Do you believe in miracles?

Hi Everyone,

It's arrived!! The miracle box that I've mentioned several times over the last couple of months is finally here! I'm really excited by it and I'm sure that many of you will be too. It's a great buy for mums and mums to be (and a great gift too), but don't take my word for it, click on the banner below and make up your own mind .

The Five on the Floor......From Fit to Deliver Part 2

This post follows on from the one before last, and looks at the last 3 exercises in the five on the floor series from Fit to Deliver.

To do these exercises correctly you'll need to learn how to fire and sustain your transverse abdominus muscles (TVA). Instructions on how to do this were in this blog in the post dated Tuesday 19th June 2007.

Before each exercise focus on the following:

• Contract the pelvic floor
• Contract the TVA
• Remember to breathe
  

Fire the core and sustain with march

• Find your TVA while lying on your back with knees bent
• March your feet up and down several inches to a 10 count
• Don't raise your knees past 90 degrees
• Repeat 10-12 times each leg

Fire the core and sustain with limb movement

• Find your TVA while lying on your back with knees bent
• Bring your opposite arm and knee to 90 degrees and lower to a 10 count (arm and leg don't need to touch)
  
• Repeat 10-12 times each side

Fire the core and sustain kneeling (box position)

• Get down on all fours, shoulders and hips over hands and knees
• Relax your tummy and don't arch your back
• Breathe in, and then exhale whilst pulling your belly button in towards your spine
• Hold for 10 seconds breathing normally
• Work up to 10-12 repetitions
  

Note: After the first trimester these exercises should be performed on a slight incline or in a chair.

Healthy Regards

Do you have a story to tell?

If there's anybody out there with an inspirational, uplifting, moving, touching, motivational or just downright funny story about pregnancy, birth, or dealing with a new baby, we'd really love to hear from you. The idea is to publish them (with your permission) on the website, and possibly later in a book, so all new mums to be can learn from your experiences.

So, if you have a story to tell please get writing and send it to mark@newbornfitness.co.uk.

Thanks, and healthy regards,

Mark

The Five on the Floor..........from Fit to Deliver.

This post looks at the first 2 of 5 very useful pregnancy and postnatal floor based exercises from the great book and professional training course Fit to Deliver. Put together by MD's, physiotherapists, physiologists and exercise coaches, Fit to Deliver is a comprehensive guide to staying in shape during pregnancy and the postnatal period.

To do these exercises correctly you'll need to learn how to fire and sustain your transverse abdominus muscles (TVA). Instructions on how to do this were in this blog in the post dated Tuesday 19th June 2007.

Before each exercise focus on the following:

• Contract the pelvic floor
• Contract the TVA
• Remember to breathe

1. Fire core and sustain with leg slide

• Begin by lying on your back with with knees bent and isolate your TVA with a normal breathing pattern
• Keeping the TVA contracted during the exercise, slowly straighten one leg while sliding it along the floor, then return to the start position to a count of ten
• Repeat with the other leg keeping TVA switched on and breathing normal
  
• repeat 10 times on each leg. To increase difficulty raise leg off the floor as you slide it out and back

2. Fire core and sustain with leg fall out

• Contract your TVA while lying on your back, knees bent
• Let one leg fall out to the side and raise it back up to a count of 10
• Don't let the opposite hip come up off the floor
• Repeat 10 times on each leg.

Note: In the later stages of pregnancy these exercises should be performed on a slight incline or in a chair.

I hope that's useful to some of you. Please email me at mark@newbornfitness if you need any more advice on exercise and fitness during pregnancy.

Healthy Regards

Coming Soon....................The Miracle Box

Hi Everyone,

It's been a while since my last post so sorry about that. It's because I've been working very hard on a new product that I'm really excited about. It's a joint venture between Newborn Fitness and Lifestyle Experts called The Miracle Box and it will be the ultimate wellness package for all women, but in particular for new mums and mums to be. We'll be launching at the Earls Court Baby Show in October so come along and see us. We'll be giving away a miracle box each and every hour for the 3 days of the show and one of them could be yours.

Healthy Regards

Errors in growth charts blamed for childhood obesity

Hi Everyone,

There was an article in several papers this morning stating that growth charts may bear a lot of responsibility for the rise in childhood obesity. As someone who is greatly concerned by this topic I found the article very interesting.

