Hello again! One of Fit Britt’s followers asked an excellent question. “ . . . How [does] Environmental Mama fits exercise into her daily schedule? For me, I find WAY too many excuses not to exercise (it is not my favorite thing to do:) and it is easy for a mother to play the martyr and say things like "oh but I have to do this for (insert family member or dog's name)" and then forgo exercising.”
I completely agree that it is even more difficult for moms to come up with an excuse and something with which I definitely struggle. First, I repeat to myself frequently.....happy mom makes for happy kids. Being fit and happy with my size and health makes me better able to deal with my kids, regardless of their age. Whether I am handling a screaming baby, fussy toddler, tantrum-throwing 2 yr old, sassy 3 year old....or a challenging teenager, I am better equipped if I am self-confident and have an outlet for stress. I reason that taking care of myself actually helps me take better care of my children.
So, how to actually take the time to exercise? Here's how I try to stay on track with exercising:
I handle it one of two ways:
1. I make it part of my scheduled day. I have a “spot” where exercise regularly goes. It may be twice a week, three days a week, or five days a week, but it is planned ahead of time. I find myself more likely to exercise if I always do it, say at 9am, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Make a standing date with yourself.
2. I make an external commitment. It may be a local 5k that I sign up for (and pay) three months in advance, or join a local recreational sports team. You can adjust your “external commitment” based on your fitness level and what you enjoy. Perhaps it will simply be a regular aerobics class you attend with a friend or agreeing to coach a child's soccer team.
I alternate both methods frequently. I seem to go through phases where the regular exercising works great. Say, my husband knows on Tuesday and Thursday at 6pm is my workout time.....or I set my alarm early to do a video three days a week....or I take my kids for a walk before lunch every day. If I’m working, perhaps I devote two lunches to a brisk walk or run. Generally, at some point I find myself “falling off the wagon.” That is usually when I sign up for something. Personally, being a runner, it is typically a race of some sort. I register and pay and set up a training schedule. I’ll be honest. I usually regret signing up at some point, but I press on knowing I’ve already paid and told people about it. I am ALWAYS proud of myself and pleased at the end. That commitment gives me the extra oomph! I need to accomplish a new level of physical fitness. It keeps me inspired to keep up with my regularly scheduled workouts. Until, of course, the cycle repeats itself :)
In conclusion, I think finding the time to exercise is always a challenge regardless of where you are in life. I suggest trying different methods and finding what works for you. If you plan for a morning workout, and sleep through your alarm two weeks in a row—perhaps you need to reassess and look at an evening workout. If you are always skipping the evening workouts (this is me), then try a morning. Or sign up for a fun rec team. A three month sports season might be perfect to get you back into the groove of being fit. We all need encouragement from time to time, so find a positive fitness influence for you. At times I am better than others. Just keep at it!
Good Luck and Happy Exercising!
--Environmental Mama ;)
Additional tidbits from the Fit Britt:
I think this post equally applies to those who don't have kids! You often hear people say "I don't have time..." but the reality is we all have exactly the same amount of time each day. We also each have our own priorities. Having children is a huge lifestyle change, just like moving, starting a new job, getting married, etc. I think it is most important to establish your new routine as quickly as possible, so that it becomes a habit to make it a priority. Equally important is creating a support team. Talk to your spouse/sig-o about ways they can support your new lifestyle desires (watch the kids for an hour, be open to trying new foods, join in on the activity, etc.). However, we can't push our goals onto someone else, so whether the people you live with are on your cheer squad or not, you'll need an entire social network of friends to meet up with for walks, healthy snacks, group exercise classes, etc. Our society loves to catch up with friends over food and drinks... why not catch up during a hike instead? Maybe not all of your friends will be willing, but you certainly need some friends in your life that will be active with you, especially if you are not self motivated to exercise.
Lastly, I find what works best for me is learning more about the healthy benefits of exercise and proper nutrition (and what happens to your body when you don't exercise and eat right - no matter what you look like on the outside)... so I hope to continue to inspire and motivate you with new information every week!
Thanks AmberJamboree for the question, Environmental Mama for your input, and thanks to all for the dialogues that this blog has created!
