Hot Mamas Fitness Blog

Fit mothers recover from Cesarean

2009-10-03T20:00:00.001-07:00

Fit mothers recover from Cesarean

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MamaStroll stroller exercise class

2009-10-03T19:56:00.001-07:00

MamaStroll stroller exercise class

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AIDS Walk Washington is this weekend

2009-09-30T11:21:00.001-07:00

AIDS Walk Washington is this weekend

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How to create a grocery store list

2009-09-29T18:22:00.003-07:00

How to create a grocery store list

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How to create a grocery store list

2009-09-29T18:22:00.001-07:00

How to create a grocery store list

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Making fitness a priority for mom

2009-09-29T18:14:00.001-07:00

Making fitness a priority for mom

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babyShape® Pre-Natal Workout

2009-09-23T14:27:00.001-07:00

babyShape® Pre-Natal Workout

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Fitness and the strength to raise a family

2009-09-22T11:25:00.001-07:00

Fitness and the strength to raise a family

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Local Mom Spotlight: Exercise is a way of life

2009-08-22T09:54:00.001-07:00

Local Mom Spotlight: Exercise is a way of life

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5 ways to burn calories the way you did when you were young

2009-08-19T11:43:00.001-07:00

5 ways to burn calories the way you did when you were young

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Exercise gives a local mother more energy to play with children

2009-08-16T13:08:00.001-07:00

Exercise gives a local mother more energy to play with children

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Healthy on a budget: cooking ahead

2009-08-16T11:30:00.001-07:00

Healthy on a budget: cooking ahead

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Healthy on a budget: buying organic

2009-08-09T08:06:00.001-07:00

Healthy on a budget: buying organic

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Moms stay in shape with Fairfax City Fit

2009-08-09T07:56:00.001-07:00

Moms stay in shape with Fairfax City Fit

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Proper Hydration During Exercise for Expectant Mothers

2009-08-06T06:11:00.000-07:00

It is important for anyone who is exercising to stay properly hydrated, however; it is especially important for expectant mothers.

According to Penn Medicine, during pregnancy, women "should drink up to 1 pint* of liquid before exercising and 1 cup of liquid every 20 minutes during exercise to maintain enough hydration for you and your baby. Even if you don't feel thirsty after exercising, it is important to refresh the fluids that you lost during the exercise. You can lose up to 1-2 quarts of fluid per hour in perspiration."

*For those of you who are wondering how much a pint is (like I was):
1 pint=2 cups or 16 fluid ounces

There is often a controversy as to whether it is better to drink water during exercise or a sports drink. Sports drinks claim to not only refresh fluid loss but to also replenish lost electrolytes, sodium and potassium. However, unless you are in a hard core training situation (like marathon training), this is not necessary. Plus, you should always beware when drinking sports drinks, as most of them contain a high amount of sugar and calories.

Listen to your body. If you feel thirsty, take a break for some water. Some other symptoms of dehydration are:
-Dizziness;
-Headaches;
-Urine that is dark yellow or has a strong smell;
-Less frequent urination;
-Nausea or vomiting;
-Weakness.

If you feel any of these symptoms, take a break to grab some water (sometimes a piece of fruit will help as well). If the symptoms persist, stop exercising and contact your doctor or midwife.

Remember, your water bottle should be your best friend during exercise!

How to do hip hikes (with pictures)

2009-08-05T14:09:00.001-07:00

I have finally taken pictures of how to do hip hikes:

1) Stand next to a wall with a stability ball between your right hip bone and the wall. Make sure that your shoulders and hips are perpendicular to the wall.

2) Lift your right leg a few inches above the floor.

3) Move your right hip up and down. Make sure that this action in coming from your hip and not your right leg.

4) Do 10 to 15 reps on the right side and then switch to the left side. Do 2-3 sets on each side.

Healthy on a budget: creative uses for leftovers

2009-08-05T13:37:00.001-07:00

Healthy on a budget: creative uses for leftovers

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Get Fit at Work

2009-07-29T13:45:00.001-07:00

Get Fit at Work

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The "Cure" for Round Ligament Pain

2009-07-25T06:45:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been walking around or lying down, minding your business, when all of a sudden you feel a spasm or pain on the lower part of your belly? Usually it is close to the bikini line and to the right?

If so, you are probably experiencing round ligament pains. Abdominal pains during pregnancy can be very disconcerting, but round ligament pains are quite common.

According to WebMD, "Your uterus is normally the size of a pear. Thick ligaments, one of which is called the round ligament, hold your uterus in suspension within your abdomen. As the uterus grows in size and weight, these ligaments become very long and thin, stressing and tensing like rubber bands." The pain that you feel are these ligaments pulling on nearby nerve fibers.

There is no need to suffer in silence from these pains. An exercise called hip hikes actually helps to alleviate the discomfort.

To do hip hikes:
1) Stand next to a wall with a stability ball between your right hip bone and the wall. Make sure that your shoulders and hips are perpendicular to the wall.

2) Lift your right leg a few inches above the floor.

3) Move your right hip up and down. Make sure that this action in coming from your hip and not your right leg.

4) Do 10 to 15 reps on the right side and then switch to the left side. Do 2-3 sets on each side.

Try this exercise and let me know how it helps!

Take a Hike

2009-07-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

For a while now, I have been wanting to go hiking in the Shenandoah Mountains in Virginia. I haven't had a chance to until this past Fourth of July weekend.

Located a mere two hours away from Washington, DC, Shenandoah National Park is home to over 500 miles of trails, including 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail. You can access many of these trails from the famous Skyline Drive.

We did only a mere eight of the 500 miles that Saturday. :) We took the Cedar Run Trail to the top. The trail ends near Skyline Drive (where it was at least ten degrees cooler than where we had started. (Take a jacket!) It is 3.4 miles and can be relatively difficult since it is very steep. The best thing about this trail is that it has a few water holes that you can jump into and a great, natural water slide that ends in a water hole. (Very cool. I will bring my bathing suit next time!)

The Fire Road connects The Cedar Run Trail to the White Oak Canyon Trail. This trail is 4.8 miles long. It is relatively steep going down so wear good shoes. The best thing about it is that there are a ton of wonderful waterfalls! (Me encanta las cascadas!) The waterfalls along the White Oak Canyon Trail are better than the ones along the Cedar Run Trail.

White Oak Canyon, the Fire Road and Cedar Run form a loop. You start with either Cedar Run or White Oak Canyon, but I would suggest that you start with Cedar Run. It is the steeper of the two and would be hard to have to walk down (in my opinion).

If you are not up for a 6 hour hike, you can always go part way and turn around to come back. You could walk up the Cedar Run Trail to the water slide, hang out there for a while and come back. It is about half way up the trail.

No matter where you like to go, take a hike this summer to stay in shape!

Happy Trails

2009-07-16T13:41:00.000-07:00

One great way to stay in shape this summer is to take to the great outdoors for a hike, bike ride or walk. It feels great to be outside and you can recruit friends and family to come along with you.

Some popular trails in the Washington DC Metro area include The Capital Crescent Trail that goes from Georgetown to Silver Spring and the Mount Vernon Trail, an 18-mile long trail that follows the Potomac River to George Washington's home. However, there are some new trails in the area that you should try out this summer.

The Four Mile Run Trail extension opened in May. This three-quarter mile addition in northern Virginia creates a smooth connection between the Shirlington restaurant area and the South Arlington Trail that intersects the Mount Vernon Trail.

