Body Beyond Baby

Jenny Dugard's workout for today

2012-01-30T23:30:00.002+11:00

FYSB Before and After - Christa

2012-01-28T15:41:00.000+11:00

Many of you will remember Christa - Christa shared her Body Beyond Baby - Find Your Summer Body 8 Week Challenge journey with us. Despite spraining her ankle towards the end of her challenge Christa made some fantastic progress and achieved wonderful results.

Along with the before and after pics you see below Christa improved her push-ups from 23 on her knees at the start of the challenge to 8 on her toes come the end. She also improved her beep test from 4.9 to 8.3. Always a pleasure to train, putting her head down and working hard Christa is coming back for Round 2 and I m excited at what she will achieve next - keep up the great work Christa.

FYSB Before and After AND Q&A with our winner Sarah

2012-01-20T10:30:00.000+11:00

Today we chat to Sarah - overall winner of our first ever Find Your Summer Body - 8 Week Challenge.

What initially made you sign up to the 8 WeekChallenge?

I wanted to lose the weight I had put on duringmy pregnancy. I felt this was a good way to do it as the sessions are aimed atpost-pregnancy. I wanted to kick start my exercising again and the challenge looked like a great way to do that.

What were your initial goals and did you thinkyou would reach them?

These were my goals as I emailed to Jenprior to the challenge:

Goal 1 - Currently weighing in at76.9kg, my aim is to lose 1kg a week to get to a weight of 68.9kg. This isclose to my pre-pregnancy weight of 66kg, which I plan to continue to achieveafter the 8 week challenge.

Goal 2 - To fit into mypre-pregnancy jeans, currently they just go over my hips but don't go anywherenear zipping up. They are a size 12. This is important to me because it is avery good indication that I have my figure back from before I had Harry.

Goal 3 - At the test I was able todo 13 push-ups on my knees, by the end of the 8 weeks I would like to be ableto do at least 10 on my toes. This is important to me as it is an indication ofstrength I have built up over the 8 week period. I have never been very good atpush-ups so whilst this isn't a great number it will be an achievement for me.

Goal 4 - To be able to perform theexercises using the correct technique. I am not very co-ordinated and am notvery good at balance and using the correct technique in the exercises. At thefinal test at the end of the challenge, I would like to be able to perform theexercises without making any mistakes. This is important to me as it will giveme confidence to go on after the challenge and perform these exercises on myown without the guidance of a trainer.

I felt the goals I set myself wereachievable as long as I remained committed to the challenge until the end,attended all the sessions and ate healthily.

What were the easiest and most challengingaspects?

Easiest – I adjusted to the healthy eatingeasily, mainly because of the support from my husband who ate what I ate anddidn’t tempt me with foods I was trying to avoid (cakes, ice cream, etc)

Most Challenging – going to the Sunday stepssession every week, it got to about Wednesday every week and I would start todread the steps session coming up that weekend! Even though they are the mostchallenging, they are also the most rewarding once I had finished, I went homeon such a high afterwards and felt really good, I also felt they had the mostimpact on my weight loss.

What were your favorite and least favorite bits?

Favorite – I liked the feeling at the end of asession, particularly the weekend sessions, when I knew my exercise was donefor the day and I would race home to see Harry and Paul (my husband), it wassuch a good feeling. In terms of the sessions themselves; I liked the Saturdaysessions which were a bit different to the weekday ones. One week we playedstuck in the mud, which was fun, and also I liked working on the benches andrunning around the trees.

Least favorite – was doing the sessions in thecold and rain. There was one Saturday session where it rained heavily, whichactually turned out quite fun, but there were a few sessions where as well asbeing wet it was windy and cold, and I wasn’t a big fan of those sessions - but we conquered them anyway!

How many sessions per week did you exercise toachieve your goals?

Four times a week, two during the week and theweekend sessions, I attended every session I had booked into throughout the challenge.

Did you have to change your diet a lot?

In some ways, yes but not in others. Yes becauseHarry was only 2 months when the challenge started so I was still eating fortwo! I really had to cut down my portion sizes and this was the biggest changefor me. Initially I found this hard, as I was breastfeeding and had to increasemy calorie intake to allow for that. I didn’t have to change the kind of foodsI ate too much though, as we already ate a lot of wholemeal foods, bread,pasta, rice and fruits and veggies, so I knew what I had to do.

I used foodlog for the first few weeks to ensureI was on the right track.

Do you feel like your diet and exercise changeswere sustainable?

To a certain degree – yes. Exercising 4 times aweek worked well – because you pretty much have every other day off which iseasy to put into a long term plan.

With the diet I cut out all bad things except Iallowed myself a meal off a week, I didn’t always stick to this but for themain part I did, and so some of my favorite things did not get eaten or drank.For example, no ice cream or no smoothies! I don’t want to cut these outcompletely long term, however, I do know not to go mad on these types ofthings!

What else did you gain from your challengeexperience (apart from diet and exercise)?

I felt like I got my body back. Before, Ihad lent it to Harry and now it is mine again! The challenge was also good tohave an hour to myself to be 'Sarah' again rather than 'Mummy', whilst still havingHarry close by.

I also made some good friends who were alsodoing the challenge with me, which really helped me along the way, and was goodmotivation.

What would your advice be to a new mum thinkingabout doing the challenge?

I would definitely advise them to do thechallenge. I would advise them to try and commit themselves 100%, I was luckywith Harry because he is such a good boy. I have had very few sleepless nights,although he always seemed to know when the steps session was as he would wakemore that night! I would say to remember that it is only 8 weeks, but could bean opportunity to get yourself in a much healthier routine that is maintainableafter the challenge is over.

Sum up your challenge experience for us

I signed upto the challenge thinking that it would be a kick start to my weight loss andgetting my figure back. I never thought I would exceed my weight loss goal andI am amazed at my before and after photos, I can’t believe how different Ilook. I am really pleased I took up the challenge, and feel really good.

And here are Sarah's before and after pics:

A HUGE congratulations to Sarah and thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience with us - I am very much looking forward to what Sarah will achieve in Round 2!

FYSB Before and After - Nicole

2012-01-19T15:06:00.000+11:00

Nicole came to us with a large separation and little abdominal strength - as well as losing body fat you can see from these before and after images that all her effort and Transverse abdominal retraining has dramatically helped to reduce her 'mummy tummy'.

Testament to this is that at the start of the challenge Nicole could do her prone hold on her knees only and we really had to watch and feel what was happening to her stomach during this exercise. A prone hold can be a very strong and difficult exercise for those with abdominal separation - you must be very aware of how to properly recruit your TVA and not allow any 'bulge' or 'peaking' through the gap. If you are unsure or it doesn't feel right please go back to basics and train to your weakest link.

Congratulations Nicole on achieving these great before and after shots AND a prone hold of 2'45" on your toes at the end of the 8 weeks. Keep up your fantastic work.

FYSB Before and After - Cindy

2012-01-16T17:43:00.000+11:00

Well done Cindy on achieving some fantastic results during our first ever Find Your Summer Body - 8 Week Challenge.

Cindy would like everyone to know that this is her 'work in progress' she is coming back for Round 2 of our 8 Week Challenge - has more goals to kick and can;t wait for you to see what she can achieve next!

BE the one in two that succeeds with your Fitness Goals in 2012

2012-01-13T14:46:00.000+11:00

Did you know in 2011 a survey commissioned by a breakfast cereal found that one in two Australian women made a new years resolution to diet and only 10% of them stuck to it beyond the first week. The same goes for many new years fitness goals and if those stats are correct that means that many of you that are reading this now are already off track for 2012.

I can help - if you have spent any time on my website, blog and facebook page you will know that I am extremely passionate about helping mums to look and feel fantastic. I know that you don't have to settle for second best and that it is possible to find a way to put your needs first and start to feel good about yourself again (and look great too) so it is my mission through Body Beyond Baby to give you the tools you need to make this happen.

After the success and amazing results we had with Round 1 of our Find Your Summer Body - 8 week Challenge we are back with Round 2. Kicking off on the 6th of Feb you will launch into 2012 with all the tools that you need to make a real difference to yourself both inside and out. And don't worry, if you have done the challenge before we have made a few changes so you will continue to be challenged and gain results.

ALSO we are adding a few more sessions to our timetable - from 6th Feb you will be able to train on a Wednesday at 9.15 & 10.30 along with a Tuesday morning in our brand new 6am Early Risers session (there are no nannies at this session).

To top it off if you are a new BBB mum and you sign up for the challenge now and do some pre-challenge sessions between now and the 6th of Feb you will get complementary Saturday sessions to really warm you up.

I am more than happy to answer any questions you may have about sessions and the challenge and I very much look forward to having you on board!

Click on the above image to sign up now

My top 5 motivating tunes for 2012

2012-01-11T15:15:00.001+11:00

I don't know about you but a great song played loud in the car or on my iPod at the gym can really make a difference to my head space and my day. This year, for me, is about positivity, getting stuck in and moving forwards so I am going to carry these songs with me. I hope you enjoy them too.

And the last one I am trying to track down on YouTube so I'll bring it to you asap!

Message from Sophie - Run for Premature Babies

2012-01-05T17:52:00.001+11:00

I would like you to meet Sophie - I met Sophie for the first time half way through last year at a launch at the Royal Hospital for Women in Randwick. I had heard of Sophie previously when Body Beyond baby decided to run in the Blackmores Running Festival and raise money for the care of premature babies at the Royal Hospital for Women. I was a little overwhelmed when I realised who she was knowing everything she had been through. Following this initial meeting Sophie started training with Body Beyond Baby, it is wonderful to have her as part of our team of mums and I will always support what she is doing.

You can read about Sophie's heartbreaking story here

I find Sophie to be such an inspiration - to be able to channel her grief and energy into such a positive way, to give back and make a difference to other children and families that are going through similar journey's to hers. As a mum it also touches and breaks my heart.

Sophie is now recruiting runners for the 2012 SMH Half Marathon - this is her message:

Sophie's son Jasper

"I am starting to recruit runners tomy sixth annual SMH Half Marathon team in memory of our premature tripletsHenry, Jasper & Evan, and I am hoping it is going to be our biggest andbest year ever. My goal is for a team of OVER 250 RUNNERS, and I amwriting to see if could persuade either you or any of your friends or clientsto join me.

Please visit my new website - www.runningforprematurebabies.com -to find out more about my very special team, which raises money for the Henry,Jasper & Evan Smith Trust to buy life-saving equipment for critically illpremature babies at the Royal Hospital for Women. To register you justneed to complete this quick onlineregistration form

My team is one of a kind - with fivemonths of weekly training provided free of charge as well as free running kitand lots of social events along the way. Our aim is to get fit, have funand help save precious premature babies in memory of my brave little boys."

Sophie Smith

So if you are up for the challenge and want to make a difference to these tiny bubs PLEASE sign up - you CAN do it and now you have that extra bit of motivation.

Five FREE healthy apps to keep you on track for 2012

2012-01-04T14:17:00.000+11:00

If you're anything like me your iphone is never far away - whether you are checking face book or texting a friend. Here are a few healthy applications that may help keep you on track towards your health and fitness goals in 2012.

1. MyFitnessPal Calorie Counter

Cost: Free

It has been proven that those who record what they eat have a better chance of reaching their weight loss goals. Keep track of what you are putting you mouth when on the run with this handy app.

2. Pedometer 24/7

Cost: Free

Thus handy app turns your phone into a pedometer which can be used 24 hours 7 days a week. It uses an advanced technology for accurate steps counting and automatic calibration. Great for walking, jogging and running.

3. Pill Tracker

Cost: Free

Pill Tracker is an initiative tool to help manage any medication you may be taking. From vitamins to contraceptive pills and prescription medication. This could be a great app to recommend to any tech savvy older relatives you might have to help remember wheat medication they should take and when.

4. IMF Lite

Cost: Free

IMF Lite is an iPhone version of the In My Food iPad application. This great app tells you what is in your food and gives you quick answers whilst you are out and about. There are over 500 food additives many of which are bad for us and can be very bad for our children. All you have to do is enter the number code into your phone and it tells you exactly what it is.

5. Easy Meat & Fish Recipes

Cost: Free

Ever find yourself wondering what to cook for dinner? Easy Meat & Fish recipes features hundreds of flavorful recipes for meat and fish of all kinds. You can browse this app in the supermarket for inspiration or plan your weekly protein meals - you can also save and share you favorite recipes.

Body Beyond Baby Full Body Wake-up Workout

2012-01-03T11:44:00.003+11:00

We are three days into the new year - have you trained since 2012 rolled on in? If not now is the time to get back into it - wake up from your post Christmas and New Years overload and start the year how you mean to go on. Here is a simple yet effective workout that will work your whole body, burn fat and build muscle tone for you to start with.

I have included three levels of difficulty so choose what is right for you and then work up to the more challenging levels as you get fitter and stronger. Remember to always train to your weakest link and listen to your body. Know when to push through and know when to rest AND know when to get advice from a health professional.

Ideally you will need an elastic for this workout however you can do the sumo's with no elastic and substitute a lying cobra and an extra set of squats for the squat rows if you don't have one.

You have a certain number of reps of each exercise to complete depending upon your level.
Perform each exercise in a circuit format, one after the other until you fatigue in each exercise - record how many of each exercise you do before moving onto the next.

i.e - round one - 11 x Sumos, 10 x push-up thrusts, 15 x Squat Row, 7 Triceps dips, 5 burpees - you then go back to the beginning for round to an pick up where you left off, same for round 3 etc... until you complete the number of reps from your level.

Level 1 (beginner) - perform 30 reps of each exercise in total
Level 2 (intermediate) - perform 60 reps of each exercise in total
Level 3 (advanced) - perform 100 reps of each exercise in total

If you keep hold of how many rounds it took you to complete this workout today you can then challenge yourself to do more reps and less rounds next time.

Sumo Squat

Push up Thrust

Squat Row

Triceps Dips

Burpees

Choose your level of burpee

Enjoy!!!

Join Me and Be Selfish in 2012

2012-01-01T14:31:00.000+11:00

Happy New Year..... and it all begins again. Take note of where you are right now then think back to where you were this time last year. Have things in your life changed? Do you have big ticks beside the goals you made at the start of 2011?

We talk about new years resolutions and most people have something that they put out there with a desire to make a change in some area of their life. We begin all pumped and ready for action but as the start to the new year fades so does that enthusiasm and before we know it we have faded back in the day to day. Back in to the breakfasts and preparing lunches, school runs and kids activities and I know for a lot of mums this means that their personal goals and aspirations take a backseat.

How about this year as mums we all decide to commit to one thing - and I truly believe if you commit to this and remind yourself of it every single day then everything else will fall in to place. It has to. I want you to be selfish - to make yourself number one for a whole year. That doesn't mean to the detriment of your family - quite the opposite. As mums we are very good at ensuring that everyone else in the family (and often those outside that too) are looked after - that they are where they should be at the right time, wearing the right outfit, and eating the right foods. We organise the kids, the childcare, the family social life. We take upon mini (and major) projects; re-decorating the house, researching the best new car or washing machine, organising birthday parties and holidays - all the while taking care of the home and for many holding down a job too. Where does mum, as her own person, fit into all this?   It is exhausting and if we don't find time to put our self first then we suffer and when mum suffers the whole family suffers.

Your 'selfish' pact for the 2012:

Take some time out for you to make a list.....conquer this first one and you are on the road to making more 'you' time

Make a list of the things that you REALLY want to achieve this year...... is there a course you have been meaning to do but always put it off as it's never the right time? Do you have aspirations to make a career change or start your own business? Do you feel comfortable in your own skin? Do you look the way your want to? Are you are strong as you would like to be? Do you want to buy a new home or investment property?

Make a second list of the little things that make you feel happy and nurtured..... is it reading a book? Sitting down for a cup of tea with no interruptions? (I've been taking a few extra minutes when I'm in the car alone to listen (and often sing very badly) to one of my favorite songs - I feel a little weird doing it, like I should just get out of the car and be on my way but allowing myself to slow down and stop for just a few minutes really helps to re-charge my batteries during the day) Taking an uninterrupted shower, chatting to a friend on the phone.

Next map out your week - draw up a weekly timetable and put in it everything you do during your week - do it day by day, hour by hour - colour code it if you like giving each family member a colour. Put in drop offs and pick ups and the time it takes you to do it. Swimming lessons and gymnastics, meal time preparation, bath time, story time and bed time....... clean cup time at the end of the day.....EVERYTHING.

NOW - look back at your first two lists - look at the goals and desire you have for this year and figure out where you are going to MAKE time to put that into your week. Where will the YOU time go?

Start to block out time to make the changes in your life that you want to happen. Block out time for your exercise and make it NON NEGOTIABLE - make it as important as your child's swimming lesson that you would never dream of cancelling for another appointment. Block out time to brain storm your business idea and make this as NON NEGOTIABLE as your husbands work meetings. This is how you will make progress in between now and this time next year.

Then put little re-charge moments into your day - just 5 minutes here and there that allow you to stop, remember who you are and what you like to do and that you are important too and your needs also matter. You have to be smart about these moments - think about where you can put them in - use the TV if you have to.... set the kids up with an activity or give them a bottle of milk and just BE for a moment or two.

How do I do it? I am very selfish with my exercise time - when life gets tough and things get busy it would be very easy for me to push it aside and get more things done in my day. However, I know what kind of a person I turn into - I get short tempered and snappy - I get antsy and need to move, I start to feel sluggish and uncomfortable in my skin. Mentally I feel like I'm going to explode and I crave that time in the gym or in the park that its just me and my iPod and a few friendly faces to say hi to. I feel good when I am moving and I feel good when I'm in shape - it's not easy to maintain all of the time but I make it a priority - I make it a NON NEGOTIABLE part of my life.   And little re-charge moments like my ones in the car - I'm working on those ;)

Only you can make this year different and if you make the decision to be selfish, communicate with those around you so they know what is important to you and why, what you need to do to stay sane and make yourself happy and that it will be for the benefit of the whole family and I know you will have a great year ahead.

Speedy TABATA Supersets

2011-12-27T16:27:00.003+11:00

My Body Beyond Baby Boxing Day workout

2011-12-27T10:46:00.000+11:00

Find Your Summer Body 2011 - Hall of Fame

2011-12-24T13:54:00.000+11:00

A special congratulations goes out to the following mums who, through their hard work and dedication have found themselves in the first Body Beyond Baby - Find Your Summer Body - 8 Week Challenge Hall of Fame.

Overall winner

Sarah Caroll, mum of one (8m)

With a total weight loss of 10.9kg, 16.9cm from around her waist, 21.5mm of abdominal fat and a personal push ups improvement from being able to do 13 on her knees at the start of the challenge to 10 on her toes at the end of just 8 week. Congratulations Sarah!

