All posts filed under: Fit Mom

I Wasn’t Expecting This…

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My favourite fitness magazine – Inside Fitness Magazine holds a Top 100 Fitness Models issue every year called the Hot and Fit 100 For the last few years it’s an issue that I always look forward to because of all of the beautiful and fit women who are smashing their fitness and business goals. So inspring!!! I know most of the winners have gone on to do incredible things in the fitness industry leveraging their exposure as the cover feature and, for me personally, I’ve looked up to many of the women that regularly appeared in the Hot and Fit. I vividly remember the inaugural Hot and Fit 100 issue featuring the gorgeous Lyzabeth Lopez (my She hero!!!) and went through the magazine admiring all of the beautiful women and their careers. You see at the same time I was working a job that required me to travel 2 1/2 hours per day (and can’t even remember what I really did), made very little money, couldn’t afford to pay my bills (and was drowning heavily …

How Yoga Can Help New Moms & Their Postnatal Recovery

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I am not a Yoga Expert but I have participated in a few yoga classes and have really enjoyed them. I know a lot of new moms who have practiced yoga throughout their pregnancy as well as postpartum to help with recovery, strength and stress levels. And from what I’ve noticed anyone who starts yoga, continues yoga… So I decided to interview my dear friend, Julie Hinton, Elite Yoga Expert and Mom of 2 beautiful children. Julie helps me to uncover the many amazing health benefits of yoga for New Moms. Here is what Julie has to say; Yoga is a great way to help new moms get physically and mentally back on track after 40 weeks of pregnancy. With all the joy your new bundle brings, you will also undoubtedly feel heightened responsibility and worry. In addition to its many physical benefits, yoga helps quiet the mind. Yoga helps with postpartum, anxiety, fatigue, and mild depression and will help you through the many aches and pains after delivery. 1. How can a new mom start …

Enjoy Food. Don’t avoid food.

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Over the course of the last decade plus, I’ve experimented with countless of different eating styles and diets – Atkins, Vegan, Vegetarian, Octo-Lacto, Pescetarian, Macrobiotic, Paleo, Juicing, Cleansing, high fat, low fat, Intermittent Fasting, Bulletproof, etc. To this day I continue to try new things and research how I feel and how it applies to my life. Each eating style certainly has their benefits but, in my opinion, there is NO PERFECT WAY TO EAT because each and every single person on this planet is unique. There are different body types, people have different goals, different lifestyles, food sensitivities, live in different climates, geography and food availability could be an issue, age requires different nutrients, and even weather play a part in our food needs. Having countless food options increases your chances to achieve optimal health, vibrancy, and your own fitness goals. Whether it’s too much of a particular type of food or too little of certain nutrients, the best way to harmonize the body is by creating balance but as many of us know …

Top 5 Superfoods You Must Include In Your Diet To Boost Your Mood & Increase Your Energy

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Cranberries, kale, goji berries and spinach! We’ve all heard countless times that these foods are considered highly nutritious and are often referred to as “Superfoods!” I personally know how my body reacts to food because I pay close attention to how I feel after I eat all types of foods. If I feel bloated, lethargic or moody, I know my body does not need that particular food and I avoid it at all costs. On the contrary, there are foods that make me feel great. I have energy and I’m happy and satisfied. Then I know my body loves and needs those foods. Through becoming in touch with how I feel after I eat I have come up with my TOP 5 “Superfoods” that make me feel amazing and I never miss a day having them. Here is why: Goji berries – These orange-red tangy berries have been used by Chinese herbalists for centuries to treat visual ailments and poor circulation and to help boost the immune system. They are high in vitamins A and …

Do We Really Need to Eat Organic?

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This is a question that comes up very often. My clients are more concerned over the price of organic foods and if it’s really worth investing in. There is so much discussion about the pros and cons of organic food and whether organic food is better than non-organic food. As a Nutritionist and Mom I personally believe organic is important. I’ve also done a lot of my own research and know there is scientific evidence to show that organic food is better in quality than conventional food. I believer we should know how our food is grown and harvested and more importantly where it comes from. So Why Organic? 1. Organic Food Tastes Better Organic food is more flavorful and studies have actually been conducted that confirm this belief. The chemicals that are used in the production of non-organic food definitely affect flavor. 2. Organic Food is Better for the Body The United States Environmental Protection Agency now lists many of the chemicals used in the production of pesticides and fungicides as potential cancer-causing components. …

