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Yoga Poses to Avoid

There are many benefits to prenatal yoga. Regular practice of yoga tones the muscles and prepares the body for labor and delivery. In addition, many women find they get an emotional boost from yoga, which is very beneficial. Although yoga is safe and effective for pregnancy, there are some poses which should be avoided. Positions requiring you to lie on your stomach are not safe for pregnancy. These include poses such as cobra, are not safe particularly as the belly grows. As the baby grows, you will need to avoid poses which require you to lie on your back for … Continue reading →

Exercise and Trying to Conceive

When I was trying to conceive, I worried about the safety of exercise. I would exercise in the first half of each cycle and stop after ovulation. I imagined the exercise shaking the baby loose. It turns out; this is a common worry among women trying to conceive a baby. In general, it is safe to continue your exercise routine if you are fit and exercise regularly. If you haven’t worked out in the past, but really want to get started, visit your doctor first. Have a physical done to ensure you are in good health and can handle physical … Continue reading →

Weight Training: Progression and Overload

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We talked about exercise principles yesterday and the importance of doing it right the first time in order to promote your success. One of the principles we discussed was the concept of overload. I know from at least one reader’s note that I wasn’t exactly clear on what overload is, so today I want to talk about progression and overload. Overload Your body is designed to adapt to stress and to load. For example, when you’re pregnant, you get progressively heavier. You don’t go from being 1 month pregnant to 9 months pregnant overnight. This important because the progressive gain … Continue reading →

Yoga: Why Are They Telling Me to Breathe?

Everyone basically knows breathing. It’s something that the body usually does without us giving it much thought. It therefore seems strange to come to a yoga class and be told to breathe, not once, not twice, but perhaps dozens of times in one hour. In other physical activities we might be reminded from time to time, but no activity, except perhaps Pilates, requires such attention to the breath. Here are some of the top 5 reasons that your instructor is telling you to breathe – in order of appearance in your yoga class: 1. Breathe to focus. Most yoga classes … Continue reading →

The Fitness Blog Week in Review Jan 13-19

What a week – a very long week here. I’m writing these weeks in review ahead of time to give myself some down time this weekend so – if you haven’t had some down time recently and find yourself in the need of it – create the time. We all need that down time here and there and I said goodbye to two old friends this week and I am not afraid to admit – that emotionally, I’m tired. So without further ado – here is a quick cool down of our week in fitness. Saturday, January 13 Great Myths: … Continue reading →

Choosing a Prenatal Yoga DVD

If you plan to practice yoga at home during your pregnancy, you will need a prenatal yoga DVD. The DVD you choose is largely a matter of preference. There are so many on the market that it can be confusing to choose one. If possible borrow one or two from friends, the library or rent one at the video store to try it out. I am going to review a few prenatal yoga DVDs in this blog. They can all be purchased online through Amazon.com. By clicking on the title of each DVD, you can view the DVD, read the … Continue reading →

Practicing Prenatal Yoga at Home

Prenatal yoga offers many benefits. It was my favorite form of exercise during pregnancy. Yoga strengthens and tones your muscles to help prepare you for labor. For me, the relaxed feeling I’d get after practicing yoga was the big draw. It was perfect for stress relief. You can attend a prenatal yoga class at your local studio. A class is great if you can afford it and find the time to get to class. I couldn’t find the time for classes when I was pregnant with my fourth baby. Fortunately, yoga can be easily practiced at home with the right … Continue reading →

How to Cope with an Empty Nest

Your “baby” has grown up, started college, and moved away to live in a dorm or apartment. This experience can leave parents with a mix of strong emotions. It also requires adjustments in how you and your college student relate to each other, and alters what your day-to-day life is like. Here are some ways to cope with an Empty Nest. Allow Yourself to Feel Whatever Emotions Appear A national survey done in 2013 by Clark University of over 1,000 parents found that 84% missed their kids once they moved out. 60% of parents said they were glad to have … Continue reading →

The Importance of Pregnancy Support Groups

If you’re pregnant and feeling uncertain, or even if you feel great about pregnancy/childbirth, I still have an important recommendation: try to find a support group.  Not necessarily one called “pregnancy support group,” but try to find a group of other veteran, new, or expecting moms to spend time with. The support that’s offered just from spending time with others in the same boat, or who have been through it recently, is invaluable.  A lot of the weird things about pregnancy can be less alarming if you have others to talk about them with, who can say: “oh yes, that … Continue reading →

Should You Create A Birth Plan?

Should you create a birth plan?  It can be a helpful tool for making your wishes known both to your healthcare provider and the labor & delivery staff, but it also seems a little silly to plan something like one’s labor: after all, if we could control it, we would all have easy births. When I first heard about birth plans, I decided that they weren’t for me.  I’m a very Type A person; I get stressed if even my silliest of plans get messed up, if they’re ones I’m excited about.  Trying to plan my baby’s birth, and everything … Continue reading →