Back to Flat – Blast Your Post-Baby Fat!

 

Finding time to exercise with a small baby is challenging, and requires support, planning and commitment. The results however are well worth the commitment so, next time dad/friend/grandparent takes baby out for an hour have a go at our postnatal workout and get those abs back into shape !

Having a baby stretches the muscles of your tummy (up to 60cm)  to their limit, so in order to get your shape back you need to draw back these muscles using specially targeted exercises. First work on toning your deepest abdominal muscles, the transverse abdominis. Then slowly build and strengthen the obliques. Finish by shortening and toning the top layer of abdominal muscles known as the rectus abdominis.

The following exercises should only be done once you have had your 6 week check up and the doctor has given you the go ahead to start exercising again. Warm up then perform the exercises for one minute each.

1) Tummy Toner

Lie on an exercise mat facing up, with your knees bent. Draw your belly button in to your spine and hold for a second. Relax and repeat.

2) Pelvic Toner

Lie on an exercise mat facing up, with your knees bent. Squeeze your pelvic floor muscles for ten-second bursts. Relax and repeat.

3) The Squeeze

Lie on an exercise mat facing up, knees bent with a cushion in between your knees. Squeeze the cushion in between your knees as hard as you can for ten seconds, relax and repeat.

4) Super Woman

Kneel on all fours, simultaneously lift and straighten left arm and right leg holding a super Woman pose for 5 seconds, relax and repeat with other arm and leg.

5) Ballet Move

Stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart, hands on hips. Lower slowly into a wide squat position. Keep heals on floor and hold for a couple of seconds before repeating.

6) Hand press

From a standing position arms out in front of you chest height, elbows out, push palm of hands together for 5 seconds relax and repeat.

Good Luck Mums!

 

 

Stay Motivated

One of the best ways to stay motivated is to see for yourself the changes that your fitness programme is achieving -when you can see that you have less body fat, your limbs feel stronger and firmer and that you have more energy it makes you want to continue with your programme and push yourself even harder…..

Strip Fat in 4 Weeks – Top Tips

Pick 4 weeks where you have a ‘gap’ in your diary of social events to ensure you do not get tempted!  

Drink

No Alcohol, at all!

Drink 2 litres of water per day – No fizzy drinks!

In addition, drink at least 2 cups of green tea per day.

Food

No carbs after 6pm (unless you can fit this around your training program) – so carb up during lunch if you need to.

Always eat Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

Stick to the recommended daily calorie allowance (2500cal men, 2000 cal women).

Snack Healthy – No chocolates/sweets/potato chips – Snack healthy with fruit & nuts.

Workout

Do at least 3 hours of pure cardio workout per week in addition to your weights workout (aim to burn 500 calories during a workout).

Try to work as many muscle groups as possible in your exercise routine not just the Abs.

Kate Middleton’s Royal Wedding Fitness Regime

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/life/women/health-and-fitness/2011/04/18/kate-middleton-s-fitness-regime-revealed-ahead-of-royal-wedding-86908-23069927/

Beautiful Beach Body – Week 4

Abs –The miracle tummy toner

Say good bye to your muffin top and make 2011 the summer for your washboard stomach. Follow our fab Ab workout below for four weeks, eat sensibly then enjoy your newly-cinched waist in time for summer.

What You Will Need

Body Ball

Fitness Mat

Medicine Ball

How Many

Ensure you carry out the exercises in order as they are below. Repeat three times, resting for 30 seconds in between each circuit.

Exercise 1 (This will help elongate your torso and flatten your tummy) –  Reps 12

Lie on your back on the floor with your arms and legs stretched out so your body’s in a line. In one movement, lift your torso and legs up as if you were trying to reach your toes, Keep your legs straight throughout. Hold and then lower your body back slowly to the starting position. When carrying out the exercise keep your head in line with your body in order to protect your neck and keep your legs as straight as possible.

Exercise 2 (This move will tighten up the full length of your core, while targeting the muscles at the sides of your torso)  – Reps 15

Lie on your floor with your arms bent and fingers touching the sides of your head. Lift your shoulders using your abdominal muscles and twist your body so your left elbow meets your right knee. Switch sides, bringing your right elbow towards your left knee.

Exercise 3 (This move helps stabilise your spine while working your entire core) –  Reps 20 (10 each side)

Start in a press up position, forming a straight line from shoulders to ankles. Bring your right knee towards your right elbow, pause and then straighten the right knee so you’re back in the start position. Repeat and bring your right knee to your left arm and continue alternating.

Exercise 4 (This exercise targets your upper abdominals and oblique’s) – Reps 15               

Sit on a body ball and hold a medicine ball straight above your head with both hands. Walk your feet out and roll the ball beneath you until your torso is supported on the ball as a slight incline keeping your arms by your ears , contract your abdominals and curl your head, neck and shoulders blades, pause and then slowly lower to the starting position.