Have a HEALTHY day!
Fit Britt
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
You Had Your Baby, Now What?!?
Howdy! Since I have around 10 new mommies following this blog, and this is by far the topic I have received the most inquiry about, I want to add to Environmental Mama's post and cover a few suggestions and dispel one myth regarding post-natal exercise and weight loss. After these specific suggestions, all my readers should be able to utilize my exercise suggestions in the following posts and gear them towards their current level of fitness.
As a general disclaimer, please remember that it is suggested to wait at least six weeks before you incorporate moderate or higher intensity physical activity (cardio or weight training) back into your lifestyle and you certainly need to make sure you are medically cleared.
Regarding the concern of breastfeeding: will exercise/diet limit your milk supply?
I have actually been researching this over the past few days, and I have not found a single study stating a concern over the supply of milk. What I have found over and over is that once your milk supply is well established, exercising should not affect the supply. It has been found, however, that some babies do not prefer the taste of milk shortly post-exercise due to increases in lactic acid in the milk. This can be minimized by feeding just prior to working out (allowing recovery time before the next feeding) and also by keeping your workouts to less than maximum effort. (If you find any depletion in supply or other adverse effects, try working out at a lighter intensity for a longer period of time - if time is an option).
Additional tips for minimizing the effects of exercise and diet on breast milk:
It is probably easier to understand that your lifestyle needs to be modified during pregnancy when the baby is inside you. I can only imagine the desire and motivation to get back to your pre-baby weight ASAP. However, there is still a decent amount of recovery going on for up to six months. The list below will be taken into consideration with my exercise suggestions that follow.
As a general disclaimer, please remember that it is suggested to wait at least six weeks before you incorporate moderate or higher intensity physical activity (cardio or weight training) back into your lifestyle and you certainly need to make sure you are medically cleared.
Regarding the concern of breastfeeding: will exercise/diet limit your milk supply?
I have actually been researching this over the past few days, and I have not found a single study stating a concern over the supply of milk. What I have found over and over is that once your milk supply is well established, exercising should not affect the supply. It has been found, however, that some babies do not prefer the taste of milk shortly post-exercise due to increases in lactic acid in the milk. This can be minimized by feeding just prior to working out (allowing recovery time before the next feeding) and also by keeping your workouts to less than maximum effort. (If you find any depletion in supply or other adverse effects, try working out at a lighter intensity for a longer period of time - if time is an option).
Additional tips for minimizing the effects of exercise and diet on breast milk:
- Even though I know you want to focus on weight loss and on cutting calories, your primary concern needs to be on consuming the proper amount of nutrients for you and the baby. You should still be ingesting 200-500 more calories a day than you would if you were not nursing; at least 1800/day calories for the average mom.
- Try to eat more naturally made and organic foods. Refined and processed foods (white breads, sugary foods and non-perishables) deplete your body of many nutrients your body needs to process milk and provide for you and the baby.
- Drink lots of water ~ more than 64 oz. a day. If you are thirsty, you are dehydrated, don't let yourself get thirsty!
- Reduce stress to prevent additional hormones/chemicals in breast milk as well as an uneasy connection between you and the babe.
It is probably easier to understand that your lifestyle needs to be modified during pregnancy when the baby is inside you. I can only imagine the desire and motivation to get back to your pre-baby weight ASAP. However, there is still a decent amount of recovery going on for up to six months. The list below will be taken into consideration with my exercise suggestions that follow.
- Relaxin stays elevated for months, the joints remain somewhat lax and are overall unstable.
- The abdominal wall and core musculature is stretched, weakened, and "out of practice."
- Due to the above two, the spine is more vulnerable to injury.
- There are postural distortions from pregnancy (tight hip flexors, abductors [outer thigh muscles], hip extensors [glutes], ankle plantar flexors [calves]) that need to be lengthened (stretched).
- Additionally, many moms do not focus on lifting, carrying and holding their babies in an "ergonomically correct" way. Therefore, these unbalanced movement patterns further distort posture which can actually limit your training and weight loss gains (many more posts on this in the future).
- Finally, those who have had a C-Section will need longer to recover and should not perform any abdominal exercises until completely healed.