To give you something to look forward to: the highly anticipated Metropolitan Branch Trail is opening this fall. The MBT is a proposed 8-mile multi-use trail that goes from Silver Spring, Maryland to Union Station in DC. It will provide direct access to seven of Metro’s Red Line stations and connect to the Capital Crescent Trail. The first mile of this trail will open this fall.

So grab the kids, your neighbors and your dog and hit the trails! You will have such a good time, you will forget you are exercising. Make sure you bring your pedometer and heart rate monitor along to make sure you are working hard enough.

What are your favorite trails?

"Round Out" Your Workout

2009-07-05T10:10:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a good way to "round out" your glutes and strengthen your hamstrings? Hamstring curls on the ball are a great way to do that. You will also be strengthening your core. (Of course!)

Step 1: Begin by lying down on the mat with your legs extended all the way out and your heels on top of the ball. Press your heels lightly into the ball and engage your abs. Engaging the abdominal muscles first is a very important step, as it will keep you balanced on the ball.

Step 2:Next, you will lift your hips off the mat. Once you are stable, bring your heels in towards your glutes and then extend the legs all the way back out. That is one repetition. Your hips will stay lifted as you execute all twelve repetitions of this exercise. If you are unable to stay balanced on the ball with your hips off of the mat, you can perform this exercise with your hips on the mat.

I would suggest doing at least two sets of these.
You can do this exercise 2 to 3 times per week.

**This exercise is safe to do during all stages of pregnancy, if your hips are raised and you are not interfering with the flow of blood to the uterus. However, if you begin to feeling numbness or a tingling sensation in your lower body, you should stop doing the exercise.

Push-ups on The Ball

2009-06-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

Last month I mentioned that the two best exercises to do to get your arms ready for beach season are dips (for triceps)and pushups. Pushups on the floor (on your toes) may seem very challenging but a great way to work up to that is to do pushups on the ball.

To do pushups on the ball:
-Start kneeling behind the ball.
-Engage the abs and roll out onto the ball (face down) until your knees are on top of the ball.
-Walk your arms out so that your hands are wider than your shoulders. (Hands should be in line with shoulders)
-Bend the elbows lowering your chest towards the floor.
-Perform 10-15 of these.
-Remember not to flop over when you are done. It is important to get off of the ball the same way that you got on it. Walk your hands back until you are kneeling behind the ball.

As you improve you can walk your body further out on the ball until your toes are on the ball. (see picture below)

Does Size Really Matter?

2009-06-15T13:17:00.000-07:00

Actually, yes it does...at least when it comes to choosing the correct stability ball. Most stability balls come with a chart that will tell you what size ball is good for your height, such as this:

Your height Ball size
Less than 5'2" 45 cm
5'2" to 5'7" 55 cm
5'8" to 6 ' 65 cm
More than 6' 75 cm

However, once you get your ball home and inflate it, you want to make sure that it is, in fact, the right size for you:

-Sit on top of the ball (preferably in front of a mirror) with abs engaged and shoulder blades back.
-Check to make sure that your knees are in line with your hips.

If your knees are above your hips, the ball is too tall. However, if your knees are below your hips, the ball is too short. In either of these cases, if the ball is fully inflated, you should exchange the ball for the next size so that you will be able to maintain perfect posture on the ball.

A Simple Exercise for Pregnancy and Delivery (Part 2)

2009-06-08T08:28:00.000-07:00

Another great exercise that is good during your pregnancy and also prepares you for labor and delivery is hip circles. In class, we do this on the ball, but you can also do this standing.

To do hip circles on the ball:
-Sit tall on the stability ball with your shoulder blades back and down, abs engaged and the top of your head towards the ceiling. Your feet are hip width apart (or a little wider).
-Without moving your upper body, begin to move your hips clockwise in a circular motion. Start by making small circles, with each one getting a little bigger.
-Once you have made the biggest circle you can, begin to move your hips counter clockwise in a circular motion. Start with making the biggest circle you can, with each one getting a little smaller.

Click here for a video demonstration (towards the end of the video).

This exercise can be done every day to start to prepare your hips for delivery. In my classes and during personal training, we do this exercise as a "break" between other strength exercises. This may not seem like much of an exercise in early pregnancy, but you will be happy that you did it during delivery. This can also be done during labor as a comfort technique.

A Simple Exercise for a Better Pregnancy and Delivery (Part 1)

2009-05-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

There are a couple of very easy exercises that I like to do with expectant mamas that help to relieve discomforts during pregnancy and prepare them for labor and delivery. In class, we do them on a stability ball but they can be done standing and seated as well.

The first is called pelvic tilts. To do pelvic tilts:
-Sit on top of the ball with your feet hip width apart and flat on the floor.
-Engage the abs and roll the shoulder blades back. Sit as tall as possible.
-Slide your hips slightly forward on the ball. (The ball will move with you)
-Slide your hips back (moving past your starting position so that your tailbone is tilted behind you.)

Click here for a video demonstration.

You can repeat this exercise as many times as you can. Start with a small amount of repetitions (10) and increase as you go along. If you are early in your pregnancy, this will seem easy, but it is good to do to prepare your hips for labor. This exercise is also good for relieving lower back pain and can be done after you have the baby as well. (Babies love to be held during exercises on the ball.)

In class we do a set of these in between other exercises as a "break" but you can also do pelvic tilts as an exercise on their own.

Getting the Arms Ready for Beach Season (Part 2)

2009-05-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

The other great exercise for sculpting wonderful arms for the summer is tricep dips. The triceps are the muscles in the back of the arms.

Dips are great because they are a body weight exercise and can be done anywhere there is a chair or bench.

First, make sure that the bench or chair is stable and won't move.

1) Sit on the very edge of the bench/chair with your hands on the edge of the bench very close to (touching) your body.
2) Pull your elbows in towards each other behind you and roll your shoulder blades back.
4) Bend your knees and walk your feet back so that your ankles are under your knees.
3) Slide your body forward so you are no longer sitting on the bench but your back and butt is touching the bench.
4) Bend your elbows and lower your body down as far as possible.
5) Push straight back up.

Repeat this as many times as you can working your way up to 15 straight reps. When you can do 15 reps without a break, you can try doing dips with your legs straight out.

It is important that you keep your body against the bench and that you use your arms to perform this exercise. Do not move your hips or any other part of your body.

Do 2-3 sets of these 2-3 days a week with your pushups and your arms will be the envy of all your friends!

Here is a good video of how to do tricep dips. (I know he is a man, but he shows good technique) :)

More Fun with Pushups

2009-05-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

Here is another way to build strength, work up to doing pushups on the floor, sculpt beautiful arms and have fun. Read a good article from Women's Health Magazine.

P.S. To all you moms out there who think that doing pushups is impossible, just think how strong your arms already are from lifting children, car seats, strollers, groceries...Pushups will be a piece of cake!

P.S. again Expectant moms can do pushups too!

Getting the Arms Ready for Beach Season (Part 1)

2009-05-12T04:42:00.000-07:00

The best exercise for getting your arms ready for the summer is pushups. (Did I just hear a groan?) :) It's true, pushups will sculpt your arms much better than bicep curls.

My clients know, I do not believe in "girlie" pushups where your knees are on the floor. But there is a way to work up to doing pushups on your toes:incline pushups.

To do incline pushups, all you need is an elevated surface: a window sill, a counter top, a bench, table, sofa, etc. The surface just needs to be wide enough so that your hands can be wider than your shoulders when you perform the pushup. From here, everything else is the same:

1) Walk your feet back so that your body is straight.
2) Tuck your tail bone under and come up onto your toes, shifting forward so that your chest will land between your hands.
3) Your hands are wider than your shoulders but in line with your shoulders.
4) Bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the bench (or table or window sill, etc) Make sure that your whole body comes down in one piece.

