise fun and interesting. Develop the personal empowerment that having ownership over you body will do. Then you will be an example to others that your HEALTHY CHOICES, have a created a HEALTHY YOU!

I would love to hear your stories of success and struggle. Please send me an email at fitchefkaty@gmail.com, follow my twitter tips @fitchefkaty or Join me on facebook at www.facebook.com/fit-chef-katy

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Fertile and Fit: Best Prenatal Workout Tools

admin — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:38:21 +0000

Fertile and Fit: Best Prenatal Workout Tools

Originally posted by Amy Tara Koch on bumpitupstyle.com

Fudge, not fitness, is usually top of mind when you are pregnant.

But, let me tell you from experience, exercise makes a huge impact on how you gain the baby weight. I hardly exercised in my first pregnancy and the 42 preggo pounds were scattered generously from my rump to my chipmunk cheeks. But, by the time #2 came around, I was a Pilates addict. Pre-natal pilates kept my metabolism firing and my body toned. I gained the exact same amount but—drumroll—only in the bottom part of my bod (see pic). Can’t get to the gym? Here are a spate of excellent apps and DVDS to help you stay fit whilst fertile.

Amy eight months pregnant!

PRENATAL YOGA
$0.99
For iPhone, iPad, iPod touch
For Blackberry ($2.99)
“The benefits of practicing prenatal yoga for pregnant women are endless. Yoga increases strength, flexibility and promotes relaxation. Prenatal Yoga is a great way to prepare for the birthing process as well as enjoy pregnancy term. Pregnancy yoga is divided into trimesters lasting three months each.”

PILATES FOR PREGNANCY—COMPLETE
$9.99
For iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch
” The Pilates for Pregnancy application is broken into 3 different workouts that have been modified to meet the needs and limitations of each trimester. This application is a tremendous value, giving you all 3 workouts in 1 app! You will be asked to enter your due date. Pilates and Pregnancy – Complete opens up the appropriate workout, notes and to do lists for your trimester of pregnancy. You will go from a more rigorous workout in your 1st trimester, to modifying the exercises with an easy to build incline in your 2nd trimester, to focusing on relaxation, leg, butt and arm strength in your 3rd trimester.”

WHAT TO EXPECT-PREGNANCY TRACKER
Free
For iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch
“Track your pregnancy week-by-week, and more, with this free app companion to What to Expect When You’re Expecting and WhatToExpect.com. It’s all here – everything you need, right now, at your fingertips:
* Due date calculator
* Week-by-week details on your baby’s amazing growth and development
* Weekly baby illustrations
* Updates on your changing body
* Slideshow of your belly pictures
* Countdown to your due date!”

GABBY REECE: THE COMPLETE FIT AND HEALTHY PREGNANCY
$60 (price varies)
“This DVD covers all 3 trimesters consisting of nine 15 minute exercises that are safe for women during their pregnancy as well as a warm up and cool down As a bonus, three- 15 minute exercises for women post- pregnancy complete with warm up and cool down have been included.”

Amy Tara Koch is the author of Bump It Up: Transform Your Pregnancy into the Ultimate Style Statement

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Why Your Workout Should Change With Pregnancy

admin — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 04:11:31 +0000

Encouraging you to continue to move your body and step into maintaining health during your pregnancies. Here is a past newsletter article from Lisa Druxman on exercise during pregnancy from May 11TH of 2008.

Why Your Workout Should Change With Pregnancy

Whether you like it or not, your life will change after having a baby. Beyond that, your workout should change as well! Being a mom is simply not good on your body. As a mom, you have a weight (the baby) that you carry around everywhere you go. You’re sleep deprived, recovering from pregnancy and labor and doing all kinds of mommy movements that you have not done before. This combination can lead to all kinds of aches and pains and progressively poor posture. By teaching you how to move through motherhood and working out to address these new challenges, you will be stronger, healthier and happier.

Postural Changes – Many changes have happened to your body during pregnancy. The weight of your uterus, your baby and your growing breasts have probably pulled your posture out of alignment. Your hips have probably tilted forward (an anterior pelvic tilt) and your shoulders are probably rounded. Almost 80% of women complain of back pain during or after pregnancy. Much of that pain comes from this postural mal-alignment. Your workout should focus on strengthening your back muscles to pull and stretching your chest and hip flexors.

Your Pelvic Floor – The weight of the baby and uterus and childbirth have probably weakened your pelvic floor muscles. That is why kegels and other pelvic floor exercises are not only important during pregnancy but throughout your life after having a baby.

Your Tummy – Are your abs ever going to look the same again? Not without targeted work. You have lost great strength in your abs during pregnancy. And, most moms experience as diastesis (a separation of their abdominal wall). It’s important to find exercises that “knit” these muscles back together. Jumping in to your old ab workout may exacerbate the problem.

Why do I feel worse now than when I was pregnant?
There are many reasons for not feeling good after having a baby. Postpartum depression, a feeling of being overwhelmed and lack of sleep are just a few that you may think of. However, many of the movements of motherhood cause your body not to feel good.