Sarah wins a night at the Shangri- La, including champagne on arrival, breakfast a $150 voucher for an evening meal at Altitude Restaurant

Biggest Body Fat % loss

Jade Mackenzie, mum of one (5m)

For a new mum that wasn't sure if the challenge was for her Jade lost a total of 7.6% - is looking fantastic and is very glad she decided to give it a go.

Jade wins a mobile massage voucher from Eastern Suburbs Mobile Massage
Contact number 0411 628811 (no website available)

Most Improved Push-ups Test

Olivia Lowe, mum of 1 (8m)

Olivia started off at the beginning of her 8 week challenge only being able to complete 1 push up on her knees - by the end of week 8 she could do 16 on her knees - awesome improvement!

Olivia wins a La Glam Start me up pack from Make up for Mums

Best Push-ups (person who could complete the most push-ups to faliure)

Bek S, mum of one (1yr)

Bek is known as the push-up queen and managed to pump out a total of 53 push-ups on her toes.

Bek wins a Pronto Pram Cleaning Services voucher (with pick up and delivery)

Most Improved Prone Hold

Tsumi Smith, mum of one (5m)

Tsumi started her 8 week challenge with a prone hold of just 26" on her toes and finished up with a time of 1'24" - great improvement.

Tsumi wins a mobile make up application that can be used for a special occasion from Make up for Mums

Best Prone Hold

Brenda De La Piedra, mum of two (1 & 2 1/2yrs)

Brenda held her prone hold for a MASSIVE 4'06"!!! This is a great example of what you can achieve if you take the time to re-build from the inside out after having a baby. Brenda is mum to two beautiful girls aged 1 & 3.

Brenda wins a Pronto Pram Cleaning Services voucher (with pick up and delivery)

Most Improved Stamina - Beep Test

Paula Disley, mum of two, (4m & 2yrs)

At week one Paula's best test was 4.2 and by week 8 she achieved 8.3 - again a great improvement for a mum who wasn't sure if the challenge was for her!

Paula wins a Pronto Pram Cleaning Services voucher (with pick up and delivery)

Most Improved Cardio Test

Virgina Weinstein, mum of three (6yr, 4yr, 20m)

Virginia smashed her week 1 cardio test time of 4'56" by over 1minute taking it to a fantastic 3'45"

Virginia wins an age defying, all natural, body care gift pack from Essential Stuff

Fasted Cardio AND Beep Test

Amy Adamson, mum of two (4yr & 2yr)

Undoubtedly one of the fastest and fittest mums in our groups Amy recorded a beep test of 11.9 and a cardio test of 3'21" - keep up the amazing work Amy!

Amy wins a $50 voucher from Muesli Mixer

Sunday Steps

We also celebrated those mums who regularly turned up early on a Sunday morning for their extra cardio session at Coogee steps and awarded one mum each week with Most Improved from the week prior.

Week 2 - Angela Walsh
Week 3 - Nicole Maroutsos
Week 4 - Angela Walsh
Week 5 - Nicole Maroutsos
Week 6 - Amy Adamson
Week 7 - Sarah Caroll
Week 8 - Nina McDonnell

Angela wins a scented Candle from Ambrosia Candles
The rest of these ladies win a Pronto Pram Cleaning Services voucher (with pick up and delivery)

A BIG thank you to all of our sponsors (listed above and links provided). To be associated with these great businesses that all offer ways of looking after and making mums life easier is fantastic and your support is much appreciated.

I guess that wraps it up - the end of 2011 is near and our first 8 Week Challenge is over. The great news is that we will be back in 2012 with our second challenge - starting on February 6th there will be two phases of this challenge - one for new BBB members and a stepped up challenge for those who have completed the first one so we all continue to make better and healthier lifestyle decisions, smash more of our goals and become fitter, stronger and leaner versions of ourselves - feeling absolutely fantastic in the process.

To start your 2012 in the best possible way click here to register and find out more about our next Find Your Summer Body - 8 Week Challenge.

Find Your Summer Body 2011 - overall results

2011-12-24T12:20:00.003+11:00

I am so proud and inspired by the fantastic commitment and results our first ever Body Beyond Baby Find Your Summer Body - 8 Week Challenge mums have achieved. From a group of 34 mums that completed the challenge:

Total 119kg of body weight GONE

Highest total body weight loss: 10.9kg

Total 229cm from around the middle GONE

Biggest cm loss from around the middle: 17.2cm

Total 252mm abdominal fat GONE

Biggest abdominal mm loss: 21.5mm

Congratulations to every mum that took part in our first ever challenge!!!

Our Body Beyond Baby Find Your Summer Body winner is....

2011-12-05T13:00:00.000+11:00

The Body Beyond Baby
Find Your Summer Body 2011 winner is:
Sarah Caroll

Sarah lost a total of 10.9kg over period of her 8 Week Challenge, she also lost a total of 61.7cm's from her body including 16.7cm's from her waist and 21.5mm from her abdominal skin fold. Sarah also achieved a personal goal of hers by completing 10 push-ups on her toes during last weeks testing - Sarah started at the beginning of the challenge by being able to do 16 push-ups on her knees.

Sarah's effort throughout the whole challenge has been unwavering and inspiring and we look forward to seeing what goals she sets for herself next! Well done Sarah - keep up the amazing work, enjoy your night at the Shangri-La, we can't wait to hear all about it!

Stay tuned this week for the rest of our fantastic Find Your Summer Body - 8 Week Challenge results and achievements.

FYSB end of challenge celebration

2011-12-04T18:24:00.001+11:00

After our final day of Find Your Summer Body testing fun was had by all at our end of challenge and Christmas party last night - everyone looked amazing and it was really great to see everyone out of their runners and training gear...we certainly had a room full of Yummy Mummy's! Thank you to Lucy for organising such a great night.

A big congratulations to everyone for making it over the finish line, you have all continuously inspired me with your determination and commitment over the past 8 weeks. I will be revealing all of our winners through the blog this week so stay tuned to see what amazing results were achieved.

The last ones standing

Thank you for a great night ladies - I hope you all managed a little extra sleep at some point today!

Jenny's ultimate Body Beyond Baby

2011-11-30T15:43:00.001+11:00

I am so excited - the challenge has come to an end and everyone has done SO well. We are doing all of our final fitness testing and measurements this week and I can't wait to announce our winners this Saturday evening at our end of challenge party. And I can't wait to see what everyone looks like out of their runners ll dressed up!

So..... I have been ticking away at my own little challenge in the background - it would have been hard not to with all the energy and motivation within our BBB sessions. First up I have decided to take a look back at the goals I set for myself 8 weeks ago:

Goal 1
I am going to achieve a VERY toned stomach - I want to have a bit of a V going on (not too much or masculine in anyway just that look).

I guess out of my three goals this one is the least measurable (and one I probably would have questioned if a client said this to me..... how lean? how toned? how will you know you have got there?) So, I am definitely 'getting' there - I can see muscles now and when we look at where I am at with Goal 3 we will start to see why. Photo's are happening on Friday so I promise to share as soon as I get them back.

Goal 2
I am going to be able to perform 8 unassisted strict chin ups

This morning I did three sets of 6 unassisted chin ups so I know I am definitely on track I just need to do my final testing to make sure I can get 8 in one go.....

Goal 3 (and the one I am most excited about)
I am going to reach 20% Body Fat

I have SMASHED this one out of the water - I knew my body had been changing and I have been dropping fat but how much I didnt know - the scales weren't giving away much. I went to Body Composition (now Measure Up) yesterday and here is the comparison to my last scan.

19th July 2011
Body Fat % = 21.7%
Total Body Weight = 54.8kg
Fat Mass = 11.9kg
Lean Body Mass = 40.5kg

29th November 2011
Body Fat % = 16.6%
Total Body Weight = 54.4kg
Fat Mass = 9kg
Lean Body Mass = 43kg

I have managed to get way below my goal of 20% Body Fat (with a loss of 5%) though if you look at my Total Body Weight it appears that I have lost only 400g so here is a really great example of why you absolutely can not rely on what the scales are telling you alone. You can see I have dropped 3kg of Body Fat and added 3kg of Lean Body Mass.

I have been doing Body Composition Scans since 2006 - those of you that have followed my blog will have seen my results following both pregnancies (the first being in 2008). What is cool about having this information is that I can really see where I have been and what my body has been doing over the last 5 years. I found these comparisons pretty cool:

5th December 2006
Body Fat % = 16.9%
Total Body Weight = 49.9kg
Fat Mass = 8.4kg
Lean Body Mass = 39.3kg

29th November 2011
Body Fat % = 16.6%
Total Body Weight = 54.4kg
Fat Mass = 9kg
Lean Body Mass = 43kg

Here you can see that in terms of Body Fat % I am back to where I was way before my wonderful little people entered my life BUT looking back I know that I didn't achieve this in the healthiest manner. I didn't eat a whole lot and you can see by my Total Body Weight that I was tiny and wasn't carrying much muscle at all. Looking back I never wanted to get back to that 'weight'. I guess this time I know I am healthy, I know I am strong and I have grown in regards to my own training and knowledge (and I'm not hungry).

I have to thank both Marley and India for putting me where I am today as a mum and as a fitness professional - without them I wouldn't be writing this and I possible wouldn;t have specialised in pre and postnatal exercise and I wouldn't be connecting with all of the wonderful women that I do on a daily basis. And I absolutely can't wait to continue to share my knowledge and passion for showing every single mum out there that it is possible to be a mum, be really strong, look great, feel fantastic and be a wonderful example to the children in their lives.

Cathy - Find Your Summer Body Week 7 & 8

2011-11-30T15:40:00.001+11:00

Week 7 and the jiggle is going! This week I have hit another plateau so I have amped things up by exercising in the morning on an empty stomach followed by a protein rich smoothie afterwards. I have to say, I haven't run along the beach since before I started this challenge and what used to be a struggle I can now do in my stride. It really took me by suprise and I am LOVING the feeling.

I have gained so much more confidence going out now and ordering food, before I thought if I went off the rails then it was all over for me. Not so, I just pick myself up at the next meal and off we go...plus put in a little extra effort the next day and it all seems to even out.

Week 8...we have arrived! When I look at myself in the mirror now and see my new bo I can't even imagine I let myself get into such a sloth state before. I have come such a long way in such a short space of time and I am absolutely ecstatic with the results. I haven't finished by a long shot but the goals I set for this challenge have all but been met. I am in a quiet state of shock, all the hard work paid off!

I have totally re educated myself in terms of diet with the help of Jen and Marieke and I have no desire to return to my "old self". I haven't had any processed food or sugar for 8 weeks and I am feeling full of vim and vigour!

My fitness has vastly improved and my partner can't believe the turn around I have made (and neither can I).
When I first signed up with Jen I NEVER in a million years thought I could get to the level I am at (remember in the beginning I could barely drag my sorry carcass around the oval). Now I actually LOOK FORWARD TO EXERCISING (yes, those words actually just came out of my mouth!)

These past 8 weeks have been a total re education and an overhaul of my life, it's been like an intensive boot camp and as much as I have grumbled at the process I'm glad Jen kicked me into action, I am very thankful to have found her at BBB.

Christa - Find Your Summer Body Week 6 & 7

2011-11-24T16:05:00.001+11:00

I can’t believe how fast this challenge is nearing its end and how much better I feel. The weighing is still a bit scary as the scales just don’t wanna show what I want to see but in the end I guess the kilos are not as important as my overall fitness and measurements. My fitness is really improving though and that makes me very happy.

A few of us had a very interesting session with nutritionist Marieke Rodenstein. I was looking forward to her advice but thought my diet was pretty healthy anyway. Marieke checked all our food diaries and pointed out what we should and should not be eating. She also shared healthy recipes and ideas for the little ones which was fantastic. She has a wealth of knowledge and is really passionate about food.

Another positive thing over the last two weeks was that I built up a few new muscles which definitely didn’t ‘existed’ before hand…I am really excited about that. When I started the challenge I assumed I will only be doing this for 8 weeks to get my fitness and figure back and then do my own training. However I have already booked my sessions for after the challenge as there is still a long way to go and I just love exercising with all the other girls in the meantime.

Last Wednesday Jen launched the Bluebird Community at Lululemon and it was such a nice and interesting evening. I, thankfully, was not affected by PND but hearing Amanda’s story or reading Virginia’s blog most certainly makes you aware that it can happen to anybody anytime.

A slight drawback is that I rolled my ankle whilst running and talking on Saturday (multitasking is obviously not one of my strengths) Thanks again to all of the girls that helped me and my apologies if I came across slightly rude - I was in shock I think. Gutted is an understatement…. anyway, I am over the self pity phase and will resume one-footed training on Tuesday. Coogee steps are out of the window but hey, thank god it happened in week 7 and not week 2!

Cathy - Find Your Summer Body Week 6

2011-11-24T15:56:00.001+11:00

I think I've finally got it, it's only taken 6 weeks of intense life changing effort but I am feeling fantastic!

I am so glad I found Jen and the group and took up this challenge. I am feeling stronger, fitter and leaner and proud of myself. For me, this challenge will be continuing on well beyond the 8 weeks but I feel that I have adopted some great new habits. I can't believe I would ever feel like I WANTED to exercise but now if I miss a few days I feel agitated and need to get out. Such a far cry from the past.

The beep tests have been really revealing. Hearing our scores now compared with when we all started it's so inspiring. I think we are all seeing some great results.

Getting into my cossie now I don't feel half as bad as I did before. Taking Milla to swimming lessons isn't as excruciating as it was and I'm not so embarrassed when I run into old friends by pool. (Mind you, they still do the up and downs). As I said there's still a distance to go but I am feeling much, much better.

As a thank you for writing these blogs, Jen kindly rewarded me with a consultation with the gorgeous Marieke who is a Nutritionist (I hope I got that right) and oozes good health. What a wealth of knowledge she is! The session blew my mind and flipped a few of my beliefs on their head. For instance, she is an advocate for eating the skin on chicken, totally the opposite of what I had been taught. Also eating far, far less grains but eating more animal products and fats and vegies and limiting fruits. I will be making some more changes to my diet but overall I feel I'm on the right path. It's simple, clean unprocessed food (organic ideally) in moderation and regular exercise. There is no magic pill.

I can't believe we are almost at the end of the 8 weeks. There have been peaks and troughs and extended slumps and now I am ready to go out on a high. If I reach all of my goals then there will be no stopping me!

Virginia's PND story

2011-11-17T20:21:00.001+11:00

Meet Virginia - Virginia exercises with Body Beyond Baby and has wonderfully agreed to share her experience with PND - thank you Virginia.

My name is Virginia, I'm 38yo and Mum to Jake (6), Jesse (4) & Lili (20mo)

Coming from a strong blood line of women, depression was never something I thought would ever happen to me. I grew up a happy, confident kid in Perth, always had lots of friends, did well at school and university, travelled the world, enjoyed a successful corporate career for many years and always worked hard to achieve my goals. I was invincible (or so I thought), 3 kids........piece of cake!

For me, the warning signs started when my 3rd baby, Lili, was just a few months old, although looking book I'm fairly certain I had the same signs with my 2nd. She, like the boys, was delivered by caesarean and I was over the moon that we finally had the coveted baby girl I always dreamed of. Not long after the hormones settled down, reality kicked in and I was faced with having to juggle a newborn baby, a very strong-willed 3yo (not at all happy with his new sibling) & a 5yo just starting primary school. I'd wake up feeling utterly exhausted having been up all night breastfeeding or settling.....then having to pick myself up and pretend like everything was normal - packing lunches, getting 3 kids ready for the day and the dreaded morning drop offs in the pouring rain with baby on one hip, umbrella and school bags in one hand, little hands in the other. One morning it was raining so heavily, I slipped and fell into the gutter (luckily didn't drop the baby). Tears running down my face, completely drenched and not knowing which way was up or down, I managed to get up and get the boys to school and kindy safely (albeit saturated) and I spent the next hour or so howling in my car. What happened to my life? What have I become?

Next came feelings of being completely overwhelmed, a failure, alone and resentful, anxiety attacks, frequent crying and feeling completely unsatisfied in life. My coping mechanisms had hit rock bottom. With my own family and close friends in Perth, I didn't have a strong support network to begin with and started to withdraw from social circles because it was just all too hard. I was cranky with my husband, short fused with the kids and behaving like a complete maniac only I didn't have the power to stop. I thought to myself "pick yourself up Virginia, plenty of women have walked in your shoes, you can do this" but I soon realised these feelings weren't going away and something had to change.

My obstetrician suggested I talk to someone, which I did, and was shortly thereafter diagnosed with PND. I was gutted and relieved at the same time, but at least I knew what was going on in my head. After a few sessions I soon realised that like most women, I was (and still am) constantly placing unrealistic pressure on myself to do everything, be everything to everyone and all the while being polite with a smile on my face! I had to start making some changes in my life and start learning to be kinder to myself. So I started scheduling in some "me" time - diairising events with friends and date nights with the husband, got myself a cleaner and started exercising again.

Whilst many of my friends were falling prey to PND and the medication route, for me, exercise was the first and natural choice as I'd always been heavily into sports growing up and never had the time to get back into it with kids. I am so grateful I stumbled across Jen Dugard's BBB through a friend because it has been my saving grace, literally. Not only is it cheaper than therapy (much!), but it also alleviated the stress of trying to find a babysitter via BBB's nanny service. I now exercise daily (3 weekly sessions with BBB) and pleased to say I am not only feeling the best I've felt in years, but I've also regained my self confidence and wake up in the morning with a smile on my face and a spring in my step. There is nothing quite like the feeling of a natural endorphin high and I am proud to say my PND days are behind me. Rocking a pair of killer heels and skinny jeans has never been more enjoyable:)

Biz tells her PND story

2011-11-16T14:23:00.001+11:00

Many of you will be familiar with Biz already - Biz shared her BBB story with us a year or so back and also told us a little about her experience with PND and how she used exercise as one of the main means of getting through it. Here is Biz's story:

It might sound like an odd thing to say, especially to someone who’s currently going through PND, but for me, getting PND ended up being an absolute blessing. I suffered from PND after the births of both my boys. The first time I put it down to sleep deprivation and the belief that parenting was just hard and not necessarily enjoyable...yet, so I muddled through. How untrue, and what a massive waste of Jack’s first year.

After the arrival of my second child, Alex, it took no time before I was back at rock bottom; constant tears the inability to think and make decisions, let alone being able to look after two kids. What I did this time though, massively improved my mood, energy (despite sleep deprivation!) and my ability to enjoy parenting. I decided I needed to do whatever it took to feel better so I could see what all the fuss of parenting was about. I started to eat healthier and more regularly, sought my doctor’s advice and went on medication. I also began exercising with Jen at Body Beyond Baby as soon as I’d had my 6 week check up…. this turned out to be the key turning point.