If it is too difficult and you can only do a couple of pushups, find a higher surface. The reason why regular pushups on the floor are so difficult is because gravity has a greater effect when you are parallel to the ground. (yes, I did pay attention in physics on occasion.) :) The higher the surface you choose the less challenging the pushup will be. You want to be able to do at least 10 and then work your way up to 15 repetitions. Once you can do 15 with no sweat (figuratively) then find a lower surface to use. You will be doing pushups on the floor in no time!

Do 2-3 sets of these 2-3 times per week to get your arms ready for the summer and to be stronger than you ever thought possible!

Act Like a Kid Again

2009-05-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

Want to find ways to sneak some cardio into your day? All you need to do is think like a kid again! Remember all those things that you used to do for fun at the playground, on the black top at recess or in the back yard? Well, they are good options for fun and fitness as an adult!

Here are some examples of how you can act like a kid again to get yourself in shape:
1) Jump Rope-It used to be so easy and we used to do it all the time for fun! Now it is a great way to burn calories!
2) Do Jumping Jacks-another great way to burn calories.
3) Go roller skating (or roller blading)
4) Run or jog (Have you ever noticed how little kids run all the time?)
5) Play kickball! This was one of my favorite games growing up. Even if I had a dress on, you could not stop me from playing kickball. There are adult kickboxing leagues that you can join. Kickball isn't your thing? There are plenty of organized adult teams that you can join. The DC area has several flag football leagues. Most work places have softball teams.

What are some things that you used to do as a kid that would make good, calorie-burning activity now? Watch your kids while they are playing. What do they do that inspires you?

Mama Said Knock You Out

2009-05-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

No, this isn't about LL Cool J. It's about Jennifer Salinas, a DC area mother of 2 who has a passion for boxing.

You may not be interested in going pro, but boxing classes (or DVDs) are a great way to stay in shape. And they are not just for men, anymore. The constant movement involved in boxing will help you burn a lot of calories, while sculpting your upper and lower body. Most gyms offer some variation of boxing on their group fitness schedule (kickboxing, cardio boxing, etc.) and boxing gyms that offer group fitness classes are becoming very popular these days.

Morning Sickness Mender Shake

2009-05-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

Having morning sickness? Try this smoothie from "The Ultimate Book of Smoothies" by Cherie Calbom. It is very thin and helps when you can't keep much down. It includes ginger root, which helps an upset stomach (this is why I have always considered ginger ale to be a miracle drug). The mint helps with digestion.

*If you use fruit juices, try to find ones with low or no sugar.

Recipe:

1 1/2 cups apple juice (3 apples juiced)
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 to 2 inch chunk of gingerroot, juiced or grated
8 fresh mint leaves
6 ice cubes

Pour the apple, lemon and ginger juices into a blender and add the mint and ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and serve immediately.

Try it out and let me know what you think!

KIS (Keep It Simple) with Squats

2009-04-28T17:25:00.000-07:00

Squats are a really great exercise that can be done anywhere and at any time. Sure, there are "fancy" squats that use equipment, but you can do bodyweight squats without them.

To do a squat:
-Stand with your feet hip width apart
-Roll your shoulders back and engage your abs
-Bend your knees, keeping the chest lifted
*To keep the chest lifted look up instead of down
-Squat down as low as you can without causing discomfort or pain to your knees or lower back. To start, just come down until your hips are in line with your knees.
*If you feel pain in your knees or lower back, don't go down as low. If this still is uncomfortable, stop and consult your doctor before resuming. Ball squats are a good option for those with back or knee pain.
-Make sure that your pelvis is tilted back behind you while you do your squat.

These can be done any time and any where. Try doing a set of 15 during each commercial break of your favorite show. Get the kids involved and have them do a few sets with you! After sitting for an hour or two at your desk, stand up and do a set of 15 to get the circulation going. (Make sure you take off your heels and are wearing pants that day) You will be amazed at how much stronger and toned your legs become.

Squats strengthen your glutes (butt), quads (front of thigh), and abs if you keep them engaged. The lower you squat, the more you are able to recruit your hamstrings (back of thigh). However, remember, squatting low is not the objective.

Try it out and let me know what you think!

P.S. Expectant mamas, you can do these too. Try the ball squats to give added support to your low back.

Training for the Main Event

2009-04-21T18:15:00.000-07:00

Are you looking to stay healthy and strong during your pregnancy while training for labor and delivery? Check out my FREE Pre-natal workout.

Before you start, however, make sure that you have your doctor's/midwife's consent to engage in physical activity. You know, just to be on the safe side.

Once you have his/her consent, it's time to get fit!

http://www.monkeysee.com/play/13573-how-to-work-out-during-pregnancy

Have a Seat

2009-04-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

Through the years, I have found that most of my mama clients feel that the only time that they have to themselves is when they are in the bathroom. While you are in there hiding out, why not use this time to sneak in some exercise?

One client of mine likes to brush her teeth while doing wall sit, and I think this is a great idea.

To do wall sit:
-Find a free piece of wall
-Sit against the wall as though you are a chair. Your feet are hip width apart. Your knees are directly over your ankles. Your hips are in line with you knees. Engage your abdominal muscles. The shoulders are rolled back and relaxed (not up by your ears).

The wall sit strengthens your abs and your quads (front of thigh). Practice this until you are able to hold this position for the entire 2 minutes that you are brushing your teeth.

Now, you can strengthen your abs and legs while cleaning your teeth!

Get on the Ball!

2009-04-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

If you only ever invest in one piece of fitness "equipment" in your life, you should invest in a stability ball.

I love to show my clients how to do exercises on the stability ball. Almost any exercise that you would do on a traditional, stationary machine at the gym, can be done on the stability ball-only better.

Using the stability ball is better because you are forced to use your core muscles even while you are strengthening other muscle groups. Traditional, stationary machines at the gym only allow you to work one muscle group at a time. Using the ball is much more efficient by forcing you to recruit at least two muscle groups at once. (Try doing an exercise on the ball without engaging your abs)

This is where body awareness comes in. You have seen people on the quad machine before, doing their exercise while reading Us Weekly. They are not even paying attention! You can not do that while working on the ball. (Don't worry, you can read about John and Jen breaking up again when you are done.)

Expectant mamas will want to have one to use for exercises that help to open the hips and to use during labor.

The good thing is that these things are literally sold every where. You will find them at specialty sporting goods stores and websites but also in the fitness aisle of your favorite big box store, near the fitness section and your favorite big book store and even at your favorite discount stores.

The stability ball also serves as a great extra chair for guests!

Pick up one this weekend!

Michelle Obama Talks Exercise and Diet

2009-04-07T06:06:00.000-07:00

This past weekend at The Hot Mama Fitness Studio, we had a Women's Wellness Workshop entitled "Where are Your on Your To Do List.?" Everyone seemed to have the same story. As women, we tend to put our own personal needs behind the needs of our families and even our jobs. When it comes time to take care of our own personal needs, we are often too tired or we find ways to talk our selves out of it.

As a mother of two and First Lady, Michelle Obama could easily bury her own personal needs at the bottom of her To Do List. However, she has discovered ways to create balance in her life and maintain her sense of happiness.

She has a nice interview with Oprah where she talks about this and the importance of fitness and having a healthy diet.

