Fitness in Style - Lorna Jane & Fitness First Competition

When I was first working out and walking off my baby weight after my first daughter (I had a lot to lose) I had  the daggiest exercise clothes and didn't even have sneakers! Before becoming a mum exercise just hadn't ever been important to me, so I naturally had no workout gear!
Yes, I had some bad habits like moving the car one block up when shopping and circling the shopping centre car park for a park close to the doors...and then I became a mum and everything changed.
Dealing with Post Natal Depression exercise was my lifeline. It helped me in so many ways that I can probably never fully explain and of course losing 30 kilo's felt pretty darn great too!

I started walking in skirts and things for lack of better equipment and while I got by and while it never stopped me working out (gotta love determination when you get some!) I couldn't help but dream of how great it would feel to wear really stylish and fun exercise clothes and go to a gym in them, have a chai with girlfriends post workout and look sporty and freshly vibrant from working out, you know the glow you get!

The first time I reluctantly bought myself something really nice (non daggy and old) that was actually exercise clothes I was so surprised by how good it made me feel, how comfortable it was, yet stylish and evenb perky! And then the realization that, actually hey I do exercise a lot and even pretty much every day so even just one or two really great outfits or pieces could really change how confident I will feel and make me feel more a part of the gorgeous and fit and healthy exercise community!
Even inspire me more to push myself to new challenges and goals that you get when you workout with trainers, and yes, not long after that first sports bra, trainers and leggings I joined a gym and fell in love with the whole workout world!

I am so excited that I am teaming up with leading gyms and fitness industry entrepenurs Fitness First to give one of my blog readers the chance for some serious Fitness Inspiration and Styling with a $200 Lorna Jane gift voucher to get some sassy goodies that they can then wear to their very own really exciting Fitness First  Pay As You Go -10 Visit Passport Pass classes valued at $150!! PLUS I am throwing in a signed copy of my award winning book, The Pram Diet Random House RRP $19.95 as seen on A Current Affair

How awesome is that! So not only do you get a great gym pass so you can try some really funky workouts and classes - they even have pro cycling classes and special 30 minute workouts so you can squeeze one in, in your lunch break or in one of those free spots in your busy mummy day!
You can hit the gym looking sensational in some very hot Lorna Jane gear!
Talk about inspiration to work out!

Be inspired. Be true to you. Do more of what makes you happy. Cherish and Nurture Your Health - it is everything!!
Bek XX

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Little paleo chocolate cakes and a MerryMaker sisters workout

Exercise we all know is important for a healthy, happy body but it can also be fun and a great way to socialise, spend quality time with our kids, make friends, challenge ourselves and find our inner strength and love for our bodies as well.

Putting the FUN and the planning back into fitness for 1 week thanks to Fitness First I swapped my unstructured and untimed long pram walks and swim laps at the pool, for a very exciting, very specific and wonderfully challenging routine created by the dynamo duo The MerryMaker sisters

Do you do the exact same exercise routine each week?
Have you ever tried changing it up a bit? Challenging yourself? Adding specific structure? It feels amazing, even if you think you are pretty fit, a new routine or exercise feels so energising and motivating.

I was a little bit worried at first about fitting it in completely and space wise as a single mum of two kids and all that, as the Merry Maker sisters are two young, child free ladies with that thing called spare time!
BUT I already am pretty good at fitting in a hand weights routine and some great deep stretching at night after the kids go to bed so I made it work (maybe not the best time of day to be working out, but it sure is the easiest and quietest!!) It would have also been a great one to do at the gym like in a Fitness First Gym's functional area and you could even combine it with a great gym class to make a fantastic session and also so you have the added safety of experienced personal trainers on hand to make sure you are doing everything correctly, which is so important.

What the girls put together was fun and very motivating.

I used to go to the gym a lot before my second baby, ok I almost lived there! And this routine made me (and my body) remember how good it really feels to take part in a structured work out, a work out that challenges you and makes you want to do more, be more, feel empowered in your body as well as doing exercise for mood and health like walking.

So I have had a great exercise week, OK except for one particular component I have to be honest, the pull ups! I seriously need work to get them happening properly!

What was my work out?
I am sharing it's outline with you, fellow mummy readers so you two might be inspired to shake up your routine a bit. I do highly recommend always seeing a personal trainer and your medical professional prior to undertaking and new exercise and it makes such a difference if you can learn a new routine under their watchful eye, ensuring correct posture and of course because you feel so much more motivated!!.

DIRECTIONS this is a functional fitness based regime. High intensity for a short amount of time. This would be for intensity level 8-10, though it could also be for lower intensity with lighter weights. Use weights that you feel comfortable with. These workouts can be completed in the new Fitness First functional area. We’ve added a yoga/walk for recovery.

