It's a Wrap!

Yesterday, we held one last FITMOM class before the holidays. I provided the space and volunteered my time. In return, all of the FITMOMs that attended were asked to bring a donation to the food bank.

Of course it was terrific to see so many women one last time before the holidays. It was even better to see them work so hard!

But the best thing about yesterday was getting home and realizing just how generous these women are! I took a moment to put our food bank donation together and was touched by just how much 19 women donated. Thank you for your generosity, thank you for your good will, and most of all thank you for being such a special part of my FITMOM family!

10 Tips for Healthy Living over the Holidays

It's official! The holiday party season is upon us. Family calendars are filling up with lunch dates, open houses, potlucks and holiday parties to deck the halls and celebrate. The holidays can be a busy and stressful time of year, so here are a few tips to keep you feeling fit and fabulous over the festive season!

Get Moving. Not only will staying active help you burn off those extra calories consumed at parties, it will also help you feel less stressed about the holidays.

Eat. Having a snack before you leave for a party will help you resist the temptation to over indulge. Try fruit, soup or veggies with hummus to curb those hunger pains.

Choose your Course. If you crave something sweet at the end of a meal, then try not to overload your plate with appetizers or your main meal. Save room!

Satisfied. Not stuffed. The only thing at the table that should be stuffed is the turkey! Moderation is the key...

Beware of Holiday Cheer. Alcohol is laden with sugar. When trying to curb additional weight gain over the holidays, pay close attention to those sneaky calories in your drinks. One glass of wine can pack up to 130 calories!

Non-alcoholic Drinks can also Pack a Punch. A specialty coffee can have up to 300 calories. Think twice before loading up on these sweet treats. Or ask to hold the whipped cream.

Refocus. Instead of concentrating on baking holiday treats with the kids, take the opportunity to make crafts, wreaths and holiday decorations. You can also get out the board games to keep you entertained!

Bring it. When you're asked to contribute to a pot-luck dinner, be sure your offering is healthy and tasty.

Portion Control. Choose a smaller plate and resist the urge to pile it up. Take the time to enjoy the flavours of the season. Stop and chew - it will make you feel satisfied and full more quickly.

Relax! Enjoy and have fun! The holidays are about spending time with the people you love!

Happy Holidays from my family to yours!

Is my Baby Ready to try Solid Foods?

A Guest Post by TummyThyme...

Just when you get into the rhythm of breastfeeding or preparing bottles, it seems like it is time to move onto the next phase of feeding your baby. You may hear conflicting advice about when you should start solids. Health Canada and the World Health Organization recommend six months of exclusive breastfeeding before solids are introduced. Meanwhile, many of our clients are telling us that their doctors gave the green light to start solids at four months. So what are you to do?

Rather than simply referring to the calendar to see how old your baby is, it is important to consider what they can do. Is your baby showing signs of readiness for feeding? Some signs include:

• The ability to sit well with support
• Good head and neck control
• An interest in food and eating
• The ability to indicate “no” (usually by shutting mouth closed or turning head away)

For most babies, this will occur around six months, though some babies may be ready a little earlier and some a little later. Starting solids before your baby is ready can be potentially dangerous since there is an increased risk of choking. Furthermore, starting solids too early can make your child uncomfortable about moving forward with eating. On the other hand, delaying solids much beyond six months can lead to iron deficiency since that is about when your baby’s iron stores are becoming depleted.

Once you feel comfortable that all the signs of readiness are in place, your baby is ready to try some food! By following your baby’s cues about when to start solids, instead of just following the calendar, you are starting them off with a responsive and respectful feeding relationship. This will go a long way in building trust with your child and promoting a healthy relationship towards food and eating.

TummyThyme owners, Brandy and Melanie, are Registered Dieticians committed to helping parents increase their confidence, knowledge and skills to easily provide whole, healthy foods for their families. They are your one stop nutrition resource for you and your child... from belly to baby to child. They offer workshops, small group sessions and private consultations. For more information, please visit www.tummythyme.com.

A Mommy Minute

Synonyms for Mother: Parent, Source, Attend, Nurse, Nurture, Protect, Provide for, Accommodate, Nourish, Oblige, Raise, Rear, Shelter, Sustain.