Exercise Suggestions Specific to Post Preggers
So you might be a little low on energy and I'm pretty sure you are low on time. I think it'd be great if you could occasionally get some alone time so you can truly focus on yourself while working out, but there is also a lot of benefit to having the kid(s) with you (great bonding experience, setting a wonderful example).
Seems like whether you have kids or not, time is always a factor. I am very big into "multitasking fitness." I am also a fan of functional fitness ~ training for movements, not just training muscles. Over time I'll give you plenty of exercise ideas where you'll work multiple muscle groups all at once, helping to save you time and improve your functionality in life.
Alas here are the post pregnancy exercise suggestions:
- Correct muscular imbalances. Most commonly, as listed above you'll need to stretch your hip flexors (do lunging type activities and push your hips forward), outer thigh muscles (laying down cross one leg over the other in the shape of a "4," pull the support leg toward your body and gently push the stretching knee away from your body; then hug one knee into your chest and pull it across your body towards the opposite shoulder), and calves (lunge with your hands against the wall and press the back heel into the ground).
Conversely, you'll need to focus on strengthening the opposite muscles to balance out. Try doing hip bridges (lay on your back with your heels near your hips, press your hips gently upward - squeeze your stomach and your glutes), inner thigh work (while on your back with knees up push your knees together and squeeze and hold while also bracing your stomach), and perform toe taps (in a seated position just tapping your toes) to strengthen the front of your shin and continue to stretch your calves. - Your exercises should focus on core work. Sit ups and crunches will be too stressful for your abdominal muscles, first you need to focus on your transverse abdominis (this ab muscle wraps around your waist like a thick belt). Laying on your back, just focus on bracing your stomach, thinking about squeezing your stomach and thinning your waist from all angles. You can also practice doing this on all fours or while sitting or standing. Once you can hold for at least ten seconds WHILE BREATHING, start adding little movement. If you are on the floor, practice lifting one foot at a time, marching. If you are on your hands and knees, work on lifting one leg or arm of the ground then both (opposite arm and leg).
- You should also focus on stabilization exercises to improve joint stability. Using a stability ball or standing on one leg while performing various strength training exercises. This is my training style and many suggestions will be given in upcoming posts.
- Be conscious of how you are working with your baby. Hold/carry baby on both sides, use a sling to bring baby to you instead of having to bend forward to feed, get in front of baby and bend with your legs (or kneel) to pick up baby, lower crib rail so you don't have to reach away from body and lift with your back, think about posture when pushing a stroller (and swap your kids from side to side if you have a double stroller and two kids of differing weight).
Overall, it's going to be a process. Whether it's from having a baby, or just being overweight, the weight loss is not going to happen overnight. It will certainly be a journey and you'll learn a lot about yourself along the way. Maintain your sense of humor and have fun! Give yourself some credit for the amazing beings you have brought into your life. And most importantly, stay tuned - specific exercise ideas will be following in the upcoming weeks!
Feel free to leave additional suggestions in the comments, or email me with further questions!
Have a HEALTHY day!
~ Fit Britt
Friday, July 24, 2009
Breastfeeding and being a Fit Mama!
Hi Fit Britt and followers! I am a guest blogger and was referred a question from Fit Britt herself....since I have academic and "real world" experience with the topic.
Question: "How can you alter your diet and activity plan WITHOUT affecting your milk supply?" --Submitted by the mama of a ten month old
Answer: There are various articles regarding this topic with a lot of scientific support. All are informative and useful. However, I am going to post my answer in "layman's terms" for those of us who just want a straight answer without confusing scientific mumbo jumbo.