• Pushing Stroller – Most moms hunch over when pushing a stroller. It’s important to use good posture and form.
• Carrying Baby – Make sure to balance baby on both sides. Holding baby on the hip and with one arm can cause muscular imbalances.
• Nursing / Feeding – Bring baby up to you using pillow / nursing props and a proper chair. Hunching over to baby will give you back and posture problems.
• Carrying car seat – Unfortunately, these indispensable items also wreak havoc on our bodies. Hold your car seat carrier like a laundry basket whenever possible so that your body is balanced. If you hold it with one arm, be careful to keep spine in neutral alignment.
• Front Pack Carrier – Worn correctly, this can be a great workout. Worn incorrectly it can be a postural pain. Keep spine in neutral and abs pulled in. Make sure to pull shoulders back and not round forward.

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I ran the NYC Marathon as a 40th b-day present!

admin — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 05:27:21 +0000

Have you met PAM Advisory Team member Lisa Druxman? Lisa has been a PAM advisor since the beginning and has come to EVERY launch event! She is the founder and mastermind behind Strollerstrides and Fit for Baby, a wonderful exercise program for pregnant women and new mom’s that inspires self care. It is also a wonderful community for mom’s that offer mompreneur opportunities. Check it out.

Here Lisa shares her recent experiences in running the New York City marathon. What a role model!

“It’s hard to believe that three weeks have gone by since running the New York Marathon. You train for months and months and it is over in a handful of hours. For those of you who don’t know, the NY Marathon was on my bucket list. It was one of those things that I wanted to do, and I wanted to do it to commemorate my 40th birthday. It was a wonderful, amazing, powerful and moving experience. I was surrounded by 45,000 others who set this goal and went through the sacrifices to fulfill it. Looking around, I did not see elite athletes (let’s face it, they were far ahead of us). I saw men and women, young and old. I saw racers in wheel chairs and those who were blind and had guides to get them through 26.2 miles. I saw walkers and weekend warriors. I saw first time marathoners like myself, and those who proudly boasted running dozens. Even if you are not a runner, I encourage you to find something that challenges you and even scares you, and then set out to do it. The race is over but the memory will last a lifetime. The pain is temporary, but the pride is forever. Most importantly, I will remember that I didn’t give up and that the longest journey starts with just one small step.”

“I ran that race purposefully as I hope to live my life. I was present and wasn’t rushing it to be over. I paid attention to the sights, sounds and smells. I appreciated the effort of those around me and encouraged those who needed encouraging. I respected my body and appreciated that I wasn’t sick and I wasn’t injured, and that it wasn’t raining. I tried to appreciate the smallest thing like that my shoes stayed tied and that my bathroom needs weren’t an issue. I kept saying to myself, ‘I’m running because I can”. I won’t always be able to. But while I can, I will.’ What can you do? Are you doing it? Don’t waste your body, your potential, your opportunity. Each day, celebrate what you can do. And then, actually do it!”

Lisa Druxman is the Founder of Strollerstrides

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Our Spread in Pregnancy Magazine: May 2010

admin — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:49:19 +0000

The special “Pregnancy Awareness Month” mini-magazine is on stands NOW! We are in the current June issue of Pregnancy magazine. This year Pregnancy Awareness Month™ partnered with Pregnancy to create a mini magazine in the form of a special pull-out insert.

Please pick up a copy and read articles written by co-founders Anna Getty and Alisa Donner as well as important information focused on the 4 Pregnancy Awareness Month Initiatives: Education, Exercise, Nutrition & Wellness and Nurture. Enjoy articles written by Seventh Generation, Lisa Druxman, MobyWrap, LUNA and so much more. Tell us what you think!

Read the insert here: http://www.pregnancy360.com/files/pdfs/PAM_05_2010.pdf

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Nurturing – Week Four of Pregnancy Awareness Month

admin — Mon, 24 May 2010 18:00:40 +0000

About 5 years ago I taught a woman in my prenatal yoga class who was expecting her 5th child. She seemed to be in overwhelm and was frustrated by the fact that her husband was not making her 5th pregnancy easier by helping her manage the household or giving her foot rubs at night. She said he would just sit in front of the TV while she complained about her physical discomfort and fatigue. I asked her if she had, at any time, communicated her need to him. She said, “No, shouldn’t he just know?” I suggested she go home and let him know that night she wanted her feet rubbed.

The following week she came back to class and told the class of how her husband had “changed overnight” simply by her asking for him to do things, like unload the dishwasher, give her massages or put the kids to bed. Men are not mind readers (nor are many women, but there are some), but in order for us to better take care of ourselves we MUST ask, we must express, we must communicate in the most graceful, loving and peaceful way. It is important as we move into motherhood, whether it be as a mother of one or five. We can avoid so much resentment and outer conflict by speaking our truths from a heart-centered place.

Can you share your stories?

