2015: What a Great Year!

2015 has been such a fun and rewarding year and I've thoroughly enjoyed spending time with all of the women who participated in the FITMOM 2B, FITMOM & Baby, FITMOM Stroller Strength and FITWOMAN classes. It has been my pleasure to offer a variety of workouts, both indoors and outdoors and to see so many of you achieve or surpass your fitness goals, becoming stronger and healthier each week.

Here are a few of the highlights from 2015, a year that saw me celebrate 5 years as FITMOM Ottawa's owner, 10 years of FITMOM in Ottawa and 15 years since FITMOM's inception!

I started the outdoor season with a new location - Brewer Park! As it turns out, this was a terrific choice and the classes there were very popular! All of the moms seemed to really love the fact that it was so central, there was a large, shady area and of course, there was great camaraderie among both women and babies. There was plenty of space and lots of moms and babies, making it easy to find new friends at every class! As a bonus, there was a large covered area that we were able to use when Mother Nature decided not to cooperate with us!

The other change for the outdoor season was a new FITMOM Stroller Strength class on Friday mornings at Brewer Park. This was a great addition to the schedule and lots of moms were happy to add a Friday workout to their weekly fitness sessions.

Outdoor FITMOM 2B, FITMOM Stroller Strength & FITWOMAN classes

2015 saw social media explode and I took the opportunity to learn how to better use various platforms to help spread awareness about the FITMOM program, so that more women could benefit from safe and effective exercise during their prenatal and postnatal years. I was overwhelmed with the response when so many of you began sharing information, photos, blog posts and newsletters and as a result, all of the FITMOM classes were quite full for the entire year. In fact, this year, I had some of my largest classes ever - with over 30 moms, babies and sometimes toddlers! Thank you so much for believing in FITMOM and spreading the word to your friends, colleagues and family!

Indoor FITMOM & Baby and FITWOMAN classes

For the past few summers, I've run an unlimited promotion for the spring and summer time. This summer saw the most women participate in the promotion and with four FITMOM Stroller classes and three FITWOMAN classes to choose from, the level of commitment and dedication was terrific! I was lucky to see a number of moms at least twice a week, if not three times a week! The best part? Watching their babies get bigger while they were getting stronger and leaner! Despite often being sleep deprived, it was amazing to see them all leaving with smiles on their faces! Be sure to keep on the look out for the Get Fit promotion in 2016!!

In March 2015, I joined the Ladies of Old Ottawa South to Bust a Move for Breast Cancer. As part of our fundraising, I taught three FITMOM classes over the March Break where the only cost was a donation to Bust a Move. I was very grateful that you all helped me raise over $600 for the cause! Our last FITMOM and Baby class in December was an extra class that was used to support the Food Bank. Thank you so much to everyone who donated to these two wonderful causes.

Ladies of Old Ottawa South Bust a Move Team!

For four years, I have been so fortunate to have Lindsay teaching the Monday night FITWOMAN class for me. I can't thank her enough for continuing to bring fun and interesting workouts for the Monday night FITWOMEN each week. It makes my life so much better, knowing I can rely on her to teach a great class week after week.

I've also been lucky to have had three new teachers help me out this year - Candace (who has sadly moved to Texas), Tonya and Jenn. You may recall that Tonya taught the Monday night FITWOMAN class this summer and Jenn taught the FITMOM 2B and FITWOMAN class in the fall. I'm looking forward to working with Tonya and Jenn again in 2016!

Lindsay teaching FITWOMAN & Candace teaching FITMOM & Baby

So many great things happened at FITMOM in 2015! But the best part has definitely been seeing so many amazing women week after week and watching them work hard to become stronger, leaner and happier. So, thank you to all who continue to support FITMOM, whether it's coming to classes every week, returning to classes after a hiatus or telling your friends about me. I am truly grateful to have you in my life!

From my family to yours... I wish you all the best for a healthy and happy 2016. May all of your wishes come true:)

From our family to yours... Happy New Year!!

FITMOM's Top 5 Tips to Help You Live Your Healthiest Life in 2016

As we approach the end of another year, we will reflect on how our year has gone and begin plans for making our next year even better. Often our plans might include some high level fitness related goals, such as:

• I want to be stronger in 2016
• I want to be more fit in 2016
• I want to run up stairs 2016
• I want to walk taller in 2016
• I want to touch my toes in 2016
• I want to run my first 5K race in 2016

Whatever your own goals may be, you'll need a solid plan to reach them! 

Here are FITMOM's top FIVE tips that you can use to help you live your healthiest life in 2016:

1. Find Something you LOVE

One of the most important gifts you can give to yourself is doing something you LOVE. If you don't love it, you won't do it. It's as simple as that. 

2. Schedule it and Book a Babysitter

Whether it's a weekly class that you love or an evening run with friends, you need to put it in your calendar and block off the time. It can be really hard when you have small children to get out of the house in the evening, especially if your partner travels or is a shift worker. One of the best things you can invest in is a neighbourhood babysitter. Ask around and you'll find lots of teenagers looking to earn some extra money through babysitting. Teach them the routine and have them try it out with you there first. You'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner!

