Getting in the Burn

My little Mia is getting so big! She turned 8 months on the 17th of October, and time is just flying by. It's getting harder and harder to work in my daily exercise, but I am still determined! Mia is busier by the day, crawling all over, pulling herself up on absolutely everything, putting everything in site in her mouth, I'm sure I'm burning a few extra calories chasing my pink pixie around the house. Since Mia is 8 months, how about we discuss 8 sprints that can change your life?

Like I said, we don’t have a lot of extra time as busy Mom's, but the time you do have to work out you want to make the most of. I get it. Well if you don’t have those extra 30 minutes to jog in the mornings, how about 20 minutes for some intense and yet incredibly effective cardio? Here are some pointers that will help you to see result when you try on your skinny jeans in a couple of weeks from now.

For starters, let’s talk basics. What are you doing before you work out?

The very best time of day that you can work out is first thing in the morning. So after you’ve been woken up at that wee small hour of the morning, such as 5:30, or 6:30am, this is when you start thinking “I’m going to get my burn in.”

Start with drinking a massive glass of water. I’m not talking one of those 12oz Crate and Barrel tumblers in your cupboard. I’m talking one of those giant 24-32oz brightly colored plastic cups you keep on the top shelf, so guests don’t see them immediately. Fill it up with room temperature or warm water, and preferably some lemon. I keep sliced lemons in a Ziplock in the fridge for just those occasions, or if lemons are out of season, I buy organic lemon juice in those squeezy little yellow plastic lemon-shaped deals and use that. I might even add a couple drops of stevia. Pound the whole thing while you are nursing or feeding baby their first meal of the day.

The best time to exercise in the morning is prior to consuming anything at all. Studies show that exercising after a night of fasting will lead to maximum fat burning. Some say that consuming high quality whey protein 30 minutes to working out is second best to fasting, and can even up your fat burning a little bit (http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/2010/05000/Timing_Protein_Intake_Increases_Energy_Expenditure.21.aspx). But if you’re like me and like to avoid whey, then consider a superfood made with hemp protein powder.

My favorite pre-workout snack is 2-3 of my spirulina-hemp-cacao balls (titled “Little Black Balls” under my recipes label) or a cup of my Incan Warrior Hot Chocolate. I try and go on an empty stomach, but let’s face it; sometimes we just can’t pull that off. I usually need a little “umph” to get going, especially after a rough night, so that’s when the Incan Warrior or superfood balls come in handy.

The worst thing to eat before hitting the pavement or hand weights is carbohydrates (fruits, energy drinks, a bagel, cereal, etc.). Eating carbs activate your parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), which promotes energy storage. This reduces your fat burning efforts, which is the complete opposite of what you're trying to do!

The same applies to your post-workout regimen. You must avoid the sugar/starch/simple carbs post workout (including energy drinks!), otherwise you are sabotaging your body’s HGH production, limiting your ability to burn fat. Avoid these type of foods for at least 2 hours post workout, otherwise your insulin sensitive and HGH production will be inhibited (check out Dr. Mercola’s in depth article regarding this topic here, if you are interested: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/19/post-workout-routine-and-fat-burning-strategies.aspx). So what do you eat? Eat a low-carb meal such as an egg white scramble with some vegetables, or you can also go with something like my green smoothie (under my Recipes section) which is just vegetables, fats and hemp protein powder. Try and avoid protein and other meal supplement-type bars, as they are usually loaded with unseen sugars and carbs.

Now moving on to what you should do for maximum fat burn in a minimal amount of time; “Peak 8” exercises is the absolute best. Here’s what I do. I take off from my front door, jog over to a long stretch of street with minimal traffic, and break into a sprint.
I sprint for 30 seconds, then jog or walk for 90 seconds. Repeat this 8 times (hence their name, “Peak 8’s”). If you are having a particularly energized day, try for 9 or 10 sprints. Then simply jog home.
Jogging to the street where I like to run my sprints takes about 5 minutes, then the 8 sprints take about 20 minutes, then I jog 5 minutes home, and in 30 minutes I’ve burned more fat in a day than a lot of people will. If you don’t have 30 minutes, but have 20?
Take off with your first sprint right out the front door! Don’t have 20 minutes? Try for 6 or 7 sprints… something is always better than nothing!
Your goal is to get your heart rate to its maximum (220-your age; mine is 191). If you are really getting into this and want to check your heart rate, then simple take your pulse at your wrist or neck, count for 15 seconds and multiply by four. Otherwise, I’m sure if you’re going all-out for 30 seconds for all 8 sprints, you are doing just fine. J

I don’t carry a stop watch, and usually I am giving Mia attention in her B.O.B. stroller in between sprints, so I just keep track on my phone or in my head. As soon as I start to somewhat catch my breath in between sprints, I know it’s time to go again. If you are a real hard-core runner, then you can do the stop watch and everything, or running on a treadmill, using an elliptical or stationary bike are also optimal for this kind of workout. But if you’re a Mom like me, and getting into the gym has turned into a long running family joke, then take to the streets ladies -early in the morning, baby in the stroller or napping at home with Daddy on duty.