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Exercise – Week Two: Good for You, Good for Your Baby

admin — Tue, 11 May 2010 18:44:27 +0000

It was not long ago, just a few generations back when mother’s-to-be were told that exercising was not good for pregnant women. That in fact as little movement as possible was best. Unless a pregnant woman is high risk (and you must, must get your health care provider’s okay), we now know the opposite to be true. Daily, moderate exercise (about 30 minutes a day) has shown to reduce discomfort, nausea, increase strength and flexibility and curve the likelihood for gestational diabetes. Prenatal exercise has also shown to regulate fetal heart rate. A win-win.

So here are a few guidelines to implement when following a prenatal program whether you choose yoga, Pilates, swimming, walking or running.
*wear comfortable clothing that breathes.
*consider stretching before and after your exercise program
*stay hydrated
*forgo exercise in extremely hot weather conditions
*stop if you get dizzy or out of breath
*Keep a little high protein snack nearby if you get nauseous or hungry
*listen to your body and your baby

If you exercised regularly before your pregnancy continue your program but over time you may need to make modifications.
Exercise is a wonderful way to connect with and stay tuned to your changing body. Enjoy prenatal exercise. It may or may not make your birth easier but it may help you bounce back post-partum more easily.
What kind of exercise did you or do you enjoy during your pregnancy? Please share.

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How to Attend a Twitter Party

admin — Thu, 06 May 2010 01:38:12 +0000

May is Pregnancy Awareness Month! We’ll be hosting five Twitter parties this month, one for each of our initiatives.

Education

Exercise

Nutrition & Wellness

Nurture

You may be asking yourself: “How do I attend a Twitter party?”.

Easy!

What is a Twitter Party? A gathering of individuals on Twitter who follow a single conversation or subject using what are called hashtags.

What is a hashtag? A hashtag is the “#” sign. Perhaps because it looks like a hashbrown? No one can be sure. The hashtag for the Pregnancy Awareness Month Twitter Parties is #MayPAM. Whenever you tweet during the Pregnancy Awareness Month Twitter Parties to answer a contest question, ask a question, or make a comment, put #MayPAM at the beginning or end of your tweet.

Why do we use hashtags? If you login to Twitter and press the “Home” button, you will notice a search box in the right sidebar. If you enter #MayPAM in the box and press enter you will see all of the people participating in the Pregnancy Awareness Month Twitter parties and will be able to converse with them!

How do I enter contests? Login to Twitter and make sure you are following Pregnancy Awareness Month at http://www.twitter.com/pregawareness. Then watch both the Pregnancy Awareness Month tweets and when we post a contest, tweet back to us by pressing “reply” or tweeting to @PregAwareness.

Example Tweet: “@PregAwareness I love being pregnant!”

Putting the “@” sign in front of a Twitter user’s name sends the tweet to them.

What is a Retweet? Also abbreviated like this: RT, a Retweet is a copy of a tweet.

Tweet: @PregAwareness I love being pregnant!

tweet.

Retweet: RT @PregAwareness I love being pregnant!

Twitter lets you automatically Retweet posts. Be careful though, you only have 140 characters to use! Make it short and sweet.

View the Schedule of Online Events to find out when the next Twitter party is! There will be amazing contests given away at each one.

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Online Schedule of Events

admin — Thu, 06 May 2010 01:15:23 +0000

Pregnancy Awareness Month Schedule of Online Events

Pregnancy Awareness Month Radio:

Listen in live here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pregnancyawareness

Date	Initiative	Guest
Thursday, May 6th 11-11:30 AM PST	Education	Kat Howell, Postpartum Doula
Wednesday, May 12th 11-11:30 AM PST	Exercise	Lisa Druxman, Founder of Stroller Strides
Wednesday, May 19th 11-11:30 AM PST	Nutrition & Wellness	Dr. Alan Greene
Wednesday, May 26th 11-11:3 AM PST	Nurture	Amy Tarak Koch

Twitter Party Schedule

How to attend a Twitter party: http://pregnancyawareness.com/2010/05/how-to-attend-a-twitter-party/

Date	Initiative	Prizes From
Thursday, May 6th 6-7 PM PST	Education	Seventh Generation, BornFree, My Best Birth
Thursday, May 13th, 7:00-8:00 PM PST	Exercise	LUNA Bar, The Divine Mother Prenatal Yoga DVD set, Moby Wrap
Thursday, May 20th 7:00-8:00 PM PST	Nutrition & Wellness	Earth Mama Angel Baby Anna Getty Easy Green Organic, Plum Organics, LUNA Bar
Tuesday, May 25th 7:00-8:00 PM PST	Nurture	Yes To Carrots, Earth Mama Angel Baby, Baby Feet Jewelry, Moby Wrap, Hot Moms Club
Wednesday, May 26th 7:00-8:00 PM PST	Last Twitter Party!	e.p.t Room To Grow

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Introducing: PregnancyAwareness.com

admin — Sun, 02 May 2010 19:05:27 +0000

We’re so excited to introduce our new community blog:

http://www.pregnancyawareness.com!

Visit the site to learn more about pregnancy issues from experts and mothers. If you’re interested in contributing content please email us.

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