Training with an exercise professional that specialises in post-natal exercise, teaching the importance of safely re-building strength from the inside out, made all the difference. Before long I felt stronger and fitter than I have in years, if not ever. The nannies took care of the kids while I got fresh air, sunshine (also a brilliant cure for depression), increased strength, and social activity with other mums, and a hit of endorphins.
Despite only being able to commit to one session a week, this turned out to be enough to spur me on and provide me tips for doing more exercise on my own throughout the rest of the week.

Now, almost two years on, I still hold exercise as the most important factor for boosting my mood, my ability to cope and my ability to think clearly. I don’t live in Sydney anymore so can’t train with Jen, but if you do, I couldn’t recommend training with Jen more highly. She is so passionate about what she does, she practices what she preaches, is genuinely interested in each of the mums and I am still in contact with her despite being interstate.

As someone who's had quite an ongoing history of depression, especially in times of big changes (e.g. moving house/country, changing jobs & having a baby!) I can say with experience that good regular exercise (not just walking) doesn't get the emphasis it should. Medication or talking to a psychologist, alone, isn't enough. I now know that exercise and nutrition are absolutely vital in truly getting your life turned around for the long term.

Meet our Bluebird Community ambassador - Amanda Cox

2011-11-15T14:40:00.001+11:00

I'd like to introduce you to Amanda Cox aka Mad Cow , Amanda is our first Bluebird Community ambassador and here is her story:

There’s a bit of fun to be had, bouncingaround to the beat of the music, fluorescent g-string leotards holding up yourlycra bike shorts, yelling instructions along the lines of “hold thoseabdominals tight! Tighter! TIGHTER!”

It’s way more fun when your 36 weekpregnant belly prohibits the view of your toes – the look on people’s faces ispriceless.

It’s also a pretty great feeling, knowingyour body, it’s strengths and what it is capable of doing when you first walkinto the labour ward.

Beaming with excitement, and terrified ashell at the same time, and 11 days overdue I wandered in, ready to take onanything. Especially the epidural, which I think I’d requested a good fiveweeks earlier.

My preparedness wasn’t enough for theemergency c-section that my pregnancy culminated it. Sure, it also produced agorgeous baby boy, who fed well and slept well and was just the cutest thingevery. He was the very epitome of “good baby”.

But all I could see was how I had failed inmy very first role as a mother. Giving birth; millions of women do this everyyear … and I had failed.

I spent the next ten or so months raisingthis baby, feeding him, cuddling him, reading to him, being with him. All thewhile I was reading, reading, reading, taking on every piece of information Icould. If I couldn’t get the birth right, then I would do what I could to getthe rest of it right.

I was going to be the World’s Best Mother.

Whilst I tended to the physical needs, mymind was doing its own thing. It kept reminding me how badly I had started,telling me I was useless, I couldn’t do anything right, that not only was I nota good mother, I wasn’t a mother at all. How could I be? It’s not like Iactually gave birth or anything like that?

And I started to make sure this baby wasraised properly. So when “they”, his “real parents” came to get him, he wouldbe ok.

I slipped further and further into a darkerplace. The more I read, the more people I spoke to, the more I was aware I wasdoing wrong. Well, sometimes. This book said to do this, that professional toldme something else, my mother-in-law told me it was my fault I had a c-section,and an aunt called me “evil”.

I was confused, conflicted and slowlylosing control over … well, everything.

Although married to a chef, and living at afunction venue, complete with commercial kitchen and two professional chefs, Itook on the cooking of the evening meal.

I was the only thing that I could control,implicitly. It was an exact science, I followed a plan and everything worked.

It also put me in regular contact with theprofessional chef’s knives in the kitchens where, whilst dicing the carrots andslicing the onions, I could fantasise about slitting my wrists or cutting mythroat.

I’d ponder how long it would take before Idied.

Driving to and from uni, my outlet and theone thing that kept my mind active, I would contemplate the many choices I hadbefore me; do I run into that pole, or that tree. Should I drive into a truck,or perhaps just slam the brakes on hard so the one coming up behind me couldfinish me off.

Oh, the possibilities were endless.

I’d have a bath, you know, to relax. Hot,bubbly, and locked in a room by myself. I’d immerse completely in water, myface submerged and the peace was welcome. I wondered how long I would have toremain under, before I was completely at peace … and who would find me.

I didn’t have “thoughts of suicide”, as thebrochures suggest. I was completely overwhelmed with thoughts of dying. Theyconsumed me, and everything I did in my day.

Two things stopped me.

The first was that my mother-in-law wouldbe involved in the upbringing of my son.

The second was the words of my belovedgrandmother, whom when I was ten, and upon hearing of the suicide of a 15 yearold boy, muttered “Why don’t they just talk to someone?” To this day, I don’tknow if she was talking to me or herself. But I knew I could do nothing until Ispoke to someone.

I did. I visited my GP, under the pretenseof a pap smear, when I burst into tears. I was fortunate to have someone soamazing as my GP, and within a day she had me seeing a psychologist, and withina week, they both had me on antidepressants.

My illness had caused me to drop all thegroup exercise classes and personal training clients I had. I just couldn’tsummon the energy to lead a group, or a person. I missed exercise incredibly.

I realised, then, that for all the time Iwas feeling sad – so deeply and debilitatingly sad – I had continued to walk.Daily. Everywhere. It was the thing that I could do that wasn’t hurting myself.It was sunshine, that made the teensiest of cracks in the black. It was thevast space that made the noise of my son’s cries seem quieter. It was me out inpublic, so I couldn’t break down, or cry, or throw myself off a bridge.

I continued as part of my treatment forPND; counseling, meds and walking.

I had an amazing support team around me inmy husband, a sister-in-law, my GP and my psychologist.

I got myself three additional sources ofsupport; a good pair of shoes, a decent bra, and some great friends to join me.

Body Beyond Baby launches The Bluebird Community

2011-11-15T14:20:00.001+11:00

This week we are gearing up for the launch of The Bluebird Community. The Bluebird Community is an initiative that has been a thought process of mine for quite some time - you know, one of those things that you talk about..... and you are so full of enthusiasm...... and it feels like such a great idea but lots of the time these great ideas don't ever come to fruition. I guess I can sometimes be one to just jump straight into something - commit to doing it in some shape or form and then make it happen. I put myself under pressure but I achieve things this way - people expect, so I deliver and I am so glad I have made a commitment to get The Bluebird Community up and running.

Personally I have never been diagnosed with post natal depression but I have had times in my life that I have been hugely up and down - the most recent being after the birth of my daughter, India, who is now 16 months old. I spent the first 6 weeks of India's life in tears, not quite sure how I was going to get through the day. No idea how to juggle a demanding two year old and a tiny baby that just seemed to cry SO SO much. She was beautiful, she is beautiful but she's never quite got the hang of sleeping all that well which was quite a shock to the system given my son, Marley, seemed to sleep so well from the start. I was out of hospital within 24hours and back to the real world - exactly where I wanted to be but my frame of mind started to suffer. My husband didn't get much time off work and although his parents came from interstate for a couple of weeks and took Marley out and off my hands most days I still couldn't quite seem to pull myself together and get on track.

I do remember that I wasn't exercising as much as I did with Marley - not strenuous exercise that early on but with him I was out walking everyday, everywhere - I had the TIME to take my time back then. This time round trying to convince a very busy little boy to sit in the pram while I 'took my time' was not going to happen. When my in laws left two weeks later I think it really hit - life went on, everyone gets on with their day and you somehow have to get through yours...... there were many tears (mine and hers) and sleepless nights that I just couldn't handle my daughters cries - what kind of a mother doesn't have the patience to sooth her own baby? I wanted to hold her, comfort her and make her stop but the anger and frustration can be overwhelming - I wanted her to go away, to be quiet.

I am very lucky that my mum arrived from the UK when India was six weeks old and she has been here ever since - she actually leaves in two weeks time so I know I am then going to have some big adjustments to make not having someone to lean on all of the time. My mum pulled me out of that hole - she helped me with my children and does so almost everyday even now - she is a huge part of my life and their lives and we will all be very sad to see her go. It is a little scary to me to figure out what to do when she is gone - I know that I have to make time for myself and to prioritise exercise in my life - it keeps me going and makes me tick.

We all need the support of someone around us, someone or something to get us through a tough day and with more and more of us not having family around to help us raise our children it is important that we factor ourselves into our day to day life. It is all too easy for mum to look after everyone's needs and not her own.

With The Bluebird Community I aim to provide mothers that need it an opportunity to be part of a friendly and supportive group, to do something for themselves and for their baby to be looked after allowing them some time out. By partnering with local business we take away the financial aspect of starting an exercise program and welcome these mothers into our group. Endorphins are released through exercise and we often find many of our mums create friendships which carry outside of their training sessions which is incredibly important.

I am SO SO excited to be able to announce that we have welcomed Taylors Real Estate Agents in Randwick on board as our first sponsor of The Bluebird Community - Mark Taylor has welcomed us with open arms and is very keen to make a difference in the lives of women experiencing PND. With our launch just two sleeps away things couldn't be going better.

Tomorrow I will introduce you to our ambassador Amanda Cox who shares her experience with PND and how exercise helped her to get through it - stay tuned.

Chritsa - Find Your Summer Body Week 5

2011-11-10T16:16:00.001+11:00

There must have been something in the air in week five as reading Cathy’s blog sounds too familiar. The whole week I felt really tired and while my lil one adjusted to my routine during the day, he decided to become devils child during the night.

On top of it all I had a mini breakdown about my thighs. Whilst I see minor but steady improvement to my whole body, mentally as well as physically, I start to wonder if the cottage cheese legs will ever get in shape again. And why is it that husbands think saying "Don’t worry honey, I love you no matter what you look like" is actually helping?!?

However, it’s a new week and I decided to get over myself.

In terms of my diet I honestly think that I am eating healthy and am enjoying my salad. If I have salad as a main I make sure I add meat as otherwise I feel like I am missing out on something. (It is hard enough to cut out bread as much as possible…) Normally I have chicken or lamb strips on the barbie mixed with green leaf salad, tomatoes, red onion, pumpkin seeds and whatever veggies I find in the fridge. I also tried Jen’s hummus recipe and it’s really quick and easy. I swapped the beetroot for red capsicums and this works well too.

I am really looking forward seeing Nutritionist Marieke Rodenstein for an educational nutrition session and hope this will reveal any other ways that I could improve my diet. I would love the kilos to drop off that little bit faster.

I have realised I don't drink enough. Sometimes at the end of the day I recall my water consumption and realise that other than the water during the training I only had coffee…I even buy bottled water when I am out only to find it still sealed in my bag hours later. I know, I know this has to change straight away.

As I absolutely want to keep doing what I am doing in terms of exercise I am now planning my training post-challenge. Even though it is sometimes quite hard to get organised and leave the house in time, I really look forward to each session. Not to mention seeing all the other mums which are not just training partners anymore, but more and more becoming friends with the same goals.

Cathy - Find Your Summer Body Week 5

2011-11-07T16:19:00.001+11:00

O.K, I'll admit that the hormones got the better of me this week. With my partner out of town for 2 weeks and it being that time of the month I just didn't have the same energy that I have been putting in up to this point. I even surrendered to a chocolate fix (albeit a "healthy option"). Here is the recipe if you need a little indulgence:

CHOCOLATE SURPRISE BALLS:

35 pitted dates (to be soaked overnight)
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
3/4 cups quinoa flakes
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/3 cup raw cocoa powder
3 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons ABC spread

METHOD:

soak the dates overnight then chop into tiny pieces (or whizz in a food processor)
Add the tahini and ABC spread to the chopped dates and mix together.
In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients (chia seeds, sesame seeds, quinoa flakes, desiccated coconut and cocoa powder).
Slowly add the dry and wet ingredients together to a consistency that holds together. (you may need to vary quantities as you see fit.
Using your hands form into little balls about 3cm diameter.
Yum!

I don't feel bad at all because I am continuing with the challenge as usual it's just a few days of not being on full power. I feel much better now and I'm ready to go out of week 5 and into week 6 full steam ahead.

Another admission I have to make is that after training when the tape measures and scales came out, I made a swift exit. Had it been a few days earlier before the bloat and plateau I would have been excited to see my results. I can't wait to see what I will achieve as an end result plus I am really proud of myself for what I have achieved so far. Who'd have thought?

The crucial key for me and the biggest change in my life has been the forward planning and scheduling. Without them I would still be flailing, still waiting for that 'tomorrow' to start. With most things in life it's been persistence and consistency that have helped me reach my goals.

I went to my parents the other day and I hadn't seen them in a few weeks and my dad even commented on how much weight I had lost and how well I looked. The fact that he noticed anything apart from his grand daughter says it all really.

Jen's Beetroot Hummus

2011-11-03T13:37:00.000+11:00

This is one of my favorite dips and makes a great snack with chopped veggies. I have to confess I haven't had much time of late to 'whip it up' but it really doesn't take too long and tastes very yummy! Great for kids too.

1 can Chickpeas
1 can Beetroot (I use sliced as its easier to blend)
1 tbsp Tahini
splash of Olive oil (though flax seed oil could be used here as it is a great form of good fats)
tsp Garlic
tbsp Lemon juice
(I prefer it sweeter so I put more lemon juice than garlic but if you prefer a more garlicky taste just swap the quantities around)

throw all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. I sometimes then add a can of whole chickpeas for a more chunky texture.

Chop veggies, dip in hummus and enjoy a healthy yummy snack.

Christa - Find Your Summer Body Week 4

2011-11-02T17:25:00.002+11:00

Half time!!!! I can’t believe it has already been four weeks.... I am feeling so much better. I have lost 2kg in the last two weeks which is great but I have to admit though that I thought as soon as I started exercising again the kilos would drop off a little faster. I can see a difference in my wardrobe and I went for a swim on the weekend in my old bikini. I didn’t turn any heads (yet) but I don’t feel like hiding anymore either!

I also think that I am getting fitter by the week even though my body seems to be constantly sore. I am with Cathy in regards to running, but same here, it doesn’t feel like I am dropping dead after a run around the oval anymore. The bright red face is something I can’t seem to get rid off but I looooove the fact that I am sweating like hell. Sorry, I know its slightly off putting but the sweat coming out of every pore feels really good…

Friday’s hill boxercise had me nearly crack and sometimes during the sessions I thought to myself "why am I doing this?" Afterward I get my answer; the chemical reaction in my body after giving it my all is just such an amazing feeling.

Sunday’s steps are still a killer and I am actually surprised that I don’t have nightmares the night before. But its so intense and at the same time a quick workout that really pays off and it seems we are all improving by the week. I can be a bit competitive and thanks to Sarah I gave it my all last week. It makes such a difference if you try to stick close to somebody - you are my hero girl, your baby is only about 14 -15 weeks and you kick my ass every time! At the moment I am improving my time due to running down the steps quicker rather than coming up faster which is a huge challenge.

I don't think I have ever been quite as determined as I am at the moment - before I was pregnant losing or maintaining weight was never really that hard..... things are different now. I have decided to do more in terms of our ‘homework’ as it is very easy to ‘forget’ about exercising at home after doing 5 group sessions a week. This week I actually set an alarm on two days during my babies naps time to perform my do-at-home program. No excuses anymore.

With the BBB end of challenge party in the diary and my 35th birthday just before that I am definitely going to spend some money and treat myself to a new dress…preferably in the size I was before falling pregnant and I plan to look HOT!

Cathy - Find Your Summer Body Week 4

2011-11-01T14:58:00.006+11:00

Here we are at the half way point and it has been one hell of a ride so far. I now know why it's called a "Challenge", it certainly wasn't called the 8 week "Easy"!

The weight has been steadily melting off onto the grassy hill, Coogee steps and all over Centennial Park. I have been working my (now very sore) ass off and I am delighted to say I am on track!....until now.

I wasn't expecting to hit a plateau this week and I must say it has been very frustrating to move forward. The chocolate voices have been whispering in my head and driving me nuts but so far I haven't succumbed because my determination to reach my goals is shutting them down. I am sticking with my plan and just continuing on with things. Only 4 weeks to go!

I still can't see an obvious visual difference with my weight but my clothes and the scales are telling me otherwise. My jeans now have a little less muffin top to deal with and I am fitting into clothes that have been in the vault for some time. There is still a long way to go so I won't get too excited just yet.

The running (never my forte) which I thought would become easier hasn't and I don't think I will ever come to love burpees. But if you had told me at the beginning of this that I would be doing push ups in the rain I would have said you had the wrong girl. I am feeling much stronger than I have in a very long time, what I love is my new found core strength...all those planks are making a difference.

Four weeks into it and I feel that new life changes are being made and that regular intensive exercise and a cleaner, better portioned diet is going to see me a long way into my future and also help me be a better example for my daughter, Milla.

Christa - Find Your Summer Body Week 3

2011-10-26T19:29:00.002+11:00

Three weeks of the challenge have passed and I fit into my skinny jeans again! OK, they are still more like compression tights but I can actually button them up.

The weigh in last week showed a kilo more than at the initial assessment. Even knowing that you probably gain weight when muscles are built up, I was a little bit disappointed in myself. Training four times a week (and a hill session surely counts as double) and keeping a close eye on what I eat hasn’t done quite the trick..... yet. Later that day though Jen texted to let me know that I lost 2.5cm of my waist and 5mm of tummy fat. That was exactly what I needed to hear and a big motivator.

The exercise sessions are still great and I finally got myself and my baby, Alex, into a routine so it doesn’t feel I have to leave the house in a rush before every session. I pack everything the night before and I changed his napping time to right after the classes. I know it sounds a bit harsh for a 6 month old to follow my routine rather his but I do believe he will be a happier kid if I am healthy and happy with myself. After all, I put him in the playpen with the nannies and he doesn’t even look back once (not to mention that he naps for 2-3 hours rather than half an hour after playing his heart out in the fresh air, hooraaahh)

My eating is my biggest enemy at the moment. I definitely think about what I eat and don’t have massive portions anymore. (except last weekend after a visit to the Austrian Club where they served Austrian beer and Schnitzel hanging over the edges of the plate..... I am still paying for that) However, after Alex is in bed the chocolate devil is haunting me and I get this sugar craving. I am still going strong, normally satisfying it with a pack of blueberries but I am wondering if there will be a time where I don’t think, dream, smell chocolate everywhere.

In the meantime I'm really into exercising again. My other half wanted to go away for the weekend and I instantly thought but what about the Sunday steps session?! So, we decided to do that after the 8 weeks and I also signed up for an extra session in the Friday boxercise class. It is officially back; the feeling of missing out on something if you are not working out….and that’s good as I still have a long way to go!

Cathy - Find Your Summer Body Week 3

2011-10-26T19:13:00.002+11:00

Here we are at week 3 and I feel like the scales are moving like an old rusty gate in the right direction. It's all just happening SO s.l.o.w.l.y.....

I am starting to feel a little frustrated when I should really be happy with my efforts. I am putting in all the training hours and my diet is being watched...but I just don't FEEL any different. I also can't SEE a difference but I just have to trust that it will all come together. In fact it just highlights how much further I have to go on this journey which makes me mad at myself for letting it get to this stage. 8 weeks will just be scratching the surface but it's a great start to a new way of life. I'm feeling flat but my motivation and determination are still there.