The reason why Peak 8 exercise is so effective (also Circuit Training, same concept; Peak 8 can also be done on a stationary bike, elliptical, etc. as I mentioned above) is because it is the only type of exercise that is going to promote the production of HGH in your body. HGH is produced when your “super-fast” muscles are engaged, in contrast to engaged your “slow” or “fast” muscle fibers. For a detailed report on this concept see Dr. Mercola’s article: http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2010/07/27/the-growing-promise-of-shorter-more-intense-strength-training-workouts.aspx.

This is just more proof that there is a way to get it all in. Even if you just do these 8 sprints 2-4 times per week, you will see results and feel a million times better for getting in the burn. Your clothes will start to fit a bit loser, and your daytime stamina will increase, as well as your deep sleep at night.

Now for the question you pregnant gals are dying to ask… “Can I do these sprints pregnant?” I did. They got slower and fewer towards the end of my pregnancy, and I wasn’t a maniac. I listened to what my doctor said about where my target heart rate (for pregnancy) should be, and I did what she said. I was in great shape prior to my pregnancy, so I didn’t just start all of this out of the blue once my e.p.t. test came back positive, so use your common sense, talk to your doctor about all of your questions and concerns, and go with your gut. I found the sprints to give me marvelous energy, and avoid unnecessary fat gain during my pregnancy. But only you know your body, and when/how/where to push yourself. If you have never had a consistent workout routine, and want to start one for the first time during your pregnancy, then I would consider some other options, as a beginner. Talk to your doctor about a good place for you to start, and maybe work up to some moderate sprints. Either way, stay hydrated and always use your common sense.

You can do this!

Namaste,

When the Going Gets Rough, Get Going!

No one is going to kick your butt for you. Unless you pay them to, that is… but still even then, no one will be showing up at your house on a daily basis making sure that instead of sitting in front of your laptop Facebooking you are using your hand weights or taking baby in the stroller for a jog. This you have to do for yourself. It can be hard I know this for a fact. But when the going gets rough, you have to keep up with your daily exercise regimen and healthy eating more than ever to combat the blues and have enough energy to still give your baby the very best even though you are completely drained. The only thing (other than some TLC from your loved ones) that will get you through the rough patches is consistency and a good calorie burn.

(Mia on a morning run with Mommy; she loves to get sips of water from my Camelbak water bottle)

If you have ever had an experience like I’ve been having, you’ll know what I’m talking about. All of a sudden six weeks ago my perfectly scheduled baby started resisting naps and waking up at least once or twice during the night. I figured she was gearing up for her six month growth spurt, or was possibly beginning to teethe. I didn’t pay too much attention, just kept things as consistent as possible with her routine, and ploughed on. About a month ago, things escalated as her naps grew shorter and shorter, and some she refused all together. She began waking during the night, more than once, something she’s rarely ever done.
I’ve always been a fairly good fan of letting the baby cry it out for a bit, but this was getting ridiculous. I tried altering her schedule, tweaking with her feeding times and adding another feeding, but nothing was working. During our trip to Seattle three weeks ago, everything seemed to click as she fell back into her old regular schedule without a single hitch. She was sleeping 10 hours at night, having 2-3 great naps each day, and eating right on schedule. It was amazing.

The DAY we got home everything changed. She was up every hour through the night. I thought at first she had caught a cold of sorts from the airplane and airports, or from one of the many friends or family we spent time with, but the sniffles lasted only a day, and her fussiness continued. We decided she must have an ear infection or her ears didn’t pop on the final decent, but after a trip to the pediatrician assuring us that she was a million percent healthy, I was at a total loss. Going on three weeks practically no sleep, and the last week of almost less then no sleep –she wasn’t napping, and waking up every hour to hour and a half through the night, I was breaking down.

I consulted with my naturopath, I consulted with all my mommy friends, I talked to everyone I could think of who might have an answer. How could this be happening to ME? People used to pay me to get their infants on schedules and sleeping through the night, and here I was feeling more helpless than ever. I had a sneaking suspicion that my little one needed more in her tummy. Although I had determined to wait at least nine months until starting her on solids, I could see this was not going to happen. With the encouragement of a dear friend and Babywise II in my hands, I carved through the next two days with what felt like a plastic spork and a prayer.

