Moms in the Weight Room

by Elaine

You just had a baby - you are exhausted, drained, emotional, and your belly is a lot flappier than it used to be. Believe it or not, this is the best time to start up an exercise program.  

After having my second (and last) child, I was determined to get into shape. I started playing around with the machines at the gym and doing my time on the dreaded treadmill, but I was not satisfied. I was also not ready, whatsoever, to set foot into the small, overcrowded weight room, which was mainly occupied by giant, spandex-laden meatheads.....BUT summer was around the corner and my local gym had a really good deal on Personal Training packages. 

I signed up. I figured my PT could show me ropes, and provide me with the confidence that I desperately needed to mark my place among the veiny, bulgy, sweaty specimens of the weight room.

Elaine's shirt: "Lifting More Than Babies"

I have now been lifting weights for two years. TWO YEARS! I have drastically changed my body shape from a party girl, beer-bellied, doughy shadow of a woman into a lifting, toned body that I can actually be proud of! I can carry SO MANY groceries! I have loads of energy to play with my kids, run errands, and clean house. My kids love watching me lift! What a great example for my boy and girl: Moms can have muscles too! I will admit that at first, the guilt of leaving the home to workout was overwhelming, but now it's routine. They expect me and encourage me to go.

With all that said, being a mom (or just a woman on a mission to live a healthy life) can sometimes make it difficult to take the initial steps into the weight room. It can seem very intimidating but I know you can do it! Here are a few tricks to help you dominate the weight room.

• Music - a blood pumping playlist and a good set of earphones are essential. It will help direct your focus on training and keep the distractions at bay.
• Information - not everybody has a budget for a Personal Trainer, BUT most gyms will give you a tour of the machines for free when you first sign up. This is a great opportunity to familiarize yourself with the equipment and gym etiquette. Don't be shy and ask a lot of questions! If you are comfortable enough you can also ask your fellow gym rat for pointers.
• Plan - you can do a bit of research on the net for workout programs and specific exercises. Just make sure that you are using credible sources. Knowing what you are going to do will take the guess work out of your visit to the gym.
• Form - watch youtube videos, go to the library, read fitness mags, follow fitness gurus on social media.....why? Because you need to know proper form for your individual exercises. Knowledge is power, and the more you know about your workout the less likely you are to injure yourself. This also helps boost your confidence when it comes time to perform. Some personal favorite sources of mine include BusyMomGetsFit, BUFF Dudes, and Blogilates. Every time I introduce a new move to my repertoire I repeatedly watch a video, study, and practice it in the mirror  until I am confident enough to try it.
• Be flexible - you have your plan, but you're sharing the equipment with loads of people. Don't get discouraged when someone is using the machine or weights you planned to use, just move onto the next one and come back when the equipment is free.
• Quiet time - no, you are not in time out. But if your nerves are getting the best of you, try hitting the gym during quiet time. You may be more comfortable trying out new moves when the gym is a little less busy. Ask gym staff when that time is. Summertime is usually perfect for in-gym experimentations since there seems to be a lower attendance rate.
• Men - men will look at you, so you might as well expect it. BUT, not for the reasons that you think. They are just surprised or impressed to see you, since the female population in this environment can be nearly nonexistent. No one is judging you. Repeat after me: NO ONE IS JUDGING ME!

The weight room, for me, is my sanctuary. It is my therapy. If I have had a rough day, which moms sometimes do, nothing soothes like pulling, pushing, lifting, dropping a heavy set of iron. The adrenaline rush, the pump, the satisfaction of doing something for me, by myself and separate from the home has made me way more confident and happy. Be brave, for the benefits of a hard workout can banish the newbie jitters!

Wowzers!

Elaine is a mom of two wonderful kids on a healthy lifestyle journey, studying towards a Nutritional Therapist and Advanced Sports Nutritional Advisor certification. Lifting heavy things makes her happy! Follow her on Facebook!

Looking for Sleepy Dust for Your Children?

By Amanda DeGrace, owner of Little Lotus Yoga How many times a day do we as adults pause and concentrate on a slow and relaxed breath? If you are like me or many of my clients we don’t do it often enough. We spend our days moving from one appointment to the next, groceries, laundry, cook, clean up, bathtime for the kids, bedtime routine, repeat.