Being a mother is all encompassing. We can feel lost and found, overwhelmed and pulled together, all at the same time. Some days are easier and better than others. At FITMOM, we encourage our mothers to take the road of motherhood one day at a time. Yet, we know that sometimes, even one day at a time can be hard. So, if and when you are feeling overwhelmed, here are ten sanity savers. Pick one and try it for 1 minute to help you get grounded.

Meditate:  This is not a word that we should be afraid of. People who practice meditation are engaged in thoughtless awareness and are present in the moment. If meditation is new to you, try a mantra instead. We like "This too shall pass" or "I can handle this". Repeat these words for one minute.

Self-massage with a tennis ball: Use a tennis ball to apply pressure to any areas of your body that need a little TLC. Roll the ball on your legs, in between your shoulder blades or on the bottom of your feet. Repeat for one minute. 

Engage in a venting session: Call a friend on the phone and engage in a one minute vent session. Be prepared to reciprocate the next time she needs to unload her concerns and frustrations. 

Dance party: What's your guilty pleasure song? Put it on, turn up the volume and dance like no one (except maybe your baby), is watching. Repeat for as many one minute segments as you need. We had a dance party while we wrote this list!

Laughing: A good hearty laugh is a wonderful release of tension. Check out this guy... if you are not laughing now, then watch it again! It only takes about one minute.

Hug someone: Hugs release oxytocin, the hormone of love. A good hug can help you feel calm and connected, especially if you are getting a hug from someone you love, like your baby, child or partner. Stay in the hug for one minute and notice how you feel afterwards. 

Enjoy a stretch: Tight chest muscles are a common complaint amongst new moms. Start with a few shoulder rolls and then stand with your right hip against a wall and stretch your arm behind you. Pair this stretch with some deep breathing and feel your chest muscles release. Hold for 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side, for a total of one minute.

Focus on breathing: Deep breathing helps to calm and relax your central nervous system (fight or flight response). Tension and anxiety is released on the exhale. Breathe in through your nose and imagine your belly as a water pitcher. Fill it will air from the bottom to the top. Exhale with a sigh as you slowly empty your pitcher. Do this for one minute.

Self affirmation: Tell yourself that you are are great. Tell yourself that you are doing a great job. Say it loud and say it proud for one minute! We think this young lady does it well! 

Gratitude: Be thankful. Gratitude allows you to adjust your focus. Instead of focusing on what you're lacking, shift your focus to embrace all that you have for one minute. Gratitude helps to put thing into perspective. Count your blessings, you have many.

Mothering the Mother 101: FITMOM's Best Practices when Visiting a Mom with a New Baby

There's nothing like the birth of a new baby: little fingers, tiny toes and the insanely addictive smell of a newborn. Well intending family members, friends and colleagues will jump at the chance to visit and meet your new bundle of joy.

In the early days and weeks after birth (even an uncomplicated, vaginal birth), a new mom is running on fumes and adrenaline. For many, the very act of sitting can be painful and uncomfortable for a few weeks. All women experience some swelling and discomfort following a vaginal birth, especially if she's recovering from an episiotomy or an assisted birth (vacuum or forceps). A once routine visit to the washroom to pee can be a major event. Add in some swollen and tender breasts (as she tries to learn to breastfeed) and sleep deprivation, receiving visitors can easily put her over the edge.

New mom care is essential to newborn care. How we care for a new mom in the early days can impact the short and long term health of both the mother & baby, the health of other children and the health of our community overall.

At FITMOM, we really love and appreciate the approach and care of new moms in the Asian culture, where new moms are cared for by others for 30 days after they have given birth. Others in her community will manage the daily chores, including cooking, cleaning and caring for older children, during this time, allowing her to rest and nourish herself and her baby without having to worry about the burden of a daily routine. Unfortunately, this communal child rearing philosophy has been almost completely abandoned in North American culture and has been replaced with the "taking care of me" philosophy, leaving new moms often alone and isolated.