Get Fit at Work

2009-04-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

Looking for a great way to get fit at work? Here are a few exercises that you can do in your office. And don't forget to take a walk or jog at lunch time and take the stairs as much as possible to add cardio into your day:
1) Bridge-to strengthen the glutes and abs.
2) Opposite Arm/Leg-Start on all fours with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Your head and neck are in line with your spine. Lift the right arm (to the height of your shoulder) and your left leg (to the height of your hips). Focus on squeezing in the lower back and hold for two seconds. Lower and repeat for 10 repetitions. Do 2 to 3 sets on each side. This exercise strengthens the lower back.

3) Plank-to strengthen the abs.

These exercises can be done by expectant mamas too!

Less Weight and Less Popular?

2009-03-24T06:35:00.000-07:00

Funny man and actor Seth Rogen feels as though he is selling out and letting down his fans by losing weight for an upcoming role.

Are you a mom that has lost weight and has faced criticism for it from other moms and people that you know? How do you deal with it?

Or do you feel pangs of jealousy when you see that your friends are losing weight while you are struggling to do so? And if so, how do you deal with that?

Let us know!

The First Hot Mama

2009-03-22T17:35:00.000-07:00

...I mean, First Lady, works out every day with her husband, President Obama, first thing in the morning. That is what the Commander in Chief told 60 minutes in an interview that aired on March 22, 2009. They typically work out at 7 am, after the girls have gone to school and then have breakfast afterwards.

Having a workout partner is a good idea. Whether you choose your husband, coworker, friend, neighbor, sister or dog, a workout buddy will hold you accountable and help to motivate you to stick to your program. You are not likely to skip your morning jog if you know that your best friend is waiting for you at the corner.

Are you new in town or don't know how to find a workout partner? Try going to sites like Meetup or Craigslist (I personally believe that you can find anything your heart desires on Craigslist) to find a workout partner or group.

I recommend that everyone have a group or buddy that will help keep up your motivation.

The Expectant Yogi

2009-03-18T04:21:00.000-07:00

Yoga has a lot of benefits for expectant mothers. But what if you have never done yoga before? Read my article "The Expectant Yogi" to find out the benefits that yoga has for both veteran and newbie yogis.

What's on TV?

2009-03-17T10:44:00.000-07:00

Are you still having trouble finding time to workout? Here is a suggestion: do your exercise during the commercials of your favorite shows! While you are watching America's Next Top Model, Top Chef or Bridget's Sexiest Beaches (oh, don't act like you don't watch one of these shows...), you can do plank during one break, opposite arm/opposite leg during the next, jumping jacks during the following break, etc. This amount of exercise will add up and is good if you didn't get a chance to hit the gym that day.

Speaking of TV, many gyms now have tvs attached to their cardio machines now. So if you find doing 30 minutes on the elliptical mind-numbing,trying going to the gym during American Idol and see how fast 30 minutes goes by!

Go Low!

2009-03-15T11:29:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I talked about doing plank and how it is the single most important exercise to do. Plank is good for strengthening the transverse abdominal muscles. It is also very important to strengthen the muscles of the lower back, which oppose the abdominal muscles.

Expectant mothers often complain of lower back pain as a result of carrying a little extra weight and a shift in their center of gravity. New mothers will also often deal with lower back pain from having to lift heavy children, car seats, strollers, etc.

*Warning to new parents: make sure that the handles of your stroller are set to the right height for you. If the handles are too low, you will have to walk bent over to reach them, which causes lower back pain.

Most people don't realize this, but strengthening the lower back is often the best thing to do to prevent or get rid of lower back pain. When your lower back muscles are strong, they can handle weight gain, a shift in the center of gravity, and heavy lifting better.

Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home that will make the lower back stronger. It is called opposite arm/opposite leg:

1. Start on all fours with the wrists underneath the shoulders and the knees underneath the hips. The knees should not touch.

2. Engage the abdominal muscles.

3. Lift the right arm and the left leg and concentrate on squeezing the lower back muscles. Make sure your hips stay square to the ground.

4. Lower down (make sure the wrist is under the shoulder and the knee is under the hip).

5. Lift the left arm and the right leg and concentrate on squeezing the lower back muscles.

6. Repeat to do 12 on each side. Take a break and do 1 or 2 more sets.

You can do this exercise 3-4 times per week.

When you are done, stretch the lower back by doing cat and cow

Your children can even do this exercise with you!

Mom-Preneurs

2009-03-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is a good article on Mom Entrepreneurs.

Marcia Cross Has No Time For Workouts

2009-03-12T14:52:00.000-07:00

I wonder what moms think about Marcia Cross's comments.

I, of course, do not like this message....

Step by Step

2009-03-10T18:25:00.000-07:00

In the last post, I talked about making healthier choices and gave some suggestions on how to do that. But, you still may need to find the motivation to make these changes.

Here is a suggestion: purchase and use a pedometer. Pedometers are sold almost every where now and are often times given away at health fairs and even in adult happy meals. (If you absolutely have to eat at McDonald's you might as well get a pedometer while you are there.) Some are pretty simple and just tell you how many steps you have taken. But you can also buy pedometers that tell you how many miles you have walked and how many calories you have burned.

It has been said that walking 10,000 steps per day helps to meet the Surgeon General's requirement of getting 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day. This is a great goal to set for yourself. Put your pedometer on when you get up in the morning and wear it all day. At the end of the day, record how many steps you have taken. Expectant mamas can use this as a goal too.

Need more motivation? Promise yourself a trip to the spa after a week of walking 10,000 steps per day. Or you will buy yourself those wonderful red shoes you have been lusting after if you meet your goal at least 25 days out of the month. You will see that you will start to push yourself to meet the goal. It will motivate you to get up and take a walk during your lunch break, to walk to the store instead of driving and to take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Now, I will warn you: if you are not currently active, it is a good idea to work up to 10,000 steps per day. For example, start off with 4000 steps as a goal for the first week. Once you have reached that goal on a consistent basis, you can increase it. It is good to have short term goals on the way to your long-term goal.

Ok, let's get to steppin!

News and Events at The Hot Mama Fitness Studio

2009-03-10T08:36:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to take a minute to let you know about the exciting events that we have planned at The Hot Mama Fitness Studio.

We will be offering the following workshops:
-Partner Yoga-March 14, 4:30-6:00 pm
-Child and Infant CPR-March 15, 1:00-5:00 pm
-Pre-Natal Partner Yoga by Candlelight-March 20, 7:00 pm
-Belly Dance for Birth Preparation Workshop-March 21, 12:00 pm
-Women's Wellness Workshop:Strong Bodies, Strong Minds. Where are you on your to do list?-April 4, 1:00 pm

You can find details on our website: http://www.hotmamafitnessstudio.com/workshops.php

We have started classes in Capitol Hill for moms that live and work on that side of town: http://www.hotmamafitnessstudio.com/capitol_hill.php

And last but definitely not least, please save the dates for our Mother's and Father's Day events:
Celebrate Mother's Day the Hot Mama Way! May 2, 2009
Celebrate Father's Day at The Hot Mama Fitness Studio June 19-21, 2009

Hope to see you there!

Finding time for exercise

2009-03-08T19:20:00.000-07:00

Being a personal trainer gives me the opportunity to speak with many women about fitness. When I ask women why they are not more active, most of the time they reply, "I don't have time!"

However, the choices that you make during the course of your day can help you to become more active. If you alter your behavior and thinking just a little bit, you will be able to squeeze more physical activity into your life and become healthier because of it.

