Mar 2, 2016 |
I started to put weight on when I was studying for my Stott Pilates course – I couldn’t understand why? I did detoxes, 9 day cleanses and juice diets. I ate very healthy, had all the diet books, recipe books etc. and exercised. So where was I going wrong? As an exercise instructor I was keen to find out so that I could learn and educate my clients. I contacted a fitness figure competitor and it was then that I realised where I was going wrong. I leant that it’s not just about eating healthy. If you want to lose body fat it’s actually about eating more of the right foods and more often. I then decided to obtain a qualification in fat loss and specialise in the metabolic system and how it effects that. It’s not about calories in and calories out – it’s so much more than that. The metabolic effect diet helps you control hunger, energy and cravings and helps balance your hormones too! Get rid of your “sugar belly” Most of the mums that come to me moan about their mummy bulge around their tummy, and whilst some of this is down to Diastasis Recti (separated tummy muscles) and appears worse due to poor posture, it’s also down to what I call “sugar belly”. All of the mums say they eat healthy – however after seeing a week’s food diary from them it is clear to me where changes in their diet could get them optimal results. I strongly believe you need to combine exercise with a good diet and one that fuels your...
Mar 2, 2016 |
Most mums I speak to say that they eat healthy and do lots of exercise, yet they still aren’t happy with their bodies. They put it down to age and the fact they have had a baby. Yes, to some extent age does take its toll and gravity plays a big part in our body shapes. However, I assure you if you join my Zipped Up Mums Classes, which include a hybrid Pilates and resistance training approach, you will feel and look so much stronger. Zipped Up isn’t about being skinny – it’s about being strong. That’s why I integrate resistance training with Stott Pilates – this winning combination will make you strong. We all have different body shapes and I want you to be proud of your toned and strengthened physique. Often it’s the type of exercise and the foods you are eating that means you aren’t getting your desired results. I always start with looking at the type of exercise you do – usually it’s hours of power walking along Brighton seafront to get your baby to sleep, or pounding the streets running in a desperate plea to get rid of the bingo wings and love handles. And this is precisely where you are going wrong. Most mums don’t eat enough for the type of exercise that you are doing. Also, if you are walking or running to tone up then you aren’t going to see results. Yes, running and walking is great for fitness but not for body tone. It won’t get rid of those bingo wings or lift that bottom, the only way to do...
Mar 2, 2016 |
I discovered my love for postnatal Pilates when I started to see changes in my body. Pilates changes the way you stand, walk and feel. It’s about posture, energy and strength. I have to admit, I was very sceptical at first and found the lack of energetic jumping and sweating meant it was a very different kind of exercise. I had tried Pilates previously before pregnancy and found I was a little bored and the instructor didn’t explain the reason why we were doing the exercises – something that I now explain in classes in great detail! You can’t fix or strengthen something when you don’t understand why you are doing the exercise in the first place. So how does Pilates help postnatal recovery? Pilates really does get forgotten muscles working again. It teaches you to strengthen both sides of your body equally which in turn helps keep your body aligned and with less aches and pains. It also teaches you to stand taller, so that you instantly look slimmer and fitter and also helps you to understand how your body moves. During pregnancy, breast feeding, pushing the pram and rocking your child your body is often hunched up, shoulders rounded and hips hitched – all this leads to an imbalance in your muscles and no amount of strength training, running or jumping around will help you align these muscles. That’s where Pilates comes in. How I integrate Pilates into my postnatal exercise classes… My Zipped Up Mums Postnatal Pilates Classes focus on the Stott Pilates principles, however I have adapted the class to suit mums that...