So, using this philosophy, here are FITMOM's best practices for family and friends who are interested in visiting you and your new bundle in the early days and weeks:

1. A new mother should never be expected to entertain you. She should not be making tea, offering a drink or making you a meal. For many new moms, hosting of any kind may be too much. Instead, message her and offer meals that you can drop off. Better yet, just drop off a meal and let her know it's at the door (do not stay unless asked!). You can also offer to run errands for her, cook a meal, clean her house, do her laundry or take the baby for a walk so she can have a nap.
2. A new mom may not have the energy to hold a conversation, make small talk, hear about your day or just "shoot the shit". Small talk, even with a BFF, can be incredibly draining in the early days. A new mom should not have to "be polite" because you are in her space, needing to engage.
3. A new mother should never have to answer the door to an unannounced, drop by visitor. EVER. If you are given the green light to visit, please refrain from bringing strangers, acquaintances or anyone else with you that she barely knows. Her nipples may be bleeding and sore and she just needs a safe space to figure it all out.
4. Please do not show up to visit with other friends or children in tow unless SHE REQUESTS THIS.
5. Do not offer unsolicited advice. Offer support and help instead.
6. A new mom should never have to receive unsolicited comments about her baby's feeding schedule, including how much the baby's eating and how often. If she's already worried about this, asking will make her feel worse. 
7. Please return the baby to her mother as soon as you are asked. If a baby is crying or distressed, she can easily be calmed by her mother. It often stresses both mom and baby to be separated. Let the new parents figure out what their baby's cries mean.

Other ways you can offer support:

• Providing childcare for older children
• Doing laundry
• Helping with chores around the house
• Rocking or holding baby, if requested
• Walking the dog
• Changing bedding
• Shopping for groceries
• Listening 
• Letting mom cry
• Listening some more
• Asking mom what she needs

These tips will go a long way in helping to ensure that a new mom and her baby are off to the best start possible.

My first few moments as a brand new mom

FITMOM2B... Why it's your preferred Prental Fitness Class in Ottawa!

You're pregnant! Congratulations! Now you're probably wondering what you can do to give your baby the healthiest start you can?

Regular exercise is one of the best ways to take care of your body during pregnancy and beyond! Not only will it help relieve the common aches and pains that many women experience during pregnancy, it can help reduce the likelihood of experiencing some pregnancy related complications such as Gestational Diabetes or Pregnancy Induced Hypertension. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada recommends that all women without contraindications (complications as a result of pregnancy) engage in regular aerobic, strength and resistance training as part of a healthy pregnancy.

If you're still not certain, here are our favourite reasons to join a prenatal fitness class during your pregnancy:

1. Strengthen Your Body: During pregnancy, your body releases the hormone relaxin. Relaxin not only helps to prepare your body for labour, but it also makes your joints unstable. Our FITMOM2B prenatal fitness class incorporates strength training to improve your muscular balance and helping to prevent injuries that may arise in the late stages of pregnancy.

2. Adapted Circuit Training: Our FITMOM 2B class often includes circuits to help our pregnant mamas train their cardiovascular system, preparing them for the endurance of labour. Don't be afraid of the idea of circuit training during pregnancy! Have a peek at this video clip to see some of the things we might do.

3. Program Flexibility: Exercise during pregnancy is encouraged at anytime during your pregnancy. So, if you have already been active prior to becoming pregnant, you should continue to do so! Even if you haven't been very active before your pregnancy, you can still start now! The new guidelines encourage regular physical activity, including resistance training during any pregnancy where there are no contraindications. Our FITMOM2B program allows for women to begin classes at any time during her pregnancy. We offer modifications for all fitness levels and stages of pregnancy, so that you may work out at your own pace to build up stamina and strength as you progress through the program.

4. Exercising Safely: Advice not to train your abdominal muscles during pregnancy is one of the biggest prenatal exercise myths still around today. But don't listen to it, because it's not true! In fact, your abdominals are one of the top five muscle groups you should focus on strengthening during pregnancy, since they assist your uterus during the pushing phase of labour. The stronger they are, the more effective you will be when you are working to push your baby out. Some women experience a separation of their abdominal muscles during pregnancy, called diastasis recti. If this condition is present, you will need to modify the type of abdominal training you do. In some cases, you may need to abstain from abdominal work altogether, so it's important that you work with a fitness professional who is aware of this condition and has the knowledge to train pregnant women safely. Also remember that if you have weak core muscles, you are more likely to experience pelvic floor weakness or dysfunction in the short and long term. More great reasons to join a prenatal fitness class!