First and foremost I started Mia on cereal, because that is what we’re told to do: http://tastybaby.com/api/Index.cfm/products.details/i/5395/o/ I have my own theories on not starting babies on cereal first, but I was too tired to review my research and get a strategy together that I thought I wasn’t going to have to implement for another couple of months.
She took to the cereal immediately and even her next nap after receiving the cereal was better. She slept only waking three times that night, had two great naps the following day, and woke only two times the following night. The next day, three great naps, and a super happy baby! I have many theories on baby’s first food… and I am not going to get into any debates about cereal first and/or what most pediatricians say… I’ve been doing my own research for a while, and let’s just say Mia is just loving butternut squash and avocados and I am now “okay” with not waiting any longer to give her food. She is a very busy, active, alert and strong baby. Her needs are obviously growing, and I am going to follow my intuition on what she needs. More on that later ;)
Here is a great site about homemade baby food however… I can’t wait to start making Mia some really tasty meals in a few weeks!

http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/best-first-food-for-baby.html

The hardest part was realizing I was at the point where I have to let her cry it out, during naps and at night. She was exhausted. I had a fatigued baby, not just a tired baby. This required me helping her sleep in any capacity I could. I loved the advice I got from Pick Nick’s Brain: Mastering Naps & Schedules on www.thebabysleepsite.com.I have been using her advice and ebook for a while, and always recommend this information to my clients, but everything suddenly became very clear when I washed away the past, and started from scratch with Mia three days ago. The change isn’t in full effect yet, but I can see it coming. Between that and what I am recalling from my days as a Nighttime Baby Nurse and Sleep Consultant, everything is starting to click. Just because I had all that experience didn’t make everything go easy, as you are reading. It is difficult! And when you are “in the trenches” not getting sleep and still having to function through 16 hour days, the pain is very real.

During this super rough time, it is crucial that you take care of yourself. You must get in some form of exercise every single day, even if you have no energy, can hardly keep your eyes open, feel like dying, etc. Even if all you do is a 30 minute walk with baby in the stroller… get your exercise. Keep your blood flowing, your serotonin as high as possible, and a positive body image while you feel so depleted. Make sure you are taking your prenatals, and giving yourself optimum nutrition. During this time eating is going to be on a practically prescription basis. Exhaustion requires energy-giving foods, and a balance of cooked and raw foods. Complex carbohydrates to get you through the day, zero simple sugars, caffeine and starches, and stay hydrated. It was very hard for me to muster the daily energy to keep up with my yoga, weights and running… but afterwards, it was the high that got me through the hours of the day and sleepless nights, and it will get you through too. Once you are taking care of yourselfyou’re your needs, you will be able to think clearer to meet your baby’s needs and figure out what needs to change. Remember… When the going gets rough, GET GOING!!!

Namaste,

Work It In, Work It Out

The first month of my daughter’s life was so wonderful, and at the same time very challenging. My cesarean was very rough on my body. It was a solid week before I hobble around the house, but things like going to the bathroom and showering seemed to take five times longer than normal, and I still stayed in bed or out on the couch all of the time. I had NO idea the recovery was going to be this rough or the pain this bad. But after about 2 weeks I started moving a little easier, and taking short little walks around the house.

So I waited about 4 weeks to begin working out again. Mia was just a tiny little one still, and I was still pretty sore and suffering on a regular basis. But I had the itch and couldn’t help but scratch. I’d seen my OB for the 2 week check, and she’d given me the go-ahead for walks, and even told me I could lift the weight of my daughter, but nothing over 15lbs, and “no crunches!”. That was all I needed to hear.

(On vacation with my daughter, 3 months old, my girlfriend and our husbands)

Very carefully I started out slowly, using my 8lb hand weights doing recorded FitTV episodes to give myself some structure. I would do my 100/100/100 (leaving out the abs of course) and walked at least 45 min – 1 hr every day. I would put Mia into her stroller, put the dog on his leash, fill up a water bottle and walk as swiftly as my tender abdomen would allow. I was exhausted from lack of sleep, but as soon as I started this routine my energy levels came soaring back, and the superfoods went into high effect. It was hard to fit in, of course, but I was determined as you too will have to be. I would work in my 4 sets of 25 squats while I was soothing Mia before naps or bed, or even as I was interacting with her. I’d make goofy noises, drop down, smile, and then slowly rise. She just stared at me and occasionally smiled, but I worked it in, which is the point.
Work it in when you can, however you can. I would do the pushups (modified for ease, from the knees) while Mia was in her crib fussing, so that I could make sure she was okay by being in the room, and still getting something done. Either that or I would put a blanket on the floor, and do the pushups literally over her, smiling as I came close to her face, so she would start thinking it was a game. We still do this, at three months, and she is now so responsive she just laughs and smiles each time I say “woo!” as I lower myself towards her.
Now I am back to full-throttle working out. I’ve returned rejoicing to Bikram yoga, and the very last 5lbs of baby weight came flying off in just 3 weeks. I know it isn’t that way for everyone, but being in the hot sweaty room, cleansing, twisting, shedding all that water weight, built up toxins and hormones, just things your body needs to let go of, it felt amazing. Everything slowly has tightened back up, and it will for you too. If I can’t make it to yoga I am still doing my 100/100/100, and all of my FitTV recorded exercise shows, and every once in a while I actually make it outside or to the gym for a run. The point is, just like through the pregnancy, it is equally as important to continue to make sure you do SOMETHING every single day. Make the time, if it is important to you. You will feel better, healthier, be able to sleep at night or when the baby sleeps, you will feel more confident to take on the challenges that new motherhood is presenting. And even though you haven’t gotten much sleep and you have “no energy to work out right now!” do it anyway, because by exerting energy your body will take care of you and give you energy back.
It will balance out hormones; regulate your sleep/wake cycles get blood pumping so there will be fat flushing; give you a rush of serotonin and make you feel like you actually can make it through the day/night.
If you need resources for help losing the baby weight, there are great websites out there, tons in fact, such as http://www.pregnancywithoutpounds.com/
But the bottom line is it is just going to take you getting motivated enough to do something, anything, every single day. Load up your water bottle with lemon water, a few drops of liquid stevia, and hit the floor, pavement, or yoga mat. You can do this!!!