It's generally known that bottle fed babies usually gain weight faster than breast fed babies, and many breastfeeding mums I speak to are concerned that baby is not eating enough and may be underweight. If baby is not at the expected weight for their age it can be worrying and may lead to some mums switching from breast to bottle. That's a shame as we know that in most cases breastfeeding is the best option for the child (and it's free). Well it now seems that the predicted weight charts are based on the expected weight gain for bottle fed babies, and that with the current big push towards breastfeeding, these charts are outdated and leading to overfeeding. This can be carried over into childhood and later life as overweight babies have a much greater risk of becoming overweight adults.

Daily Telegraph 14/08/2007

Parents have been overfeeding their babies for a generation because of inaccurate growth charts, according to experts. Charts used by health visitors and GPs are based on bottle-fed babies and encourage the rapid weight gain that has fuelled the childhood obesity epidemic, as overweight babies are more likely to be overweight later in life. New charts, which were issued by the World Health Organisation 18 months ago, reflect the slower growth pattern of breast-fed babies, and about 20 per cent of babies will be classed as overweight under the new system.

I hope this stops a lot of mums worrying about their babies weight. Unless there are specified problems, baby will eat when they are hungry and stop when they are finished. We could all learn from that!

Healthy Regards

Weight change between births can harm you and your baby

Hi Everyone,

There was an article in several newspapers today about the problems associated with gaining weight between pregnancies. This is not the first time this has been brought to our attention, and only last year an article based on similar research was also published. Around 15 years ago another study produced the same results, so I guess that unlike a lot of studies, this one shouldn't be sneezed at.

It seems that even a small increase in body mass index can double the risk of high blood pressure and preeclampsia, with larger increases resulting in even more problems.

So what do we do?

Well try and maintain a healthy and consistent weight would be the best thing.

How do we do that?

Not by dieting that's for sure! I understand the pressure sometimes with our celebrity culture, to try the latest fad diets. The Atkins diet, The California diet, etc etc are all an unhealthy and unnecessary way to go about losing weight. All these restricted calorie or no carb diets result in a loss of lean body weight (muscle). It's not muscle you want to be losing it's fat. Muscle is what gives your body it's shape. Losing muscle weight will slow your metabolism meaning that when you stop dieting you need even less calories to maintain your bodyweight than you did before the diet. Add to this the fact that when you starve yourself your body becomes super efficient at storing fat, and you can see why so many peoples weight goes up and down like a yo-yo.

A sensible diet with good nutritious whole foods is the best way to go. It's not a diet but a healthy eating plan, and one you can stick with for life. Don't go for instant gratification but aim for a slow weight loss over a long period. One pound a week is 52lbs a year, and that's nearly 4 stone!! Add exercise to the equation and you're laughing. You'll end up looking great and feeling even better with loads of energy, and who wouldn't want that?

To read the article in full click here.

Healthy Regards

Watch Those Windows!!

Hi Everyone,

Well summer is here (not) and most of England seems to be underwater. I had to cancel a meeting in Cheltenham last weekend because I couldn't get in or out of the town. If anyone still doubts that climate change is happening it's time to wake up.............IT'S JULY FOR GODS SAKE!!!!

Anyway, I received this from some colleagues the other day, and although at present we aren't really enjoying the weather necessary to throw open all the windows, it is a good point, a good product, and a good price. (And who knows when the weather will change).

Window Watch

As the humidity and temperature rises during the summer months, keeping an eye on adventurous young children is very important as they can easily climb out of open windows. Therefore, parents, grandparents and nannies should consider some extra safety measures when caring for their little ones this season.

The windows in your home can prove a real hazard when they’re left open to allow the fresh air to circulate. Your children could be in danger of falling if a window is open too far, and if they’re a bit curious, they may push a slightly ajar window open even further.

Particular attention needs to be paid if you live in a flat or apartment as an accident could be fatal if your child were to fall from a great height.

Clippasafe’s child safety expert, Roger Cheetham commented: “Even though we’re only promised the odd spot of sunshine this summer, it’s far better to be prepared and not throw caution to the wind, just in case we’re due any warm days or sudden heat waves!”

A window lock or blocker can be easily fitted to restrict the opening and prevent children from opening the window further. Clippasafe’s Window Lock is priced at £1.99 and the Sliding Window & Door Blocker is priced at £2.49.

Call 0115 921 1899 or visit www.clippasafe.co.uk for more advice and information.

Next week there will be more postnatal exercise info.