Basically, you CAN easily workout and diet without affecting your milk supply--the key is moderation. Now is not the time for extreme diets or workouts. It is recommended to keep your calorie intake at or above 1500-1800 calories. If your baby is older than six months and being supplemented with solids, it is appropriate to use 1200 calories as your bottom line. That being said, breastfeeding is supply and demand....as long as you are nursing your baby frequently, your body will continue to lactate regardless of whether you are excersing or not. Often times, mothers are told they can not exercise and/or diet while nursing. This is not true if you are smart and listen to your body. I am currently nursing baby #3 who is four months old and have nursed babies #1 and #2 past their first year. For the average person, (after establishing your milk supply in the first 6-8 weeks) you will not exercise enough to affect milk supply. If you happen to be a super fit person, and notice your milk supply decreasing, gradually decrease exercise until you find the appropriate amount for your body. I happen to be a runner. All of my babies have happily nursed thorough various exercise forms (mostly running and weight training) and I have yet to find myself unable to nurse them. With baby #2 I trained and ran a half marathon (running an average of 1-2 hours daily) while still nursing him to 18 months. With all babies I achieved my pre-pregnancy weight (minus some) while still nursing.
A few tips:
1. Start slowly. Pregnancy and lactation take a toll on your body. Do not get discouraged if you are not as fit as you once were. Increase activity gradually and your body will adjust and continue to provide for your baby.
2. Continue to feed your baby as frequently as before and try to eat as nutritiously as possible.
3. Eat continuously thorough the day. Even if you decrease overall calorie intake, eating frequent, small meals will encourage your body to produce adequate milk. This is a key tip.
4. Don't stress and go with the flow. Every woman's body is different and every baby's needs are different. Exercise away! If you find yourself exercising too much, back off. I challenge you to find a happy medium where you are fit and healthy and your breastfeeding baby is too.
I am honored to have been asked to guest blog for Fit Britt. I am sure she will have some additional, informational comments on my post. I, myself, am trying to lose those last ten baby pounds and have a chubby, 17 lb, exclusively breastfed four month old. Let's get fit together!
--Environmental Mama
(If you are interested in my credentials, here they are:
Attached Parenting Mama to three kiddos aged 5 and under
Wife to a Super Hubby
B.S. in Biological Sciences
M.S. in Environmental Health
and friend to Fit Britt :)
Question: "How can you alter your diet and activity plan WITHOUT affecting your milk supply?" --Submitted by the mama of a ten month old
Answer: There are various articles regarding this topic with a lot of scientific support. All are informative and useful. However, I am going to post my answer in "layman's terms" for those of us who just want a straight answer without confusing scientific mumbo jumbo.
Basically, you CAN easily workout and diet without affecting your milk supply--the key is moderation. Now is not the time for extreme diets or workouts. It is recommended to keep your calorie intake at or above 1500-1800 calories. If your baby is older than six months and being supplemented with solids, it is appropriate to use 1200 calories as your bottom line. That being said, breastfeeding is supply and demand....as long as you are nursing your baby frequently, your body will continue to lactate regardless of whether you are excersing or not. Often times, mothers are told they can not exercise and/or diet while nursing. This is not true if you are smart and listen to your body. I am currently nursing baby #3 who is four months old and have nursed babies #1 and #2 past their first year. For the average person, (after establishing your milk supply in the first 6-8 weeks) you will not exercise enough to affect milk supply. If you happen to be a super fit person, and notice your milk supply decreasing, gradually decrease exercise until you find the appropriate amount for your body. I happen to be a runner. All of my babies have happily nursed thorough various exercise forms (mostly running and weight training) and I have yet to find myself unable to nurse them. With baby #2 I trained and ran a half marathon (running an average of 1-2 hours daily) while still nursing him to 18 months. With all babies I achieved my pre-pregnancy weight (minus some) while still nursing.
A few tips:
1. Start slowly. Pregnancy and lactation take a toll on your body. Do not get discouraged if you are not as fit as you once were. Increase activity gradually and your body will adjust and continue to provide for your baby.
2. Continue to feed your baby as frequently as before and try to eat as nutritiously as possible.
3. Eat continuously thorough the day. Even if you decrease overall calorie intake, eating frequent, small meals will encourage your body to produce adequate milk. This is a key tip.
4. Don't stress and go with the flow. Every woman's body is different and every baby's needs are different. Exercise away! If you find yourself exercising too much, back off. I challenge you to find a happy medium where you are fit and healthy and your breastfeeding baby is too.
I am honored to have been asked to guest blog for Fit Britt. I am sure she will have some additional, informational comments on my post. I, myself, am trying to lose those last ten baby pounds and have a chubby, 17 lb, exclusively breastfed four month old. Let's get fit together!