What I have learned so far is that it really helps to be prepared and to plan ahead. I take snacks with me when I am out like almonds and apples or rice cakes with ABC spread to keep me going. I have emptied the whole house of unhealthy foods so I won't be tempted and if I am working then I pack a lunch of a turkey and salad wrap for something similar. I'm definitely not going hungry, but there is a certain amount of discipline in the preparation and forward planning.

The training is all going well and having my four sessions per week locked in really keep things on track, the other days I use my resistance band at home for a work out (but of course training by yourself you never really push yourself as hard as you would in a group).

We are already one quarter of the way into this challenge and I know there is no quick fix but I am anxious to start seeing obvious results. I think I might need to work on my patience as well....

Guest blog - Deciphering food labels by Nutritionist Marieke Rodenstein

2011-10-25T15:24:00.002+11:00

Food labels are intended to help you eat healthier but this premise only works if you know what to look for and what to avoid and then make the appropriate choice. Unfortunately many of us focus purely on the nutrition table (which is often inaccurate) and base our choices on which products have fewer calories and fat. As a result we often neglect to see the real dangers lurking in our foods and continue to make poor choices.

So next time you reach for a product on the supermarket shelf or your pantry or refrigerator check the ingredients list rather than just looking at the nutrition table and look out for the following:

•   Sugar, glucose, fructose, dextrose
•   high fructose corn syrup or corn syrup
•   hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fat
•   artificial sweeteners such as aspartame
•   artificial colours (in particular 102, 104, 110, 122, 123, 124, 127, 129, 133, 150)
•   preservatives (in particular E211, E220, E828)
•   Nitrate & Nitrite preservatives (E249-252)
•   Artificial flavours (E620-635)
•   MSG (E621) – flavour enhancer
•   Hydrolysed vegetable protein (hidden source of MSG)
•   Yeast extract (yes, this includes Vegemite!) – also a hidden source of MSG
•   320 BHA (Buylated Hydroxyanisole) – a synthetic antioxidant
•   soy protein or soy protein isolate

A note on artificial colours: did you know that Australia’s favorite biscuit the Tim Tam contains not only 1 but 5 of the above mentioned artificial colours! These colours have been banned in other countries due to the health effects they have been associated with (hence the fact that they are so exclusive to Australia). So when it comes to biscuits to avoid (particularly for your children) Tim Tams top the list!

Marieke Rodenstein
Dietitian & Nutritionist
The Nutrition Practice
0450 458 549
marieke@thenutritionpractice.com.au
www.thenutritionpractice.com.au

Hill session

2011-10-19T14:48:00.001+11:00

Hill sessions are always great fun and a great effort - here are a few pics from Tuesday morning....

Christa - Find Your Summer Body Week 2

2011-10-18T15:17:00.002+11:00

Two weeks down and I already feel some changes. Even though the scales showed a kilo more than at the weighing I feel energetic, healthier and overall much better. I guess I am slowly building some muscle again…yeahh

Training is getting more fun every time there are some mini-improvements. Not being completely exhausted after 2 burpees, slightly better performance at the beep test and an improved time at Coogee’s killer steps feels great. Those 218 steps are quite something but it is a fairly quick and intense workout. The hardest bit is when I am coming up seeing the end of the steps, then getting there and realising that it is just a plateau and there is still another approximately 100 to go to the top…bugger! But, no pain, no gain I guess. It will be really interesting to see how much we all improve our times by the end of the challenge.

Jen had a few additional spots at Friday’s Boxercise so I went along and really liked the session. It’s different to the other weekday classes and I was, once again, sore beyond belief. The major difference is that I had to concentrate quite a bit to get the combinations right. Thanks once more to my patient partner, Cindy, as I was pretty uncoordinated. Loads of fun though so I am absolutely in again if there are any spots left.

Meanwhile, I figured that my diet is not as healthy as I thought. Foodlog is a great tool to track what I eat. Yes, it is a bit of an effort to log it all but its made me so much more aware of what I am eating. I had some 'aha' moments about food, thinking it was healthy or low calorie when in fact it is a completely different story. The muesli I always had for breakfast had a whopping 450kcal due to all of the of nuts, dried fruit and granola I used. Also I find that it’s easier to make sure I have less sugar and alcohol. Those raspberry muffins and Tooheys Extra Dry's aren't appearing so regularly anymore - they give me an instant guilty conscious if I have to record them.

My goal for the remaining weeks is to even put more emphasis on what and how much I eat and to cut out sugar/alcohol completely; surely it can’t be that hard…

Guest blog - Not all Calories are Created Equal - by Nutritionist Marieke Rodenstein

2011-10-17T17:19:00.003+11:00

Now that many of us have started tracking our calorie intake on Foodlog I want to reiterate on a very important point that Jen made in our ‘Nutritional Guidelines’ and that is the misconception that “a calorie is just a calorie”.

When it comes to keeping track of our food intake we often get fixated on the calories and forget about the quality of the foods we choose to eat.

As Jen mentioned, a widely accepted concept in mainstream nutrition is that weight loss or weight gain is strictly a matter of calories in versus calories out. If you "burn" more calories than you take in, you will lose weight and if you eat more calories than you burn off each day, you will gain weight. In other words, “a calorie is a calorie” whether it comes from protein, fat or carbohydrates.

We now understand, however, that not all calories are created equal and that calories from certain foods (such as fat and protein) can evoke entirely different physiological responses than others (such as carbohydrates).

A study featured in the International Journal of Obesity, for example, found that people who consumed eggs rather that bagels for breakfast felt more satisfied and ate fewer calories at the following meal. Also, compared to the subjects who ate a bagel breakfast, men and women who ate eggs lost more weight and reported higher energy levels, this despite the fact that the egg and bagel breakfasts provided exactly the same amount of calories!

So which calories are more likely to make you gain weight? Surprisingly it is not necessarily the calories from so called ‘evil’ saturated fats but the calories from grains and fructose that are the real problem.

More on this later!

Marieke Rodenstein
Dietitian & Nutritionist
The Nutrition Practice
0450 458 549
marieke@thenutritionpractice.com.au
www.thenutritionpractice.com.au

To read a little more on this very important topic you can also check out a past blog post of mine from back in 2008 - click here

Sunday Steps

2011-10-16T20:12:00.001+11:00

Well done to everyone who made it to the steps this morning - it's always a great workout. Being our second week everyone knew what time they had to beat which is always great motivation; some previous times were absolutely smashed! Can't wait to look back on week 1 come week 8. Check out all the improvements below......

Name       Week 1              Week 2        Extra       Improvement
Abi                                   x4 = 19'03"
Amy          x5 = 21'45"   x5 = 20'14"   x6 = 24'48"   1'31"
Angela       x3 = 26'18"   x3 = 23'37"                         2'41"
Annie                              x3 = 19'02"
Bek         x5 = 25'22"      x5 = 23'24                            1'58"
Belinda                              x5 = 23'11
Cathy         x3 = 19'15"   x3 = 18'54"                           21"
Celine         x3 = 17'45"   x3 = 15'49"   x4 = 22'29"   1'56"
Christa        x4 = 23'17"   x4 = 21'26"                          1'51"
Cindy          x3 = 22'19"     x3 = 20'50"                          1'29"
Debbie x3 = 19'31"
Elaina                               x4 = 22'10"
Frederique x4 = 21'04"   x4 = 19'27"   x5 = 25'50"    1'37"
Jude            x4 = 23'10"    x4 = 21'41                            1'29"
Kirstie       x4 = 23'23"
Marieke      x5 = 23'51"   x5 = 21'46"                          2'05"
Nicole       x4 = 21'28"
Paula           x3 = 18'26"   x3 = 17'36"   x4 = 24'19"   50"
Sarah          x4 = 23'44"   x4 = 21'10"                          2'34"
Suzi             x4 = 19'51"   x4 = 19'15"   x5 = 25'38"   36"
Tracey       x4 = 23'29"   x4 = 22'23"                          1'06"
Virginia        x4 = 20'23"
Yvette          x4 = 22'07"   x4 = 21'27"                          40"

And the winner of our spot prize for most improved time this week goes to Angela - with a MASSIVE time improvement of 2 minutes 41 seconds!!! Well done Angela - fantastic effort. Enjoy your beautiful candle from Ambrosia Luxury Scented Candles

Christa - Find Your Summer Body Week 1

2011-10-13T14:32:00.000+11:00

When I signed up for the challenge I was looking forward to it but wasn’t really sure what to expect.

We started off measuring, weighing and recording the status quo. Once again, I got reminded why I am doing this… The fitness test revealed what I already knew and worse - I am in such an unfit state it’s incredible. But this also means big improvements can be made.....

On Tuesday and Thursday Alex has been with the Body Beyond Baby nannies. We don’t have any relatives close by and had never been looked after by anybody else other than Karl or myself so leaving him was initially a bit weird. He was perfectly fine though and very much enjoyed playing with all the kids and nannies. When I picked him up the girls gave me an account of what he had done, if he had eaten and slept. It makes such a difference to be able to completely focus on my training, knowing my bub is well looked after. The hardest bit is to be organised in the morning and actually make it to the session in time…

I very much like the group we have going and was quite impressed on how many mums actually have been training with Jen for a while. Seeing in what great shape some of them are in really motivated me.

We started with one warm up run around the oval which was enough to have me going bright red and Burpees are something I am not sure I will ever take a liking to. Jen made sure that I was all of the exercises correctly and took the time to check on people individually. A few times I was actually clock watching to see when the session is over. Not because I didn’t like it but because I was so tired!!

There was an incredible turnout at the Saturday session even though the weather was not perfect. Jen had another trainer with her so technique wasn’t compromised and I sweated beyond belief. My whole body ached for three days afterward and to be honest I thought I might give the Sunday steps session a miss. In the end I dragged myself out of bed and will tell you more about the 218 steps next week….

Cathy: Find Your Summer Body - Week 1-2

2011-10-13T14:12:00.001+11:00

So here we are, week 1 completed and just into week 2 of our 8 week challenge and I am feeling totally motivated. The scales are moving in the right direction and I am making some really healthy choices which I want to become permanent lifestyle changes. I am feeling good!

My main focus is on diet which I must admit I need all the step-by-step help I can get so I am following the "Eat Yourself Sexy" diet. I chose to follow this because I want to retrain my eating habits and learn better portion control, I am also inputting what I have eaten into Foodlog as writing it down also ensures I am staying on the right track. The hardest part so far is being prepared and cooking meals ready for when I need to go out. I have become a bit of a hermit crab and have been avoiding going out socially as I just don't want to sabotage my early efforts, one glass of wine could topple me over right now!

There is scope for improvement but I haven't exercised this much EVER! I did the Sunday stair session for the first time last week and my legs are KILLING me! I really struggled at work today and also trying to do some exercise I can only imaging how much worse it would have been if I hadn't jumped straight into an epsom salt bath after the stairs......

FYSB Catergory Sponsor: Essential Stuff

2011-10-12T13:49:00.002+11:00

I am really excited to welcome Essential Stuff as our first Find Your Summer Body - 8 Week Challenge category sponsor. The winner of our "Slim and Sleek - most cm's lost" category will walk away with this fantastic Deluxe Body Package perfect for beautifying, relaxing and indulging that newly toned body!

Natural, healthy and vibrant

Essential Stuff is the world’s first, naturally based range of skincare products based on nature’s true age defying super fruit - the pomegranate

Pomegranates are…
•    Rich in natural antioxidants and nutrients – to give you healthy glowing skin
•    High in vitamins – to prevent fine lines and signs of dryness
•    A natural protector for your skin – to reverse the effects of sun damage

These effects, combined with Essential Stuff’s unique combination of natural ingredients, have produced a revolutionary skincare range that is non-toxic, age defying and good for you.

Essential Stuff products do not contain any water, toxic chemicals, animal ingredients, artificial colours and fragrances.

Australian made and owned, Essential Stuff’s range of skincare products have been created to give people a natural alternative to the expensive and chemically based products that have dominated the health and beauty industry market for many years.

The Essential Stuff range has been specially produced to prevent the skin damage associated with harsh chemicals around the world by using the wonders of natural ingredients that can soothe, care and protect your skin.

The range includes Pomegranate and Rosewood Hand Cream, Pomegranate and Peppermint Foot Balm, Pomegranate and Lemon Fusion Body Wash and Pomegranate and Citrus Burst Body Butter.

Essential Stuff is accredited with Choose Cruelty Free and 100% vegan.

Visit the Essential Stuff website here

A big thank you to Essential Stuff for supporting and inspiring us through our Find Your Summer Body - 8 Week Challenge

Introducing Christa

2011-10-12T12:41:00.004+11:00

Meet Christa, our second Body Beyond Baby mum who has embarked upon our Find Your Summer Body - 8 Week Challenge. Christa will also be sharing her journey with you over the next 8 weeks. The first contact I had with Christa was a couple of days before the challenge was about to start, she sent me an SMS and called and left a message to check if there was still space and saying that she had thought she could lose her baby weight herself, it was harder than she had thought and she really wanted to join our challenge. I love those phone calls where I can hear the persons enthusiasm and determination before I have even met them. I am definitely looking forward to watching Christa work hard and achieve her goals over the next 8 weeks. Here she is:

"I am just over it! Six months after the birth of my son Alex I am still 10kg heavier than I was, my thighs look like they have been damaged in a hail storm, my upper body would squash somebody if I accidentally fell on them (as I wouldn't be able to get up in time due to my enlarged backside) and I am still living in my pregnancy jeans.

When I fell pregnant with Alex I was 33, incredibly active, fit and felt on top of the world. Sounds self confident? I was. I played tennis four times a week plus competitions on the weekends as well as other regular activities from rock climbing to kite surfing.

Karl and I were over the moon about having a baby and I had a great pregnancy. I even played tennis until I was 6 months pregnant until my bump slowed me down and I didn't feel comfortable playing anymore. From that day on I felt like I was putting on weight just by looking at food. At the time I told myself that it didn't matter as I was pregnant and supposed to be getting bigger. In hindsight and to be completely truthful I enjoyed being lazy, my portions got bigger and bigger and if Karl didn't finish his dinner I finished that as well. A bag of salt and vinegar crisps accompanied by a whole bar of marzipan chocolate became my regular desert - I was getting big anyway so I could indulge right?

By the end of my pregnancy I had put on around 20 kg. I told myself Alex must be a heavy baby; he turned out to be 2.9kg (not heavy at all!) I left the hospital very proud and happy but looking pretty much the same as I checked in! Everybody told me; "don’t worry the weight will just drop of when you are breastfeeding" or "It takes 9 months to put it on, it will take the same time to get rid of it" Hmmm.....

When Alex was 7 weeks old we moved from the UK to Australia, this was exciting but also stressful, once more I had an excuse to eat, eat, eat! When I look back now, I can’t believe that I actually thought I'd lose weight whilst filling myself up with sugar and carbs. I kept moaning about my body, especially after arriving in Sydney and seeing all these good looking people who exercised and were obviously very healthy (I found this to be very different in the UK) However I still ate a whole chocolate bar and told myself that I’d start trying to lose the weight tomorrow…. I walked everywhere but my meals were HUGE..... nothing really happened.

Knowing I had to change something I went with a friend to a personal trainer twice, it felt really good to be moving but with Alex in the pram close by I couldn’t completely tune into the session, he got bored quite quickly and I knew it wasn't going to work for me in the long term.

In late August I flew to Austria to be a bridesmaid at my best friends wedding. We wore all the same dress which didn't flatter my body shape at all. Austrians tend to be very direct and my dad along with a handful other people told me that it’s probably time to start exercising again! The final straw was seeing pictures of me in that dress, I burst into tears, I looked hideous and swore as soon as I was back in Australia I would start to do something.

I came across Body Beyond Baby on Ella’s list I thought, "This is it". Karl, (the sole breadwinner at the moment) was happy to spend the money as he was long over me whinging but not doing anything.

The 8 week challenge has now started and I couldn't wait to get going. My goals are set and if you want to know if I am able to fight my weaker self and give it all, watch this space. I will try and do a weekly diary on my ups and downs…

Goals in a glimpse:
-   Loose 10kg
-   Loose the flabby and huge midriff
-   Get toned again
-   Feel confident and good about myself again
-   Feel comfortable again wearing a bikini
-   Coming close to 100% attendance"

Stay tuned for more on Christa's journey to Find her Summer Body!

Introducing Cathy

2011-10-10T17:29:00.002+11:00

We have embarked upon our 8 week challenge - we have 54 dedicated women who have all made the decision to put their health and fitness at the top of their agenda for at least the next 8 weeks. I have invited a couple of these inspiring mums to share their journey with you, first up I'd like to introduce you to Cathy.

Cathy has been training with Body Beyond Baby for the last couple of months and jumped at the opportunity to join the challenge. It is obvious to see Cathy is on a personal mission - she is determined to make changes to her body and get back in shape. She is strong and has a sound base on which to build. Cathy also has a great sense of humor and often has me giggling at her comments and remarks during sessions. I am very much looking forward to what Cathy will achieve over the coming weeks. Here's a little intro from the woman herself:

"I had a great pregnancy but the whole idea freaked me out so much. The life I had been living up until that point was about to change dramatically. To cope, I totally indulged myself but figured it took nine months to get that big that I'd give myself nine months to lose it. No problem! (How wrong could I be?)

12 months after Milla was born and I was still hiding in loose clothing and feeling so lacklustre it was high time to get my act together. My body has done everything I have asked of it but I really needed to start taking much better care of it if I was to lead an active life with my new daughter and family.

I love going to yoga and pilates, I would regularly go for long power walks and soft sand shuffles but things weren't shifting in the way I thought they would.

The only way I could see things working was if I dedicated time in my schedule (which as a freelancer there is no real structure) and stuck with it. Luckily I came across Jen's website, Body Beyond Baby which seemed perfect for me. It was outdoors which I love and had nannies- perfect!

My first session was a huge reality check and I actually, literally almost fainted! My friends know that I'm not a big fan of running so when (for a warm up) we were asked to run around the oval I think my jaw must have hit the floor. For the next three days my body was sore but I was feeling so motivated and empowered by doing something good for myself that I signed up for more.

So here I am, on the 8 week challenge and I have a few personal goals I'd like to shoot. Obviously weight loss is a high priority for my health but also I want to be able to enjoy exercising more. The hardest part is just showing up, the rest of the time flies by and I come away feeling great that I have done it and can go on with the rest of my day."

Stay tuned for more of Cathy's "Find Your Summer Body" journey.

My goals for the next 8 weeks

2011-10-06T16:55:00.001+11:00

I am feeling very inspired, excited and motivated from this weeks sessions - sessions are pumping and everyone is there to give it their all. I am really looking forward to the results that everyone is going to achieve over the next 8 weeks.