Caught Up in the Crazy

My precious little daughter is already 16 weeks old! I can’t believe it, time really does fly, its unbelievable. Some days I wonder how to get it all done, and I have to keep reminding myself that its okay to be superwoman only every other day.

Starting right at week 6 I went back to yoga. It was amazing to finally be back in my hot, humid sanctuary of sweat and release. I felt like a million bucks, even though it was hard, and I certainly had lost a bit of flexibility after six weeks of hobbling around with stitches. By the way, I’ve spoken with several mom’s who have had c-sections, and not all of them had as painful of an experience as I had. My experience seemed very painful, and upon watching the video of Mia being born, I can see why. There was quite a bit of pulling and stretching that my doctor did, which would account for the seeming obscene amount of bruising I felt for so many weeks. Anyway, where was I… oh yes. Well thank God for muscle memory! In 3 short classes I was back into my groove, and at 6 weeks every pound I’d gained during my pregnancy was gone… at 8 weeks, I was 2 pounds below my pre-pregnancy weight. A big “woo-hoo!” for superfoods, a big “woo-hoo!” for my 100/100/100 and an even bigger “woo-hoo!” for my Bikram yoga practice.
During the past 8 weeks things have changed constantly. Mia is just an amazing little soul, full of sugar and fire, with a personality three times her size and joy that seems everlasting. She keeps me busy, and as my husband as recently moved companies, I am not getting to yoga as often as I’d like. In fact, in the past 3 weeks since he started his new job, I’ve only made it to class about 6 times. Which has me feeling kind of horrible, honestly. I was in such a groove, really feeling strong and capable, and then WHAM, I’m suddenly stuck at home a LOT more than I was, and feeling a little bit blue as the summer weather started in (AZ summers are HOT!)

So what do you do then when you really are a Mom “stuck” at home, possibly because you don’t have relatives nearby you feel comfortable leaving baby with, or because you have another tot running around in addition to baby? You make it work! IT IS POSSIBLE! Keep thinking that to yourself… if you don’t like what you see, CHANGE IT. You can do this. Make sure you have baby on a schedule. I don’t care what kind of a schedule it is, but make sure s/he is on a schedule. That way you can guarantee that you can get in some time for yourself during the day, to shave those legs in a shower, and do your at home version of kicking your own butt to keep your body going in the direction you want (in, not out!)

Schedule wise, I recommend what I fondly call the 3 hour block method (this can easily be moved to a 4+ hour block method when baby is older). This consists of baby eating, having anywhere from 45-90 or 120 minutes of awake time (where you interact with baby by reading, playing with toys, singing to them, going on a walk, etc.) followed by nap time.

Nap time is non-optional. During every 3-4 hour segment/block, there needs to be a nap time inserted. This is crucial for baby to start learning how to fall asleep on his/her own, in his/her own bed, and to gear up for sleeping through the nights (if they aren’t already). During baby’s nap time is when you are going to get your time, even if you do have another tot. You can schedule the two little ones together for optimum alone time, or if your tot is not taking those long naps anymore, you can incorporate him/her into your work out time. This is commonly referred to as “Mommy & Me” working out, or similar, but the way I look at is, is your tot gets to play around you while you are working out, and can join in if they want to.

Chances are, if they see Mommy on the floor doing crunches, push-ups, squats, they are going to try and mimic mommy, or will just sit there flipping through a book if uninterested. But since I do not currently have a tot, only my first baby, that isn’t my focus right now. Right now, as soon as I lay my daughter all swaddled up in her crib, I am down the hallway with my yoga mat, a towel two 8lb hand weights, an 8lb medicine ball, and my iPod.

I have a constant library of recorded fitness programs from FitTV recorded on my television, so that I can press play and get in some direction for hand weights, new ideas for quick routines, and some yoga, and then I do my 100/100/100 if I have time, and believe me, even if I hear my little pumpkin starting to fuss, ready to get up, I hold out and take the time I need to get in my minimum 30 minute workout EVERY SINGLE DAY. You HAVE to do this for yourself girls.