SMILE

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So what’s with all of my smiling posts lately? Well here’s the news. I’m so excited to announce my partnership with Smile Natural Foods (which is a division of Kii Naturals) as their Global Nutritionist. Smile is a proactive brand of superfoods, unique blends, cereals, and quality pantry foods that provide added health benefits with value and convenience to make nutrition…simple. Our first product launch is an All-In-One organic whole food blend consisting of superfoods such as flax, chia, hemp, goji berry, cranberry, cacao, coconut, pumpkin seeds, maca powder, oat bran, and cinnamon…just to name a few…you know…all the good stuff. Each spoonful packs extra fibre, protein, and omega fats into your yogurt, cereal, salads, and smoothies. Organic certified, Non-GMO certified, vegan friendly, and no sugar added. Even better we are the first to market a product of this kind around the world so there’s no need to purchase these ingredients individually anymore. I will begin adding these into my nutrition programs ASAP and will announce the launch of these products at retail which will …

NON GMO, Yes or No?

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There is a lot of information out there when it comes to nutrition and some just darn right confusing. I often hear people say “if we listen to all the food that is bad for us, we won’t be able to eat anything!”. In my opinion that statement is being a little over-dramatic but since there is so much bad information out there I can understand why people feel that way. So lets unwrap one statement/label that we’re seeing a lot of lately. NON GMO. What are GMOs? GMOs (or “genetically modified organisms”) are living organisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering. This relatively new science creates unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacteria and viral genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods. In short, fake food. Are GMOs safe? Surprisingly but no so surprisingly, most developed nations do not consider GMOs to be safe. In more than 60 countries around the world (the smart ones!), including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European …

My Top 10 Rules To Be Your Best Self & Best Mother To Your Child

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I love being a Mom, it’s the biggest gift and blessing I’ve ever received. I think as women we build up the perfect picture of what Motherhood should be, while trying to do it all ourselves, not taking time for ourselves and on top of it all trying to look amazing while doing it, sound about right? Why are we so darn hard on ourselves? I’m guilty of this but I have a few rules that I live by to help me replenish my soul and keep me on track to be my best self and Mom to Jax. 1. Cut TV time and get to bed early so I can wake up before Jackson and enjoy a cup of coffee and a book or creative writing time in silence. 2. I weight train 4 times a week and go on a daily walk with my boy. 3. I plan a date night with my hubby once a week. 4. I listen to a podcast while having a mani-pedi. 5. I garden (I usually have …

What Is The Best Program For A Mom To Get Her Pre-Baby Body Back?

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I wouldn’t say there is 1 best way or specific way to achieve this in terms of exercise (but diet is still the #1 driver for Fat Loss) but getting started and staying active on a regular basis is the first step. Once you enjoy what you’re doing then stick to programs that work and don’t overthink the process. There is so much fitness and nutrition information out there but I, personally, believe in the basics and foundational movements to truly shape the body. With my Mommy duties, I now train 4 times a week with basic fundamental strength movements. These are the primary functional movements I design my program around: a. Squat variations b. Deadlifting movements c. Over Head Presses d. Rows e. Lat Pull Downs f. Hip Thrusts/Glute Bridges g. Core work (** work with a Pelvic Floor Specialist during pregnancy and postnatal to make sure everything is in working order **) Of course ALWAYS use a weight/resistance that you’re comfortable with to start even if it’s just bodyweight. Postnatal isn’t the time to try and …

10 Delicious Fat Burning Protein Shakes

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A Busy Mommy can often lead to unhealthy food choices which will crash energy levels and store unwanted fat on the belly, hips and thighs. Who wants that, right? What do you grab on the go with you? Fruit, nuts, a granola bar? Or worse fast food, chips or crackers? Although fruit, nuts and granola bars seem like the better options they are really limited in the amount of protein per serving. Protein is is the most essential macro-nutrient as it’s integral for building lean muscle so your body can burn more fat. It also plays and crucial role in catalyzing biochemical reactions, DNA repair, maintaining the structural and functional integrity of cells and much more. We all should aim to have 1 gram of protein per body weight. So if you weigh 145 pounds you will need 145 grams of protein per day. That’s like eating 4 4oz chicken breasts per day! As a very Busy Mommy myself I know how hard it can be to prep meals and find the time to eat …