Here are three healthy choices that can help you to squeeze a little more activity into your day:

1) Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. You can burn a lot of calories this way. Take a break once an hour during the day to take a walk on the stairs.
2) When taking the bus or metro to and from work, get off a stop or two early and walk the rest of the way. If you drive, park far away from the building and walk the rest of the way. (This also applies to trips to the mall or grocery store.)
3) Schedule exercise time into your Blackberry like you would any other appointment. And be sure not to cancel!

These small changes to your thinking will help you to get more exercise during the day-even on days when you can not make it to the gym. And you are still keeping it simple!

Preparing your Abs for "The Main Event": Labor and Delivery

2009-03-04T10:00:00.000-08:00

The single most important exercise you can do (ever) is the plank. Every client that I have, no matter what age or condition, does some variation of this exercise. It is the best exercise to strengthen the abdominal muscles. Everyone wants to focus on crunches, but crunches are not that important. They are also not good to do if you have diastasis recti (the separation of the abs that sometimes occurs during pregnancy). When you think of your abdominal muscles, you are probably thinking about the muscles that you associate with having a six-pack. The plank strengthens the layer of abdominal muscles underneath those that are responsible for giving you good posture, protecting your internal organs, controling incontinence, pushing out a baby, giving you good balance, etc.

To do the plank:

1) Start on all fours with your forearms on the floor, elbows directly under the shoulders.
2) Engage your abs. This means to act as though you are pulling your belly button in towards your spine.
3) Extend one leg all the way out and then the other. This can be a very difficult position to hold. Feel free to bring both knees to the ground without changing any other body position-keeping your shoulders above your elbows. If your back starts to hurt, this is normal. That will go away with time. Bring your knees to the floor.
4) Hold for as long as you can. Take a break and repeat one or two more times.

**Make sure you are breathing the entire time!

Set a goal to hold the position for 30 seconds. After you have mastered that, work your way up to 45 seconds and then 60 seconds.

This is a great exercise! If you don't make time for any other exercise during the day, make time for this one. It will only take about 5 minutes out of your day (max).

The full version looks like this:

But this is something to work towards. Don't worry about doing that now.

(pictures courtesy of babyfit.com and all-about-abs.com)

F-KIS (Fitness-Keep It Simple)

2009-03-03T09:58:00.000-08:00

F-KIS (Fitness-Keep It Simple)-I have decided to dedicate this blog to keeping fitness simple during your pregnancy and afterwards for the next few weeks.

Pregnancy is an exciting time, and you know that you should keep up with your fitness routine. But with all the sleepless nights, doctor's appointments and trips to the furniture store, it seems like it is hard to find the time. This blog will give you a few, important exercises that can be done in your own home to make your pregnancy, labor and delivery a little easier.

Finding time (and energy) for exercise after having the baby is no piece of cake either. This blog will also highlight exercises that you can sneak in while your baby is napping and exercises that you can do together.

Join our team for the March for Babies

2009-01-22T08:44:00.000-08:00

The Hot Mama Fitness Studio has started a team to walk in the March of Dimes March for Babies.

Our team has joined thousands of compassionate teams across the country that support March for Babies. Won′t you please help us in this worthy cause? Join us in the walk that helps all moms and babies.

The money we raise for March for Babies will help:

...support all-important research offering preventions and solutions for babies born too soon or with birth defects

...educate women on things they can do to increase their chances of having a healthy baby

...provide comfort and information to families with a newborn in intensive care

...push for newborn screening and health insurance for all pregnant women and children.

Please click on the icon on the side of this blog or go to the link below to join our team or donate to our team. We will be having fun fundraisers at The Studio to raise money for the March.

Thanks for your support!

http://www.marchforbabies.org/s_team_page.asp?SeId=630300&si=

Exercise During Pregnancy Benefits Mother and Child

2009-01-09T17:54:00.000-08:00

This is a very interesting article about the benefits of pre-natal exercise on both mom and the baby.

http://www.naturalnews.com/025261.html

Urinary Incontinence: Kegel Exercises for Pelvic Muscles

2008-12-17T09:55:00.000-08:00

Kegels are very important for new and expectant mothers. Click here to read the WebMD article on Kegel Exercises or read below.

Urinary Incontinence: Kegel Exercises for Pelvic Muscles
Kegel exercises are one of the most effective ways of controlling urinary incontinence naturally.

Any woman who's had a baby has likely heard: remember your Kegels! The physician who invented these pelvic floor muscle exercises, Arnold Kegel, MD, first recommended them to his women patients who had just given birth and were leaking urine.

But Kegel exercises can help most women with urinary incontinence, regardless of cause or age. Kegel exercises aim to correct an underlying cause of urinary incontinence: the weakened pelvic floor muscles that can occur after childbirth or in overweight people. When the pelvic floor muscles are weak, urine can leak, especially if you have a form of urinary incontinence called stress incontinence. This is the type in which you leak urine when you laugh, cough, sneeze, or are engaged in physical activities such as jogging or sex. The value of improving urinary incontinence with Kegel exercises is now widely accepted.

Here's what you need to know:

Who can benefit from Kegel exercises? Anyone, at any age, who suffers urinary incontinence or leaks urine. While the exercise mainly helps those with stress urinary incontinence, it can also help those with another common type, urge incontinence, also called overactive bladder. With urge incontinence, you have a sudden urge to urinate and don't always make it to the bathroom. Men with urinary incontinence problems can do Kegel exercises, too.
How are Kegel exercises done? To exercise the pelvic floor muscle, pretend you are trying to stop the flow of urine. Pull in and squeeze those muscles. Hold the squeeze for about 10 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Try for three or four sets of 10 contractions every day.
How do Kegel exercises help? Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, an underlying cause of urinary stress incontinence. When these muscles are weak, it can cause you to leak urine.
When should I expect to see results from my Kegels? Just as it takes time to build your biceps and strengthen any other muscles, it takes time to strengthen muscles in the pelvic floor. Give the Kegel exercises six or even 12 weeks to work. And remember you must keep doing them, and you should do them daily.
When and where should I do Kegel exercises? The beauty of Kegels is that you can really do them just about anywhere, anytime. No one would know unless you tell them what you are doing. Try doing a few sets of Kegels when you are in your car, sitting at your desk, or watching TV. To be sure you are doing Kegels correctly, ask your doctor or the nurse to describe or demonstrate the proper form.
Do I need any equipment for Kegel exercises? Not for doing Kegels alone. But some doctors suggest you also use weighted cones as you do Kegel exercises. The idea is to insert these vaginal cones, available in various weights, and perform the Kegel exercises with the cones in place. You gradually increase the weight of the cone you insert. Sometimes, Kegel exercises are used in combination with biofeedback, a monitoring system that helps you gain control over bodily processes such as urinary control. And sometimes Kegels are done in combination with electrical stimulation, in which very brief doses stimulate muscles in the area. But you can choose to do Kegel exercises by themselves, with no equipment.
Are there any other benefits to Kegel exercises? Actually, yes. Kegel exercises aren't just good for improving urinary incontinence. The stronger your pelvic floor muscles, the more sexual pleasure you can expect. That was an accidental "side effect" discovered by Kegel. He heard back from his patients about these sexual benefits. The pelvic floor muscles contract more strongly during orgasm once they are strengthened.
WebMD Medical Reference

View Article Sources
SOURCES: American Academy of Family Physicians: "Urinary Incontinence: Kegel Exercises for Your Pelvic Muscles." National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: "Urinary Incontinence in Women." National Library of Medicine MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: "Urge Incontinence." WebMD Medical News: "Kegel Exercises Help Women With Urinary Incontinence." WebMD Medical News: "Kegel Exercises Ease Stress Incontinence." WebMD Health Guide: "Benefits of Kegel Exercises for Incontinence." WebMD Sex Matters: "What is a kegel and can it really help my sex life?