5. Preparing for Labour and Delivery: Women who are active and exercise regularly are better equipped to handle the physical demands of labour. For example, if you go into labour with no energy, you may find labour very tiring and painful, increasing the likelihood of an epidural. While it's completely acceptable for an epidural to be part of your birth plan, research shows that the earlier an epidural is introduced, the more likely it is that you may be subject to other interventions such as labour inducing drugs, restriction of movement and continual fetal monitoring, assisted vaginal delivery and cesarean birth. However, if you go into labour with more energy and a strong body, you will find it easier to walk, stand, lunge, squat and sway using gravity friendly and upright positions, helping the baby descend into the birth canal. This can result in a shorter labour since you will have the strength and stamina to help you cope.

Registration for FITMOM2B classes in Ottawa is ongoing, so you can register at a time that suits you. Join the motherhood, meet other women in your community and get fit & strong with your baby! For more information, please feel free to visit our website. We look forward to meeting you at a FITMOM class!

Rehab for your Post Baby Body

Lots of new moms ask what exercises are safe to do shortly after giving birth to their baby. So, earlier this week, Jules (from Fitness with Jules) and I got together to show you two of our favourite post birth moves. We hope these help you feel a little more like yourself in the first few post-partum weeks! And we extend a big congratulations on the birth of your baby!

Post by Jules Hilliker.

The Elusive Sleep...

zzz... Getting More of the All Elusive Sleep as a New Mom!

The other night, I stayed up far later than normal to watch a movie that, if I'd thought about it much, was not really worthy of losing sleep over. Clearly, I wasn't thinking about getting through Sunday morning bootcamp when I was stretching my bedtime! The workout turned out to be far more difficult than it should have been if I'd gone to bed at the proper time.

I come from a family of women who complain about being tired ALL THE TIME, no matter how much sleep we've had. My mother, my grandmother, my aunts, my sisters, me. Over the years, I've found I feel a little less tired when I'm exercising regularly. This was especially true in my blurry sleep deprived years of babies and young children.

When you don't get enough sleep:

1. Your muscle tissue takes longer to repair since you're getting less of the deep sleep required to deliver the appropriate amount of oxygen and nutrients to heal your muscles.
2. Your energy levels are lower since your body isn't functioning optimally.
3. Your midsection holds more fat around it due to higher levels of the stress hormone, cortisol.
4. Your cognitive and emotional facilities can become compromised.
5. Your desire to be intimate with your partner is lessened.

After you've had your baby, there are a few things you can do to help:

1. Sleep when your baby sleeps. Wasn't this the first piece of unsolicited advice you received as soon as you announced you were pregnant? It sounds annoying, but it can be very helpful for new moms.
2. Commit to a regular exercise routine. It helps you fall asleep faster and helps create smoother transitions between your normal sleep/wake cycles in the night, meaning you won't wake up as easily in the night.
3. Restrict caffeine. This may seem counterintuitive when you're so tired, but it truly helps! Remember that there's caffeine in many drinks and foods that we forget about - tea, chocolate, soft drinks and coffee flavoured foods, such as yogurt and ice cream, to name a few. Too much caffeine can wreck havoc on your sleep at night.
4. Go to bed earlier than you normally would - even half an hour earlier can make a difference.

For me, not getting enough sleep on any given night means I'm irritable the next day (which impacts others!). It means that I'm really tired and generally quite unproductive. It means that I feel like I have no energy to exercise and I'll likely talk myself out of it every time. It means I hit the mid-afternoon slump hard. If it goes on for more than a night and it's combined with stress, it means I'll suffer from headaches that I can't get rid of until I actually sleep them off.

In my pre-children days, my greatest worry about having kids was not getting enough sleep. Of course, it happened, but I was surprised at how well I managed during those early years, by implementing some of the suggestions above. Even today, when my kids are great sleepers (lots of sleep training FINALLY paid off!), I still employ many of the same strategies to get enough sleep, as I prefer the feeling of being awake and alert and not sleepy and unproductive (don't we all!). Which means I rarely stay up half the night reading a good book or watching a not so great movie... Well, maybe I do it sometimes!

Do what you Love...

Yesterday, my daughter came 4th in the 100 metre race at her School Board track meet. When she ran her first heat, she gave it just enough to come second and advance to the semi-finals. But after the morning race, she started hoping for a rain cancellation so that she wouldn't have to run again. Based on her ambivalence about that whole thing, I'll admit that I didn't expect her to make it into the finals. She surprised me and came first in her semi-final heat to advance easily to the finals. In the finals, she made me proud. She raced hard and earned a fourth place ribbon.