That's a promise!

Healthy Regards

Exercise Ball & Newsletter Update

Hi Everyone,

This is just to give you all an update on the Newborn Fitness exercise balls I mentioned a few posts ago. We have them in stock and ready to go and are just waiting for the printers to finish our postnatal exercise posters. These are going to be great and we are really excited about them. How many of you bought a 'birthing ball' when you were pregnant, and now baby is here you don't know what to do with it? (the ball not baby!) Our new posters are A2 size, laminated, and show exercises that you can do to get back in shape with your ball and your baby! We'll be offering them at a special introductory price, so keep checking the Newborn Fitness website for details.

We are also starting our Newborn Newsletter this month, bringing you the best in pre and postnatal exercise tips and advice, along with articles, offers, and much much more. You can subscribe by clicking here and entering your email address into the little box on the left of the home page, and you can unsubscribe at any time. If you sign up now you'll be able to download a copy of our top ten postnatal exercise tips FREE!!

More exercise information coming soon.

Healthy Regards

Can I exercise during my pregnancy?

Hi Everyone,

Can I exercise during my pregnancy? This is a question asked by many mums to be, as many people are still under the impression that pregnant ladies need 'to rest' all the time. In this post I'd like to discuss the guidelines for exercise during pregnancy and how they've changed over the years. In the early days there was very little research being carried out, so guidelines were very much 'better be safe than sorry' and I guess that was fair enough. These days however we know so much more, and staying active is most definitely the way to go.

Back in the 1950's the recommended exercise for pregnant ladies was 1 mile of walking a day, but that should be broken down into several sessions.........Phew, now don't overdo it, you're pregnant!!!

In the mid 80's The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) brought out new guidelines that were a little more relaxed but still had firm criteria to follow. They determined that most aerobic activity was safe for 15 minutes duration, but heart rate should be kept to a maximum of 140bpm and body temperature to under 100.4 degrees fahrenheit.

More research was now being undertaken by Dr James Clapp and others, and in 1994 the ACOG guidelines changed yet again. This time it was determined that 'women with uncomplicated pregnancies can exercise safely with virtually the same safeguards as non-pregnant women.'

In fact Dr Clapps research has shown that women who performed 45 minutes of weight bearing, aerobic type exercise on 5 or more days of the week throughout their pregnancy experienced improved well being, reduced constipation, reduced leg cramps and a quicker return to their pre-pregnancy weight than their non-exercising counterparts. There was also a reduced risk of gestational diabetes and pregnancy induced hypertension. Added to this, babies of exercising mums have been shown to have less body fat at birth and be less cranky, with a reduction in the instances of colic, and greater neurodevelopment in language and motor skills by the age of 5.

Another study by Dr Clapp showed that in exercising mothers labour was shortened by around a third, with 65% of those women delivering in four hours or less. Now that has to be good news!!

Obviously care has to be taken at all times and your doctor should be consulted before you undertake an antenatal exercise program. This is because there are certain relative and absolute contra-indications to exercise during pregnancy, and while you may not be sure if you have any, your doctor will. Once given the all clear to exercise use your common sense and listen to your body at all times. If in doubt call a fitness professional specialising in antenatal exercise. These can be found at www.newbornfitness.com or www.lifestylexperts.com

A list of the ACOG guidelines and the contra-indications to pregnancy can also be found at the Newborn Fitness website under info & advice.

Healthy Regards

Train with Newborn Fitness...........Online!!!

Hi Everyone,

This really is exciting news both for us and for anyone wanting to start exercising who is unsure of what they should and shouldn't be doing. You'll soon be able to use Newborn Fitness as your very own online Personal Fitness Coach. This will give you the chance to train safely and get results, for a small fraction of the cost of a personal trainer. And because of the flexibility of the internet we can do it worldwide!

You'll be able to set up your own account, enter your details, fill out a full assessment form that includes your goals, diet, lifestyle etc, and then watch or print off unique workouts set personally for you by our top postnatal exercise specialists. You'll see online exercise demo's of your program so you'll know exactly what to do, and you can send us your feedback so we can change your program accordingly as you progress. You'll also be able to choose from a series of timescale options, and pay conveniently online with paypal or your credit/debit card.

