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!

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!