Having been a 100 m and 200 m runner throughout my school years, I was excited to see her taking an interest in running early on. She's a naturally fast runner and could do very well at sprinting or at short cross country (and has done well every time she's competed). But, she's not fond of running at all. In fact, where I liked the individual sports, she much prefers to play team sports. Funny, I can't understand the point of chasing a ball around and neither of my kids can see the point of running or biking with no end goal. Even in a race. They've grown up watching their parents (mostly their dad!) run in races, but they still can't figure out why someone would WANT to run in a race.

So, while my daughter seemed to appease my plea (and apparently one from a number of her school mates and teachers) to run at the track meet, she really wasn't that happy to be there and kept hoping that it would be cancelled due to rain (not a chance!).

When it comes to team sports, though, in over 8 years of shuttling kids to games and practices, I can count on one hand the number of times I've heard complaints from either of my kids, saying they don't want to go to said sport. I've heard them sometimes mention that they're not excited to go (usually, power skating or dryland training), but they don't ever put up a fuss and they're generally ready on time to leave. I count myself lucky. So, instead of trying to get them to do something they clearly don't want to do, we've tried to encourage them to do the things they enjoy doing. The reward? It's always a treat to see your child on the field/ice/court playing a sport they love. You can see it in the way they move and the way they play. But most of all, you can see it in the smile on their face.

As adults, when we think about fitness, keeping healthy and staying in shape, I think we need to follow a similar philosophy. What do you love doing? Whatever it is, it's time to just do it.

Ever Wonder What A FITMOM Stroller Strength Class is All About?

It's spring! Which means it's time to start exercising outside! We're so lucky to have great parks in Ottawa for our workouts. All of the FITMOM and FITWOMAN Classes started outdoors this week. We had just about the most perfect day for our first outdoor classes!

If you've just had a baby and are wondering what a FITMOM Stroller Strength Class entails, have a peek at the video.

FITMOM classes are designed for all levels of fitness, from beginner to athlete. For more information please see our website at www.fitmomottawa.com or email info@fitmomottawa.com

We're looking forward to meeting you!

Time Stands Still

As I wrapped up my last class before the March break, two of the moms in that class mentioned the dreaded "I'm going back to work" phrase. It'a a bit of a sad phrase to me, because it means I won't get to see their babies every week anymore.

In my job, I have the pleasure of meeting many moms either during their pregnancy or at the beginning of their mat leaves. They remind me of my own time on mat leave - a time I enjoyed immensely and cherish to this day. And now I am in the same position as the trainers I met on my leave, that led Strollercise and encouraged me to do things I would never have done before. I learned about push ups, tricep dips and how to do a proper lunge while walking with a stroller. I learned how to pull my belly button into my spine so that I could engage my core. I learned I could run a half marathon, even though I had never run more than 5 km before. And I learned that with a little hard work, I could get back into my pre-pregnancy clothes and feel good about my post-baby body. The best part though... was that I made many very special friends during that time in my life.

These days, I spend nearly a year with many moms and their babies. I watch their babies grow into little people who can move around, interact with me and most of all, smile or laugh at me. And I watch their mamas shrink back to their pre-preganancy bodies, gaining muscle, strength and stamina along the way.

But after about a year (give or take), most maternity leaves comes to an end. The babies that I've seen growing up before my eyes, go off to daycare and their moms come and workout in the evenings without their wee ones (and I love that I still get to see those moms!).

For me, though, Time Stands Still. Those wonderful babies in my classes are forever etched in my mind as babies. The first babies in my FITMOM and Baby classes (after I took over FITMOM in 2010) are coming close to their fourth birthdays! They will start school this September! And their moms are probably wondering where the time has gone. Time flies, but it also stands still. To me, they will always be the babies that I was lucky enough to hang out with nearly every week for the first year of their life.

Looking at those faces, who wouldn't consider me lucky? Thanks for all of the snuggles over the years:)

Tips for Getting Fit After Baby

Losing weight and getting back into shape after giving birth can often seem like a daunting task. We never really know where to begin and are often overwhelmed with choices that are all touted as being "the best" way to shed those unwanted pounds. The reality is that the gimmicks and tricks to increase weight loss in a short period of time are not sustainable and do not actually get to the root of the problem (inactivity and over-consumption).

So, what's the answer? How are you supposed to get back into those jeans? The hard truth is that a combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise are the only way one can achieve healthy weight loss and maintain it over a lifetime.