Pregnant or not, baby or not, DO IT. It is crucial to our mental -state, our hormone balance, and our positive thinking. You will not feel good about yourself if you don’t get your heart pounding at least once per day. Hey, maybe you make your house cleaning day a workout! Be vigorous! =)

So what do you do on days when you’re so busy, out and about, and you don’t have time to get in front of the television or on the living room floor to bust this out? Go for a walk! Put baby in her stroller, get your iPod going (always with volume low enough to clearly hear baby) and do lunges for every other block. When you get home, before you even get baby out of the stroller, bust out at least 25-50 push-ups. You can do this. If you don’t have time to even do that? Do squats while you’re brushing your teeth that night. Do push-ups when you are letting baby fuss herself to sleep (in her room, next to her crib, while you are letting her learn to fall asleep in her crib on her own, you can do your push-ups on the floor). There is ALWAYS a way to get SOMETHING in.

One of the other major things I’ve been forced to work on is letting go of my clean-freakedness. I am not sure if freakedness is a word, in fact I’m sure it’s not, but I’m using it anyway. I like to have everything SPOTLESS in my house. It gives me a feeling of being in control of my environment when I feeling like everything around me, everything in my life is out of control. And by out of control, I just mean life happening, nothing tragic (necessarily). Since having my daughter, this is obviously not possible. On any given day we have the choice… “Am I going to scrub toilets, Swiffer the floor one more time, or lay on the ground and coo with my child…” I like to refer back to a needlepoint hanging that was on my bedroom wall growing up, someone made it for my mother. It said simply:

“Cleaning and scrubbing can wait ‘til tomorrow, for babies grow up, we’ve learned to our sorrow. So quiet down cobwebs and dust go to sleep, I’m rocking by baby and babies don’t keep.”

I have to remind myself of this constantly, especially when I get caught up in the crazy; and trust me, I’m an EXPERT at getting caught up in the crazy. It just not worth having perfectly spotless countertops to miss out on any moment of my daughter’s awake time; and that’s not to say that I haven’t nestled her into her Baby Bijorn front carrier and vacuumed the floors, because I have. And it can actually be quite soothing for a fussy baby… she loves it. But that is just not the norm. Try and make cleaning while baby is awake and happy an exception, not the rule. No woman on her death bed ever said, “I wish I’d cleaned more.” =)

But when you do need to get some things done, don’t feel guilty for putting baby down. S/he need their alone time too. Learning to play by themselves, and entertain themselves is crucial for their development. Go ahead and put them in their “Under the Sea” Baby Einstein toy, in a swing, bouncy chair, Pack ‘N Play, or Bumbo seat with a toy and let them be for a bit, and move them from station to station when they get bored. Because we all need to get things done… switch a load of laundry, make dinner, superfood snacks!!! So don’t feel guilty. It’s all for their good in the long run. And remember, don’t get too caught up in the crazy.

Let Go and Let Birth

I finally gave birth to my beautiful daughter, Mia Jordan Frazer one month ago, on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 11:47am. She is gorgeous, weighing in at 6lbs, 4.5oz, measuring 20 inches long. She screamed as they pulled her out, before they could even start to suction her. She wanted her Mama badly, but my arms were tied down. Yes, as scary and wrong as that sounds, they were, because I ended up having a c-section instead of being able to give birth naturally. After all that! Hours and hours of daily Bikram yoga practice, stomach crunches, squats, push-ups, man, I was ready for the long-haul labor and the glory of womanhood in pushing this baby out of my birth canal. But it was not to be so.

So here is what I say to you pregnant ladies out there, or Mom’s feeling blue because they didn’t get to execute their ultimate birth plan… LET GO AND LET BIRTH.

That’s right. Go ahead and draw up your perfect birth plan. Print 6 copies if you want and hand them out as you waddle into the birthing center grimacing between contractions, BUT, leave your birth plan at the door mentally. Its good to have a guide, a GUIDE, but the most important thing to remember is that having your baby is going to be wonderful no matter how he or she ends up arriving. Don’t allow your experience to be shadowed by disappointment, guilt, sadness or fear that things aren’t going the way you imagined. The most important thing is that he/she arrives SAFELY and that you are healthy, so let nature take its course, and let the doctors and nurses do their job. I didn’t want a c-section, not at all. But when the choice had to be made, I made the best choice for my daughter’s safety, and I’m so glad I did.

Birth plans are awesome to have, but don not hold on to it so tightly that you lose sight of why you’re there… to have a BABY, not to have the “ultimate” birth experience. Maybe everything will go perfectly; maybe it will be terribly hard and complicated, even scary. I sure was scared and had NO idea what to expect regarding a c-section. My recovery has been long and painful. Now, after a month, I am finally starting to feel a little bit like myself again, and can move around more freely, and enjoy being a Mom physically. For the first two weeks I couldn’t even get my baby up at night, I had to have my husband get her and hand her to me so I could nurse her, and then he’d have to change her, burp her and put her back down. I was in INTENSE pain, and never more grateful for pain medication and Ibuprofen in my life! But I’ve gotten through it, and you will too, either way.