So, I figured I should get my own goals down on paper and share them with you. I always had in my head that I would do my own 8 week challenge and today I booked in some new profile shots (the pregnant ones are a little outdated) so I guess I should get ready for them. I have this goal to look the best I ever have done after turning 30 and having two children - now is as good a time as ever to make that happen.

Goal 1:

I am going to achieve a VERY toned stomach - I want to have a bit of a V going on (not too much or masculine in anyway just that look). This is the kind of thing I am talking about.(have you got a goal image??? - I find it really helps to have a picture in mind)

This is important to me because - no matter how lean or how fit I have been in the past my stomach has never quite 'got there'. I want to feel confident in a bikini this summer and look like I never even had a baby.

Action steps to make this happen

Ditch the sugar - believe it or not I have a massive sweet tooth, in fact right now i am thinking about the fact that it is Thursday night and I like to do the ironing in front of the TV with a bowl of some chocolatey treat to munch on.....gotta break it!

Put more core and multi directional abdominal training into my workout

Increase my cardio to 2-3 sessions per week - this has slipped over the last few weeks (months) and I'd be lucky to get even one run happening some weeks. I will be joining you on Coogee Steps on a Sunday morning for my own workout too - then two more sessions during the week.

Goal 2:

I am going to be able to perform 8 unassisted strict chin ups

This is important to me because I view chin ups as being a really great measure of strength - since my gymnastics days I have never got over 6 - I can do 6 now (on a good day) so that's an increase of 2 overthe next 8 weeks.

Action Steps to make this happen

Train chin ups more

Ask for people to spot or help me rather than just stopping when I can't do anymore - gotta push through the sticking points to get stronger.

Goal 3:

I am going to reach 20% Body Fat

This is important to me because this is where I was pre Marley - I didn't quite get back there in between pregnancies and give last time around I was pregnant again in a months time I really have no excuses this time.

Action Steps to make the happen:

Ditch the sugar

Increase my training to 6 days per week without fail

Re asses my diet - look at quantities of macro nutrients and ensure I am consuming enough protein

Get more sleep - I need a minimum of 7-8 hours - I need to get to bed earlier (and hope India sleeps all night soon!)

OK - I'm set, I know what I have to do and I'm committed to make it happen..... how are your goals looking???

Spring into Spring - a few pics from recent training sessions

2011-09-21T14:48:00.001+10:00

September Mum of the Month - Meet Brenda

2011-09-20T16:05:00.001+10:00

This month I am excited to introduce you to second time mum and our September Mum of the Month Brenda. Brenda first came to BBB sessions after the birth of her first daughter in 2009, she has now returned second time round and is getting fitter and looking more and more amazing every week!

Meet Brenda

How long have you been coming to Body Beyond Baby sessions?

Nearly 6 months this time round.

Was the childcare option a big decision maker in choosing BBB?

Yes!! i wanted to be able to have specific allocated times for exercise so that I could maintain consistency. I also like that Harper gets to socialise with other babies and spend time with someone other than myself. The nannies are fantastic.

Have you found it easier or harder getting back into shape after having your second baby?

I think I've been more focused this time around, only because my body changed ALOT after the second baby. I didn't think I would get my strength or fitness back because my second pregnancy was different and I didn't have as much time to excercise as I did with my first baby.

Can you share your ‘get back into shape’ secrets with us?

Consistency and training with intent and intensity. I make sure that I take an hour a day to myself to do excercise and have a rest one or two days a week. It's the only hour that I get to myself so I'm really selfish with it!!

Would you like to add anything else about your Body Beyond Baby experience?

It's a wonderful way to get back into excercise because you are guided through what are suitable excercises. Jen is a great trainer who pushes you and also tells you when you need to pull it back a bit. I like that you get to meet other mums and you can bounce ideas off them in regards to your children and other kiddy stuff. The environment is relaxed but focused and everyone is really supportive of each other. And we get to train outdoors!!

As a thank you and congratulations for being our Mum of the Month Brenda receives a $50 voucher for nannying or babysitting services from Poppins Nanny Agency

So where DO burpees come from?

2011-09-12T14:48:00.000+10:00

I was asked the other week who (in their right mind) invented burpees - one of my lovely clients, Emma, did a quick Google search and found this info from Wikipedia.... so for those of you losing sleep at night wondering where the burpee came from or even what a burpee even is here's your answer:

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The burpee is a full body exercise used in strength training and as aerobic exercise. It is performed in five steps:

Begin in a standing position.
Drop into a squat position with your hands on the ground.
Kick your feet back while lowering yourself with a pushup.
Return your feet to the squat position while straightening your arms.
Leap up as high as possible from the squat position with your arms overhead (you may clap your hands above your head at the peak of your jump)

Variations on the traditional burpee:

Less challenging

Non-jump burpee: The athlete returns to the standing position without leaping off the ground.
Knee push-up burpee: The athlete bends their knees and rests them on the ground while performing the push up.

More challenging

Long-jump burpee: The athlete jumps forward, not upward.
Tuck-jump burpee: The athlete pulls their knees to their chest (tucks) at the peak of the jump.
Jump-over burpee: The athlete jumps over an obstacle between burpees.
Box-jump burpee: The athlete jumps onto a box, rather than straight up and down.
One-armed burpee: The athlete uses only one arm for the whole exercise including the pushup.
Dumbbell burpee: The athlete holds a pair of dumbbells while performing the exercise.
Parkour burpee: Following one burpee on the ground, the athlete jumps upon a table and performs the second burpee on the table, then jumps back to the initial position.
Hindu push up burpee: Instead of a regular push up, do a hindu push up.
Pull-up burpee: Combine a pull-up with the jump or do a pull-up instead of the jump.
Muscle-up burpee: Combine a muscle-up (a variation of a pull-up) with the jump or do a muscle-up instead of the jump.
Double burpee: Instead of one push up, do two in a row. This cancels the drive from landing after the jump and makes the next jump harder. Each part of the burpee might be repeated to make it even harder.
One Leg burpee: The athlete stands on one leg, bends at the waist and puts hands on ground so they are aligned with shoulders. Next jump back with the standing leg to plank position. Jump forward with the one leg that was extended, and do a one-leg jump. Repeat on opposite side.
Side burpee: The athlete bends at waist and places hand shoulder-width apart to the side of right or left foot. Jump both legs out to side and land on the outer and inner sides of your feet. Jump back in, jump up, and repeat on opposite side.

Origin; According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the exercise was named in the 1930s for American psychologist Royal H. Burpee, who developed the Burpee test. Consisting of a series of the exercises performed in rapid succession, the test was meant to measure agility and coordination. It is not clear whether the exercise itself was invented by Burpee, or if his test merely popularized it.; Maybe we will be introducing a few of those variations into our sessions......and for those who previously missed in here's a great little video of my son, Marley performing his own burpee.

Guest blog: 7 Tips for leaving your child at your BBB session (or anywhere else)

2011-09-08T15:42:00.002+10:00

I believe one of the best bits of BBB is that we provide you with childcare for your little one - no scary big gym creches and no juggling grandparents or neighbours to ask them to look after your little one/s.

When you leave your child with our Body Beyond Baby nannies you can rest assured that they are being looked after by professional and experienced nannies who have been recruited by Poppins Nanny agency. Our nannies are professional and experienced. However we do know that every child is different and everyone's experience with leaving their child is different too.With this in mind I would like to introduce you to Jodi, founder and director of Poppins nanny agency and mother to three little girls (pictured). Here are her 7 tips to making the most out of your BBB session with our nannies:

1. Be conscientious about time
Try and Oorganise yourself in the morning so that you leave enough time to get to training with some spare time in case your baby needs feeding, changing or settling to sleep. If you’re not a morning person, try getting organised by packing bags and laying out clothes the night before so you’re not rushing in the morning. Rushing and being late will may make you stressed and this will carry through to your baby or toddler will pick up on this too..

2. Full tummy leads to a contented baby/toddler
If you’re breastfeeding, it is a good idea to give your baby a feed prior to the training session. (this will also help you to feel ‘less full’ and be more comfortable during your sessions).

For bottle-fed babies, ensure you bring a bottle with you, make sure our and let the nanniesy know where it is., make sure you put your name tags on your belongings and give the nannies any special instructions.
For toddlers, ensure they have eaten breakfast and pack some snacks and a drink. Keep snacks nut-free.

3. Don’t forget the ‘Creature Comforts’
Let ourthe BBB nanny know what makes your baby/toddler happy. It might be a favourite toy, blanket or action that makes your little one smile and feel comfortable and secure even when you’re not there. It’s also good for the nannies to know whether sitting or lying makes them feel comfortable – do they like tummy time or do they like to lie on their backs? (make sure you have filled out your child info sheet with this information, and write any really useful info on the white board)

If you’re child takes a dummy, don’t forget to bring along at least two as I find that dummies are like socks – they are good at disappearing acts.

If its sleep time for your baby or toddler then make sure you Bbring yourthe pram. The pram is a great and familiar place for your child to eat, sleep or just chill out.

4. A quick and painless exit
Keep your goodbyes short. Keep a smile on your face, even if your child is crying and reassure them that you will be back soon. Lingering to comfort your upset child can sometimes prolong their distress and even make it worse.

Resist the temptation to sneak away the second your child looks the other way as this can make children more upset once they realise you’ve gone, not getting a chance to say goodbye.

Nine times out of ten, your child will stop crying within five minutes of you leaving. Trust in the nanny’s experience and know they have your child’s best interest at heart and they will always call you if your child is distressed for an extended period of time. Make sure you write on the white board how long you would like our nannies to try to settle your child before calling you (they will override this and call you even earlier if necessary)

5. My child isn’t settling
Some children take a little longer than others to settle into new environments and new routines. Your child might settle happily the very first time or continue to be distressed beyond the first few weeks.
In all cases, it’s best to stay calm and remain positive. It is worth persevering for a little while to give your child time to adjust. It’s also important to communicate with the nannies and Jenny so you can work together to develop adjustment and settling strategies.

Keep in mind that throughout the session, if you’re child continues to be distressed, the nanny will come and get you to be with your child. You may have to build up to your child being left for a whole session. Perhaps start with 20 minutes, then 30, then 40 minutes, building up to the whole hour.

6. Label it or Lose it
Many children will have the same types of clothes, toys, bottles, etc so it is important to label everything with your child’s name so the nannies can make sure that you leave with the same belongings you came with.

7. Don’t forget the essentials – what to pack in the nappy bag- Sun hat
- Nappies
- Wipes
- nappy bags for dirty nappies
- bottles (for bottle-fed babies)
- dummy x 2
- food snacks and drink bottle (for toddlers)
- change of clothes

Have peace of mind while you train by following these tips and you can focus on staying fit and healthy.

Jodi is offering all BBB mums currently attending sessions a 25% discount off her agency fee for all casual and permanent bookings - to find out more visit the Poppins website here

Client question: What sort of exercise can I do when pregnant??

2011-09-02T15:04:00.000+10:00

I'm always excited to get emails with questions like this - Exercising when pregnant can be extremely beneficial to both mother and baby (in a 'normal', complication free pregnancy) Here's the question I received and my answer....

Q: What sort of exercise can one do when pregnant?? Or rather, what do I need to avoid? I'm only about six weeks so it's very early on. I've always had easy pregnancies but never really exercised and I didn't get back into decent exercise until after my second baby. I obviously don't want to stop but am assuming I need to take some sort of care? What do you think?

A: The first thing to keep in mind when exercising during pregnancy is that safety is key. In most cases if you have been exercising prior to falling pregnant and have no complications or contraindications then you may continue to exercise during your pregnancy. Some alterations will need to be made to your resistance program especially as the pregnancy progresses.

A non-exerciser who decides to take up resistance training during pregnancy should be more cautious and take things slowly and steadily - most preferably under the guidance of a trainer experienced in prenatal exercise.

There are various benefits to exercising during pregnancy and these include:

More comfort due to increased strength - in both everyday life and during delivery

The ability to continue to perform day to day activities - as the pregnancy progresses and your body weight increases the muscular endurance and strength gained from resistance training helps make everyday tasks easier, including the lifting and carrying of growing toddlers

Reduced back ache - from increased back strength and improved posture

Easier post birth recovery - and return to resistance exercise along with a more positive self image

However, as we have already mentioned there are a few guidelines to follow:

Training should be of low to moderate intensity - use your individual training history as a guide. If you have been training to a higher intensity previously your relative training intensity during pregnancy will be higher than that of a woman who didn't exercise previously. As a guide choose a weight which you can lift for 12-15 reps.

Allow yourself an extended rest between sets - to allow your heart rate to recover. We used to focus on a maximum heart rate of 140bpm but these guidelines were removed in 1996 and the Perceived Rate of Exertion (PRE) scale more highly recommended. Your heart rate can vary quite significantly at different stages in your pregnancy so a heart rate monitor is not the best guideline. Knowing your body, being in tune with how you feel and adapting your workout accordingly is the best way to go.

Holding your breath should be avoided at all times

Stop doing all 'crunching', strong twisting or specific Rectus Abdominal exercises - as you may know from your first pregnancy the Rectus Abdominals may be forced to separate as your belly grows so stopping doing any specific strengthening exercises for this layer of tummy muscles can help to reduce the severity of any separation. Continuing to do your Transverse Abdominal exercise (Inner Core) is highly recommended.

Train for maintenance rather than gain - as a rule of thumb on a PRE scale with 1 being 'sitting on the couch doing nothing' and ten being 'working as hard as you possible can' you should be sitting no higher than a 7/10.

Be aware of decreased joint strength due to increasing levels of the hormone Relaxin - which can lead to a greater chance of strains and stresses. Be very careful if lifting weights above your head, choose lighter weights as a rule and be aware of increased mobility through the shoulder joints. The muscles around the hips and pelvis also become more relaxed in preparation for child birth so care should be taken when performing lunges - if you haven't done them before now is not the time to start and even seasoned gym goers should be aware of any pelvic or pubic pain. Leg strengthening exercises such as squats are more preferable at this time.

In short, resistance training during a normal pregnancy carries more potential benefits than risks and doesn't even require a gym membership to do it. Using resistance bands and tubing are a great tool which can be used at home or in the park (whilst your toddler is on the swings) and are very light and easy to carry - no excuses!

Enjoy your resistance training throughout pregnancy and the benefits it bring with it.

I've got goals to kick - what are yours?

2011-08-30T15:46:00.001+10:00

Some of you may know I spent the weekend at the AusMumpreneur conference and awards dinner on Saturday night. I had such a fantastic weekend surrounded by some wonderful women and learned of some great businesses. The sessions were really informative and my head is now swimming with what to do and how to do it. I think sometimes you just need to be surrounded by people that are all aiming for a similar goal. Obviously we are not all aiming for the 'same' goal but all of the women around me had their sights set on a bigger and better place. It is going to take time and hard work to get there but I could tell that the determination and enthusiasm would carry us through any challenges - there was one woman there raising SIX children and running her business - my hat goes off to her!

I guess my point is that it can sometimes be easy to take our eyes off the prize - to lose sight of what is important and this can be the same in our personal lives as well as that or business or work. Hopefully when we embark upon our business or health goals we have an end in mind - we know what we aspire to, we know the heights we want to reach and we know the body we want to walk around in. BUT it can be all too easy at times to get off track, fall by the wayside and have trouble picking ourselves up and moving forwards. This is where it becomes invaluable to surround yourself with like minded people; have a place you can go to that will recharge your batteries, pick you up and put you back on track. And if you are not off track, even better, as weekends like the one I just had can really give you that extra big push and send you off into the stratosphere and prime you to push even harder, reach further and achieve more than you ever thought possible.

Use your training sessions in this way, as your recharging station, being able to spend that one hour of YOU time surrounded by like minded women who all have fitness goals to kick. Get yourself on track and pointed in the right direction, then carry that energy into your week - engage with your fitness goals and if you've never set them NOW is the time. Let's all put a mark on the place we want to be, know what we want to do and how we want to look and collectively strive to reach our goals together.

I will be making a vision board of my business and personal goals to keep them in the forefront of my mind, to keep me focused and to pull me back on track in times of need. Focus and determination with a cause (for me it is my children) can be a strong strong force.... lets see what we can achieve.

Guest Blog: Getting The Right Nutrition When Losing Weight

2011-08-16T15:48:00.001+10:00

When a mum decides to lose her baby weight and shape up after the birth of her baby it is important that any weight loss is done in a healthy safe way. The demands of mother hood can leave mums' exhausted and coping with a lack of sleep and a crying baby can leave us making poor food choices and reaching for junk to give a quick energy fix but junk foods send blood sugar levels sky rocketing and will leave mums' feeling even worse. It is important for all mums to feel healthy and energised when looking after babies to cope with the daily demands and this is especially so if embarking on a weight loss campaign so that they are not drained from a lack of calorie and nutrient intake.

The key to losing weight is a combination of in taking the right nutrients and diet and combining this with exercise. Achieving cellular balance by eating the right nutrients will ensure that the cells in our body operate to the best of their ability - but to achieve this cellular balance we need approximately 30-40 nutrients at each meal which in this day and age can be hard to achieve. This cellular balance is also disrupted by external factors such as stress, a lack of sleep, environmental pollutants and medication that we take and when we have this cellular unbalance it can lead to weight gain, the inability to lose weight, a poor immune system, poor digestion and a sluggish immune system.

So how do we achieve this cellular balance? At each meal you should try and include as many different nutrients as possible and where you can buy organic we recommend you do as a lot of non organic food is lacking in minerals (due to the soil it is grown in) and have also been treated with pesticides. You should aim to have lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, legumes and lots of filtered water. If you can't always eat a nutrient packed breakfast, lunch and dinner then you can consider a nutritional supplement that can make up any deficiencies you have and a good suggestion is to have a smoothie for breakfast which has a nutritional supplement in and a good recipe for a breakfast smoothie is:

· 1/4 cup of blueberries

· 1/4 cup of raspberries

· 1 tablespoon of oats

· 1 teaspoon of Chai seeds

· 250 low fat milk (use dairy, rice or soy milk but opt for non genetically modified varieties if you are using rice or soy milk)

Once you nourish your body with good nutrition your body will start to work better naturally and weight loss will be a by-product of this and if you combine this approach with daily exercise then your weight loss will be steady, healthy and effective

Thank you to Rhian (who is also a finalist in the AusMumpreneur Awards - congrats Rhian) from www.losebabyweight.com .au for writing this great article on the importance of getting the right nutrition to aid your weight loss.

August Mum of the Month - Meet Alison

2011-08-09T16:07:00.000+10:00

One of the best parts about what I do is getting to spend time with the wonderful women in my groups. Women that may be playing mum now but come from all walks of life and that commit to getting themselves and their babies to training week after week to do something positive for themselves and ultimately their little ones and families. I have decided to celebrate you and today I am excited to introduce you to our first ever Mum of the Month.