We get lots of questions from mums in all areas, and one thing we often hear is 'how much does it cost to hire a personal trainer?' Well this is a tough question to answer because rates vary so much from one part of the country to the next, but at Newborn Fitness we'll always try to help you if we can. All our specialists will be as flexible as possible when dealing with your needs, and one thing we often do is put on group sessions where you can get a few friends together and split the cost. We also have exercise classes in many areas where you can take your baby and save on childcare costs. Our new online training is just one more thing we can do to make safe, effective exercise affordable for all of you.

I just know this is going to be very popular, so if you have a 'healthy' interest in our online training, please get in touch with us soon.

Healthy Regards

Firing your Transverse Abdominus Muscles

Hi Everyone,

Todays blog is really important for all of you wanting to tone up your waistline. I'm going to show you how to find, contract, and sustain your transverse abdominus muscles (TVA). These are deep muscles (highlighted in red in our image) that comprise part of your 'core', and learning to control and strengthen them is necessary not only to flatten your tummy, but also to help maintain good posture, alleviate back pain, and prevent injury.

To find your TVA, lay on your back and put your fingertips inside your hip bones, (or ASIS for those of you with knowledge of Anatomy and Physiology). Cough, and you should feel the muscles beneath your fingers twitch. That is your TVA. To contract the TVA take a deep breath in, and then breathe out and at the same time pull your belly button in towards your spine. Those of you who've done any pilates will have done this before, and will have heard of the term 'navel to spine' many times. To see this movement in all its glory, click here.

When you've got the hang of this, try holding it for 10 seconds while continuing to breathe. It will be tricky at first but once you've learned to 'fire and sustain' the TVA you will be able to switch it on any time you exercise, lift baby, or do anything else that requires effort.

If you have any questions on this or any other exercise issue please get in touch. I'd also welcome your comments as to whether you find this info useful, and what I can do to improve the blog. What would you like to hear? Let me know.

Healthy Regards

Childhood Obesity.......A Growing Problem

Hi Everyone,

This isn't really a postnatal exercise issue, but for those of you with babies and young children it's a very important one. So let me have a quick rant and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear your comments.

You may know by now that the childhood obesity problem really bothers me. What some of us are doing to our children borders on child abuse, and if we aren't careful we will see a lot of young (30ish) people going blind with diabetes in 20 years time. Today there were two related articles in the press and you can see them both below. An attitude shift along with a lifestyle change is needed by many, along with lots of Government investment in educating people about the importance of good nutrition coupled with activity/exercise. The Government always talk a good game regarding these issues, especially when elections are looming, but I know from first hand experience how difficult it can be to get funding. No money seemed to be available for our postnatal exercise classes and they were for the families who really needed them, so this is a major challenge. Then again, as a very clever newspaper advertising campaign recently stated, "If our children die at 50 that's the pension crisis solved"

How to get your kids fit - Sun

The Sun offers advice to parents following a recent study from the British Heart Foundation which found most children are not doing enough physical activity. The article gives exercise suggestions for children of different ages and offers tips on how to keep children active. It is pointed out that parents should also get involved in order to motivate the children.

Quarter of toddlers overweight or obese – Mirror & Mail

An Institute for Child Health study of 14,000 children born 2000 - 2002 found 18 per cent were overweight and five per cent obese at the age of three. Tim Cole, one of the researchers, said: “It’s extremely important and indeed distinctly worrying that children as young as this are as fat as they are and getting fatter. Being fat now, these children are more likely to be fat later. There are now young adults and, increasingly adolescents and even children with type II diabetes. These people are going to require medical input for the rest of their lives.” The research also found that those from poorer areas were more likely to be overweight or obese than those from better off backgrounds. Among ethnic groups, Indian toddlers were the fittest, with only nine per cent being overweight or obese. Carol Dexateux, professor of Paediatric Epidemiology at the Institute of Child Health, said: “The concerns were already there, but this confirms that messages to parents of very young children about diet and exercise need to be re-enforced.”

What do you think? Am I overreacting?

Healthy Regards

Checking your abdominals for separation. (Diastasis Recti)

As promised here is some information about abdominal separation and how to check for it. It's something I often get asked about.

Your abdominal muscles will have stretched during your pregnancy, and in some cases a diastasis recti can occur. This is a stretching of the linea alba causing a separation of the rectus abdominus muscles. Some light core stability exercises will have a positive effect on the closing of this separation and should be encouraged, but please don't start pounding away at sit-ups and crunches before you've checked for separation. It only takes a minute or two.