At my two week check up with my doctor, the same one I ran into buying my superfoods at Whole Foods, I had already dropped nearly 20 of the 24lbs I’d put on during my pregnancy. I had eaten nothing but my superfoods and smoothies through my birth and while I was in the hospital and at home, just giving my body what I felt were all the raw, bare, nutrient rich necessities it needed to heal fast and recover quicker than I would have normally. I was THRILLED! I am still waiting to work out, it’s been a month and I’m planning on slowly starting some light working out for the next week or so, and then starting back at Bikram yoga at 5 weeks post partum. I’ve experience no mood swings, no depression, and even though I’m getting very little sleep, my energy levels are still high, and I’m still able to function throughout the entire day on a high energy level, sometimes without even a nap. It feels so good knowing that all the work I put in during my pregnancy is actually paying off post partum.

I still have a little “speed bump” on my belly, and feel weaker than I was from not working out, but I’ve been walking outside for a week now, which has been a huge help. Like the nurses told me in the hospital, “GET MOVING.” It’s the fast track to recovery after birth. I started out barely making it from the bed to the couch, and maybe the bathroom alone. I couldn’t even shower by myself for the first week. But the more I moved the better I felt, and now I’m feeling much more confident, as nearly everything is “out of my system” and I’m starting to look and feel like my old self.
Things didn’t really go the way I’d planned, but I’ve refused to feel guilty about any of it, or let it hinder the wonderful things that are happening daily as I’m turning into a Mom, and finding a new sense of womanhood all at the same time.

So I urge you to let go and let birth; the experience will be as amazing as you let it be, all on its own. Either way, you can do this. Your body was made to go through this experience and will tell you what it needs. Your baby needs you to be low-key and stress free so he/she can enter the world in a joyful environment. I was tortured by the fact that I couldn’t hold my daughter right away, but she’s gotten over it, and so have I, and I now spend hours each day holding her, which we love, and I’m certain makes up for it.

Testimony -this stuff really works!

I have to say that I am pretty excited here as I get closer to my due date. I am due in 5 days, and she could certainly come sooner. I feel great! This pregnancy has been such a journey and I’ve learned so much. I am most encouraged by my Doctor’s response to my pregnancy. At my appointment last week, she stared at me and my file, and flat out told me she couldn’t believe how great I looked, and how impressed she was at my “perfect pregnancy.” I am not telling you this to toot my own horn, but simply as a testimony to what I believe pregnancy should be for every woman. My Doctor jokingly asked if I’d be her “spokesperson for pregnancy” and go talk to the dozen or miserably pregnant women in the waiting room and at home who had gained tons of weight, were miserably bloated, lethargic, sleepless, achy with pinched nerves and worse. I laughed and just told her, “superfoods, alkaline smoothies/foods, and exercise, exercise, exercise.”

At this point, she said, “OK, tell me about these superfoods and smoothies, and will you write it down for me?” So as briefly as I could manage I dove into the top 10 superfoods discussed in depth in David Wolfe’s book, and then told her the ingredients of the basic alkaline smoothies I make. She couldn’t believe that 5 days before delivery I am still doing my 90 minute Bikram yoga sessions daily, and my 100/100/100, walking my dog and deep cleaning my house. I told her I simply couldn’t help it, I had so much energy!

She commented on how white and clear my eyes were, how radiant, clear and “perfect” my complexion was, and how she couldn’t believe that without eating all kinds of meat and dairy I had perfect blood work, and had only gained a “perfect” 24 pounds my entire pregnancy. I am not even slightly bloated, and honestly feel like I’ve never been in better shape in my life. My core is strong, especially my oblique’s, my legs are rock solid and my rear has never been so hard and small, even before pregnancy! My arms are strong, my triceps more defined than ever, and I have never been so flexible and stretched out in all my 9+ years of Bikram yoga (I am sure this has a LOT to do with all the relaxin hormone in my system!)

I wrote down for my Doctor the basic smoothie recipe, the top ten superfoods and the name of David Wolfe’s book, Superfoods. I didn’t really know how serious she was in her inquiry until two days later I was at Whole Foods with my sister purchasing ingredients to make a boat load of superfood together, and all of a sudden I hear a “Hey!” and there was my Doctor, with a shopping cart ½ full of the ingredients I’d written down for her, and holding the piece of paper I’d given her with all the information. I was thrilled that she was earnest, and saw the value and change this could mean not only for her own health but the health of countless other pregnant women she could directly affect and/or influence through her practice. She told me she’d ordered the book, and was really excited. I told her I was thrilled, and to let me know if she had any questions at all.

As much as I’ve loved having her as my Doctor, I love it even more now knowing that a medical professional like her is truly open and sincerely interested in the truth out there about food and diet, and how it directly affects every aspects of our lives and health, whether or not we choose to believe so.