Meet Alison

How long have you been training with Body Beyond Baby?

Since Feb 2010, so around 1 1/2 years, since Zara was 5 months old

How has BBB changed the way your approach your daily diet and exercise?

It has totally changed it, there is no point exercising without eating the right foods and there is no point eating the right foods without doing any exercise. Also with being a mother it has taught me that no matter how busy or tired we are we all deserve a little time to exercise. I am only at my best when I have done some exercise, its a great example to Zara and means for a happier family. I didn't grow up with this positive example of regular exercise but I plan on changing that for my daughter.

What is your favorite BBB exercise?

Took a while to think of an answer to this one and it isn't burpies! There are a few, but I love the work with the bands - rows/ squats etc. And whilst I am not a great runner I like having someone to push me to run around the oval as otherwise i wouldn't do it.

What would your advice be to new mums wanting to get fit?

As new mothers we often feel like we are being selfish when we take time out for ourselves. I hate when I hear this! This best thing you can do for yourself, your child and your pelvic floor is to do some regular exercise.

Would you like to add anything else about your BBB experience?

I don't know what I would have done had I not found Jenny/BBB. My greatest fear with having a child (besides child birth!) was the weight I was going to put on, as my mum used to blame having kids of being out of shape. Exercising with other like minded mums has been so positive, as has having the caring nannies to look after the babies. It's on my most difficult days that I make sure I turn up as after the session is over I always feel rejuvenated. Despite moving out of the eastern suburbs last year I still turn up - there is no excuse.

As a thank you and congratulations for being our Mum of the Month Alison receives a $60 voucher for pram cleaning with complimentary collection and delivery from Pronto Pram.

My Body Beyond Baby one year on

2011-07-28T15:37:00.001+10:00

My baby turned one last week - how fast does time go.... and with that came my one year on Body Composition check in. I have to say I was happily surprised My training of late has not been what I would like it to be - for the first time in my life I have been struggling to manage my time and to factor in my training. This is a really hard thing for me to admit and I, of all people, know that when life is challenging and times are a little bit stressful then it is THE LAST thing that should go from your life. I don't feel better for it, I feel worse, but in my little world of children (one of whom is still not sleeping through the night), my third baby, business BBB, and our home for sale (I have changed my doona cover 12 times in the last three weeks arrgghhhh) I have struggled to pin myself down and commit.

Walking in to see Jarrod (at Body Composition) I thought that I would have lost muscle (due to less resistance training) and I thought I'd be way off the mark in terms of where I was a year after Marley's birth - BUT it turns out I am in pretty much the exact same place. You can see results from July 2009 and July 2011 below:

16th July 2009
Body Fat % = 21.3%
Total Body Weight = 55.5kg
Fat Mass = 11.8kg
Lean Body Mass = 41.3kg

19th July 2011
Body Fat % = 21.7%
Total Body Weight = 54.8kg
Fat Mass = 11.9kg
Lean Body Mass = 40.5kg

You will notice that I am a little lighter in Total Body Weight than I was a year after Marley but you will also see that where I have lost this weight is from Lean Body Mass - I have lost about 1kg of LBM somewhere over the last 2 years.

The fat has taken longer to drop off this time however I was starting from 30.5% BF in August 2010 and if you compare the numbers from September 2008 and September 2010 you can see the much slower progress this time around:

23rd September 2008
Body Fat % = 27.2%
Total Body Weight = 58.6g
Fat Mass = 15.9kg
Lean Body Mass = 40.4kg

23rd September 2010
Body Fat % = 30%
Total Body Weight = 61.8kg
Fat Mass = 18.5kg
Lean Body Mass = 40.9kg

I had actually dropped to 22.5% BF by December of 2009 - just 5 months after Marley, whereas with India I was still at 23.4% in February 2011 (7 months post baby #2).

It is interesting to look at these numbers, how life is different with two little people in your life than just one and I completely believe that as fist time mums we somehow manage to give ourselves that extra bit of down time. we put other things to the side and we focus on being a mum for the first time - hopefully for you, as it did for me, mean that you have that extra bit of time to focus on yourself too = more time to exercise and look after number one. Then number two comes along and even though we are obviously taking on more we don;t give ourselves the same time to recuperate and to settle into this new life. Life doesn't seem to slow down with number two, we just somehow manage to put more into it and for me I believe this has been the case. I certainly haven't had the same amount of 'free' (I say that holding my breath) as I did with Marley. I also was not blessed with a child who slept as well as he did - bless my little girl (but GO TO SLEEP!)

So here I am - one year on. It not over from here - there are improvements I would like to make and I will strive to ensure I commit to my training once again and bring you some even better numbers in a few months time.

Ill leave you with my progress from India's birth to her first birthday:

19th July 2011
Body Fat % = 21.7%
Total Body Weight = 54.8kg
Fat Mass = 11.9kg
Lean Body Mass = 40.5kg

10th February 2011
Body Fat % = 23.4%
Total Body Weight = 56.3kg
Fat Mass = 13.2kg
Lean Body Mass = 40.7kg

27th October 2010
Body Fat % = 28.3%
Total Body Weight = 59.9kg
Fat Mass = 16.9kg
Lean Body Mass = 40.5kg

23rd September 2010
Body Fat % = 30%
Total Body Weight = 61.8kg
Fat Mass = 18.5kg
Lean Body Mass = 40.9kg

5th August 2010 (first post baby scan)
Body Fat % = 30.5%
Total Body Weight = 64.1kg
Fat Mass = 19.5kg
Lean Body Mass = 42.1kg

Soggy Sydney do-at-home session

2011-06-14T14:55:00.000+10:00

Wow - could it rain anymore? I am guessing that many of you haven't ventured outside for any exercise in a couple of days - unless you are coming along to your BBB sessions of course (we now have our bubs warms and dry inside the pavilion and have a great undercover space for ourselves, mums, to train in - no wet weather cancellations for us...yay!) We did a great session this morning and I thought I would share it with you as it can be done very easily in a confined space and my job is to remove the barriers around you that you 'think' prevent you from exercising (rain and crap weather included) here goes:

On the minute every minute for 5 minutes perform:

5 Squats (with elastic)
5 Push ups
5 Burpees

After the finial minute we perfomed either a shuttle run (x3) OR 20 step ups on each leg. If you have stairs at home you could run stairs do step ups on a small step or even miss this part if you are performing this routine in your lounge room.... you will still get a great workout either way.

On the minute every minute for 5 minutes perform:
5 Lunges (each leg)
5 Triceps dips
5 Mountain climbers (each leg)

Cardio element if you are doing it

On the minute every minute for 5 minutes perform:
5 Sumo Squats
5 Squat Rows
5 Burpees

That's you done and dusted in under 20 minutes..... if you have longer you can always repeat the above sets or even throw in some exercises of you own using the same principle.... enjoy!

Track your progress with our do-at-home fitness test

2011-05-17T14:14:00.000+10:00

This week is fitness test week at Body Beyond Baby and we are already seeing some amazing results. Tracking your progress is essential so give this a go at home, record your results, lock in a date to re-test, commit to healthy eating and training and you'll be amazed at what you can achieve.

First up grab a tape measure and record:

Chest measurement - go across the nipple line and make sure you drop your arms to engage your lats
Waist measurement - look in the mirror or ask a partner to do it for you, find the smallest part of your waist and take this measurement.
Belly button - Take the measurement that crosses your belly button
Hips - Stand with your feet hip width apart - find the widest part of your hips including bum (usually at about crotch height)
Legs - put one leg on a box or step so that your knee is bent at 90 degrees - about mid way along you will see where it looks biggest when looking from the inside of your leg (where it hangs down a little- so glamorous!) take the measurement here too. You can do both legs if you like but will more than likely find one leg if larger than the other.

Really it doesn't matter TOO much where you do your measurements so long as you do the exact same ones when you re-measure in a few weeks time.

Now to the activity part:

Timed run - we do 800m but the most important thing here is to mark out a path that you can repeat again later on so you can do this in a park, at home if you have an open space OR on a treadmill. Record your best time
Push-ups - to failure. Done on either your knees or toes but if you do choose toes complete as many reps as you can on your toes DON'T drop to knees to continue, you need to go to exhaustion OR until you lose form
Prone hold - for as long as possible. Again done on either knees or toes and good form must be maintained throughout. Remember that we train to the weakest link so if your pelvic floor is weak or you have a large abdominal separation you need to be either on your knees or do not complete this exercise until you have re-trained your inner unit
Burpees in one minute - as it sounds, complete as many burpees as possible in one minute. Read the past post on the three stages of burpees, choose which stage you are at and stick with that throughout this test. Again if you have pelvic floor weakness, a large separation or any other complaints assess as to whether this exercise is good for you at this time

Remember it is okay to record a DNC (Did Not Complete) if any of these tests are not good for you at the moment - you will probably find as yo increase your fitness levels and rebuild your body that you will at least be able to attempt them next time round and that in itself is an achievement and marked progress.

Enjoy and feel free to share your results with us either here or on our facebook page

One spot wet weather workout

2011-05-03T15:07:00.001+10:00

Yes its rainy and wet outside but it's no excuse not to do some exercise in the comfort of your own home - these exercises can be done in your lounge room. You don't need much space and we are concentrating on strength, so moving S-L-O-W-L-Y through each exercise so as to gain the most 'time under tension' as possible.

Grab your elastic and complete

Lower body complete one exercise after the other then rest for 60 seconds before completing a second circuit

Squat with elastic (make it heavy) x 12 -
tempo 3 seconds down, hold for 3 at the bottom, 3 seconds up
Sumo Squat with elastic (make it heavy) x 12 -
tempo3 seconds down, hold for 3 at the bottom, 3 seconds up
Single leg lunge with elastic (make it heavy) x 12 each leg

tempo - 3 seconds down, hold for 3 at the bottom, 3 seconds up

Upper body complete one exercise after the other then rest for 60 seconds before completing a second circuit

Push ups - complete as many as you can on your toes then drop to knees (or just knees if you are not up to toes yet) THEN without resting go straight up onto your toes and lower down A-S S-L-O-W A-S Y-O-U C-A-N until your body is on the floor..... pick yourself up into your start position to go again. x3
Cobra - very slowly go move from face down on the floor to upper body raised - squeeze your shoulder blades together and keep shoulders down. x10 hold for 3 at the top (as per pictures)
Side prone - hold for 10 secs (or longer if you can) then aim to move through prone without coming down so as to complete a side prone on the other side.

Enjoy

CrossFit Open workout 6

2011-05-01T13:49:00.000+10:00

And the final CrossFit Open workout:

7min AMRAP of:
Thrusters
Chest to bar pull-ups
3 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 21 .....

I was really looking forward to completing this workout as I had not managed to do the last three due to the weight being too heavy for me to lift. However India developed Croup and I missed my last couple of training sessions at Cooee CrossFit. I felt a little disheartened that I didn't complete the games but now know I have a lot to work hard towards in preparation for doing it all again next year. I've had a ball training CrossFit only for these few weeks and will continue to train with a CrossFit group as much as possible though inevitably I will be factoring in some other workouts due to time constraints and my training within a commercial gym early in the mornings.

Now that I am back in Sydney I have booked a Body Composition scan for the 17th May so I will keep training hard and let you know my results once I have got them. India is now 9 months old and I am feeling pretty good. I fit back into 'most' clothes though expect it won't be until I stop breastfeeding that my body will completely go back. With Marley I stopped feeding him at 8.5 months so we are now into unknown territory. I have no plans to stop feeding India and will let her self wean this time around - it's funny as i always expected to stop feeding her sooner than I did Marley. I had a fantastic 30th birthday and am happy with the progress i have made. I was further down the 'pre baby body' track by this time first time around but the main thing is that I am happy, continuing to see results and feeling great.

So, in terms of your own training it is an awesome thing to have something to work towards - I had 6 weeks of CrossFit AND my 30th birthday - now its come to an end its kind of like 'what now?' though with Body Composition a few weeks away that should keep me focussed. Find your thing, make a commitment and reap the rewards.....and let me know how you went!

I

Cardio blast

2011-04-29T17:18:00.000+10:00

How are you all feeling? Are you almost back into your regular routine and detoxed from all the chocolate you ate over the last few days??? Coming back down to reality can be a bit of a bump especially when you are coming down off a huge sugar high too...

I'm interrupting my suspension training vids with a do-at-home cardio blast which is short, sharp and intense - get your heart rate up and get your metabolism burning. As mums you have to make the most out of every second of your workout time so make sure you ALWAYS work up a sweat, you never get this workout or the time you spend doing it back so make the most of it and reap the rewards.

At warm up pace working at about 7 out of 10
(1 being doing nothing, 10 being working as hard as you possibly can)
2 min warm up jog
30 secs high knees
30 sec bum kicks
30 sec high knees
30 sec bum kicks

20m sprints jog back x 5
Box jumps (or jump onto a step) jump up with two feet then step down x 15
Mountain climbers x 25 each leg
x3

ALSO complete 60 burpees however you can throughout the session. i.e.all at once OR in sets spread throughout

Enjoy ladies

Suspension training take 2

2011-04-26T17:44:00.000+10:00

Here's the second installment of my do-at-home holiday workouts - if you don't have a TRX you can replace the rows with standing rows using an elastic (make it heavy!)

Suspension training

2011-04-25T18:49:00.000+10:00

You will soon be seeing the TRX (or other suspension training tools) at your Body Beyond Baby sessions. Here is a do-at-home workout I put together on our last holiday on the south coast. There are 4 in the series - I'll post them all over the next few days. Enjoy

CrossFit Open workout 3/4/5

2011-04-24T15:39:00.001+10:00

Here are workouts for weeks 3, 4 and 5

Week 3
Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 5 minutes of:
Squat clean (110lb / 50kg) Jerk (110lb / 50kg)

This weight is too heavy for me - I can't lift 50kg overhead (yet)

Week 4
10min AMRAP of:
60 Bar-facing burpees
30 Overhead squats (90lbs / 40kg)
10 Muscle-ups

Again the 40kg overhead squat at this point is too heavy - and I cannot yet do any muscle ups so I did a VERY modified version to make sure I got a workout in. I will keep training those muscle ups for next year!

Week 5
20min AMRAP of:
5 Power cleans (100lbs / 45kg)
10 Toes to bar
15 Wallball

Again a 45kg Power Clean is too heavy for me at the moment. I dropped the weight and completed the workout with a lighter weight but could not submit a score.

Unfortunately I could not submit scores for any of these workouts this year as I couldn't meet the requirements..... here's to working hard throughout the rest of the year and trying again next time.

Ten minute treat

2011-04-17T11:31:00.000+10:00

Most of us mums are time poor and I know that most of you probably intend on putting more exercise into your week than you sometimes manage. So here is a workout with ten exercises that can be done and dusted in ten minutes flat.

Perfom each exercise for 1 minute before moving on to the next. Count how many reps you do all up.

Squats
Mountain Climbers
Push ups
Steps ups
Squat Row
Burpees

Tricep dips
Alternating lunges (or jumping lunges if you can)
Alternating side to side prone (on knees OR feet depending on your strength level)
Sumo Squas

If you do find yourself with more time simply rest for 1 minute and repeat up to three times. Aim to complete the same number of reps (or more) in each ten minute circuit, this will keep you pushing hard throughout.

What comes inside an Easter egg?

2011-04-12T19:43:00.000+10:00

Easter is nearly upon us - I can't believe how fast time flies. I remember as a child how time used to take forever to go by and you were always wishing the days away waiting for an exciting event, a holiday, birthday or Christmas.... not any more.

So with Easter comes Easter eggs and we all know what is inside that shiny egg shaped wrapping don't we??

Marley had an Easter egg hunt at kindy this afternoon and I received a phone call (as they know my stance on the types of food I would rather he eat - or not) asking me if he was 'allowed' a little chocolate egg. I was at the cash register in David Jones and was caught a little off guard, I ummed and aarred for a few minutes, asked what they were, how many they were being given (two) and if there was any alternatives, feeling torn between not wanting my child to feel as though he was missing out but really deep down not wanting to say yes. In the end I said "okay maybe just give him one".....putting the phone down, swearing and being given a strange look by the sales assistant I felt a little deflated that given Marley's only real taste of chocolate to date was about three smarties at his second birthday party he was now going to be given chocolate when I really didn't want him to be.... I had succumbed to peer pressure. I am not stupid, I know that there will come a time, and that time is coming nearer, that he will be presented with more junk food - he will know what mini M&M's are rather than running his fingers through the bowl and exclaiming how colourful they are (as he did at the last birthday party we went to) he will ask for lollies at the shops or chocolate in the supermarket cue and we (my husband and I) will have to decide on the way forwards.....we will talk about everyday foods and sometimes foods and aim to keep him eating as cleanly and as healthily as possible.

So, I arrived at kindy to pick Marley up this afternoon, my mum was with me and I was telling her about the phone call and that I felt a little disappointed that I had 'caved'. No sooner are we through the gate when we were met by Clare, one of Marley's teachers, who told us that when the children were being told about the Easter egg hunt she held up a foil covered egg and asked them all what was inside......most of the children yelled out "CHOCOLATE" but Marley, he shouted "CHICKS" and it was then she decided to over rule my phone call and give him some crackers as the other children ate their chocolate..... he was non the wiser, enjoyed his snack and was happy to tell me that he had crackers after his Easter egg hunt. I am grateful to Clare for being in the situation, judging what was best and knowing that chocolate (or any junk foods) are not readily available in our house. I asked Marley what chocolate was a few weeks ago and he replied "something I don't have Mummy"..... mean some might say, overkill others but saying no to certain foods is no different than saying no to Daddy's beer - there will come a time that he will try it but, for now, for us, this is not that time.

P.S. we will be having our own little Easter egg hunt a week on Sunday but I have bought little plastic eggs that can be cracked in two and little gifts put inside. I am sure he will enjoy that as much if not more than the chocolate version and there will be no sugar high (or crash) in our house. Happy Easter

Full Body Fun

2011-04-12T19:10:00.000+10:00

Use this full body workout to challenge your body , get your heat rate up and every muscle working - move from one exercise to the next without stopping then rest for 60 seconds before starting again. Complete 3 times.

Squat press (using elastic) x 15
Push-up into side prone x 6 each side
Step ups (up up down down) x 25 each leg
Squat row x 15
Walking lunges x 10 each leg
Burpees x 15

Legs that Lunge (and buns that show it)

2011-04-07T15:19:00.000+10:00

We all want buns of steel and lunges are great for toning your behind. Here's your second workout for this week - we will be making the most of those elastics for your lunge (as per picture to the left)

Warm up squats x 15 (no elastic)
Static lunge x12each leg (using elastic)
Push up into side prone x 12 (6 each side)
x 2 sets

Use a stop watch for 2 minutes cardio of your choice e.g. shuttle runs, steps ups, burpees, mountain climbers, stair climbs, skipping (if you are SURE you have no pelvic floor weakness) feel free to mix it up if you like.