Day 1
4 rounds for time (25 minute cut off)
10 shoulder push Press
30 skips
10 pull ups (assisted if required)
30 skips
20 push ups
30 skips
20 kettle bell Swings
Day 2
24 minutes, as many rounds as possible:
3 push ups
4 pull ups
5 box Jumps
Day 3
4 x 3 minute rounds of:
500m row sprint
Maximum amount of back squats in remaining time
3 min rest
*each back squat takes 1 second off your row time.
Day 4
20 minute cut off:
400m Run
21 x pull ups
21 x kettle bell swings
400m Run
15 x pull ups
15 x kettle bell swings
400m run
9 x pull ups
9 x kettle bell swings
Day 5
Every 2 minutes for 20 minutes complete:
5 x deadlifts
10 x weighted sit ups
Maximum amount of pull ups in the remaining  time
Day 6
Flow yoga/ Body Balance class at Fitness First OR leisurely walk.

NOTE: I didn't have a kettle bell handy over the week and couldn't make the gym due to a hectic schedule so modified with hand weights and the pull ups well, keeping with honesty were a bit of a challenge....
I am yet to master pull ups well, ok really at all in sets if I am being honest, and actually even when I was training in taekwondo and boxing and the fittest shape of my life  before baby number 2 I had trouble with these so achieving them and achieving them well is something on my goal list and something I know I need to get coaching for specifically in the gym to get there with an expert trainer that gets me and my body and what I need to do to get there, that can teach me, guide me and make it happen. This is what I plan to do as my youngest starts kindy soon and I will be hooking up with experts like Fitness First to get me back into my fittest body ever - hello Summer bikini's this Christmas!

And on top of the workout to soften all the sore muscles from the week I also made a delicious little recipe by these gorgeous girls, one I had to make twice as my kids swiped the first one, I tweked it a little - as you do right! I reduced the cacao - because it makes my kids hyper! Used coconut sugar and increased the liquid as we found it just a teensy bit dry. The Merry Maker sisters one pot paleo chocolate cake  which we enjoyed with lovely fresh strawberries from our garden.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cacao 

1/2 tablespoon of coconut flour

1 free range egg

1/2 tablespoon of coconut sugar

1/4 cup /coconut/almond/dairy/soy milk

Method

Mix all the ingredients together and then very quickly (because it is that sponge like coconut flour) pour into ramekins and bake in the oven (we do not use or recommend microwaves at all which is what the sisters use in this, but you can do it which way you prefer, though I strongly discourage use of microwaves)
Don't leave the room as they bake super quick! You will know they are done when they have a lovely baked smell and a crunchy top, depending on oven and size of ramekins could be 1-5 minutes. 

Notes

• Another version we made (but didn't exactly measure - sorry) we doubled the recipe and added natural yoghurt which really amped up the moistness and made it even more palatable than before :)
• This does only make a small quantity.
• Swap the coconut sugar for stevia or raw honey.

Thank you Fitness First for shaking up my routine and putting the challenge, motivation, precision and FUN back into my workouts, not to mention finishing it off with healthy chocolate!

#lifeisgood #changeforethebest #Fitnessfirst #beahealthyhappymum #sponsoredpost

BEK XXX

I Interview POWER MUMS creator Ellie Burscough

If you've read my book and blog you know how passionate I am about promoting healthy lifestyles and inspirational health related programs because of the difference this has made to me in my life.

Well this week I have the pleasure of bringing to you my interview with the very inspiring knowledgeable owner and creator of POWER MUMS Ellie Burscough

1. What is Power Mums?

Power Mums is fun, outdoor classes specifically designed for Mums. Our classes incorporate cardio games to increase fitness and have fun, strength and toning circuits to tone up those areas we all worry about, boxing, flexibility and balance to regain balance lost in pregnancy. No two classes are the same to avoid boredom and plateau.


"Power Mums isn't just about exercise it's a community of  strong, powerful women."

It's a great place to meet new Mum's, whilst supporting and motivating each other.
We have monthly outings to get to know each other a bit more like dinner and drinks, rock climbing and family fun days. We have monthly prizes, challenges and fitness testing to see what areas each person has improved in every four weeks.
The best thing is we have qualified babysitters at every class. So the Mum's can bring their children with them whilst also having some much needed time for themselves!


2. What inspired you to start Power Mums?
After I had my daughter I wanted to lose my baby weight and feel good about myself again. I couldn't find any outdoor classes where I could bring my daughter with me and that fit within my budget. I realised their was a huge gap in the market.

I managed to lose the 20kg's I put on in pregnancy in 5 months, with no gym. I did it by myself. I then lost a further 9kg's and am now smaller, fitter and healthier than I ever have been.
I had always been interested in health and fitness and helping people and wanted to help other Mum's going through this journey. I know that a lot of Mum's need that support and motivation and felt that group training would be the best way. That's how Power Mums was born!