So again ladies, I’m not sharing any of this to pat myself on the back, or blow my own horn, but to STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU to challenge yourself through your pregnancy and beyond to make changes that will positively affect your entire life. Pregnancy isn’t a time to sit back and apathetically let the days go by with junk food snacking, lethargy and all the other temptations that go along with being pregnant, like doing nothing. This is the time to take control of your own health, the way you feel and look at yourself, and most importantly the health of your unborn child.

Kick your butt into high gear, get moving, and get some good superfoods into your system… you will feel amazing immediately, I promise!!!

100/100/100 –if you do nothing else

(At the top of Camelback Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona; 8 1/2 months pregnant... You can do it!)

This simple idea has gotten me through many a day of feeling like I just didn’t have any “me” time or time to keep up my exercise or burn any extra calories. I have to thank Bob Karmel my Muay Thai trainer who used to make us do this (amongst other things) at the end of our 90 minutes of intense training sessions 4 times per week.

Yes, prior to finding out I was pregnant I was actively training in Muay Thai fighting, having earned my shorts, I was hoping to have my first fight within the next few months, but obviously my plans changed when I found out I was two months pregnant!
Muay Thai was the first thing to be set aside in my world, obviously since it is a high impact physical activity. I do miss it, but am sure it will be one of the methods I use to get back into shape after I give birth… eventually that is. I can’t imagine training while breastfeeding, initially.

But not to get side tracked… at the end of our training sessions we would “cool down” with various calisthenics, including Bob shouting, “Give me a 100/100/100!” That means one hundred push-ups, one hundred sit-ups and one hundred squats. Not a lot of fun, but let me tell you, it works all of your major muscle groups, you need no equipment, and it takes only about 10 minutes (more or less, depending on how tired you are, and how used to it you are).

Before you freak out, let me tell you to choose your own number. Maybe you start at 20/20/20, or 50/50/50, and maybe you break this up in two or more sessions whenever you get a chance throughout your day. I do sets of 25, so I’ll do 25 push-ups, 25 sit-ups and 25 squats, rest, then keep on going. If I have a lot going on, like for example I’m in the middle of cooking dinner (oh yes, I have no problem busting these sets out right in the middle of the kitchen floor in between sautéing vegetables and stirring the brown rice), then I just do 25 of something in between whatever I have going on, and eventually throughout the morning, the day, or all at once, I get it in.

So on the days when you don’t have time to hit the pavement around your neighborhood, get into your yoga studio or step on the elliptical at your gym, you can at least be sure to get in your 100/100/100.

On the days when I’m feeling fat, when I’m feeling a total lack of energy, overwhelmed, underwhelmed, uninspired, exhausted or stressed, if I make myself do at least the 100/100/100 I feel like I got a tiny little circuit training session, and burned a few more calories than I would have at the end of the week if I’d just given in and done nothing. And there have been weeks where I’ve gotten in little else than my 100/100/100, especially with the class load I had this past year. And even on the days in my first trimester when I was struggling with such severe nausea, ladies let me tell you, if you just force yourself to do it, even if it is only 30/30/30 broken up into sets of ten done three separate times through the day, it WILL make you feel better… get your blood pumping and temporarily take your mind off your misery.

Do what you can. You’ll be glad you did, and you will love the way your arms abs and rear end start looking after a couple of weeks, and the way your little underoo’s continue to fit throughout your pregnancy. I’ve not changed a single size, and believe me, the bigger your belly gets, the more you’ll appreciate a tight little rear.

So play around with it, and give yourself the gift of the 100/100/100. Work up to it if you have to, that is totally fine. If you hate squats, do lunges instead, if you hate sit-ups, do another abdominal exercise that is equally effective, like side-plank crunches or similar. I mix it up some days too. Set your goal, choose your poison, and get busy. Remember if you do nothing else, you can always get in your 100/100/100.

Pregnant Bikram -you will not "cook" your baby

No, I am not one of those crazy Bikram followers who advocate’s that everyone should do only Bikram yoga and that it will keep you bending backwards until you are 90 years old (although I believe it will, and that Bikram is the BEST yoga in the world), and all other styles of yoga are inadequate. But I have been doing Bikram for nearly 10 years now and for myself, I swear by it. I had no intention of giving up my practice when I found out I was pregnant. In fact I was so excited to continue my practice through my pregnancy to see the effect it had on my experience. Of course my number one priority was getting my doctor’s permission to continue my practice, and having a doctor who was supportive of my workout regimen and yoga practice was a key factor when I was choosing a doctor.