--Environmental Mama
(If you are interested in my credentials, here they are:
Attached Parenting Mama to three kiddos aged 5 and under
Wife to a Super Hubby
B.S. in Biological Sciences
M.S. in Environmental Health
and friend to Fit Britt :)
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Coming to Terms with Health/Wellness/Fitness
We all throw around the words "health, wellness, and fitness," but what does each one mean and encompass? Defined today, this blog is intended to encourage you to think outside of the "workout and diet" box to the various ways you can focus on your health, as well as introduce the diversity of topics that can and will be covered on this site in the future.
Wellness vs. Health
My favorite definition for health (from the World Health Organization) is that it is not merely the absence of disease, but also a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.
Wellness is a lifestyle choice that you make to enhance your health, reaching your highest potential.
Six Dimensions of Health
There are six dimensions of health that are intertwined with eachother and will certainly be strengthened (hopefully not weakened) based on the lifestyle decisions you make daily.
1. Physical Health - this includes our fitness (the breakdown of the 5 components follow) and nutrition, but also includes avoiding other harmful substances for our bodies, obtaining regular health screenings, and taking all precautions to keep ourselves safe.
2. Psychological Health - mental health. How is your stress level? Your self image?
3. Social Health - includes our healthy interractions and relationships. Do you have confidants and partners in crime? Are you taking time out of your busy schedule to do things you enjoy? Your health depends on it!
4. Spiritual Health - does not have to involve a belief in a god. Different for everyone, yet important none the less, this can simply be your purpose in life. Your spiritual health may be enhanced through your mindfulness during exercise or daily living, or through meditation/yoga.
5. Intellectual Health - not defined by your IQ, intellectual health includes your ability (and speed) to make decisions, learn from life experience, and be open to new ideas. One of the books I am pseudo-reading right now, "Spark" by John Ratey, discusses how physical activity ehnances the function of your brain. It starts with great case study information regarding students who worked out before school every day and how that has increased their attention span and ability to retain information (and win international math/science competitions!). You actually create and strengthen neuro-connections in your brain by working out!
6. Environmental Health - perhaps often overlooked as an aspect of health, is the way we interract with our environment. Do you recycle? Purchase from local farmers? Avoid excessive use of water and electricity? Additionally, how does the environment effect you? Is the air safe to breathe? Do you wear sunscreen? Do you know the dangers of working out in certain climates (hot, cold, high altitude, rain/snow, etc.)
I hope to utilize guest bloggers as the site grows, as I want to continue learning as well.
Perhaps starting with additional environmental encouragement from Korin???
Components of Physical Fitness
Briefly, as I know most of you are interested in exercise information, I would like to mention the five components of physical fitness that every program should include:
1. Cardiovascular - elevating your heart rate for an extended period of time (at least 20-30 minutes). The latest suggestions reach up to 90 minutes a day if your goal is to lose weight. (don't worry, it doesn't have to be continuous!)
2. Muscular Strength - the amount of weight you can life one time - your one repetition maximum (1RM).
3. Muscular Endurance - continuous effort on your muscles. Such as how many push ups or sit ups can you perform in one minute?
4. Flexibility - the range of motion of each joint. If you find that you are more stiff on one side than the other (or front of your body vs. back), you will develop muscle imbalances which throw off the efficiency (strength, recruitment, motion) of your entire skeleton.
5. Body Composition - the breakdown of muscle vs. fat tissue in your body. You are probably all too familiar with the non-budging-weight-phenomonon on the scale when you start a new program, but did you consider that you could still be losing fat in the process? There are many tools and devices to measure your fat, but if you don't have access to those, make sure you are at least taking circumference measurements along with your scale measurements. You'll most likely find encouraging results!
Everyone should know where they stand in each of these areas and re-measure over time to record and celebrate advancement. (If you are local, I'd be happy to measure for you, otherwise I can give you suggestions on who to go to, or what you can do yourself.)
So, you see - we've got a lot to cover on this lil ole blog. And I'd love your help in deciding future topics. I've started a running list of requests on the right side of the page - email me (fitbritt@gmail.com) or leave a comment to add some more!