3. What in your expert opinion is a good time for new mums to start on their weight loss plan?
Each person is different. The most important thing is to start slowly and gradually and ease back in to exercise. Listen to your body, you know how far you can push yourself. If anything starts hurting, you feel run down or in the early stages your blood flow increases then ease back. These can all be signs that you have pushed yourself too hard.
Although I lost 20kg's quite quickly, 10kg's of that was in the first week and was obviously from the birth. I started off with lots of walking and built up from there. Although exercise and weight loss was important to me, in the early stages I enjoyed the time with my new family and wasn't too strict with my diet and exercise.

4. What would you recommend as a good healthy weight loss goal average per week for mums who are not breast feeding?
Healthy weight loss in general is usually 0.5kg's-1kg per week. If you have more weight to lose or if you have just had a baby you usually lose a lot more in the beginning. Small, gradual changes help you to incorporate healthy choices in to your life long term. Try to avoid fad diets, shakes and pills. These kind of diets usually help you lose a lot of weight very quickly but then you end up putting it all back on. They are not a healthy way to lose weight or keep it off long term, especially for new Mum's.


5. What is a healthy amount of weight a nursing mum can losing each week before it could potentially effect their milk supply?
Breastfeeding can help Mum's to lose weight quicker as you burn extra calories (up to 500 calories per day!). I am still breastfeeding my 14 month old daughter and I know that it has really helped me to lose weight, although everyone is different.
Going on a very low calorie diet of 1200 calories or less could decrease your milk supply. This type of diet is not recommended for anyone, particularly breastfeeding Mum's. Eating more actually helps to boost your metabolism. Eating 5-6 small meals throughout the day will not only help with weight loss but will help you avoid eating larger portions (and unhealthy options) at lunch and dinner and keep you full throughout the day.

6. What would you say are five important food's to include during healthy weight loss for nutritional benefits for breast feeding mums?
1. I know it's not a food but the number 1 thing has to be water.
Breastfeeding can make you very thirsty. Make sure you have a bottle or glass of water next to you when you are feeding. Drink water before, during and after feeding to keep up your hydration levels.
Breastfeeding Mum's should aim for 2-3 litres of water per day.
2. It's important for all Mum's to make sure you are getting enough iron in your diet. Try lean red meats, beans, spinach or a boiled egg to boost your iron. Vitamin C helps iron absorption, whereas caffeine inhibits absorption.
3. Make sure you are getting enough fruits and veggies so that your body and your baby are getting a variety of vitamins and minerals. The recommended serving of fruit is 2 per day and 5 servings of veggies (1 servings of veggies is half a cup).
4. Eat whole grains and try to avoid processed foods. Whole grains provide healthy carbohydrates, energy and fibre which prevent constipation and leave you feeling full for longer. Try brown rice, wholemeal bread or quinoa opposed to white bread, rice or pasta.
5. Avoid too much sugar and sugary drinks or caffeinated drinks. These will give you a quick sugar hit but bring you crashing down. If you are eating a good, balanced diet you will get more energy and feel healthier.
These guidelines are important for all females not just breastfeeding Mum's. The main things breastfeeding Mum's need to think about is getting extra water and calories. If you feel hungry or your milk supply is dropping make sure you are eating enough food and the right foods.

7. What are the most effective exercises for toning that 'mummy tummy' area?
The most important thing for getting rid of your baby belly is a healthy diet. Eating well helps to strip the fat from this area (and the rest of your body). This coupled with cardio exercise and strengthening/toning exercises will help you get a nice, flat tummy again.
Hundreds of sit ups or crazy ab machines wont help. It is much more effective to eat healthy, walk and be aware of your core when exercising and throughout the day. Switching your core on during exercise also helps to support your back, avoiding injury or strain.

8. How much exercise a day should a new mum aim for to start seeing results?
As I mentioned earlier the most important thing is to start slowly and gradually build up. Listen to your body, you are the best judge of what is working for you and when you have done too much.
Start off with some gentle walking and build it up over time. Remember to do your pelvic floor exercises usually straight away for most people. Avoid bouncing exercises in the beginning like jogging, skipping, jumping. And don't start abdominal exercises too soon.

9. What are your personal favourite exercises?
I love heavy weights, boxing and interval training. Particular exercises I love jump squats and skipping. I've played soccer for 5 years and would love to get back in to it next year. I also hope to compete in a figure competition. Probably not most people's favourite things, but I love to push myself!

10. What would be the piece of advice you would share most with your power mums?
To avoid fad diets and quick fixes. Weight loss takes time. Making small gradual changes over time will help you to lose weight and keep it off. A healthy balanced diet, coupled with cardio and strength training will help you to do this. Most of all love your body and yourself whatever stage you are at and make healthy eating and exercise fun!

Power mums can be found at:
www.powermums.com.au



And on FACEBOOK:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Power-Mums/175495579146309