The next time you find yourself running from one task to another take a moment to pause and just notice your breath. Is it shallow or deep and full? Our children feel our energy and can feed off that. When we are feeling stressed then our children can become stressed. When we feel calm, cool and collected then our children do as well.

Many times I hear from our awesome mamas and papas that their children have a challenging time settling into bed at night. They toss and turn, can’t get comfortable and end up wide awake for hours.

Here are some tips and tricks that may help your children in settling in for a quiet and peaceful evening.

In a soft voice guide your child through the following meditations:

This guided meditation is appropriate for school age children and pre-teens.

Sit or lie down comfortably and try to close your eyes. Make any little movements that your body would like to make to make yourself as comfortable as possible.

Try to close your mouth and breathe in and out of your nose. Notice what it feels like when you breathe in and out of your nose. I am going to ask you some questions and just think about them in your mind for a moment without speaking out loud.

(parents- pause for a few moments in between each question)

Do you feel your breath as it enters and leaves your nose?

Do you feel your belly and chest expanding as you breath in and getting smaller as your breath leaves your body?

What does it feel like when you slow your breathe down and take a deep slow breath and then let it go slowly as well?

Try to follow your breath with your mind as it enters through your nose, travels deep down into your belly. Feel your belly grow and expand and then fill your ribs and your chest. Follow your breath with your mind as it all leaves back through your nose. Let the air in your chest leave first. Then your ribs.Then your belly.

Continue to follow the wave of your breath as it slowly enters and then leaves your body.

This guided meditation is appropriate for toddlers and preschoolers.

Lie down on your back and close your eyes. Place your hands lightly on your belly. Try to lie very still and quietly. Close your mouth and breath in and out of your nose.

Feel your belly move up and down as you breath. Your belly is just like a balloon. Fill your belly up with air and it expands like when you blow up a balloon. When you breathe out feel your belly get small again just like a balloon does when you let the air out of it. 

Imagine your belly is a balloon and blow your belly balloon up really really big and then let it get very very small again. Try to blow your balloon up slowly and softly.

Some children may be resistance to lie or sit to listen to a guided meditation at first. Try not to push them into it. Allow for self-discovery and join in with them. Lie down with your child, hold their hand or rub their belly or back, and softly allow your mind and body experience the guided meditation as well.

From my family to yours I am sending lots of sleepy vibes!

Namaste Amanda

Fundraising for Candlelighters: Supporting Children with Cancer

by Andrea As life gets busier with growing kids, getting together with your core group of friends becomes quite the challenge. But when you do manage to pull it off, and see the kids laughing and playing together while you share a glass or two of vino with your besties, you ask yourself and each other: Why don’t we do this more often?

We all feel that part of being a good parent is providing activities for the kids: sports, music, dance, and the list goes on. But then it begins to seem “quality time” with your kids is spent mostly in the car. And quality time with friends happens only on birthdays or holidays. So let’s add this to the New Year’s Resolution List: spend more time with friends and quality time with kids actually doing activities with them instead of always driving them to one.

This sentiment snapped into focus for me after I received an email from one of those friends (because that is the only way we catch up these days) that says her daughter - one of the special, wonderful, brilliant kids that I have seen grow up - has been diagnosed with Cancer. I am stopped in my tracks.

After taking time to absorb and re-absorb this news my mind springs into action: how can we help, what can we do – there must be something? There is nothing we can do about the Cancer and this is a hard pill to swallow – nothing to help this little 6 year-old except be there for her and her family that we hold so dear.

Ways we can help

We can raise money and awareness about some exceptional local organizations that help support families through this difficult period, organizations like Candlelighters and their Childhood Cancer Support Programs. Candlelighters puts a smile on the kids’ faces when they receive iPads and other support – and in this situation it means a lot to see a child smile.

We can give blood, because who knew that your little 6 year-old friend would need blood transfusions?

We can get together with friends, make time before or after activities, schedule in some parent and kid activities.

As small business owners we are in a position to hold such events, which we are doing Sunday November 16th 1:00-3:00 with all kinds of services: mini manicures, deluxe French braids, funky hair with temp colour, face painting, treats and more all for donations to Candlelighters.

We also organize events that can make it easy for you to spend time with your children or have your children spend time with friends (and maybe have that glass of vino next door).

Check us out (and like us) on our Facebook page  or email us at info@prettyhandsome.ca for more information.