Feb 5, 2016 |
What about the not so new mum and postnatal exercise? What state is your pelvic floor in 1, 2,3 or 4 years after birth? “My child is 2 – I am over the Postnatal exercise period”……right or wrong? Most people think that once their child is a certain age then their body has repaired and is strong again and they embark on Military style fitness classes. However, your child’s age doesn’t determine how strong your body is. The first year or so for mums tends to often be about laundry, sleep deprivation, sick, nappies and just getting used to a total life change! Then sometimes along comes baby number 2 and before you know it you realise it’s been 3 years since you really did any exercise. Then often you think in order to get strong again then you need to thrash it out at military type fitness classes, burpees, push ups and the like in a quest to lift that booty and get rid of the pouch your little ones left behind. Stop and think! However, STOP and think for a minute…. it’s about now some mums experience back ache, neck and shoulder pains, tight hamstrings etc. A lot of this is down to posture problems. Years of rocking baby, carrying baby on one hip or in a sling, nightly feeds all affect our posture. The other reason you get back pain is due to a weak core. Your core wraps around you and holds your back and pelvis in position. It’s very likely you may also have Diastasis Recti (tummy separation). Sadly tummy separation isn’t made...
Feb 4, 2016 |
Let me tell you something that may shock you…. Not all postnatal Pilates or Yoga moves are safe in the postnatal period or even after for that matter. I love Pilates and found my Stott Pilates course gave me great knowledge of the anatomy and posture. However, it was whilst I was practising some of the more challenging Pilates moves such as the Pilates 100s that I found my Diastasis Recti (DR or tummy separation) started to get worse. The reason for this is that postnatal pilates exercises such as the plank and the Pilates 100s – to name just a few – cause an increase of abdominal pressure. This pressure causes our abs to bulge. Picture your abs like a zip – the bottom bit by the bikini line is zipped up and the top bit by your breasts is also connected, however the middle area of the zip has broken and the small teeth bits aren’t fixed together. Any pressure on the abdominals would then mean bulging of the abdominals out to the front and also downwards. Pressure going downwards means that the pelvic floor is weakened too. 2 out of 3 mums get diastasis recti! Up to 50 percent of mums have Pelvic Organ Prolapse! I am trying to educate Mums into realising that pregnancy involves a major transformation to our bodies and therefore it’s really important that you learn to strengthen the abdominals and pelvic floor with the right exercises as soon as you have had your postnatal check-up. I totally understand that you want to zip up your pre-pregnancy jeans as soon as...
Feb 4, 2016 |
It’s funny but there aren’t many bring your baby exercise classes in Brighton and not many that combine exercise with postnatal pilates. You would think there would be more! I am sure you have seen pictures of bring your baby exercise classes where they use perfect models for mummy and baby and the image shows both the mum and baby relaxed, smiling and enjoying the class. Well let me tell you that’s not real life! In real life the mum comes in wind swept, exhausted, sleep deprived and in need of a good cuddle! She is armed with toys, blankets, play mats and white noise in the desperate bid to entertain her baby so that it’s possible for this exhausted mama to get a little ME time. When a new mum comes to class, it’s evident that her main concern is that her baby won’t settle. The beauty of my classes are that we are all mums. We have all been in the same situation. So we don’t mind! I make sure the babies are kept warm and have been known to teach the class whilst bottle feeding a baby! All babies cry and one week your baby may be asleep then another week it may be that your child wants more cuddles and attention. Some mums have to breastfeed their little one during the class but whatever happens you will feel a 100 percent better after attending my classes. If you do have to feed during class then I remind you of pelvic floor exercises – you can still do some of the core connection exercises whilst sat feeding. The other...
Jul 28, 2015 |
You may think you are doing everything right, so why do you still have a rounded tummy, why aren’t you losing body weight?! How do you lose tummy weight after pregnancy? You shouldn’t just focus on calories in and calories out and sweating loads doing cardio to help you lose that tummy weight. One of the greatest reasons for storing body fat around the middle is STRESS! Stress comes in many forms, there are the obvious forms, work, having a new baby, relationship etc…. then there is the added stress that occurs to our bodies in the form of what we eat and how little sleep we are getting. I know, I know, you have a baby- you can’t control the amount of sleep you get! The baby is in charge of that!!! But you can help in other ways. Stress increases a Hormone called Cortisol, it’s Cortisol that contributes to belly fat. Our bodies also become stressed by consuming too much caffeine and eating processed foods loaded with added sugars! Here are some useful tips to help you control your hormones and help eliminate the belly bulge – get rid of that pregnancy tummy weight for good. HORMONE BALANCING IDEAS: Snack on protein to fill you up. Reaching for toast and peanut butter, biscuits, cakes. Crisps etc isn’t what you need (as comforting as they may be!) Have protein available, take boiled eggs out with you, have ready made chicken breast in fridge, buy the no drain Tuna for quickness – all these are quick ideas to have handy nutritious...