Walking lunge x 10 each leg (no elastic)
Row x 12 (using elastic, standing is best but if your only anchor point is donw low you can do a seated one)
x 2 sets

2 minutes cardio of your choice

Box lunge (as per picture to right) x 12
Triceps dips x 12
x 2 sets

2 minutes cardio of your choice

Marley does burpees

2011-04-07T13:54:00.000+10:00

Well done to all the ladies that have completes Tuesday's do-at-home workout AND those that completed ALL of those burpees in this mornings training session - great effort all round.

Here's a little video of my son demonstrating his burpees on holiday this year - very cute

I LOVE Burpees

2011-04-05T14:40:00.001+10:00

Yes you guessed it - our first workout for the week has burpees, and lots of them. not sure if you can do a burpee?? Watch the video below for four versions of the typical burpee - if you come along to our sessions you will know which level of burpee you currently do so start there. If not check the video and start with the easiest version, building up to the more challenging. Take into account that if your bub is still very small or you have any pelvic floor weakness, knee injuries or pain, breast tenderness or generally don't like the idea of jumping at the moment to adopt the non impact versions where you walk your feet in and out.

Now you have watched the video you are ready for this weeks first do-at-home workout - elastics at the ready.

Squats x 10 with elastic
Burpees x 5
Push-ups x 10
Burpees x 5
Sumo Squat x 10
Burpees x 5
Standing Row with elastic x 10
Burpees x 5
Triceps dips x 10
Burpees x 5

Complete 5 rounds of the above for time - rest when you need to, spit water when you need to but the aim is to keep going throughout. I'd love to know how you get on so feel free to post your results in the comments section or on Facebook.

Don't have an elastic? Click here to order one now

CrossFit Open workout 2

2011-03-29T15:39:00.000+11:00

15 min AMRAP of:
9 Deadlifts
12 Push-ups
15 Box jumps

CrossFit Open workout 1

2011-03-17T15:29:00.000+11:00

Here is the first CrossFit Open workout:

10 min As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) of:
30 Double-unders
15 Power snatch

and here's a picture of me completing my double unders

And for my next challenge - CrossFit

2011-03-16T21:44:00.001+11:00

You may by now realise that I love a good challenge - I like to train hard and well and will always encourage you to do the same thing. It is 6 weeks until my 30th birthday and I was feeling up for a new challenge and want to be in the best shape I can be before I hit the big 3-0! I have dabbled a little in CrossFit previously but always complemented it with other forms of cardio and resistance exercise but now and for the next 6 weeks I am going to complete only CrossFit workouts and have even signed up for the CrossFit games open see here for more info. I am going to take photos and record my progress and book in for Body Composition towards the end of the challenge (it will be a week short of my birthday and completing the challenge but we are heading to Perth so I will do it as late as possible in Sydney). I am keen to see what CrossFit alone does for me AND some of the stuff they do is crazy, I can only aspire to be able to do some of the exercises the best CrossFit athletes do.....let's see how I go.

I will be posting daily the workouts I have completed which I am taking from the CrossFit Kensington blog and will sometimes be heading over to their gym to complete some of my workouts.... I'll bring you pictures and progress reports....I am aiming to train 5 days per week minimum and am looking forward to seeing the results I get from this type of training.

Here are the workouts (and a little pic since kicking off on Monday)

Monday (taken from a previous week)

10 Kettle bell swings 16kg
10 Dumb bell push press 10kg each hand
10 Lunges 10kg overhead
10 Toes to bar
100m run
7 rounds for time

Tuesday

Push press 60% 3RM (Reps Max)
Box Jumps height of 45cm
KB swings 12kg (I did 20kgs by mistake)

Complete each exercise for 3mins, 2mins, 1mins - As Many Reps As Possible (AMRAP)

Wednesday

10 Dead Lifts 70%of Body Weight
10 ring dips
10 wall balls 5kg
200m run

7 rounds for time

My Body Beyond Baby 6 months on

2011-03-11T16:10:00.001+11:00

India is now 7 months old but I took myself back to Body Composition a few weeks ago (just a week after she turned 6 months) and here are the latest results (with the old ones to follow)

10th February 2011
Body Fat % = 23.4%
Total Body Weight = 56.3kg
Fat Mass = 13.2kg
Lean Body Mass = 40.7kg

27th October 2010
Body Fat % = 28.3%
Total Body Weight = 59.9kg
Fat Mass = 16.9kg
Lean Body Mass = 40.5kg

23rd September 2010
Body Fat % = 30%
Total Body Weight = 61.8kg
Fat Mass = 18.5kg
Lean Body Mass = 40.9kg

5th August 2010 (first post baby scan)
Body Fat % = 30.5%
Total Body Weight = 64.1kg
Fat Mass = 19.5kg
Lean Body Mass = 42.1kg

Things have definitely moved in the right direction and I can really feel my pre baby clothes starting to fit properly, not in that 'slightly snug' manner that they do for a while after you've had a baby. The weight isn't shifting quite as quickly as it did after Marley - the results below show where I was at Christmas time in 2008:

12th December 2008
Body Fat % = 22.5%
Total Body Weight = 55.3kg
Fat Mass = 12.4kg
Lean Body Mass = 40.6kg

As you can see I was in better shape then a good couple of months earlier than I am now. Though what is interesting is that I feel I am more relaxed and possibly more confident in my body now than I was after Marley even though at that time I felt more relaxed than before I had him. Its a transition and the biggest shift is in the respect I have for my body, what it has done, how it has transformed and how I can train it to go back or even maybe improve on what it was before children..... it's a journey and I am enjoying the ride and am busy planning my next challenge! I'll take a photo over the weekend and pop it up here next week....enjoy your weekend.

Six pack for my birthday please

2011-03-02T15:59:00.000+11:00

I'll let you into a little secret.... every year for the past three years (this one included) I have been asking my husband for a six pack. Not a six pack of beer , nor a six pack of wine but a six pack of the abdominal variety. We laugh about it, we joke about it and each birthday has gone by so far without me being able to unwrap my present (my husband) and reveal a six pack. BUT, it seems this year he has started making some changes - the beer has been cut down during the week, no more desert at work (he works on a film set so tempting, not so good for you food is readily available), no more chocolate in the freezer.....and it was him who brought up the 'six pack for my birthday' request this time round.

My 30th birthday is in 7 weeks and 2 days time, 23rd April, i wonder what I will be getting...... stay tuned (I might even try to persuade him to guest blog)

Chocolate is NOT a snack food

2011-03-01T21:53:00.000+11:00

So, I just finished reading the Sunday paper - yes it's Tuesday and it's taken me this long but that's life with little people and I still enjoy it even if its tackled in bite sized pieces. In one particular article it read: "A Newspoll survey shows that of the 96 percent who snack during the week, two thirds choose chocolate, chips, lollies and cakes". Wow.... my initial reaction was "who on earth puts chocolate, chips, lollies and cakes into the everyday snack category?" but apparently we do, they do, maybe you do....

This lead me to do a quick Google search on the definition of a snack, Wikipedia says "A snack is a small portion of food, as contrasted with a regular meal. Traditionally snacks were prepared from ingredients commonly available in the home, often leftovers, sandwiches made from cold cuts, nuts, fruit, and the like" so far so good, it then goes on to say "With the spread of convenience stores, packaged snack foods are now a significant business. Snack foods are typically designed to be portable, quick and satisfying. Processed snack foods are designed to be less perishable, more durable, and more appealing than prepared foods. They often contain substantial amounts of sweeteners, preservatives, and appealing ingredients such as chocolate, peanuts, and specially-designed flavors (such as flavored potato chips)." Aha...there lies the problem, with all of the marketing and advertising that we are fed, at some point, we forgot that a snack is a small nutritious meal that helps us through the day, helps to keep out blood sugar levels steady, energy up and preferably not fat along the way.

Snacking is good, snacking can be helpful in maintaining a well rounded, healthy diet, but not if we start to confuse snacks with treats or 'sometimes foods'. Snack foods need to be made up of 'always food', foods that can be eaten everyday and that are good for us. So next time you reach for a snack ask yourself what that snack is going to do for your body? Teach your kids the same thing, teach them which foods will help them grow up big and strong and enable them to run around and nourish their bodies. What you teach them now and what they learn about food when they are young will be ingrained in them as they grow. And let's save the chocolate and lollies for treat time and save a few inches around the hips at the same time.

Re-discover sexy on the outside - rebuild from the inside

2011-02-20T14:02:00.000+11:00

This is an article I wrote sometime ago and you may have seen it pop up elsewhere but it is one of my favorites and reminds us that it is important after having a baby not to cut corners and to ensure we rebuild our bodies in the best possible way to ensure we stay strong and injury free in the future.....enjoy.....

So you’ve had a baby (or two) and you want to re-gain that flat stomach, sexy bum and killer thighs. We all want to look and feel fantastic for ourselves, our partners and hey, maybe even to attract a little attention from the opposite sex as we walk down the street. How good would it feel to slide back into those pre-pregnancy jeans without having to wrench them over your hips and without the muffin top that takes shape as you squeeze to fasten the top button?

“Yes, yes, tell me how” I hear you say. The secret is starting from the inside out. You need to re-build your inner unit, make it strong and allow it to function to its greatest capacity THEN we can tweak the fancy bits and make you look pretty on the outside. You don’t find million dollar homes built upon crumbling, second rate foundations.

Five reasons to make the effort to re-build form the inside out:

Pregnancy hormones and altered body shape weaken your back and tummy muscles.

Tummy muscles separate during pregnancy but will start to re-join soon afterwards, you should check the re-joining process at regular intervals. At 6 weeks postpartum you are only 90% recovered. Without the proper exercise some women’s abdominals will not fully re-join.

It is essential to get your inner unit working before embarking on an advanced conditioning program. If you wobble on the inside it is only a matter of time before the outside crumbles.

You may need to re-learn how to activate your inner tummy muscles.

As your baby gets bigger and heavier you will still need to lift and carry them. Maintaining and increasing your strength will reduce your risk of injury and more specifically back pain.

When I talk about your ‘inner unit’ or ‘core’ I am referring to those deep abdominal muscles which are made up of your transverse abdominals, diaphragm, multifidus and pelvic floor. These muscles play a vital role in your core stability and function, they also protect the spine and protecting the spine is essential. The best way to start working your core is to use a simple breathing exercise. Focus also on the region underneath your undies line, breath in and as you breathe out draw this area away from your undies and draw your pelvic floor upwards (be sure not to push put). You also want to try and keep you Rectus Abdominals (six pack muscles) and oblique’s nice and relaxed so it can be quite a subtle movement. It is often easier to practice this exercise lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, be sure not to push on the floor with your feet.

If your abs are strong on the inside the outer muscles, your rectus abdominals, will work more efficiently. You will then be on your way to re-gaining the stomach you once had or discovering an even better one. Your return to fitness will progress in leaps and bounds and day to day fetching and carrying will feel easier as you move more efficiently.

SUGARFREEfeb – how to satisfy your sugar cravings - Guest blog

2011-02-18T16:28:00.001+11:00

Here's another fantastic guest blog from BBB mum, dietitian and nutritionist Marieke Rodenstein - enjoy and thanks Marieke:

Now that you have banished sugar from your diet you may be wondering how you can possibly satisfy that lingering craving for something sweet.

It is unrealistic to think that any craving can be completely overcome through sheer willpower alone so if you do find yourself in the grip of a sugar craving, here are some delicious and healthy sugar free ideas to help you satisfy it:

-    blend ½ a frozen banana (buy some ripe bananas, peel, halve and place in individual plastic freezer bags in the freezer) with organic full cream milk, 1 tbs of extra virgin cold pressed coconut oil (available from organic stores) and unsweetened cocoa powder for a creamy chocolate smoothie

-    add vanilla powder (available at most organic stores) or the seeds from a vanilla bean to yoghurt, porridge or your bircher muesli to add extra sweetness and flavour.

-    use stevia (available at most organic stores) as a sugar substitute in beverages such as hot chocolate (made with organic full cream milk and unsweetened cocoa powder) and smoothies for extra sweetness. Stevia is a natural herb which originated from South America and has been used for over a thousand years. It is several hundred times sweeter than sugar so you only need a little.

-    Drink a cup of young coconut water (naturally sweet and rich in electrolytes, coconut water is very hydrating and the perfect drink after a strenuous workout)

-    Drink a cup of naturally sweet licorice, hibiscus or rose hip tea

A few delicious sugar free recipes:

Chocolate banana mouse

1 frozen banana
2-3tsp unsweetened cocoa powder (available at organic stores)
a little chilled coconut water, coconut milk or filtered water

Blend with a blender stick or in a food processor for a thick and creamy chocolate mouse

Berry nut mouse
2 punnets of blueberries or 1 punnet of strawberries
1 cup of raw pre-soaked nuts (eg cashews – soak in filtered water with a little sea salt for 6-8 hours to neutralize anti-nutrients and enhance digestibility)
some vanilla powder or cinnamon for added flavour

Blend in a food processor and serve chilled with some fresh berries or slices of green apple.

Chocolate coated bananas

4 Banana’s
1 cup melted 100% cocoa chocolate*
½ cup finely chopped pecans
a little stevia
a little cinnamon and/or vanilla powder

Slice bananas and stick a toothpick in each piece. Line a baking tray with baking paper, place slices of banana on it and put it in the freezer. Allow to freeze for approx 30mins. Melt chocolate (bain marie) until soft and runny and add a few drops of stevia to sweeten. Finely crush the pecan nuts and stir through cinnamon and/or vanilla powder. Remove the bananas from the freezer, holding the toothpick, dip each slice into the chocolate sauce and then into the nuts. Place them back on the baking paper lined tray and freeze again.

* Best brands: Pacari, available at About Life on Oxford street or Dagoba, available at Norton St Grocer in Westfield Bondi Junction – these brands are a little expensive but well worth it as they are not nearly as bitter as other brands.

This recipe is a real treat and my personal favourite!

Final tip:

Remember, if you find yourself being hungry and craving sugar often, it is sign that you are not consuming enough quality protein and fat in your diet.

A quick and easy way to up your intake of these essential nutrients is by adding 1-2 fresh raw organic egg yolks and 1 tbs of extra virgin cold pressed coconut oil to a smoothie (eg with frozen berries, filtered water, organic full cream yoghurt and a little stevia if you need extra sweetness).

Marieke Rodenstein
Dietitian & Nutritionist
The Nutrition Practice
0450 458 549
marieke@thenutritionpractice.com.au
www.thenutritionpractice.com.au (soon to be launched)

How much exercise is enough?

2011-02-03T19:09:00.002+11:00

I'm starting to feel good about SUGARFREEfeb, the first few days have been pretty smooth sailing for me and we now have lot's more mums on board - I'm positive that if you stick to the no sugar plan you will lose that bloat around your tummy, it will flatten and you will feel better. It's also a great psychological kick to know that you don't need to rely on those quick fixes and that you can do something great for your body and stick to it.

So, now that we have made improvements to your diet let's talk about your movement. How much exercise should you really be doing?

Because we have a large group of women at different pre and postnatal stages I am going to break it down into what you ideally should be doing in each stage. I will also comment of the kind of results you can expect to be getting at each stage and with differing volumes of exercise. You will find that you fit somewhere and your results may depend upon the amount of time and energy you actually WANT to put into your diet and exercise. What is reasonable for you and what is extreme.

During pregnancy

Ideally you should aim to maintain a moderate amount of exercise. Again, moderate is relative to what your previous exercise regime has been. It is not a time for striving to reach new goals but a time of maintenance. If you have been working with a trainer before there is no reason to stop - just ensure that your trainer has the relevant experience and qualifications and stick to what you have been doing with the correct modifications.

If you re working on your own, aim to get moving for around 30mins most days - this can be in the form of a walk or jog if you are comfortable doing so. Swimming is a great form of prenatal exercise and resistance training is fantastic, it will make you strong and the stronger and fitter you are during your pregnancy the better equipped you are to deal with labour and the physical demands of having a small baby.

Remember:

Exercise to maintain
Listen to your body, some days you may just need to rest
In terms of effort don't peak at more than about a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is sitting on the couch doing nothing and 10 is working as hard as possible

Postnatal (in the 6-12 weeks after birth) -

Energy levels and post birth recovery vary significantly from mother to mother at this time (which is one of the reasons I kept the time period so broad). Some women will be itching to get back into their runners and hit the gym asap whereas others won't want to think about anything other than getting through the next few weeks with more than a couple of hours of unbroken sleep. Neither scenario, or variations of, is right or wrong. At this time, in the immediate postnatal period, you need to be in tune with your body - listen to what it is telling you. If getting out of bed and dragging yourself to the shops is tiring enough the last thing your body may need is you dragging it to the gym. However, you may find yourself in that downward spiral of non exercise where you don't move so you feel even more tired and maybe even depressed - in this situation it is important to recognise that some exercise might actually help you to feel more energised and also that you are doing something good for yourself.

At this time you want to be exercising on MOST days - if you are working with a trainer they should set you some guidelines as to what and how much of it your should be doing. A combination of core strengthening, cardio and resistance exercise is key.

Remember:

Ease your way back into exercise - if something doesn't feel right it probably isn't
Start by re-building from the inside out - if your core strength isn't up to scratch it will lead to injuries down the track
Your baby is still very little and your body is recovering so it is OK to give yourself a little break
On the other hand if at 4-6 weeks after bub you feel ready to get back to the gym just get a clearance from your doctor and start to ease your way back in - you are keen which is great and with right guidance you will probably see some great results

Post 12 weeks

When do we leave 'postnatal' behind and just become 'normal' again? Once again this can differ greatly from person to person. This time around for me (after my 2nd baby) I have only just felt, at 6 months, that I am starting to feel like someone that can run again properly. I was back in the gym at about 5 weeks and have slowly built my strength back up and although am not quite at my goal weight or strength I am feeling good both inside and out on 'most' days. When your body is feeling more normal and psychologically you feel you can commit to an exercise regime again this is where the amount of effort you put in becomes related to what you get out. If you are walking once per week you are going to see much slower results than if you committed to three cardio and three strength sessions per week.

I listen to many mums that say they could not be as fit or look as good as they did before they had a baby - I would like to challenge that and say that yes you can, in fact some women go on to look and feel much better than they did before their pregnancy. We are often more in tune with your body and have more respect and faith in its ability and if you put in the work in the correct way for you you will get the results you are looking for.

So, how much exercise is enough? Well, ask yourself how important being 'in your best shape' is to you then you can decide how often is enough. For me I commit to my exercise regime because it is very important to me to look and feel strong. I exercise 4-6 days per week depending upon the way the week falls. As mums we must be flexible but we must also put our needs up there with the rest of the family. You are not going to see amazing results with just one walk a week or even with 5 walks per week, great results take great effort - a combination of cardio and strength training and commitment. You also need to make each and every workout count - there's no point in just cruising through a session when you are 'me' time poor.