Have a Healthy Day!
- FitBritt
*My Personal Health Textbook, "An Invitation to Health" by Hales was referenced but not quoted for the above information.
Wellness vs. Health
My favorite definition for health (from the World Health Organization) is that it is not merely the absence of disease, but also a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.
Wellness is a lifestyle choice that you make to enhance your health, reaching your highest potential.
Six Dimensions of Health
There are six dimensions of health that are intertwined with eachother and will certainly be strengthened (hopefully not weakened) based on the lifestyle decisions you make daily.
1. Physical Health - this includes our fitness (the breakdown of the 5 components follow) and nutrition, but also includes avoiding other harmful substances for our bodies, obtaining regular health screenings, and taking all precautions to keep ourselves safe.
2. Psychological Health - mental health. How is your stress level? Your self image?
3. Social Health - includes our healthy interractions and relationships. Do you have confidants and partners in crime? Are you taking time out of your busy schedule to do things you enjoy? Your health depends on it!
4. Spiritual Health - does not have to involve a belief in a god. Different for everyone, yet important none the less, this can simply be your purpose in life. Your spiritual health may be enhanced through your mindfulness during exercise or daily living, or through meditation/yoga.
5. Intellectual Health - not defined by your IQ, intellectual health includes your ability (and speed) to make decisions, learn from life experience, and be open to new ideas. One of the books I am pseudo-reading right now, "Spark" by John Ratey, discusses how physical activity ehnances the function of your brain. It starts with great case study information regarding students who worked out before school every day and how that has increased their attention span and ability to retain information (and win international math/science competitions!). You actually create and strengthen neuro-connections in your brain by working out!
6. Environmental Health - perhaps often overlooked as an aspect of health, is the way we interract with our environment. Do you recycle? Purchase from local farmers? Avoid excessive use of water and electricity? Additionally, how does the environment effect you? Is the air safe to breathe? Do you wear sunscreen? Do you know the dangers of working out in certain climates (hot, cold, high altitude, rain/snow, etc.)
I hope to utilize guest bloggers as the site grows, as I want to continue learning as well.
Perhaps starting with additional environmental encouragement from Korin???
Components of Physical Fitness
Briefly, as I know most of you are interested in exercise information, I would like to mention the five components of physical fitness that every program should include:
1. Cardiovascular - elevating your heart rate for an extended period of time (at least 20-30 minutes). The latest suggestions reach up to 90 minutes a day if your goal is to lose weight. (don't worry, it doesn't have to be continuous!)
2. Muscular Strength - the amount of weight you can life one time - your one repetition maximum (1RM).
3. Muscular Endurance - continuous effort on your muscles. Such as how many push ups or sit ups can you perform in one minute?
4. Flexibility - the range of motion of each joint. If you find that you are more stiff on one side than the other (or front of your body vs. back), you will develop muscle imbalances which throw off the efficiency (strength, recruitment, motion) of your entire skeleton.
5. Body Composition - the breakdown of muscle vs. fat tissue in your body. You are probably all too familiar with the non-budging-weight-phenomonon on the scale when you start a new program, but did you consider that you could still be losing fat in the process? There are many tools and devices to measure your fat, but if you don't have access to those, make sure you are at least taking circumference measurements along with your scale measurements. You'll most likely find encouraging results!
Everyone should know where they stand in each of these areas and re-measure over time to record and celebrate advancement. (If you are local, I'd be happy to measure for you, otherwise I can give you suggestions on who to go to, or what you can do yourself.)
So, you see - we've got a lot to cover on this lil ole blog. And I'd love your help in deciding future topics. I've started a running list of requests on the right side of the page - email me (fitbritt@gmail.com) or leave a comment to add some more!
Have a Healthy Day!
- FitBritt
*My Personal Health Textbook, "An Invitation to Health" by Hales was referenced but not quoted for the above information.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Here we go!
I'm looking forward to starting a blog and sharing information and inspiration with family and friends! Please let me know if you have any questions or topic suggestions that I can address. Feel free to share your success stories and struggles as well! We can all learn together. Love you all!
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