To check for diastasis recti lay on your back and raise your knees. Place your little finger in your navel and your other 3 fingers in a line toward your breastbone. Keeping your feet on the floor, lower your chin to your chest and slowly curl your head and shoulders off the floor as if you were performing a crunch. You may feel a gap appear so turn your fingers at a 90 degree angle to see how much separation you have. If the gap is more than a couple of fingers you should definitely avoid regular abdominal exercises. Instead try this one.

Lay flat on your back with your knees bent as above but fold/cross your hands over your stomach so they support your abdominals. Breathe in, and then as you slowly breathe out raise your head to your chest. Gently 'pull' your stomach muscles together and hold for a count of 2 then slowly lower your head to the floor. Repeat 10 times.

I hope this has been helpful to you. If you have any specific questions please ask through the 'ask the expert' section of lifestylexperts.

Healthy Regards

That was the month that was.

Hi Everybody, I'm finally back online after a house move, a baby exhibition, a 2 week holiday with the kids (and I thought I was going to relax), and a frustrating week in our new house with no internet! What a month. I try hard not to get stressed but it's been difficult at times.

Upwards and onwards though, and over the next few weeks I'll be regularly updating this blog with lots of useful and useable info on exercise during and after pregnancy. My next post will be on how to check your abdominal muscles to see if they are healing correctly and are ready for exercise......so come back soon.

Healthy Regards

Birthing/Exercise Balls

I'll bet most of the ladies reading this used a 'birthing ball' at the hospital during labour, or even have one at home. I guess you know how good they are for getting back in shape after the birth of your baby, and for regaining strength in your 'core' muscles which will help to relieve back pain etc. But do you actually know what to do with the ball? Many people I speak to don't and it ends up being deflated and stuck in the garage or left in the garden for the kids to play with. Well at Newborn Fitness we are putting together a postnatal specific ball workout on a wallchart that you can buy along with one of our top quality Newborn Fitness 'Gymnic' exercise balls, boxed with a pump, for only £19.95. Usually you'd expect to pay that just for one of these Italian produced anti-burst balls.

These 'core' exercises will enable you to flatten your 'baby belly' within a few short weeks, and you'll be able to get the whole package at www.newbornfitness.co.uk in a couple of weeks.

Healthy Regards

Lifestyle Improvement Reduces Heart Attack Risk

No S*** Sherlock!

So here's yet another article on health related issues, found in The Times today. Ok so it's not an ante or postnatal exercise issue, but it amazes me how much money is spent on research that always tells us the same thing. The fact that most cases of CHD, diabetes, etc comes from not taking enough exercise and eating too much of the wrong stuff. Did you see the programme last night about Barry the Brummie, Britains fattest man? He's been made a celebrity by the media because of his size and he's now trying to lose weight. He's decided to eat healthier but spent £360 on 'healthier food' for a fortnight! Some sort of portion control would be in order I imagine!

Rather than keep telling us what we all know, wouldn't the money be better spent on educating people about the benefits of regular exercise and good nutrition? No one needs to be a saint, and we can all eat chocolate and chips now and again, just not all the time. I speak regularly with health visitors and midwives who tell me about 4 year olds still being fed baby food because their mothers have no idea how to cook a potato or veg. How can this be happening in 21st century Britain?

Anyway rant over. Here's the article, and I've put the important bit in bold.

DNA test to identify those twice as likely to have an early heart attack - Times Mark Henderson reports that an Icelandic company is developing a test that determines whether people have an inherited vulnerability to heart attacks. They are able to develop such a test following the discovery of a genetic variant that can double the risk of heart attack at an early age. Once the test has been perfected it will allow doctors to advise patients with a high genetic vulnerability to change their lifestyle or, if necessary, take cholesterol-lowering drugs. Tim Chico, of the University of Sheffield, said: "We must not forget that 90% of the risk of a heart attack comes from things like smoking, cholesterol, diet, lack of exercise and diabetes. Whatever our genetic makeup, we can all reduce our chance of heart disease by improving our lifestyle."

Healthy Regards

'Exercise pill' tricks body into burning twice the fat

Did anyone see this headline in the Independent last week? Supposedly American scientists have discovered and tested on mice a pill that triggers the same fat burning process that occurs during exercise, even when the mice are inactive. Now this could be a good thing for the chronically obese couldn't it, but how long before it gets into the hands of lazy, inactive people looking for a quick fix, or bodybuilders getting ready for a show (as if they aren't taking enough drugs already).