Remember:

Figure out what you want to achieve
What you put in you will get out
You need to do both strength AND cardiovascular exercise to see the best results
You must prioritise time for yourself
Get the right guidance and maintain motivation

I challenge you to figure out what you want to achieve and how often you need to workout to achieve it.
I have no doubt that you can all look and feel fantastic - it will take a little work and no one apart can achieve it for you.

SUGARFREEfeb - Getting started guest blog special

2011-01-31T14:31:00.000+11:00

We are all gearing up for the start of SUGARFREEfeb tomorrow and a few mums have started to ask about alternatives to their everyday foods that contain sugar. BBB mum, dietitian and nutritionist Marieke Rodenstien shares some of her knowledge with us.

"Would you believe that in 2009 it was estimated that the average person consumes up to 80kg of sugar PER YEAR!! This is up from an average consumption of just 8kg per year in 1800.

Yes, lets face it, we are a nation of sugar addicts and it’s no wonder as sugar has crept into virtually every processed food on the supermarket shelf! From tomato sauce to salad dressing’s, cheese spreads to chips, breads to breakfast cereals and even infant formula! Read the ingredients list and you are almost guaranteed to find sugar in some form or another.

So, I know what you are thinking “how can I possibly eliminate sugar from my diet when so many foods contain it?” Well, the answer is simple - EAT WHOLE AND MINIMALLY PROCESSED FOODS!

What are whole and minimally processed foods? Any food that is, or is close to, its natural whole form (eg brown rice vs white rice, wholemeal bread vs white bread, whole oats vs oat bran/flakes/pops, butter vs margarine, natural full cream yogurt vs low fat flavored yogurt, a whole apple vs reconstituted apple juice etc etc).

What to buy

To help you get started here are some sugar free items to add to your shopping trolley:
(available at most Coles and Woolworths supermarkets)
-    Jalna Biodynamic full cream yoghurt (this is also the best yoghurt to give to your children)
-    True Organic butter
-    True Organic cheddar cheese
-    goats milk feta cheese
-    frozen berries
-    organic free range eggs
-    Mountain Bread Organic Wholemeal wraps
-    Bills Organic Medium Rye Sourdough bread
-    raw nuts (almonds, walnuts brazil nuts etc)
-    raw seeds (sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds)
-    whole oats
-    hummus (best brands: Mum’s Choice and Pilpel)
-    brown rice
-    fresh vegetables
-    fresh fruit (best choices: low sugar varieties such as lemons, limes, grapefruit, green apples and berries).
-    free range organic chicken
-    organic lamb
-    organic beef
-    tinned tuna and salmon in springwater
-    tomato paste (add to sautéed tomato’s with garlic and fresh basil to make your own pasta and tomato sauce)

What to eat

Stuck for ideas on what to eat during meal times? Try out some of the meal ideas listed below.

Breakfast

Forgo the processed sugar laden breakfast cereals (yes, this includes Weet Bix!) and diet yoghurts and opt for one of the following:

•    A bowl of homemade bircher muesli - soak muesli made with whole oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, almonds and walnuts overnight in water (just enough to cover) and a little lemon juice (soaking grains, nuts and seeds makes them much easier to digest). Serve with natural full cream yoghurt, a sprinkle of cinnamon and some grated green apple or berries.

•    A bowl of natural full cream yoghurt with fruit (eg berries) and some nuts and/or seeds

•    Eggs (poached, boiled or scrambled) served with some raw vegetables such as avocado and tomato and/or sautéed vegetables such as spinach and mushrooms

•    A mini omelet with lots of vegetables (eg onion, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, spinach) and topped with some fresh herbs and a little feta cheese.

Lunch

Ditch the white bread and opt for one of the following:

•    Mountain Bread wholemeal wraps, wholegrain/rye sourdough bread or sprouted essene bread (available at organic stores) with some protein (eg tinned tuna or salmon, left over chicken or lamb, egg) and vegetables (eg avocado, cucumber, tomato, grated carrot, rocket).

•    Large salad with protein (eg tinned tuna or salmon, left over chicken or lamb, egg) and vegetables (eg avocado, cucumber, tomato, grated carrot, rocket), topped with some feta cheese and toasted pine nuts.

•    Brown rice sushi (homemade or bought)

•    Large bowl of homemade soup (eg leftover from the night before)

Dinner

Skip the potatoes and opt for a salad or steamed/stir fried vegetables with your meat or fish.

Be sure to check back next week for tips on how to nip those pesky sugar cravings in the bud!

All the best!"

Marieke Rodenstein
Dietitian & Nutritionist
The Nutrition Practice
0450 458 549
marieke@thenutritionpractice.com.au
www.thenutritionpractice.com.au (soon to be launched)

So there you have it ladies - it's not going to be that hard after all - think simple and natural and you will be on the right track..... thanks Marieke.

SUGAR FREE feb

2011-01-25T14:11:00.002+11:00

SUGAR FREE is back! For those of you that joined in with NOsugarVEMBER you will know what this is all about and for those of you that are new to the NO SUGAR challenge you are about to find out what it is all about.

Established by Troy over at Fitta Bodies (check the Fitta bodies blog here), I have jumped on board in a big way and will be instigating two sugar free months per year. The warm up and pre Christmas calm being NOsugarVEMBER and now the post Christmas, get back on track month being just one week away 'SUGAR FREE feb'. I invite you to join us on this challenge and make a difference to yourself and also to our charity for this month - we are raising much needed funds to support those affected by the Queensland floods.

Some awesome changes were gained during NOsugarVEMBER and post Christmas and New Year many of us are looking for some great results.

You will be surprised how much sugar you consume on a daily basis (in various forms) and by eliminating it from your diet, along with a good exercise routine leave yourself open to gaining some fantastic results just in time for summer and before Christmas rolls around. So, rules, borrowed from Troy's blog they are as follows:

Starting on the 1st of February for 1 full month (it's even a short month!), we will rid our diets of sugar.

This means;

No alcohol

No cakes, chocolates, pastries, ice creams, soft drink

No Fruit juices, boost juices, smoothies, milk shakes

No white potato

No sugar in tea or coffee

No sweetened yogurt

No dried fruit

2 – 3 pieces of fruit per day only

2 slices of wholegrain bread per day maximum

1 cup of cooked pasta per serve a maximum of two times per week

You are all going to lose some weight in this month, but the main aim of this 30 days without sugar is to show you how much sugar you normally consume and to hopefully curb your sugar cravings.

By the end of this month, you will have developed habits that will see you;

Drink tea and coffee without sugar

Only drink alcohol once or a maximum of twice per week

Only eat sweets once or a maximum of twice per week

Learn that meals should be made up of large amounts of non root vegetables

Treat pasta or rice as a accompaniment to a meal, not the main part of the meal

Never drink soft drinks

Avoid boost and other blended drinks

Learn that dried fruit is not a health food

Choose lower sugar yogurts

So who’s in?

Please put your name down in the comments section on either this blog or on the BBB facebook page (I will be taking down registrations from there. Then head to our fund raising page, join our team and we can kick the sugar as team 'Body Beyond Baby'. You don't have to be training with BBB to be eligible to join in, the more the merrier and the fitter, healthier and lighter. Invite your friends and family to join in and help to raise the awareness of what sugar is doing to us and how much better we will feel once the habit is broken.

If you break your sugar free promise, you must log your indiscretion on the blog and/or on the weekly facebook 'confession corner' and perform 5 burpees. If you happen to break the rules again, you must log your indiscretion and double the burpees. For each indiscretion, you must double the burpees. Just think, 5 times and you will be up to 80 burpees on the 5th occasion!

I am introducing a video log this time of burpees performed by anyone attending BBB sessions - burpees will be done at the end of a session, recorded and posted on this blog and on FB

Be honest! You signed up to this, nobody forced you! You need some sort of guidelines to keep you on track!

Welcome to 2011

2011-01-24T14:41:00.000+11:00

I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year, some down time for yourselves and have created lots of happy memories with your family, especially the little people in your life. Time flies so fast and they grow up so quick and I really tried to take a little step back and immerse myself in my children towards the end of last year and early this year that's why I have been a little absent around here for a while. We had a wonderful week away at the start of 2011 and this is now week two of being officially back at work.

Body Beyond Baby is more than just work for me, I love chatting to you all, sharing with you what I have been up to and celebrating our achievements but sometimes you just have to take stock and concentrate on one thing at a time so I am proud to say that my children got lots of mummy time over the break. It is my goal now to ensure that amongst the juggling act of a working mum I still find time to enter and be present in their world on a regular basis with no other distractions - easier said than done in this fast paced, need everything now, world that we live in.

I have a number of fun and exciting things coming to you in 2011 - here's a sneak peak:

Success stories - Inspiration is a powerful tool and seeing what other mums have achieved can really drive us to get to the next level. In the upcoming weeks I will be sharing inspiring success experiences from some of our BBB mums. We will also be welcoming a couple of new guest bloggers on board. If you have a story to share I would love to hear from youy

February see's the start of SUGAR FREE feb - from the 1st of February we will be giving up sugar for the whole month (it's a short month so even easier). Kick start or put the accelerator on your health goals for this year and join us in breaking the sugar habit, cleansing your insides and loosing a few kilos after the crazy season. The first few days can be tough but you will break the habit, you will feel better and you will see results - to top it off this time round we are doing it for charity so there's your community spirit and feel good factor taken care of too. Stay tuned for how to register.

Boxing Fridays are back - As of March we will be welcoming on board a new trainer and seeing the start to our popular boxing classes. I have begun working with Hannah already and I am very excited about the freshness and energy she will bring to your sessions. As a mother of two she knows only too well how important (yet challenging) it can be to take care of mum. Get in touch now to reserve your spot in our boxing sessions.

September brings the Blackmores Bridge Run - with races for everyone bring the family and run or walk across the Harbor Bridge in the 4km fun run or challenge yourself by picking either the 9km, 21km or 42km races. You now have plenty of warning and time to build up your fitness level to be ready for September.

Here's to a fantastic 2011 glad you are on board for the ride.

You'll find me being mum

2010-12-08T14:25:00.000+11:00

I've been a little quiet on the blog front of late - I think about it and you guys everyday. My Monday measurements are late but quite frankly this week I haven't taken them - I felt pretty bloated come Monday's weekend comedown from dinners out a few drinks along with allowing a little too much sugar that I just didn't feel like taking them - I will bring them back next week.

So where have I been and why aren't I talking to you? I am taking this week to play mum, to work a little but not a lot (so if you don't hear from me this is why), to rest a little, to make Christmas happen, to organise presents and send cards (I was thinking of ditching that custom this year but I'm going to power ahead). It's family year book making time where I compile all of the years worth of digital photos into a coffee table book that we actually look at rather than them just being on a file in a virtual world.....I enjoy doing this.....normally.....so I am bringing the enjoyment back by giving my self the time to do it. There is a pile of ironing that needs getting through (I am an ironing freak and I actually enjoy it, good TV show or a movie and it's quite relaxing) so I am making time for that. My two year old is VERY challenging at the moment so I am taking time to TRY to deal with him and my daughter is giving us challenges of her own (though touch wood she went down for this afternoons nap very easily) so I am giving myself time to relax and enjoy her when I can. My training has been on track so I am taking time for that and I know Christmas is just around the corner and I am taking time out from work then but I have decided that this week is about me and looking after your inner self is just as important as looking after your outer self so I am looking after the inside......otherwise I might cry.

First week back on the sugar....or not?

2010-12-07T11:59:00.000+11:00

So it's been 7 days since December rolled around (only 2 and a bit weeks till Christmas - crazy) and we are now 'allowed' sugar. I have to say that as December the 1st rolled around I was filled with mixed emotions/thoughts/cravings/not caring...... It's funny though that gradually that switch flips in your mind and does all sorts of crazy things to you. The first week to two weeks of NOsugarVEMBER were HARD - chocolate was everywhere and it consumed much of my brain time but bit by bit I just didn't care. The no alcohol was easy for me, although it was also my only slip up for the entire month.... I had a dinner with my mothers group and didn't want to be the trainer in the corner not drinking, talk about giving in to peer pressure and it's interesting that it was within a group that I am still getting to know - had it been people I have know forever I wouldn't have cared and made the announcement that I wasn't drinking (it was also on the 28th November so right at the end). Don't worry I did many many more than five burpees during the month of November and that's out of choice!

Now my brain is playing tricks on me - I don't really want chocolate (I know we are talking sugar in general but chocolate is mostly my downfall) but I CAN eat it now if I want to - before it just wasn't an option. I wasn't going to be the one leading this no sugar quest and also the one checking in a confessing to any slip ups. I had two blocks of organic chocolate in my drawer that sat there for he whole of last month, once I had made the decision I didn't care and wouldn't eat them I even forgot that they were there. But when the calendar changed to December it's like someone put a huge flashing light and siren on them saying EAT ME EAT ME and so I did - and to be honest I didn't really enjoy them that much, there wasn't an overwhelming sense of satisfaction and I would have enjoyed the natural yogurt and mashed mango I had taken a liking to during November more. The chocolate tasted REALLY sugary - duh..... and not all that amazing. I truly believe we hard wire our brains and we just have to keep them on track, keep our blinkers on and stay on the right road. Otherwise you eat chocolate, ice cream or your sugary treat of choice and your brain says SUGAR GIVE ME MORE so you eat more and more and more and you find yourself depending on the stuff. Break that hard wiring and it becomes so much easier to stay off it - like I said after week two I just didn't care....that is until an event came around (December) that made me think about it and bring it once again for the front of my mind . Should I have ignored it? yes, probably and after the weekend of dinners out I have just had I am now getting back on the wagon to consume VERY minimal sugar. Special occasions ok, once a week ok, but not everyday or even every weekend day. I feel the bloating effects immediately and I was feeling so great last week.

Moral of the story - sugar is bad, it makes you fat and it makes women crazy

Our Feel Good Friday winner is Kym

2010-12-02T15:49:00.000+11:00

Congratulations to Kym

you have won won a $40 gift voucher from

Please contact me via email jenny@bodybeyondbaby.com.au to claim your prize

Monday Measurements - week 10

2010-11-29T12:00:00.001+11:00

Wow - Mondays certainly come around quickly, the weeks are f lying by - I can't believe India is 4 months old and Christmas is only 4 weeks away! I have been out doing measurements of all of the women who come along to our group sessions over the last week or so and there has been some fantastic improvements and I am very much looking forward to our awards evening and Christmas party this coming Friday - we will be giving prizes for the most improved. I will also share improvements here on the BBB blog over the next week or so - everyone deserves their recognition and I can't wait to give it - keep up the great work ladies.

Here's my Monday check in for this week

28th November 2010
Weight = 57.3kg
Chest = 91cm - this will go up and down given I am breastfeeding
Waist (the smallest part) = 70cm
UM (the bit around the belly button and where we store lots of fat) = 80cm
Hips = 93.5cm
Right Thigh = 50cm
Left Thigh = 50cm

22nd November 2010
Weight = 57.5kg
Chest = 93cm - this will go up and down given I am breastfeeding
Waist (the smallest part) = 71.3cm
UM (the bit around the belly button and where we store lots of fat) = 81cm
Hips = 94cm
Right Thigh = 50cm
Left Thigh = 50cm

15th November 2010
Weight = 58kg
Chest = 92.5cm - this will go up and down given I am breastfeeding
Waist (the smallest part) = 71.3cm
UM (the bit around the belly button and where we store lots of fat) = 82cm
Hips = 94.5cm
Right Thigh = 50.2cm
Left Thigh = 50cm

8th November 2010
Weight = 58.1kg
Chest = 95.5cm - this will go up and down given I am breastfeeding
Waist (the smallest part) = 71.3cm
UM (the bit around the belly button and where we store lots of fat) = 83cm
Hips = 94.9cm
Right Thigh = 51cm
Left Thigh = 51cm

1st November 2010
Weight = 59.1kg
Chest = 95cm - this will go up and down given I am breastfeeding
Waist (the smallest part) = 72cm
UM (the bit around the belly button and where we store lots of fat) = 83.9cm
Hips = 95.5cm
Right Thigh = 51cm
Left Thigh = 51cm

25th October 2010
Weight = 59.5kg
Chest = 94cm - this will go up and down given I am breastfeeding
Waist (the smallest part) = 73.3cm
UM (the bit around the belly button and where we store lots of fat) = 84.8cm
Hips = 96cm
Right Thigh = 51cm
Left Thigh = 51.5cm

17th October 2010
Weight = 59.9kg
Chest = 96.4cm - this will go up and down given I am breastfeeding
Waist (the smallest part) = 73.8cm
UM (the bit around the belly button and where we store lots of fat) = 85cm
Hips = 97.2cm
Right Thigh = 51.7cm
Left Thigh = 52.5cm

11th October 2010
Weight = 60.7kg
Chest = 99cm - this will go up and down given I am breastfeeding
Waist (the smallest part) = 75.3cm
UM (the bit around the belly button and where we store lots of fat) = 86.8cm
Hips = 98cm
Right Thigh = 52cm
Left Thigh = 53cm

4th October 2010
Weight = 62kg ????? - no idea and this is why I am not the hugest fan on the 'at home' scales
Chest = 99.6cm - this will go up and down given I am breastfeeding
Waist (the smallest part) = 77cm
UM (the bit around the belly button and where we store lots of fat) = 88cm
Hips = 99cm
Right Thigh = 53.5cm
Left Thigh = 54.1cm

27th September 2010
Weight = 60.1kg
Chest = 97.8cm
Waist (the smallest part) = 77.3cm
UM (the bit around the belly button and where we store lots of fat) = 89.3cm
Hips = 99.2cm
Right Thigh = 54.1cm
Left Thigh = 54.7cm

Your Pelvic Floor

2010-11-28T20:19:00.000+11:00

We had our Pelvic Floor and Core workshop today which I always enjoy and love the fact that we can change and better the quality of a woman's day to day life and also her exercise. Also, I always find it interesting that we can think we are doing one thing with our body but actually we might be doing something else - other muscles might be compensating for the ones that REALLY should be working and until we delve a little bit deeper and use tools such as Real Time Ultrasound (which we do in our workshop) we can never totally know that what we are doing is the right thing. I have seen a number of women come to these workshops potentially with no 'traditional' pelvic floor weakness symptoms yet they have a weak pelvic floor and the exercise they are doing could potentially be setting them up for other (worse) symptoms down the track. Really knowing what is going on on the inside is invaluable and what any trainer can do through instruction and touch is limited - if you get the opportunity to come along to one of these workshops or to work with a women's health pysio who uses RTU I would highly recommend it both for your pelvic floor and transverse abdominal (core) health - they all interlink and play a big part in your overall quality of movement and comfort both in everyday life and in exercise.

I wrote an article on pelvic floor a little while ago for my newsletter, you can find it by clicking here.
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