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD on December 19, 2007

Fit in DC on NBC 4

2008-12-10T12:49:00.000-08:00

I was featured on NBC 4 on Monday. Check it out!

http://www.nbcwashington.com/health/tips_info/Monkeysee__Monkey_Do___Holiday_Fitness_Tips_Washington_DC.html

How to Burn Calories Over the Holidays

2008-11-18T12:03:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Holiday parties will follow soon after. There is no need to wait until January 2 to start working on your health and fitness goals. Let's get a head start on those goals with a calorie burning circuit that you can do at home or at the gym. You just need 20 to thirty minutes to complete the circuit.

This workout can be modified so that anyone can do it, regardless of your fitness level. I would suggest doing this circuit 2-4 times per week.

Give it a try!

http://www.monkeysee.com/play/12165-burn-calories-over-the-holidays

The Studio

2008-09-16T09:52:00.000-07:00

Here are some "before" pictures of the studio.

The Hot Mama Fitness Studio Preview Day

2008-09-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

Hot Mama Fitness Studio is opening this month!
Specializing in pre-/post-natal fitness, Hot Mama is where busy moms go to get fit.

Don't miss our Preview Day Saturday, September 27! From 10a-4p, moms can sample free classes, workshops and enjoy activities with their children.

Regular classes begin Monday, Sept. 29. Sign up by Sept. 27 and save! Ask us about babysitting options.
The Studio is located at 4715 Cordell Ave., suite 200 Bethesda, MD 20814 (4 blocks from the Bethesda Metro station).

For more information, visit hotmamafitnessstudio.com or email info@hotmamafitnessstudio.com.

budokon

2008-08-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Last week I tried something new. I took a budokon class at Tranquil Space Yoga in DC. I had heard about this for at least a year now, and I have been meaning to try it out. When my friend Ewunike of Lotus Fitness had to leave town for a week, she let me go to class in her place. I figured, "Hey, it's free. Why not?" I am always looking to try something new anyway.

So you are probably wondering, what is budokon? It is a blend between martial arts and yoga. For a more elaborate definition, check out their website. It is quite honestly something that I find hard to put into words.

Budokon takes a lot of upper body strength, which was not a real problem for me. What was a real problem for me was the "choreography" of it. I seemed to be going in the wrong direction most of the time. It does not help that I no longer can differentiate right from left. :0 So I guess it was also a serious workout for my brain. Also, I was attending the final class in a series of four and it seemed like they were building upon what was taught in the other three classes. And I have absolutely zero martial arts background.

I must admit that I don't really know what the purpose of budokon is. Other than that it looks really cool. But you should try it out to see what you think. There are always workshops in town. Mimi, our instructor holds workshops in other locations in DC. Try it out and let me know what you think!

Loser Moms are back at it!

2008-08-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Loser Moms are back from the Blogher Conference in California and are ready to get back to their fitness routine.

Since it is a relatively nice day for August in DC, we worked out on the deck at City Fitness. The workout conisisted of a circuit of the following exercises:
-Wall Ball using a 6 pound ball (This was Sarah's first time doing wall ball)
-Rows using the TRX
-Hyperextensions on the ball
-Shuttle Run
-Crunches with the ab mat
-Pushups

Each exercise was done for one minute per round for three rounds with a one minute break between rounds.

They warmed up on the treadmill then did two sets up plank (Sarah did her first full minute of plank today! Yea!) and bridge. They cooled down with obliques and stretching.

Did I mention that Devra finally wore a pair of real tennis shoes that belong to her? I was so happy!

Now it is time to set new fitness goals!

Thanks to Jake Renner for his filming skills!

Olympic Moms

2008-08-05T12:14:00.000-07:00

Cookie Magazine has published a piece on Melanie Roach, Dara Torres and Lisa Leslie about how they are balancing motherhood and being Olympians. Mothers can do it all!

To read the article go to Cookie Magazine or click here.

Let other Hot Mamas know what you do to balance work, exercise and family. Simply click below to add a comment.

Mint Ice Cream Smoothie

2008-07-04T11:23:00.000-07:00

-1 whole avacado
-1/2 cup almond milk
-1/2 cup coconunt milk
-1/4 cup raw cacao nibs
-2 pinch stevia or 2 TBSP agave or raw honey
-1 handful spearmint leaves
-3 cups filtered water

Mix in blender.

Sources: Adapted from The Ultimate Smoothie Book by Cherie Calbom and Superfood Smoothies by Mike Adams and Kimberly Rush-Lynch of Cultivating Health.

Devra is Continuing to Lose

2008-07-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

Devra is working out solo this week. But she is working hard and continuing to lose and work towards her goals.

She learned a great new exercise called "Wall Ball" on Tuesday. She is also getting better at her lunges. She also did jump rope this week and realized that it is a lot harder now than it used to be as a kid. :) But it is a great way to add cardio intervals to your workout.

Next week, the girls prepare for their trip and will learn exercises that they can do anywhere!

Loser Mom's Workout

2008-06-26T05:17:00.000-07:00

Sarah is getting very strong! On Tuesday, she learned how to do hyperextensions which are great for strengthening the lower back. When most people think of the core, they think of the abdominal muscles only. But the muscles of the lower back help to comprise the core as well, and it is very important to make sure that these muscles are strong.

She is doing kettlebell squats instead of squats using the ball. That shows how strong she is getting!

Sarah also learned how to do dips on Tuesday, which strengthen the triceps. It is a great body-weight exercise.

I am looking forward to our workout today!

Workout #3 for Loser Mom

2008-06-09T04:48:00.001-07:00

Sarah worked out solo again on Thursday (June 5). She is doing a really good job and is really starting to get the hang of the exercises. Her muscle memory is really developing!

Spring Cleaning: An Adventure in Detoxing

2008-06-03T19:27:00.000-07:00

My client, Jenny, began her detox program last Friday. Follow her progress and help cheer her on at the Fit in DC Fitness Blog!

Workout #2 for Loser Mom

2008-06-03T19:19:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems like one Loser Mom (Sarah) is working hard and forging ahead, while Devra networks and sips martinis with famous people in NY. :)

In today's workout, Sarah learned how to do lunges. She also learned that jumping jacks are a lot harder in your 30s than in your 10s. But they are a great way to get your heart rate up.

She has been walking a lot and is wearing a pedometer.

Workout #3 is on Thursday!

Spring Cleaning for Health

2008-05-29T19:52:00.000-07:00

The Hot Mama Fitness Studio and Cultivating Health are sponsoring a workshop entitled "Spring Cleaning for Health". If you have ever been interested in cleanses or detoxes, this is a perfect workshop for you. For more information and to register, please see the Hot Mama Fitness Studio website.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Loser Mom's First Workout

2008-05-29T19:34:00.000-07:00

Today was Devra and Sarah's first real workout. They made it through with flying colors! We did our workout on the deck at City Fitness Gym because it was so beautiful today!!

We started off with plank and superman to strengthen the core. Then we moved on to ball squats, pushups, rows with the TRX and stepups (for cardio). I like to put one to two minutes intervals of cardio into workouts to make sure that clients are burning calories through the duration of the workout by keeping their heart rates elevated. We ended with some core work on the BOSU and stretching.