Dr. Ronald Evans, a researcher at the Salk Institute in California states that "Too few people get an ideal amount of exercise. Having access to an exercise pill would improve the quality of muscles, and increase the burning of energy or excess fat [lowering] the risks of heart disease and diabetes."

Call me old fashioned but I really do feel that more people could, if they wished to, get more exercise than they do. Rather than rely on drugs (with their often terrible side effects) as an answer to everything, why not go for a walk or to the gym? Why not eat fruit and veg instead of burgers and pizza? Why not try water instead of beer? (yes I'll try and take that one on board too!). Honestly though there is a great world out there beyond fast food and TV, but you have to go and find it.

Is it me? Feel free to comment.

Healthy Regards

Postnatal Exercise Question

Hi everyone. I've been all over the country this last week and am also in the process of moving house again, but I thought it was about time I wrote something new in this blog as I know many of you have been reading it. If you have any questions for me please send me an email via the 'ask the experts' section and I'll be happy to answer whenever time allows. I can't offer medical advice as I'm not qualified to do so, and you should speak to your doctor before starting an exercise programme, but I can give the benefit of my knowledge and experience in the field of ante and postnatal exercise. Let me give you an example of the sort of thing I mean.

A week or so ago I received an question via email from a lovely lady who's name I won't mention, and she was wondering if she'd ever have a flat tummy again. She'd just had her 2nd child and he was a very large baby (over 10lbs). She's motivated and exercising regularly by running for 20-30 mins, and doing 'toning exercises' but not getting a flat tummy yet. She feels as if she's flogging a dead horse.

Well I can tell her that she's probably not the only one reading this feeling the same way? Am I right? Do let me know and I'll see if I can help you. This was my reply:

Dear ********

No, you are not flogging a dead horse and you can certainly have a flat tummy again, but it won’t happen overnight. You don’t say how old you are, but at any age at least 75% of losing weight/getting in shape is nutrition related. It’s great that you are motivated and doing exercise, but without getting your diet right you won’t get the results you deserve. Although it may be difficult, many smaller snack type meals at regular intervals will stimulate your metabolism and help you lose weight, especially if protein is included. Eat lean meat and poultry, fish, and fresh fruit and veg, along with brown rice, baked potatoes and wholegrain bread (not too much). Try to avoid processed foods whenever possible. If it comes in a bag or a box don’t eat it! (Thanks Craig)

Regarding exercise, have you got an exercise ball? If so there are some good exercises on our website here that you can try. Because of the instability of the ball any ball exercises stimulate all your core muscles, and not just the abs. This helps to tighten the whole waistline and to alleviate back pain by developing the muscles that support the spine. Sit-ups aren’t great as they can stress the lower back quite a bit. You mention toning exercises. By that I presume you mean weight training which is great. The more muscle you can develop the more calories you can eat without gaining weight as muscle burns calories all the time. Don’t worry, you won’t get big muscles as you don’t have the hormones required.

Running is great and 20 minutes is what I’d actually recommend. It’s what you do in the 20 mins that counts. Rather than just jog at comfortable pace, try and run fast for a minute or two every few minutes or so. We call this interval training and it’s been scientifically proven to burn more calories over the course of the day than just regular cardio. So, warm up thoroughly, run for 3 minutes, sprint for one minute to get your heart rate right up there, slow down until you recover and repeat until the 20 mins is up. Aim for 4 or 5 intervals over the 20 minute period. I don’t know your current fitness level but it will increase rapidly with this type of training. If you can’t manage the sprints then just increase your pace by what is comfortable until you can. It won’t take long.

Finally, start with the end in mind. So although it may seem silly, visualise the way you want to look. Before you even start working out have a picture in your mind of how you want to look, and ‘feel’ how you would feel if you were there already. Keep this picture and this feeling in your mind as much as possible, and it will help you to achieve your goal faster. All athletes do this as it programmes the subconscious mind to believe that’s the way you are already. Don’t ask how it works, it just does! Another important thing regarding this is to eliminate negative thinking. Change ‘I can not shift my belly’ to ‘my belly is getting flatter every day’ and say it over and over. Your subconscious mind cannot differentiate between fact and fiction, and if you go there in your subconscious mind you’ll eventually get there for real.

I'm checking out now. I hope that helped some people and I'm looking forward to your questions. If you are into running then be sure to pick up a copy of 'women's fitness magazine' this month and look for my article on running during pregnancy.