So, as you begin your journey to becoming a FITMOM, here's the "skinny" to help you ensure success:

3500 calories is equal to 1lb of fat. There are only 2 ways to "kill the fat": reduce the consumption of extra calories OR increase activity levels.

Meeting with a nutritionist or dietician can help you put together a healthy meal plan that will meet your daily dietary needs and assist you with your weight loss goals.

Blast Belly Fat. Sorry, but you just can't target your weight loss to a specific body part or region. Why? Fat cells are found all over the body and unfortunately, you can never know which ones will be broken down to provide you with the energy you need to complete a physical activity.

Leg, Bums and Tums. For most women, these are the top 3 areas we seek to improve. Why does it take so long? There are certain hormones that are produced in our body that actually inhibit the breakdown of fat cells from those specific regions. To help improve these areas, a combination of cardio and strength training will help increase muscle mass, decrease fat, tighten and tone.

Set a goal and make it SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely). For example, To improve my core strength, I will perform The Plank 5 times per day and hold it each time for 45 seconds.

Build exercise into your daily activities. To achieve any weight loss goals you can expect to work out up to 1 hour at least 4 times per week. This may seem like a lot, so start by exercising for 15 minutes every day, then increase your sessions by 5-10 minutes every week until you are up to 1 hour of physical activity. Always increase TIME and then INTENSITY.

You don't have to have had a baby in the last year for these tips to work! I've seen so many FITMOM transformations in the past 4 years. These are women who work hard and see changes slowly, but consistently over time. You can do it, too!

Get Your Baby Involved in your Workout!

It's been soooo cold out for the past few weeks, that it's hard to go anywhere without bundling up! If you have a baby, there's always a worry that she might get too cold in this weather. Or, sometimes you have a toddler at home with you as well and getting out of the house with a baby and toddler feels a bit like running a marathon.

If you're feeling couped up, I've put together a few exercises that you can do at home with your baby. Don't forget to warm up your body first... You should do some full body movements (running on the spot, walking/running up the stairs, arm circles, shoulder rolls) to get your blood flowing and to prepare your body for a workout with your wee one.

Aim to complete each exercise for 30 to 60 seconds and then start at the beginning and repeat a second or third time.


1. Squats with Baby

Using a baby carrier or just holding your baby, you can squat up and down. With your feet shoulder width apart, be sure to sit back, like you're reaching for a chair that's behind you. Keep your weight on your heels, so that your knees don't go over your toes and pull your belly button into your spine to keep your core stabilized. Inhale as you go into your squat, exhale as you come back to standing.


2. Triceps & Shoulders

You can face your baby towards or away from you for this one. Hold her under both arms and beginning at your chest height, lift her up towards your ceiling. Inhale as you lift, exhale as you come back down to chest height. In this same position at chest height, you can also extend your arms forward, staying at chest height, so that they are straight (but with loose elbows) and then bring them back into your chest. Alternate between these two moves to work both your shoulders and your triceps.




3. Baby Lifts (aka Deadlifts)

Holding your baby either facing you and supporting their head or facing out, stand with your feet a little more than shoulder width apart. With a nice flat back and open chest, inhale and hinge forward at your hips until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Keep your back flat, shoulders back (waaayy back!) and belly button pulled in towards your spine. Exhale and use your core to bring you back to standing position. You should feel this in your lower back and hamstrings.

4. Wall Sit with Baby

Find a wall where you can sit with your legs at 90 degrees, making sure that your knees do not go over your toes. Remember to pull your belling button into your spine and push your back flat against the wall. You can hold your baby on your lap to increase the difficulty or you can use him to do chest presses while you're sitting.





5. Kiss your Baby Pushups

With your baby lying on her back and you in pushup position, inhale as you lower your body down to give your baby a kiss and exhale as you push your body back up. Remember to pull your belly button in towards your spine, keep your back flat, lead with your chest and keep your head in line with your spine. Modify to your knees, if you need to.

6. Hamstring Curls with Baby

Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and heel close to your glutes. Place your baby on your pelvis or use him to do chest presses while you lift your hips up towards the ceiling, squeezing your glutes. Lower your hips until they graze the ground and squeeze them back up again. Repeat lifting and lowering for the allocated time.

7. Front Plank

Resting on your forearms and toes, pull your belly button into your spine and keep your back flat. If you have trouble holding your belly button in towards your spine, lower to your knees. Push your elbows into the floor to help engage your core even more. Increase the level of difficulty by lifting one foot off the floor. To pass the time, try to make your baby laugh.



