Fit Yummy Mummy Blog – Post Pregnancy Weight Loss – Flat Tummy Workout

1. Pre-plan Your Weekends!

If you will be eating out more than usual, know what you will order ahead of time and decide which part of the meal you would like to indulge in. You might choose to skip the bread basket in order to balance out having a glass or wine or two and your favorite dessert. Save your eating out calories for the foods you truly look forward to eating.

You can also add in an extra workout! Not just to help balance out the increased calories but getting a quick workout in also acts as an appetite suppressant! Something as simple as a 4 minute tabata interval workout or just a quick body weight circuit.

One of my favorite Body Weight Workouts….

Y-Squats and Push Ups

10 reps each Repeat 3 to 4 times

2. Eat a healthy breakfast!

This is a struggle for many busy women…the weekends are a BREAK and we like to sleep in and just skip this meal. While others may love to indulge and eat a big home cooked or restaurant style breakfast complete with bacon, eggs, pancakes, hash browns, biscuits and gravy…etc. Not the choices that lend to a productive weekend when it comes to your fat loss goals.

While I do indulge in some non-supportive meals over the weekend…

for example when Tyler spends the weekend with us we will pick up a box of freshly made Krispy Creme doughnuts for Sunday Morning…

I still make the effort to start the at each morning off on the right foot, having a quality protein and some fresh fruit.

An example of one of my many favorite weekend breakfasts (okay really anytime) is fresh sliced grapefruits – I just cannot get over what a boost they give me in the mornings – especially the weekends since I DO sleep in and need a little extra kick to get myself going.

Then I pair this up with something warm…LOVE my eggs. Cook 2 sunny side up and toss with a handful of fresh spinach and top with fresh cracked pepper.

This meal is energizing and satisfying.

When I start a weekend morning off right, I am more likely TO get the house clean (or part of it) and get some work done….and I do so MUCH FASTER so that way I have MORE down time….to just watch movies, go shopping, go the park, etc.

Now I will tell you that Sunday will be a different story after I have those doughnuts! I can predict I will NOT feel like cleaning NOR will I finish up my online work very efficiently.

Breakfast DOES have that much of an impact on your weekends.

3. Stay active!

Weekends tend to be relaxing but overeating and moving less only lead to stalled results or worse…weight gain.

Just make a decision to move more. Not the same as working out…maybe a casual walk, a jaunt through the mall, playing duck duck goose with your children, yoga or stretching. You will feel better and this will help you to make better choices, choices that will help you get out of the Rut of Weekend Sabotage.

Give these strategies a go and see what a difference it really does make to your Monday Motivation!

“I feel so good when I work out…it’s so exhilarating.

I did the FYM short burst resistance exercises and then intervals on the bike for 10 minutes and stretched for a cool down all in just 30 minutes!”

~ Beth S., Mom of Two, Indianapolis

It is evident that Beth has stumbled upon one of the secrets that makes Doing and Sticking To your workout routine possible.

Pure Enjoyment

When you truly love what you do, you will keep doing it!

Sure that is obvious, but the most surprising part? When I asked Beth how her results were coming along, this is what she said…

Funny, because isn’t that what we all immediately expect….Results?

Most agree that our motivation is based on RESULTS. Results are what we all want asap. Results are what every single weight loss program promises you.

But the factors that determine whether we reach them and keep them lie deeper a bit deeper.
And that is what Beth has discovered.

It is not the destination….but the journey, getting the most out of each and every experience that leads you one step closer to your ultimate body shaping goals!

She has taken the right steps by establishing a mindset programmed for success.

This very step has allowed her to become aware of and embrace the way she physically feels during and after each workout. This awareness has helped to not only keep her focused but also acts as a powerful drive, keeping her priorities at the forefront of her mind.

My Personal Motivation

I look forward to each and every one of my workouts. What keeps me going is the rush of energy I feel, the stress relief and I LOVE tracking my progress and getting stronger!

Plus, what makes my workouts DOABLE is the fact that I only need 15 minutes! There is no room for excuses!

I have two different places I really enjoy working out at home. My basement…as you can see in my video…which is all set up and ready to go so I can workout whenever I need to. I keep it brightly lit and have music ready to go. This has been my main area for the past 3 months since it is TOO dang cold to workout outside.