Healthy Regards.

Exercise during Pregnancy.......... Is it safe?


It will please most ladies to know that, excepting certain conditions, doctors do not now expect you to spend the entire nine months of your pregnancy resting, with little physical activity and absolutely no exertion. The truth is that those who are up to date with the current research should be positively encouraging you to exercise throughout the whole period.

Old myths that stated ‘the jarring of aerobics or running could hurt baby’ or ‘exercise may cause miscarriage or early labour’ have proved unfounded. It is now known that in the absence of contraindications, there are some very good reasons for you to continue. Research by Dr. James F Clapp (2000) states that women who performed 45 minutes of weight bearing, aerobic type exercise on 5 or more days of the week throughout their pregnancy experienced improved well being, reduced constipation, reduced leg cramps and a quicker return to their pre-pregnancy weight than their non-exercising counterparts. There was also a reduced risk of gestational diabetes and pregnancy induced hypertension. Added to this, babies of exercising mums have been shown to have less body fat at birth and be less cranky, with a reduction in the instances of colic, and greater neurodevelopment in language and motor skills by the age of 5.

While this is a pretty convincing argument for continuing or even starting an exercise programme during pregnancy, there is even more good news for the mum to be. Another study by Dr Clapp showed that in exercising mothers labour was shortened by around a third, with 65% of those women delivering in four hours or less. The possibility of cutting a few hours from your labour must surely be a powerful incentive to get exercising!

Of course it’s not as simple as just going down the gym and getting on with it. There are certain guidelines that need to be adhered to during pregnancy, and certain activities that must be avoided. It’s very important that you consult your doctor before starting an ante natal exercise programme to see if any of the contra-indications to exercise apply to you. A full list of the relative and absolute contra-indications written by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG) can be found here.

Presuming you are given the all clear to exercise, your routines should be geared toward maintaining your fitness level rather than increasing it. Hormonal changes and your shifting centre of gravity can also make you susceptible to injury, so it’s advisable to exercise under the watchful eye of a trained professional. Fitness pro’s specialising in ante and postnatal exercise can be found through the find an expert section of http://www.newbornfitness.co.uk/ or http://www.lifestylexperts.com/.

Mark Hibbitts is Director of Newborn Fitness, the postnatal exercise specialists, and a full member of The Guild of Pregnancy and Postnatal Exercise Teachers. For tips and advice on exercising during and after pregnancy, visit the Ask the Experts section of http://www.lifestylexperts.com/ or keep an eye out for Marks regular blog.

Share your pregnancy exercise tips with us, click here

Post Natal Exercise: Are you ready?

How soon after giving birth can I start exercising?
Many obstetricians will tell you to wait until your six-week postnatal check, although some feel that it's okay to gradually resume your pre-pregnancy routine based on your personal physical capability. It all depends on whether or not you exercised regularly previously.
Generally, if you exercised right up until the end of pregnancy, you can probably safely perform your pre-pregnancy workout -- or at least light exercise such as modified sit-ups and stretching -- from the start.
If you stopped exercising during your pregnancy or you are a newcomer to fitness, it is better to resume exercising more slowly. If you've never exercised or want to ease back into a fit lifestyle, see our exercise suggestions for the first six weeks. If you're beyond that point and need a new routine, you'll want to check out our exercises for after the first six weeks. To Read more click here....

Post Natal Exercise: First 6 weeks

Believe it or not you wont always look pregnant, even though you may feel that way immediately after giving birth. It takes time, patience, and a balance of healthy eating and physical activity to get back in shape.
These gentle exercises are perfect for easing your postnatal body into an exercise routine. Many obstetricians and midwives suggest waiting until your six-week postnatal check before beginning to exercise. This is good advice in relation to joining an exercise class, but there is plenty you can do on your own at home in the first few weeks.

If you had a caesarean, it's wise to wait until your six-week check ...for more information click here


6 weeks after the baby

About six weeks after you give birth, you can add the following activities to the beginning set of exercises. You'll need a pair of 3- to 5-pound / 1.5- to 2.5-kg dumbbells (available at sporting goods shops). To increase difficulty, add repetitions, sets of repetitions, and/or weights.

Begin each workout with a warm-up: Keep it simple!

Five minutes of marching on the spot or some fast walking. Add

For the full exercise guide please click here


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