All posts filed under: Fit Mommy

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 …

Why Soaking In A Little Sunshine Can Be A Good Thing

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Take a little time out in nature to soak in the rays. Studies have found that exposure to sunlight naturally boosts your mood. Sunlight triggers the release of hormones in your brain releasing a hormone called serotonin. This is associated with boosting mood and helping a person feel calm and focused. Ultraviolet-B radiation in the sun’s rays also causes a person’s skin to create vitamin D. Generally, an hour per week is more than enough, but surprisingly, many people are still not exposed to enough sun to produce beneficial amounts of vitamin D. This could be because of our hectic sedentary lives, spending most of our time either in the car or at a desk during the peak hours of sunlight. Vitamin D is an important part of a healthy diet. New benefits of this vitamin are being discovered every day, but many people still do not receive enough vitamin D to reap the wonderful benefits it can provide to their health. Vitamin D is most famous for its contribution to joint and bone health …

“Life Always Gets In The Way…”

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None of us are exempt from the pressures in life. We all have stress and situations that test us or possibly even push us to the brink of crumbling. All too often, something or someone or some moment, causes us to lose track of our goal and revert back to behaviours that no longer add value to our lives. We’ve all been there right? Of course most of the time we don’t choose our adversity BUT we certainly have the power to choose our response to it. And it’s this response that I call the “IF Factor”. IF we respond positively to challenges and difficulties, then the outcome will be potentially positive. IF we respond negatively to our challenges and difficulties, then the outcome will be potentially negative. IF we respond to challenges and difficulties in the same manner as we always respond to it (i.e. emotional eating, BLTs, etc.), then the outcome will almost certainly be the same. The pain of adversity never leaves us unchanged, but if treated right, can be the catalyst …

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 …

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 …

Turkey Chili and Spaghetti Squash

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Meal Prep made EASY, HEALTHY and DELICIOUS for the entire family! Ingredients: 100 g Ground Extra Lean (Organic) Turkey 1.5 cup Tomato Sauce 1/4 cup diced Onion 1 tbsp minced garlic A pinch of dried basil, oregano, parsley, sea salt and black pepper A dash of ketch-up (organic), soy sauce and worcestershire Sauce 1 tbsp Olive Oil 100 g Spaghetti Squash 3 tbsp feta cheese 1/4 chopped fresh green onion Kii Crips  How to make: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Brush the inside of each half with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place cut sides down on a rimmed baking sheet and put sheet into the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until you can easily pierce the squash with a fork. Brown Turkey in a non-stick frying pan on medium to high heat heat olive oil on medium heat and saute garlic and onion until transparent Add tomato sauce to onion and garlic and all dry and wet spices/sauces Let bubble and then bring down to low …

Shrimp Avocado Bites!

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Sharing is caring! I love when my Strong Girls come up with their own creations. My clients Celine Saki created this mouth watering appetizer that is tasty, healthy and easy to prepare. These Shrimp and Avocado Bites are the perfect appetizer for parties or if you’re like me have 6 bites as a meal. What you will need:   Rosemary Pistachio Kii Crisps Medium pre-cooked Frozen Shrimp Avocado Olive Oil Chili Pepper Flakes Sea Salt Lemon Garlic Rosemary How to Make:  Heat skillet on med heat, add one tsp. of olive oil, about ¼ clove garlic sliced, Chili Pepper Flakes and a sprig of Rosemary leaves finely chopped.  Run cold water on frozen shrimp for a few minutes until they are thawed (a couple of minutes) Turn up the heat a little, add shrimp to skillet. Fry for 2 minutes and flip the shrimp for another 2-3 minutes. Remove garlic Press down on each a little and move around Mash 40 g Ripe Avocado and divide into 6 and drop on each Pistachio and Rosemary Crisp Salt shrimp …

Healthy Holiday Hors d’oeuvres

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There are many indulgences leading up to the holidays so why not pick healthy foods that are still full of flavor that everyone will love, even the kids! One of my favorite appetizers to serve guests is my Hummus Avocado Lemon Dip paired with Kii Naturals Rosemary Pistachio Artisan Crisps  What you need: 1 box of Rosemary Pistachio Artisan Crisps  1/2 a ripe avocado 3/4 cup chickpeas 1/2 cup green peas (I love to hide green vegetables where I can…the kids haven’t noticed yet (hehe!)) 1 clove of garlic (minced) Half a lemon juiced 1 tsp Himalayan sea salt  fresh ground black pepper to taste How to make: Throw all ingredients (except crisps) into a strong blender or food processor Blend until a smooth consistency or the consistency of your choice – I like to leave in a few chunks for texture Serve the spread in a bowl surrounded with crisps Garnish with a lemon This paring goes great with a crisp fruity pinot grigio or even cold glass of bubbly! Stay tuned for more …

Mommy Bum

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Postural assessment is something that I perform with all of my mommy clients because it’s almost always overlooked especially with weight loss likely being everyones primary concern. I would argue that postural correction for a new mommy will even make you look a few pounds lighter and also feel much better – so pay attention! One of the most common postural imbalances I see with new mommies that are carrying their babies is the #PosteriorTilt which is a postural deviation where your pelvis is tilted backward causing your lower spine to decrease its natural extension. This causes the upper spine and shoulder girdle to round forward to maintain centre of gravity, causing our bums to appear flat and droopy along with our tummies to appear bigger than it should because we’re pushing outwards – not a good look at all! The side effects of this postural imbalance include weak #hips, weak #quadriceps, tight #hamstrings, possible #sciatica, weakened abdominal muscles, tightness in the lower back and neck, along with tight chest muscles. So why does this happen? Obviously carrying a newborn for hours on end …