3. Make it Social

Find some friends and join a fitness class together. It's a great way to stay in shape and keep up with each other! One of the biggest benefits of a FITMOM class is that, even if you join with a friend, you will always leave with many more. Knowing that you're meeting a friend helps keep you accountable and gives you incentive to get out the door, even when you don't want to.

4. Track your Progress

There are many ways you can measure your progress. If you're running you can track how far you're going and how fast you're going. If you're doing a bootcamp class, you can track how often you're attending and how long it takes to recover each week. If you're doing a yoga class, you can track how hard it is to do certain poses each week. You can also take measurements periodically. If you've set a goal that you would like to work out twice a week, writing it down in your calendar will help you identify whether you've met your goal or not.

5. Make it Achievable

It's never fun to fail at something, so when you set your fitness goals, keep in mind how your life is currently working. If your goal is to get out 5 times per week for 1 hour each day, but your job is very demanding and you tend to work many extra hours, this may not be realistic. Start by thinking about what you can realistically commit to. If it's only once per week for 45 minutes, that's a great start. It's always easier to add things one at a time than to add many chunks all at once without a good plan to achieve it.

We hope you find these tips helpful in developing your own fitness plan for 2016! Leave us a note on our Facebook page to let us know how you're planning to accomplish your fitness goals next year! And check out the FITMOM schedule to see if one of our classes fits your needs. We'd love to see you there!

FITMOMs are the best!

Welcome to M.A.M.A. Month!

We, at FITMOM, have made November 

“Mental Health and Motherhood Awareness” Month – M.A.M.A.

Since 1999, when Andrea Page, founder of FITMOM Inc., had her first baby, she has been advocating for more support and awareness on the effects of mental health and its connection to Mothering.

Photo Credit: trinaphoto.com for FITMOM

Her personal experience with serious postpartum depression following the birth of her first son, Akua, makes her an ideal spokeswoman on an issue that touches so many families. Like most women dealing with mood disorders, she found a lack of support from both the professional community and her own personal network. Today, a lack of education, coupled with long waiting lists to access support, continues to be a barrier for many women to get the help they need.

Women’s Health Matters, a program operated by Women’s College Hospital in Toronto, cites maternal depression as one of the greatest threats to an infant’s development: “The first couple of years of life permanently set the stage for the cognitive, mental, and medical health of individuals. And, maternal depression is one of the greatest adversities an infant can face.”

In August 2013, a research study released found that mothers in urban areas were almost twice as likely to suffer postpartum depression (10 % of reported cases vs 6 %).

Throughout the month of November, FITMOM will be sharing stories and resources about motherhood and mental health. We want to educate mothers, along with their family, friends, colleagues and community members who connect with or support families during the first 6 years of a child’s life.

Building a strong base of support within a community is a major step in creating a mother that is healthy and strong. By creating awareness and sharing tips on how to build an effective and healthy network, we hope to shed the stigma that is attached to women’s mental health and to impact and teach communities the simple steps that can have a positive effect on moms and babies everywhere:

• A mother needs to be mothered. She needs to be nurtured by others, listened to, and cooked for. She also needs space to deal with the emotional and physical changes after birth and time to adapt to her new responsibilities as a parent.
• A mother needs extra support to sleep. Excessive sleeplessness is directly linked to postpartum depression.
• A mother requires frequent breaks from responsibility. This time away does not make her weak but rather, restores and replenishes her.
• A mother needs a community surrounding her. Historically, child rearing was a community concern. Our busy and sometimes overscheduled lives have impacted our ability to form ‘villages’ that support families effectively. Returning to these community roots has a far reaching, positive impact.
• A mother needs permission to be human. She needs to be relieved from the pressure to achieve “supermom” status. A shared responsibility to nurture with support and time to invest in self-care should be a priority. Anything else leaves a mother and her children vulnerable.

During the month of November, we'll be sharing our M.A.M.A information on our Facebook page every few days. Please look out for our posts and share them with other women who may be experiencing similar feelings. Please feel free to get in touch with any questions or comments you might have.

Why Fall is a Great Time to Get Fit

It feels like summer has just begun... and yet the fall starts creeping up on us so quickly! Summer is a great time of the year. The weather is hot and sunny, there's no school, everyone is going on some kind of vacation and it's a time where you just want to take it easy. But, summer is also a time that can wreak havoc on your fitness and nutrition plans as you enjoy your vacations, your time at the cottage, your outdoor activities or you just plain have fun. If this is the case for you, here are some great reasons why the fall is the perfect time to get fit:

1. Life becomes a little bit easier to schedule: The kids go back to school and summer vacations in the office are finished (you're no longer having to cover for your office mate while they're on vacation!). Routines are reintroduced and parents are feeling recharged after their summer holidays (hopefully!). Everyone is excited about the new and exciting things that are being planned for the upcoming year.
2. The weather is more cooperative: It's getting a bit cooler, but there's still some daylight in the early evening making outdoor activities quite pleasant. If you're exercising outdoors, you'll experience the beautiful fall colours as the leaves begin to change and you'll find breathing a bit easier with the cooler temperatures. If you're exercising indoors, the days are still long and it doesn't ever seem too late when there's still daylight!
3. You can build it into your routine: Now that your holidays are over, it's time to make fitness part of your weekly routine. This is easy when so many programs are starting up again! If you need a class to get you going, you can register for it and put it in your calendar. Once you start going, it takes about 30 days to make it a habit, so there's plenty of time before the next holiday (Thanksgiving!) rolls around. By the time the Christmas holidays arrive, your fitness habits will be fully integrated into your schedule, you'll be feeling great and there will be less risk of over indulging during the holidays.
4. It's the planning season: At many workplaces, fall is the time planning for the next calendar year gets into full swing. Budgets are made, performance metrics are created and both personal and corporate goals are set. Why not plan for your fitness needs at the same time?
5. It's never too late to start! Why not this fall? You can do it!

Regardless of why you decide to kick start your fitness regime this fall, always remember the way you feel post workout and use that as your motivation to keep going each week!

Why I Work Hard to be Fit and Healthy

Yesterday, we had two Anniversaries in our house. On July 15th, 23 years ago before we ever knew one another, my husband's family happily celebrated the 25th Anniversary of his parents marriage, while not very far away, my family was devastated when my father died after his second bypass surgery. 

This year, the Anniversary of my father's death marks the year where I have officially lived longer without my dad than with him. This year, I am the same age my dad was when he had his first quadruple bypass surgery. 

I miss my dad often. I miss the relationship we could have had as adults. I miss the relationship he could have had with his grandchildren and sons-in-law. I'm sad that he missed so much of our lives and I wish that he had learned to take better care of himself.

Why do I work so hard at staying fit? Because I REFUSE to live the life my dad lived. I REFUSE to miss out on what my kids will grow up to be. I REFUSE to miss the important milestones in our lives. And I absolutely REFUSE to let heart disease take me down also, because I know this is something I have control over.

So, yesterday was a sad day for me. While I miss my dad terribly, I know that he is one of the reasons that I work so hard to lead a healthy life. There is so much more information about heart disease available these days and my family plans to do all we can to improve our chances of living a long and healthy life.

Our last family photo at my parent's 25th Anniversary - October 1991

Is it a BOY or a GIRL?

Today I became the proud new aunt of another baby! We are so excited to have another baby in the family, especially since it may be the last one!

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law gave birth to a BABY BOY!
They named him Bennett!

Which means there has to be a celebration...

... And a celebration means a contest with a prize at the end:)

Here's how it will work:

1. During the rest of the month of May, you can take a photo of yourself, or you and your baby (or you and a friend) at a FITMOM/FITWOMAN class.
2. Send the photo to me to post on the FITMOM Ottawa Facebook Page.
3. Once it's posted you can tag yourself in the photo.
4. You can also tag yourself in a photo that I've taken and shared.
5. At the end of the month, anyone who has tagged their photo will be entered into a draw to win a $30 gift card to Bridgehead!

Let the fun begin!

I just had a Baby... How often should I be exercising?

How often should I exercise after I've had a baby? is a very common question we hear from new moms after they've given birth.

Ideally, as a new mom you will work at your own pace and comfort level as you begin your fitness regime after the birth of your baby. As you gain strength and confidence, you can begin to increase your level of intensity and length of workout. Making a commitment to workout once a week is a great start to a new mom's fitness plan, but that frequency might not provide the results you're looking for as quickly as you may have hoped.

In fact, working out only once a week can hinder your progress and make you more susceptible to injury as your muscle recovery time can actually be too long between sessions.

The Public Health Agency of Canada suggests that adults be moderately to vigorously active at least 2.5 hours each week to achieve optimal health benefits. Further, it suggests that you target your muscles at least twice a week. This can be translated to 3 x 50 minute sessions or 5 x 30 minute (or some other combination) sessions each week, depending on your personal schedule. This recommendation is suggested to help prevent injury, improve strength & performance and achieve results over time. Your workouts should have lots of variety in them and should be an activity you enjoy doing.

Overtraining is also important to consider. Women who exercise at a high intensity too frequently (every day without including one or two rest days) are at risk for over use injuries and adrenal fatigue. 

Finally, it's important for you to ensure that you have plenty of rest and hydration and that you focus on eating a healthy, balanced diet. Incorporating training sessions 3 to 5 times a week will provide you with optimal results. Recognizing that moms lead busy lives and have limited free time, working exercise into your day with your baby, toddler or preschooler can be a great way for you to exercise and demonstrate a healthy lifestyle to your kids.

FITMOM Founder, Andrea Page, sharing information about how often you should workout once you've had a baby.

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.

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.