Exercise 5 (This stretch will relax your sciatic nerves and release tension in your back and abdominals)

Get down on the floor on your hands and knees, push your back up towards the ceiling and continue arching until you feel a gentle stretch in your back and hold for 15 seconds, then slowly lower your tummy towards the floor, raising your gaze as far as it will go.

Hold this stretch for 15 seconds and repeat three times.

Sunday Workout Motivational Video

If your having trouble getting motivated today watch this video &  turn it up LOUD…

Beautiful Beach Body – Week 3

Arms

Are you fed up of sporting bingo wings and feel uncomfortable with your arms on display? Then make this summer different and wear vest tops and sleeveless tops with confidence with our workout guide below on how to achieve the perfect slim and sculpted arms.

It is a myth that you need to use heavy weights in order to make your arms toned and beautiful. Muscles work in pairs -when one muscle contracts, the opposite muscle relaxes, so it is important to work opposite muscle groups in equal balance. This means when you work your biceps you need to ensure you work your triceps too.

 What you will need

Dumbbell

Body Ball

How Many?

If you are a beginner you should aim for 2 sets of 10 to 15 reps. once you are able to carry this out comfortably then increase this to 3 sets of 15 reps.

The Bingo Wing Fighter

This exercise will target the wobbly bit on the underside of your upper arm.

Stand with feet hip width apart, holding your dumbbell in each hand by your sides and squat so that your dumbbell is just in front of your feet. Return to standing position quickly pulling your dumbbells up so that they finish either side of your chin. Your elbows should be high and out to the sides, ensuring your back is kept straight throughout the exercise.

Triceps Extension

This exercise will work your triceps.

Kneel on the floor with your back straight. Hold your dumbbell in your right hand and extend it up to the ceiling. Lower the dumbbell to your shoulder blade. Extend your arm to the ceiling but be careful not to lock your elbow. Repeat exercise with your left arm.

Front Raises

This exercise will work your shoulders.

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with the palm of your hand facing down. Keep your arms in front of your thighs with a slight bend in your elbows. Lift your right arm by rotating out 90 degrees (up to your shoulder height) and then lower it again with control, repeat with your left arm ensuring that your don’t swing your body to lift either of the dumbbells up. 

The Upper Arm Toner

This exercise works your triceps, biceps and also your shoulders.

Sit upright on a bodyball, with your legs slightly apart for balance. Hold your dumbbell in your right hand above your head and with your left hand on your hip. Bend your elbow and lower your dumbbell behind you, until it touches your shoulder blade. Lift back up to your starting position, repeat this for the duration of your sets of reps and then repeat with your other arm.

 

Double Punch

This exercise is great for working biceps, triceps, shoulders and also your forearms.

Sit upright on a bodyball holding a dumbbell in each hand at chin height, your arms should be bent in tight to your body. Press both dumbbells out in front of you and  repeat again. Lift both dumbbells up above your head until your arms are completely straight, palms inwards. Lower then repeat this again, This four move sequence equals one rep.

For best results

Carry out the exercises slowly; speeding up will cause you to use speed rather than your strength.

Outdoors in Spring, the perfect exercise combo!

Regular exercise is useful for lowering stress and anxiety, which can result in sleep problems.

Exercising outdoors increases levels of vitmain D in the body which helps modulate your production of melatonin. Now the evenings are getting longer and spring has offically sprung, let us know your favoutire outdoor exercise that you can not wait to get started once again.

Top Ten Tips to Remember When Exercising

1)      Never exercise on an empty stomach, your body needs fuel.

2)      Always warm up before you start ANY exercise.

3)      Remember to drink plenty of water – Staying hydrated when exercising is essential in order for your body to perform to its best ability.

4)      Start gently and gradually warm up, you do not want to shock your body or worse still injury it.

5)      Put on some motivating music when exercising, this will help to get yourself into a positive frame of mind –You can achieve ANYTHING.

6)      Never exercise if you’re feeling ill or carry on exercising if you feel pain of any kind –listen to your body if it needs rest, you should never ignore this.

7)      If you are exercising outside (running etc.) try to go with a buddy, wear bright and reflective clothing, carry a mobile phone and let someone know the route you will be taking.

8)      Plan your week ahead, whether  your exercising in a gym, at home, a class or outside, specify at the beginning of each week which days/nights you will exercising. That way if you have planned for it you will be more likely to be successful in doing it.

9)      You should always finish off exercising with a cool down and stretches.

10)    Don’t worry if you miss a workout session, stay focused and continue with your work out plan for the next day.

Music to Power You Through…

We’re talking music &  want to know which tunes ‘Push you through the barrier’.

Whether your doing a 15km run and hit the wall, a hill climb program on the bicycle or the last 10 reps of your weights program. What song or songs power you through your workout??