Bikram (hatha) yoga has been a life changing experience for me from the first day I tried it back in early 2000. And through the past 8+ months it has been an absolute life saver. I go into a hot, humid room nearly daily, for 90 minutes and sweat out loads of bloat and unwanted toxic fluid build-up that can accompany pregnancy, and stretch out my poor aching morphing body until everything feels lose, comfortable, relaxed and flexible again. It is the only thing that has made me feel like “myself” as my body has slowly taken on its new pregnant shape.
I work on strengthening my core, so that I can push this little girl out, I strengthen my arms so that they look good and that I have strength to hold my baby girl for hours on end nursing her and cuddling her close. I strengthen my legs so that they stay tone, trimmed and strong, and man, it does wonders for your rear!
I’ve been able to maintain my balance and center of gravity for the most part, and it is the only thing that relieves the achy-achy back that we have to deal with through the later few months and weeks of pregnancy.
As the relaxin hormone has been released into my body, I’ve been able to utilize it to stretch out my muscles and ligaments in preparation for delivery. The truth is, I’ve become more flexible than I’ve ever been the past few weeks, going deeper into every pose than I thought possible for myself at this point.
Bikram does have an entire pregnancy series which is a modification of the original series developed by his wife who also continued her practice through her pregnancy.
The studio I’ve been attending since I’ve lived back in Arizona has been outstanding in its support of my practicing through pregnancy, and I’ve had great encouragement and guidance from one of the instructors who also continued her practice through her pregnancy, and beyond, and had dramatic results.

This is what I hope to accomplish through maintaining my practice as well… after all, who doesn’t want to bounce back quickly?
I’ve been met with a lot of praise and encouragement for my decision and commitment to carry on my practice through pregnancy, and of course I’ve been met with a lot of glances, raised eyebrows, and flat-out disgust by others. I’ve been accused of “cooking” my baby, of restricting blood flow to her developing little self, and putting myself at risk for falling, over-heating, raising my blood pressure and more.

Let me say a few things to clear the air for you. First of all, if you have never before practiced Bikram or any other hatha (hot) yoga, I am not suggesting that you begin a practice when you find out you are pregnant. As I mentioned I’ve been practicing for 9 years, and my doctor felt very comfortable with me continuing on as I had been, knowing that my body was adapted to the conditions in the hot, humid room, and exercising comfortably at such humidity and temperatures (in fact, she has been practicing yoga through her recent pregnancy as well!). If you are interested in doing Bikram or another hot/hatha yoga through your pregnancy and are not yet pregnant, your doctor and the Bikram studio (for one) wants you to have been practicing that style of yoga for at least six months prior to becoming pregnant if you wish to continue throughout your pregnancy. There are other styles of yoga that are very beneficial and are safe to start after you’ve learned you are pregnant, and you can discuss those options with your doctor and the studio you are interested in attending.
Secondly, our bodies are amazing! They are adaptable to many environments, like the one I live in here in Arizona. Our summers are brutal as you might have heard, so when I have to live in 115˚ summer weather, taking 90 minutes out of my day to practice yoga in a 105˚ room doesn’t seem so awful.

Our bodies are able to maintain homeostasis in such a variety of environments. It will work hard for you to maintain your internal temperature of 98.6˚ through thick and thin. Even when we do get a temperature, it is our body’s defense mechanism going into high gear to burn up bacteria and foreign invaders to keep us alive and kicking. Being in a hot room, performing slow, steady, precisely executed movements is not going to cause you to overheat or “cook” your baby. During my practice is one of the times when my little one moves the most… in between every posture. And I feel so good about all the freshly oxygenated blood that I am sending straight down to her as I deeply breathe and circulate new nutrient rich blood through my body. I believe that the breathing techniques I’ve learned will be an amazing asset through my labor and delivery, as well as the ability to maintain my deep, purposeful breathing throughout a variety of postures that raise my blood pressure. I’ve learned how to control my blood pressure and breathing through the stress of the postures, bringing it back to normal in between each posture. This will come in very handy as I am going through contractions and pushing through delivery.
The ways I’ve been able to stretch out my hips, strengthen my core and focus on one spot in the mirror for a minute or more will also be invaluable during my labor and delivery. And one of the best benefits of my Bikram yoga practice is that I have had not even a full day of that terrible bloat, or kankles, or similar. I’m 34 weeks pregnant and still wearing my wedding rings and don’t have that “puffy” look to my face. This is through no good luck, but through the daily sweat of my yoga practice.

Only you and your doctor can decide if a hatha yoga practice through your pregnancy is right for you, I’m just letting you know what it’s been like for me. A lifesaver!
Lastly, if you do the appropriate modifications provided, you will not harm your baby by practicing yoga through your pregnancy. They modify poses so that you do not do any inverted or compression postures, and keep your chin up so that you do not risk restricting blood flow from your carotid artery to the placenta and baby. They modify the appropriate standing postures so that falling out of postures is unlikely, and they keep you laying on your side for any savasana poses so that you are not on your back at length. Most importantly, listen to your body. Our bodies are amazing, as I mentioned above, and will tell us when to back off, when to stop, when to take it easy and when to push ourselves. Trust your body and yourself. You’ll love the results!