How to check for Diastasis Recti (Video included)

All you postpartum mamas out there should give this a little read….and if you have carried a baby in your belly….then you are a postpartum mama!! It doesn't matter if you are 8 weeks postpartum or 80 years postpartum, you are postpartum and can still help your abdominal separation and help to reconnect your core. However, don't get fixated on the ‘gap’ in the abdominal wall. Instead try to focus on the connection between your breath and the linea alba (your connective tissue which hold the two muscles together).

One of the most common complaints in women after they have had a baby is ‘I still look pregnant’ or ‘I want my belly back to how it was before’. The most likely cause for this is a condition called diastasis recti, This is when the two rectus abdominis muscles separate during pregnancy and the connective tissue (the linea alba) stretches to make space for the baby! amazing right?? However, if it does not heal on its own….it will need a little extra help. There are studies showing that 100% of women will get this separation and 52.4% will still have one present at 6-8 weeks postpartum (Mota et al 2014)

But I need you to look past the gap and the mummy tummy for a moment and realize what the separation can really be doing to your body. First and foremost it is detrimental to the health of your core/how it functions. Without a good core connection your body is going to begin to suffer. But AGAIN don't worry if you can’t close the gap, lefts work on getting your core to work properly (that will be another post) :)

So how do I know if I have Diastasis Recti??

Watch this video to see a full demonstration of how to check for Diastasis Recti OR follow the steps below. If you have any Questions just shoot me a message and I will gladly help you out. If you don’t feel comfortable checking yourself contact a professional like me or a physiotherapist.

How to check for Diastasis Recti.

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HAPPY HEALTHY WORKOUTS MAMA!

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Is it really about weight loss?

I was sitting listening to a webinar on body image and it made me reflect on my past and how I use to treat my body. I have come a long way since my insecure years in high school/university. But what changed?

I have struggled with weight my whole life, I have always been small and on the low end of healthy….entering into unhealthy. I have been blessed with a fast metabolism but this does not mean I was happy. Every woman struggles with their body…prodding, poking and criticizing every second they get. Why can't I look like that supermodel, this is what I really want to look like. But is it really? Why do you want to look that way? Will it give you happiness? Will it make people love you more?

So what right do I have to tell you it isn't all about weight loss if I have never been over weight!

What I’m really trying to tell you is that mindset is the key to happiness. As soon as I shifted my mindset to loving my body for what it is I began to feel happy, content and even satisfied with who I am. I think I put too much energy into how I looked so I could have friends, love and achieve more. But my body wasn't the issue (even though I though it was for many years). It was all in my head, it was all about how I saw at myself.

Change your mindset, change your life.

So you just had a baby and you're thinking RIGHT, now its time to get my post baby body back. Well don’t waste the first weeks focusing on how to get your body back, you may never have the same body but that is OK! Life shouldn't revolve around losing weight if it’s just about getting smaller, that was a tough lesson I had to learn. No matter how small I got…nothing changed. I was still insecure, I still hated my body, I still struggled with liking myself. So why do you REALLY want to get smaller??

Lets shift the focus to why you should eat healthy and workout. Have a real conversation with yourself about what your motivation is, but try to stay away from visual body goals.

• You want more energy
• You want to be able to run after your toddler without feeling out of breath
• You want to glow from the inside out
• You want to prevent diseases that run in the family.
• You want to show a good example for your children.
• You want to FEEL GREAT!!

You created a life from NOTHING….thats amazing! Your body is capable of doing amazing things, you have to start loving it for what it can do. If you start to listen to your body and feed it what it really needs (both exercise and food) the weight loss will be a side effect. Mindfulness, moderation (although that word sucks lol) intuition, treat your body right. But eat that cookie too, its ok. Eat food because it nourishes the body, exercise because it gives you strength. 

Have an even keel approach not a quick one time fix, slow and steady really does win the race.

Learning to look at yourself differently can be hard, but take small steps to make positive changes both physically and mentally. If it means unfollowing all the #fitmoms with their midriffs showing DO IT! Whatever makes you feel good about yourself. You are perfect, you grew a human from scratch!!