Check out more about the first workout on their blog: Loser Moms.

Hiking-A Wonderful Post-Natal Workout Alternative

2008-05-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for ways to add fun and exciting activities to your post-natal fitness regime, try going hiking. The DC area has wonderful opportunities near by for hiking. This past Saturday, I went to my favorite local hiking place: The Catoctin Mountains, which are located only an hour outside of DC.

Hiking is a great test of your cardiovascular (and muscular) endurance. You need good core strength to balance as you walk on logs and rocks to cross streams. (Or to keep you up right on rocky paths) You can also build muscular strength by climbing rocks.

You can even go hiking right in DC in Rock Creek Park. Or just take a nice walk on your neighborhood trails. You don't have to choose between doing cardiovascular workouts or strength workouts during you walk either. You can do strength building exercises along the way. For example, you can do dips and push-ups on park benches. You can do squats every time you pass a fire hydrant. Bring your resistance band along and you can do rows using light poles. The possibilies are endless!

Don't forget to bring lots of water and to stretch before and after.

So grab a friend, get outside and get fit!

Two New Hot Mamas!

2008-05-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

I am working with two new Hot Mamas this week, Devra and Sarah. Both are mothers that are looking to get back into shape.

I met with them for the first time on Thursday, May 22 at City Fitness Gym in Cleveland Park to conduct a fitness assessment. This is the first step in any personal training relationship. The fitness assessment starts off with us discussing each of their individual health histories (both are very healthy) and their long- and short-term fitness goals.

Then we moved on the the actual physical assessments which include:
A posture assessment on the treadmill
An over head squat (another posture assessment)
The pushup test
The situp test
Flexibility tests
The step test (for cardiovascular endurance)
and anatomical site measurements.

Everything went very well and they were still smiling when they left.

We are going to meet twice a week from now on. Check back to see how these Hot Mamas are doing and what they are doing to acheive their fitness goals!

You can follow their progress and cheer them on at Loser Moms!

Yoga Pose of the Week-Pigeon

2008-05-13T06:02:00.001-07:00

There is another pose that I would suggest doing every day during your pregnancy. (Actually I would suggest doing this pose every day for ever.) It is a wonderful pose for opening the hips. It also helps to alleviate or prevent those nasty sciatica pains.

To get into the pose:
1) Begin on all fours, with your knees directly below your hips, and your hands slightly ahead of your shoulders. Slide your right knee forward to the back of your right wrist; at the same time bring your right shin across your body on the floor. The outside of your right shin will now rest on the floor.

2) Slide your left leg back, straightening the knee and descending the front of the thigh to the floor. Lower the outside of your right buttock towards the floor. Place a blanket or pillow under the right buttock to stabilize the hips and keep them even. Push the left hip forward and the right hip back.

3) Walk your hands back toward the front shin and push your fingertips firmly to the floor. Lift your torso away from the thigh. Lengthen the lower back by pressing your tailbone down and forward.

4) To go deeper or to increase the stretch in the hips, you can walk your hands forward to extend the arms and rest your head on the mat or cross the arms to rest the your head on your forearms.

5) Hold the pose for as long as you feel comfortable, then switch sides.

Yoga Pose of the Week-Malasana

2008-05-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

We all know that it is very beneficial for mothers to practice yoga during pregnancy. If you only had time to do one pose every day, you should do Malasana or Garland Pose. This wonderful, yet challenging pose helps to open the hips while strengthening the legs. This is also a good way to pick things up from the floor or reach lower cabinets after a C-Section.

To get into the pose:
1) Stand with your feet about mat width apart with the toes turned out.

2) Lower into a squat. Make sure that your heels stay in contact with the floor. If that is not possible, place a blanket or folded mat under the heels.

3) Try to maintain a straight spine by rolling the shoulders back.

4) To go deeper or to increase the stretch in the hips, push your arms against your thighs while pushing your thighs back against your arms.

5) Hold the pose for as long as you feel comfortable, working up to one minute.

6) To release, inhale and straighten the legs.

10 Amazing Benefits of Prenatal Bellydance

2008-04-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

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The Hot Mama Fitness Studio will offer BirthDiva Pre-Natal Bellydance starting in June. Why would you want to bellydance during your pregnancy? Our instructor, Shayla, tells us why:

1. Bellydancing makes moms feel great about their bodies. You will learn to appreciate your curves and build your self-esteem.
2. Bellydancing can improve your flexibility.
3. Bellydancing can help ease the discomforts of pregnancy and labor.
4. Bellydancing can give you the endurance that you need for labor.
5. Bellydancing can tone and strengthen your leg muscles to prevent fatigue in while pushing.
6. Bellydancing can help encourage your baby to descend in labor.
7. Bellydancing is the perfect way to tap into your feminine energy.
8. Bellydancing can improve your core strength which will increase your balance.
9. Bellydancing can calm an active baby in the womb.
10. Bellydancing is FUN!

Sign up for classes now at www.hotmamafitnessstudio.com. We will see you at class!

Shaylah is a mother of four and the owner of BirthDiva, LLC. She offers natural childbirth classes (Bradley Method®), birth and postpartum doula services, and prenatal bellydance classes in the DC metropolitan areas. She can be reached at www.BirthDiva.com or 202-271-3240 .

Vionna’s Top Ten Reasons to Exercise During Your Pregnancy

2008-04-02T11:33:00.000-07:00

1) You will lower your risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension and gestational diabetes.

2) You will increase your upper body strength so you will be able to carry the baby, the car seat, the stroller, that cute baby bag your best friend bought you……

3) You are less likely to experience urinary incontinence and abdominal separation.

4) Exercise helps to reduce many of the discomforts of pregnancy including cramps, back pain, fatigue, nausea, varicose veins, swelling, and cramping.

5) Maternal weight gain and fat accumulation is reduced.

6) You can continue to improve your cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance.

7) Your energy levels will be much higher than non-exercising expectant mothers.

8) You will be able to maintain good posture and a positive body image.

9) You can meet other expectant mothers in pre-natal fitness classes.

10) You are likely to have an easier, shorter and less complicated
labor.

Massage Throughout Your Pregnancy

2008-03-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

For many of us a massage may only seem like a luxury, but when you are pregnant it often becomes a necessity. But still many people put it off until the last minute. While research shows that massage therapy can help women to have shorter more comfortable labors and quicker recoveries, a one-time session will not bring about the same benefits as multiple sessions throughout your pregnancy.
It is difficult to maintain balance during pregnancy. It seems like if it is not your hormones it is your ligaments. Massage can help to maintain posture, hormone levels and fluid levels in the body. It also can help to keep your organs functioning better.
While there are massage therapists that prefer to not work during the 1st trimester, there is no evidence to support that it should be avoided. But even with that caveat many women may not want to be massaged during this time. Frequent urination, morning sickness, breast tenderness and dizziness may make a full hour session uncomfortable. Your therapist can work with you to create a shorter session designed for stress and fatigue relief. Massage in the first trimester may also allow you a time to focus on yourself at the start of this new journey.
Massage during the second trimester is like “preventative maintenance” for what is to come. Your morning sickness is probably over, but your body is just beginning to shift. Massage can help to encourage deeper breathing and help alleviate back pain. You may find that constipation and/or heartburn are becoming an issue during this time. Massage can also help improve digestion.
During the third trimester massage will help to prepare the body for labor. It will help alleviate the pain caused by joint separation or ligament pain. Stress levels rise during the third trimester as it finally sinks in that you will have the baby and soon. Massage can help you relax and as in the first trimester give you time to focus on just yourself.
If you have a doula she will most likely perform some sort of labor massage to help with pain management and stress. If you do not have a doula taking a series of childbirth education classes and/or a workshop in labor massage for couples might not be a bad idea.
Massage therapy can be a wonderful compliment to a healthy pregnancy. If you have any questions about whether massage during pregnancy is appropriate for you, ask your birth care provider.