Complete your workout with a full body stretch and remember to drink lots of water during and after it!

If you're new to exercise or haven't been at it for a while, please remember to consult with your physician before you begin a new fitness routine.

Enjoy!

2013 - A Year in Review

Happy New Year!

We rang in 2014 quietly on a plane bound for home. When I was booking flights, I was so focused on the routing and layovers, that I completely missed that our flight would leave at 12:35 am (not pm!). This meant that instead of celebrating the New Year with friends in Cape Town, we were at the airport boarding our flight home! But we had a great three weeks with them and sometimes these things happen. I'll know better for next time!

Since arriving home, our whole family has been struggling to overcome the 7 hour time difference, but the early mornings have given me some time to reflect on what a great year 2013 was, both personally and professionally.

2013 marked my third year running FITMOM Ottawa and the eighth year FITMOM has been offering classes in Ottawa. It seems like so long ago that I was working in the corporate world and attending FITWOMAN classes once a week! After three years, I can't even imagine a life that doesn't include FITMOM.

While I have certainly had the full supported of my family, none of this has been possible without the support of all of my clients. In just three years, I've worked with nearly 500 women! Some women (who I now call my friends!) have been coming to FITMOM since I taught my very first class in 2010. I've seen many women who began in FITMOM 2B, brought their babies to FITMOM and Baby and are now back at work and attending the FITWOMAN evening classes. But one of the best things to happen this year was to have a number of moms repeat the FITMOM 2B class with their second baby! They've come full circle and I'm just as happy to be an integral part of their health and wellness plans during their second pregnancy.

I thank all of you for not only choosing FITMOM Ottawa but for also telling all of your friends about our great programs!

I have also been supported by a number of women who help me teach some of the FITMOM classes. Lindsay is our regular FITWOMAN teacher on Monday nights. Having her teach this class allows me to continue playing volleyball once a week on a team I've played with for over 15 years, which I truly appreciate. FITMOM policies are flexible to allow moms to miss a class once in a while and on occasion, I also need to miss a class! I've been very lucky to rely on Marie, Laurie, Jules, Pamela and Kim over the years to help me out. Thanks to all of you for helping to make FITMOM Ottawa a success!

Also in 2013, FITMOM embarked on a journey to update our web presence across the country, which included a new website for FITMOM Ottawa, a complete overhaul of the FITMOM Canada website and an updated FITMOM logo.

Now, whenever you see our logo, you can be assured that you are experiencing the highest quality pre and post natal fitness programs and are designed to support you during your pregnancy and post partum experience. Under the guidance of our founder, Andrea Page, FITMOM continues to be the leader in prenatal and post natal fitness.

Personally, 2013 began with a bit of a rocky start - my son broke his arm just before Christmas! While he wasn't happy about laying low for a few months, it was a bit of a blessing for the rest of us, as our schedule wasn't quite as hectic!

Early in the year, as some of you know, I had a few issues with my hips and it made running painful and difficult. Since it wasn't debilitating or preventing me from doing anything else, I put off seeing someone about it. Finally, I took the plunge and had active release therapy (on both hips!) and am slowly getting back to running. In the fall, our family decided to participate in the 5K Colour Me Rad run in Gatineau. My sister and niece joined us and we had a blast (no pun intended!). We will definitely do the race again in 2014!

Finally, over the past 18 months, we've been planning a huge trip to Africa to visit our friends that were posted there in mid-2012. After months of emails, spreadsheets, visa applications, plane tickets, hotel bookings, car rentals, packing and planning, we finally left on December 7th. We visited Amsterdam, Hazyview (South Africa), Maputo (Mozambique) and Cape Town (South Africa) over nearly four weeks. We saw elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildabeasts, water buffalo, hippos, crocodiles, hyenas, penguins and, of course, impala. We were also very fortunate to see three cheetahs and one leopard! We embarked on this trip with a bit of trepidation, but our friends were terrific in taking good care of us and showing us the sights. A very important aspect of their job was introducing us to some great South African wines:) It truly was a trip of a lifetime!

We're looking forward to a great 2014 as we get ready to welcome a new niece or nephew to our family! And I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at FITMOM classes again so that we can work together to achieve our health and fitness goals in 2014!