Happy workouts mamas!

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup

This time of year, when its cold outside, my favourite thing to do is sit back and enjoy a warming bowl of soup. There are so many reasons why soup is the BEST, but my main love is that they are soooooo easy to make AND they are jam packed with nutritious ingredients.

I was scanning through Pinterest for inspiration and I stumbled on a couple of recipes but non of them really hit the spot. Either they had too much sugar or added cream, which aren't great for you. So I decided to adapt and make my own recipe for this filling butternut squash soup. Its full of flavour and has just the right amount of sweet. You can top it with some greek yogurt and fresh ground pepper and ‘Bob’s your uncle’ a perfectly well rounded soup.

Honestly this soup is so easy, all you need to do is chop all the ingredients and throw it in the slow cooker. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 butternut squash
• 1 medium white onion
• 3 medium carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 apples
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric

METHOD

Chop and peel the butternut squash, chop everything else (leave the skin on the apples) and place them all in the slow cooker. You can chop the garlic if you like but I put the cloves in whole. Add all the spices then pour in the stock. Set the slow cooker to high for 3-4 hours OR set on low for 5-6 hours. 

When the butternut squash is soft you can place the soup in the blender and blend till smooth. If you like it a little thinner just add some water to the blender.

Serve with greek yogurt and enjoy!

top 5 healthy tips for the holiday season

So the Christmas season is in FULL effect! Meals out with friends, co-workers, family visits and gatherings here there and everywhere. As a stay at home mom I’m managing to combat most of this but there really are temptations EVERYWHERE!! Extra chocolate and candies at the grocery store, cute packaging luring you in to the chocolate shop you never usually entertain entering….have you guessed chocolate is my pitfall yet? And then there is the cheeky glass of wine because hey, its Christmas right? 

Thats all and well if you can handle it all in moderation….but what if you struggle with moderation? THATS OK don’t be hard on your self, it is only a short period of time. The key take home point is that you CAN have a treat, don’t punish yourself. I am a FULL believer of the 80/20 rule. 80 percent of the time eat healthy, exercise and look after your body. 20 percent of the time indulge in what you like, don’t think about exercise and have a break.

Top 5 Healthy Tips for surviving this holiday season

1. Snack well - Pick a few go to snacks that you can keep on hand, easy to grab snacks can really save you. They will prevent a hunger crash by keeping your blood sugar stable therefore preventing the sudden splurge. My favourite snacks are low sugar protein bars, ready chopped vegetable sticks, nuts and sharp cheddar.
2. Get enough sleep - As a mom this can be a challenge, your kids get sick, you're up late wrapping gifts or you just can turn off your brain at night. Sleep is VITAL for functioning at optimal level. When you don’t get enough sleep your body is working at a fight/flight level. This means your adrenal glands are in overdrive and your hormones end up on an emotional roller coaster…..leading to an eating roller coaster. Turn off all technology in the bedroom, use some relaxing essential oils like lavender, take a bath….whatever helps you wind down.
3. Don’t starve yourself - When you know there is a party that night, make sure you eat a balanced breakfast and lunch (as you should be doing every day). If you are a calorie counter and want to ‘save’ up your points…..DON”T!! This will lead to bad decisions during the party. The best thing to do is focus on moderation at the party, eat what you want but have a SMALL quantity. Limiting yourself only leads to bad decisions.
4. Be mindful - This is all about listening to your body and what it NEEDS not what your brain tells you it wants. Take time when you are eating, chew your food well and enjoy what you are eating. Now this is a big one, as parties are all about socializing and holding conversations. Just check in with your plate and your belly every now and then….do you really need to go back for seconds? Do you really need to order a dessert? If you want to enjoy a dinner out, utilize the ‘take-out’ bag.
5. Limit alcohol - This is a tricky one, I know I enjoy a nice glass of wine. But one or two is enough. There is no need to go over board and finish the whole bottle. The easiest way to handle this is to be the designated driver. DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE! Or you can dilute your wine with sparkling water so that it lasts longer. Same goes for any drink, have a larger glass with less alcohol and more ‘healthy’ mix.