Janet Brown, LMT is the owner of Integrative Health Massage Therapy. She is the mother of a wonderful little boy who is her inspiration for her work. She is trained in pregnancy and fertility massage. She offers workshops in Pain Management for Labor and Infant Massage Classes.
http://jbrownlmt.bravehost.com

Zen Mama Classes Starting

2008-03-01T13:58:00.000-08:00

New Zen Mama Pre-Natal Yoga Classes will be starting in March in Bethesda!

For more information go to http://www.fitindc.com/zen_mama.php

If you would like to start a class in your neighborhood, please email us at info@fitindc.com.

Pre-natal Exercise Benefits for Baby

2008-02-23T18:23:00.000-08:00

Rest assured, you will not be the only one benefi ting from your exercise routine. Your baby will, of course, be benefiting too.

Dr. Clapp also studied the effects of prenatal exercise on babies and found that expectant mothers who exercise have “tougher” babies. The stresses of late pregnancy and labor do not produce as many warning signs in the babies of exercising mothers. They are also lighter and leaner, with no signs of growth retardation. “Exercising” babies have also shown that they respond better to
their environments after birth, and are more likely to develop a selfsoothing
instinct, perhaps hastening a baby’s ability to sleep through the night.

Pregnancy and motherhood are life-changing events that are filled with highs and lows, good days and bad days. By exercising during pregnancy, expectant women can
begin the new chapter in their lives with optimism and a sense of doing what is best for themselves and for their babies. With such an auspicious beginning, the best is yet to come!

Pre-natal Exercise Benefits for Mom

2008-02-02T18:28:00.001-08:00

We all have known women who have complained about aches and pains they experienced during their pregnancies. Although pregnancy requires the female body to undergo
major physical changes, regular and sustained exercise is the secret to alleviating many of the discomforts and health conditions that accompany a pregnancy.

Women who exercise throughout the nine months are able to maintain and often improve their cardiovascular fi tness levels, as well as increase muscular strength and endurance. Balance, coordination and posture are problems for most pregnant women. However, women who exercise tend to experience these problems to a lesser degree than their non-exercising counterparts.

Maternal weight gain and fat accumulation is also reduced in exercising women. Studies conducted by Dr. James F. Clapp III, a leading authority on the effects of
exercise on pregnancy, have shown that pregnant women who exercise at least three hours per week over the duration of their pregnancies gain an average of eight pounds
less, and their body fat percentages increase three percent less than nonexercising
women. The end result is that, through exercise, women can maintain a leaner appearance while pregnant—a boost to most expectant mothers’ body image!

Pregnant women often complain of having problems with varicose veins, back pain, leg cramps, swelling, constipation, nausea,insomnia, anxiety, depression and incontinence. Imagine a pregnancy free of such discomforts! Exercise can help. In fact, exercising helps to reduce the incidence of pregnancy-induced hypertension and
gestational diabetes, too.

Women who continue regular weight-bearing exercise throughout their pregnancy tend to have easier,shorter and less complicated labors. Dr. Clapp’s studies have shown that exercising women have a 35 percent decrease in the need for pain relief during labor, a 55 percent decrease in the need for an episiotomy and a 50 percent decrease in the need to induce labor. Also, among women who have vaginal births, the length
of labor was shorter.

Exercising women also tend to have more positive attitudes, higher energy levels and lower incidences of colds and flu. Plus, most of these women are able to return to their prepregnancy weight within a year.

It is important to note that women are more likely to achieve the above benefits if they are able to continue their exercise program throughout the duration of their
pregnancy.

How Often Should I Exercise?

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In order to take advantage of all of the benefi ts that prenatal exercise can bestow, it is important to make exercise a regular part of your life. Aerobic activity should be performed three to six days per week, while strength training should be done two to three days per week.

However, remember that your rest days are just as important. You need to give yourself one day off each week from aerobic activity, no matter how great you are feeling. This will prevent fatigue. Also, you should perform your strength training exercises on non-consecutive days. For example, if you do a full body workout on Monday, you should not repeat these exercises until Wednesday. If you only do upper
body exercises on Monday, you can do lower body exercises on Tuesday.

Stretching can (and should)be done every day.

You will also want to practice the concept of “rest/activity cycling” when one hour of quiet time is set aside for every hour of exercise performed in one day. This also helps prevent fatigue.

What If I Have Never Exercised Before?

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Don’t worry too much if you haven’t exercised much before becoming pregnant. As long as you have your doctor’s consent, even women completely unfamiliar with exercise can start an appropriate program after becoming pregnant. The first step is to
find one aerobic activity you enjoy doing. Walking,either outside or indoors on the
treadmill, is always a good place to start. Other activities include swimming,indoor or outdoor cycling,stair climbing, low impact aerobics or using an elliptical machine.

By choosing one main activity and one back-up activity, boredom from a regular routine will become less of a factor. Your back-up activity can also be used as a substitute if your main activity becomes uncomfortable later into your pregnancy.

Once you have chosen your exercise activities, remember to do not too much too soon. For the first week, begin with 15-20 minutes per day. As you become more comfortable, add five minutes each week until you are doing at least 30 minutes each day.

Actually, aerobic activity is only one-third of the exercise equation. Strength training is also important. You will want to perform strengthening exercises for all of the major muscle groups of your body, focusing especially on the abdominal, hip and pelvic muscles since these will be used primarily during labor and delivery.

The final, but very important, part of any workout equation is stretching. Many people do not view stretching as integral to their workout regimens, and will stretch
only if they have time. When you come to the end of your workout, stretch all of the muscle groups that you have used. You will reduce soreness, increase fl exibility and help prevent future injuries. For more stress reduction and focus on flexibility,
try incorporating a prenatal yoga class into your routine once or twice a week.

Who Should Exercise?

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with the American College of Sports Medicine,recommend that 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise should be performed on most, if not all, days of the week. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists suggest that pregnant women also adopt this recommendation. However,consulting your physician before performing any exercise is very important. Even for those women on bed rest during pregnancy, performing low impact upper body, abdominal and pelvic exercises is often permissible. Your physician will let you know if you have conditions that would contraindicate exercise.

Some of these include:
• Heart disease
• Lung disease
• An incompetent cervix (i.e., the cervix is too weak to remain closed during pregnancy)
• Carrying multiple babies that may be delivered early
• Persistent second or third trimester bleeding
• Placenta previa (a condition caused by the placenta covering the cervix)
• Premature labor during the current pregnancy
• Ruptured membranes
• Pregnancy-induced hypertension

If none of the above apply to you, get ready to begin exercising!

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Pre-Natal Fitness

2008-01-03T07:36:00.000-08:00

So you are expecting a new addition to your family? Congratulations!

The next nine months will be filled with excitement, anticipation and a wide variety of decisions. In between choosing a pediatrician and deciding what color to paint the baby’s room, make sure you set aside time to get your body ready for labor, delivery and the demands of motherhood.

Gone are the days of spending a pregnancy in front of the television with a bowl of ice cream. Now, more than ever, expectant mothers are taking control of their pregnancies with the help of exercise.

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