Upcoming Events include: Frozen Spa Evening – Nov 14th 1st Birthday Celebration for Candlelighters – Nov 16th PD Day PJ Day at the Spa – Nov 21st Happy Hour Fridays – Book a Mani Pedi with your BFF between 3-6 and receive 50% off December Birthday Parties – Birthday Girl receives a deluxe up-do for free! And many more specials and events!

The Best Ways to Prepare for Life with a Baby

The other evening I had the pleasure of attending a Better Beginnings Night at the Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre. This was an event that reached out to any person looking for more information about pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum resources here in Ottawa. We saw women very close to their due dates, as well as women and their partners planning for pregnancy. There were birth doulas, postpartum doulas, chiropractors, and various businesses offering information and free samples. This got me thinking - what are the best ways to prepare for pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum? I think we all know the more obvious ways to get ready: prep the baby's room, attend regular prenatal appointments with your healthcare provider, and purchase baby supplies. But research has shown that women and partners who are well prepared for the reality of postpartum life tend to fare better in terms of adjustment issues and perinatal mood disorders.

So as your "in-house" doula, I present to you the top tips for preparing for life with a baby (hint....this involves a lot of classes!):

1. Take a prenatal class - one with an actual live teacher. The City of Ottawa now offers a free online course, but research has shown that your interaction with a teacher and/or classmates will enhance your learning. You also want to make sure that the class you choose focuses primarily on labour and birth - stages/phases, physiology, comfort measures for pain and  unexpected outcomes.

2. Take a yoga class - start in early pregnancy, and continue practicing as much as possible throughout each trimester. You not only prepare your body for the physical rigor of labour, but you teach yourself relaxation skills (the KEY to having a healthy birth)

3. Take a baby/newborn preparation class - most of us have absolutely no experience with newborns before we decide to get pregnant. In order to be comfortable with all the challenges you will face as a new parent, you need to understand newborn behaviours, sleep patterns (no, newborn babies do not sleep through the night!), and diaper, feed and carry your child.

4. Make a postpartum plan - it sounds silly, I know. "I need a PLAN to parent my child?" Yes, you do...at least in the beginning. You will be shocked at all the little details you hadn't thought of once baby arrives. Who is nearby to give you support? How will you get breaks? Who will cook and clean the house? Walk the dog? If you take time to think about these things before you enter the postpartum phase, you'll feel less overwhelmed.

5. Take time to hang with your friends who have become parents. Ask them questions. Hold a baby, and offer to babysit several times.

The clients I work with who adjust the easiest to postpartum life are the ones who have:

- a lot of family nearby - husbands/partners that can stay home on paternal leave (if this isn't possible due to financial reasons, plan who else you can call on for assistance) - lots of experience with newborns - taken prenatal classes - lower anxiety due to proper physical activity, meditation or relaxation skills, and yoga

Did you adjust well to the postpartum phase? What made it easier on you?

Welcome to Sponsor Tumblers Gymnastics

We're so lucky here in Ottawa to have a great selection of gymnastics centres. Some are recreational, while other combine both recreational and competitive options - which means that anyone can participate, regardless of ability (wouldn't it be cool to have an adult gymnastics class? I'll admit I'm rather jealous of my 2 year-old tumbling around on the mats!) Tumblers Gymnastics Centre has been around for 25 years, incorporating in 1989 as a not-for-profit organization. It's now one of the largest gymnastics clubs in the province. Recreational classes follow the CanGym program, and specialty classes include Introductory Rhythmic Gymnastics, recreational trampoline, and Acro for Dance.

We had a chance to go and check out Tumblers' drop-in class, which runs every morning at 10:30 a.m. except Tuesdays.

The centre is GIANT! My daughter was in awe of all the fun things to check out - she had access to all the equipment during the drop-in. For a two year-old, it's better to be free to run around :) Her favourite things to do were jump on the trampoline and walk on the balance beams!

Staff were welcoming and friendly, and interacted with all the kids on the bars, trampoline and balance beams. A viewing area in the lobby is available for parents to watch their child's progress in kinder and recreational classes (a.k.a quiet time for Mommy to drink coffee ;) )

Check out the Fall schedule now for drop-in times, kinder and recreational programs - children can participate from as young as one year in parent-assisted classes.

If you're in the East end (or anywhere for that matter!), come by and check out Tumblers Gymnastics Centre - my daughter is already asking when we can go again!