May 6, 2015 |
Did you know your pelvic floor muscles can help you achieve a flatter tummy…? Bet you’re going to carry on reading this blog now! … and keep doing your pelvic floors! The amount of times during my youth I had heard more mature ladies saying “Don’t let me giggle I may piddle myself!” or “I can’t do any jumping up and down for fear I will wet myself”. I never really thought much about what their statements meant….until I gave birth. When we carry a baby and give birth, our bodies go through a major transformation and need tender loving care so that function as they should. I feel it’s the same old story, we care a lot for our bodies during pregnancy but forget about them after birth. Obviously time and sleep deprivation play a huge part in this, but it’s worth knowing that in some countries you are encouraged to attend specialist classes after pregnancy and birth. When I went to my 6 week postnatal midwife check-up she just asked me if everything was ok: A very general question. I didn’t know at the time I had Diastasis Recti (tummy separation) nor did I realise my bits down below weren’t really functioning correctly. I thought it was “normal” to have a slight trickle now and again and “normal” to sometimes not make it to the toilet. Fact is I had never really been shown how to do the correct pelvic floors. Like most I was more interested in the new baby and if it was feeding right, sleeping etc. My NCT group...
Mar 1, 2015 |
Did you begin the year full of good intentions that have fallen by the wayside? Now’s the time to stop making excuses and start ACHIEVING YOUR GOALS. I admit this isn’t going to be easy, I don’t have a magic wand and there are no quick fixes so stay away from the false promises of the new diet craze of instant results and everlasting weight loss. As a mum, I believe more than anyone that we have the most sincere excuses as to why we can’t exercise or lose weight. Money, time, childcare, sleep deprivation name just a few. I think it’s a shame that some mums never regain their fitness levels after having a child. It’s a shame that some mums spend a lifetime on the scales obsessing about their weight, which in turn often causes them to yoyo diet. A person very close to me weighs herself daily, she feels fantastic if the scales show she has lost a few pounds and rewards herself with a sweet treat! If she is heavier than the previous morning she binges on junk as she feels that she will never achieve her desired goal. This unhealthy obsessing can pass on negative body issues to our little ones. I want to help mums get FITTER FOR LIFE. We live in a world of fast food, fast fixes and ever increasing obesity. We owe it to our bodies and our little ones to be the best version of us. Right, I hope your reading this nodding your head with enthusiasm and muttering “yes I can do this”! You can overcome the...
Mar 1, 2015 |
I can remember staring at the magazine in Tesco through blurred eyes caused by months and months of sleepless nights. “How I lost the baby weight in 7 weeks” was the headline. I then remember casting my eyes over the magazines near by all with similar headlines. “How I lost 30 lbs in 2 weeks”………”Bikini body after baby”…… We live in a world obsessed with how we look. Bombarded with pictures of celebrities and their beautiful perfect bodies. The fact is they aren’t all that perfect without graphics to touch them up. The fact is they have spent hours in make up, they can afford daily personal trainers, stylists and cooks as well as a nanny (or two) to help with childcare. However even though I have named but a few of the reasons why this particular celebrity caught my eye, it doesn’t change the fact that this and the other front cover stories, made me feel unhappy about the way I looked. At the time I was a full time mum to a small baby that fed all day and all night on my enormous uncomfortable breasts! My baby refused to take a bottle whether it was filled with breast milk or formula. Due to this I couldn’t ask anyone to help with the night shift and without any family around I was well and truly on duty 7 days a week 24 hours per day. I no longer had time for myself, the 5am walk to the seafront with baby in pram praying that he would sleep became a frequent morning task. I would often...
