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Feel Good In Your Changing (Pregnant) Body Despite Others’ Comments
There’s noting quite like putting on a great outfit and loving the way you look and feel. Women have felt the pressure to look a certain way for decades, including while pregnant. Most of us have spent time, money, and effort on looking great so what can we do when body changes are out of our control? If you’ve ever heard an off-putting comment about your body, whether pregnant, newly postpartum, or otherwise, it can be upsetting. Sometimes you might even imagine what others are thinking about your physique which also leaves you with a bad feeling. Then you fear always looking a certain way or that it’ll get…
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Three Myths About Working Out While Pregnant
Newly pregnant women are sometimes nervous and fearful about working out, especially if it is their first pregnancy. While this is understandable, fear should not stop you from creating a fit and healthy pregnancy. My goal in this post is to motivate you to start exercising as soon as you learn you’re pregnant. Myth One: You can’t start a new exercise routine while pregnant. Being familiar with exercise is great but it isn’t a prerequisite to beginning a new program while pregnant, especially if you are working with a qualified professional who can teach you proper form. Of course, some exercises are contraindicated but this doesn’t mean that safe and…
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How Long Till I Get My Body Back After Delivery?
You worked out consistently throughout pregnancy, stuck to a healthy diet, and did the hard work of delivery, so what now? What can you do to expedite healing and recovery so that you look and feel like your pre-pregnancy self? How long will it take? Women typically bleed for four to six weeks after a vaginal delivery and the uterus takes the same amount of time to contract back to normal size. C-section deliveries can take about four weeks to heal at the external incision, though the scar may take up to six months to fully mature. Some women experience birth trauma, whether physical, emotional, or both. Though it is easy…
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4 Tips for a Happy and Comfortable Pregnancy
Rapid changes are taking place in a woman’s body during pregnancy. Skin and muscles are stretched, hormones have increased, organs and bones are shifting, etc. Just because all of this is happening at once doesn’t mean she must suffer. Though our bodies don’t speak to us using language, there are other clues to indicate to us when something is off. Pain and discomfort demonstrate which part of the body is in need of attention. Supporting the body’s tissues can minimize or eliminate discomfort, even during this rapid change. Strength training is my number one recommendation to women who are either trying to conceive or who are already pregnant. Strong muscles…
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Making Healthy Changes When You’re Conflicted
Health is so important because the quality of life is directly dependent on it. Everyone knows why they need to be healthy and most people want to be healthy. Why then is it so difficult to make adjustments that will create more health, energy, happiness, etc.? The simple answer is that we are attempting to make lasting changes with the logical, or conscious mind when the emotional, or unconscious mind is calling all the shots. Robert Anthony likens the unconscious mind to a tape player. I love this analogy because it makes clear why we are so resistant to change and explains why we often repeatedly fail to meet goals.…
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Minimize Pregnancy Related Weight Gain
What does it really take to minimize weight gain, especially during pregnancy and after delivery? Many women struggle with unwanted weight gain during and following pregnancy. Women sacrifice a lot when they decide to become mothers but their body doesn’t have to be on that list. You’re busy. You’ve tried diets and routines that left you confused. Your confidence in yourself is gone and you feel inadequate. You feel less worthy, stop loving yourself, and doubt your ability to be a good mother and partner. That sexy dress you used to feel great in is a distant memory. Levels of despair increase every time you try a new program and…
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Should You Limit Carbs While Pregnant?
Low carbohydrate diets seem to be the talk of the town. Are they right for everyone? Are they a good idea while pregnant? Carbohydrates have a bad reputation and perhaps rightfully so when generally referring to the type of carbohydrates consumed in the SAD (Standard American Diet). It is easy to label all carbs as bad and write them off but perhaps we should understand the role they play in the body, specifically while pregnant. What exactly is a carbohydrate? Simply put, carbs are a source of energy used by the body and can either be simple or complex. The quality of carbs matters and should be considered when deciding…
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Why You Should Eat Organic Foods While Pregnant
Pregnancy is such a unique time in a woman’s life. Her body is busy building tissues of her developing fetus so the foods she eats are, in part, fueling her baby’s growth and development. This fact makes the quality of the mother’s diet very important. Fresh fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Unfortunately, many farmers use harmful chemicals to treat their crops in order to control weeds or deter other pests from destroying their harvest. The CDC states, “Some pesticides have been linked in human studies with problems including miscarriages, birth defects, and learning or developmental disabilities in children. Some pesticides also may pass into breast milk.”…
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Why You Should Strength Train During Second Pregnancy
Strength training is one of the most useful forms of exercise for humans, but especially for pregnant women. Though it may have been traditionally thought of for men, research now shows us how beneficial it is for everyone. On average, women are waiting longer now to conceive, making strength training even more helpful during pregnancy and in recovery. When a woman becomes pregnant, her body must adjust to the physical, hormonal, and emotional changes taking place. The uterus will expand, abdominal muscles stretch, ribs can push out, extra pressure is on the pelvic floor, among many other changes. Strength training can improve the strength and length of muscles and tissue…
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Pregnancy Nightmares
Everyone dreams, even if you don’t remember your dreams. Humans spend a great portion of life sleeping, thus dreaming. When sleeping, people cycle through periods of deep rest and REM (dream) sleep. Because we experience many bouts of REM sleep, multiple dreams are had each night. There are many theories about dreams and their purpose. While it is easy to blame pregnancy nightmares on hormones, it might be worth taking a deeper look. A new perspective may change your whole outlook and experience while dreaming and may impact waking life too. Substances, like alcohol, can interfere with not only the sleep cycle, but also our ability to recall dreams. When…