Happy holidays mamas, enjoy this season with your family and friends. Tis the season to be jolly just don’t let your belly get roly-poly ;)

hale to the kale.....breastfeeding mamas salad

To all you breastfeeding mamas out there it can be very daunting knowing what you can and can’t eat for your baby! Knowing what to put in your body to benefit your new baby is definitely top of the list (for me at least).

We have carried these little humans and protected them for nine long months, now they are here, their needs are changing and you will notice they react differently according to what you eat. Did what I ate last night make them gassy? Is that rash on their face because of me? Do they have an ear infection because of MY eating habits?? MAYBE it is and maybe it isn’t. When I was breastfeeding I found myself scrolling through countless articles and books to make sure I was doing everything right. I would watch what I was eating and make sure Eden didn’t have a reaction over the next few days.

Good news is this salad is perfect for breastfeeding mamas as it cover all the nutritional bases. If however you have hypothyroidism you need to be a little weary of kale as it is does contain goitrogens when eaten RAW. So depending on your nutritional needs (please check with your healthcare provider) you may be able to steam it first and have it as a warm salad, or substitute for spinach or romaine lettuce.

Foods a breastfeeding mama should be including in their diet are;

1. Dark Leafy Greens
2. Good Quality Protein
3. Healthy Fats
4. Complex Carbohydrates

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 8 cups kale
• 2 cups cubed and roasted butternut squash
• 1 cup cooked green lentils
• 1 green apple sliced into sticks
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 1/4 cup crushed almonds
• 4 tbsp. goat feta

Dressing

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar (with the mother)
• 2 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. maple syrup

Method

Roast the squash ahead of time, sprinkle the cubes with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 20-30 mins @375 until tender. Let them cool. Boil the green lentils using the instructions on the package (usually simmer on low for 30 mins).

Layer all the ingredients on top of a bed of kale, add the dressing and serve. It is great as a meal or you can use it as a side salad with grilled chicken or a white fleshed fish.

p.s. I like to prepare the whole butternut squash and extra green lentils ahead of time so there are leftovers for other meals throughout the week.

Also, big shout out to my mother in law for the home grown kale!!

7 min HIIT home workout - with socks!!

For all you moms who don’t have time to get to a gym, OR don’t feel comfortable going to a gym….here is a little workout for you!! You don’t need equipment to get the full benefits of exercise, you don’t even need a lot of time! We can all find 7 minutes in our day right? That’s all this workout needs, unless you want to repeat the workout multiple times to get in a full 24 min session.

The challenges a mother can face in a day really puts you off getting a workout in. Some days I will go to the gym for a ‘break’ from my daughter, some days I’ll do my workout with her, then others I’ll wait till she naps. Either way I make it a habit to exercise. Now this doesn’t have to be an hour long workout. It can be anything from 7 mins to 60 mins (sometimes 90 depending on how much of a break I need). You will find which time of the day suits you best. If you are a new mom, the times will change as you go through peaks and troughs with your little.

The BEST thing about a home workout is you can do it in the comfort of your own home, with no one watching you (except maybe a baby/toddler).

With this work out you can modify the exercises to suit you, do each one for 60 seconds and rest for 30. Repeat three times if needed;

• Exercise ONE: Jump switch lunge OR alternate lunge
• Exercise TWO: Jumping lateral leg slide OR single leg slide (30 secs each side)
• Exercise THREE: Sliding mountain climb (fast) OR sliding mountain climb (slow)
• Exercise FOUR: Sliding plank abduction on hands OR sliding plank abduction on elbows
• Exercise FIVE: Balancing leg slide side and back  

NOT suitable for Diastasis Recti, pelvic floor issues or beyond the first trimester in pregnancy.

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Please remember to consult with a medical professional before entering into a new workout regime.

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