Yes, second, and preferred option, is working out on my back deck. There is no better feeling than breathing in the fresh air, feeling the warm sunshine and taking in the beautiful view as I workout….and after 3 months of winter workouts – - – I am so ready to get back outside again!

Don’t forget, you can grab two new 15 minute fat burning workouts

each month at ClubFYM >> ClubFYM.com

The complete February Fat Burn Workout A and Workout B is still up for a few more days. Fit Club members get special access to the online follow along workout videos!

March is ClubFYM’s Birthday Bash Celebrating One Year of Body Shaping Transformations ~ Be on the lookout all next week for celebration specials!

If you tired of struggling with a sluggish metabolism, try out these tricks to boost your metabolism that will help accelerate your fat burning results.

Your Metabolism is just like a fire – you can do things to stoke it up and keep it burning strong 24-7 or you can do things to dampen it.

Here are the facts:

+ Not eating will only will slow your metabolism.

+ Not exercising – or choosing an ineffective method to exercise – will only cause you to lose your lean muscle which will in turn cause you to end up with an even slower metabolism.

So it would make sense to stop making choices that are slowing your metabolism down to begin with! If you are skipping meals, yo yo dieting, eating 1200 calories or less, have zero workout plan or do hours of cardio ….then some choices need to be made.

In fact just choosing to stop the habits that dampen the fire of your metabolism will give you a nice kick start. Add in the following tricks and Watch OUT!

I want to maintain my Youth and Vitality!

As 40 is just around the corner, there’s been a slight shift in my approach to staying “Fit”. Now I see what I am capable of achieving on the outside, I not only do I want to keep this, I also want to take the steps that allow me to do so by ensuring my internal needs are met as well.

These are the Anti-Aging and Antioxidant Facts that mean something to me and if you have not considered this perspective as of yet, these will be helpful for you to have on hand so you too can be knowledgeable about what it takes to achieve and maintain a fit and youthful lifestyle.

~ Diving in to all the science of this can be complicated so this is my summary of WHY’s and the Benefits, basically….

1. Free Radicals

Must know fact: Free Radicals Damage Our Cells

The more damage that takes place, the faster we age, loss of elasticity of our skin, our joints ache, our vision is affected, we are more prone to disease, etc.

Unstable atoms/molecules in our body that search for missing electrons – so they attack healthy cells to get what they need. On a small scale, this is normal – it is when there is a domino effect that problems begin.

* Environmental toxins – pollutants, household chemicals, and cigarette smoke

* Physical stressors, such as unhealthy oils, food preservatives, and the wide variety of chemicals that are found in almost all highly refined, processed foods

* Emotional stressors

* Intense Exercise

* Illness/Disease

* Getting Older – a natural consequence of aging!

The best plan is to make sure you have enough antioxidants in your system – to stop the damage of cells. These molecules then stop free radicals from causing damage.

Antioxidants are found in fresh foods like vegetables and fruits rich in Vitamin A, E, and beta-carotene. Free-radical damage is what antioxidants are supposed to take care of, either by stopping new damage, or by reversing earlier damage caused by free radicals.

Normally, the body can handle free radicals, but if antioxidants are unavailable, if our immune system is run down or weakened, or if the free-radical production becomes excessive, damage can occur.

What interested me the most is that free radical damage accumulates with age!

Yep ~ Aging is simply the progression of damage, caused by free radicals. We age, every second, of everyday. And although we can’t stop the aging process, we can take steps to improve our health as we age.

3. ORAC

ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity.

ORAC measures the ability of any substance to subdue oxygen free radicals in the test tube. ORAC is basically a lab test that can measure the antioxidant activity of any substance and give it a number.

The higher this ORAC number from the test the stronger the antioxidant properties of that substance.

Want to maximize your ORAC potential?

You can eat more Antioxidant Rich Foods….or choose a supplement to help fill in the gaps. That’s the purpose of Prograde Longevity – making it EASY to get the right amount of anti-oxidants in your body to fight the damage of free radicals and prevent the effects of aging.

Longevity is a top of the line Anti-Oxidant that contains powerful extract blends of coffeeberry, pomegranate, green tea, acai berry, and wolfberry and Biovin grape.

And when it is mentioned that this is a powerful blend – this simply means that if – for example – you tried to EAT your way to this level of anti-oxidant protection, you would have to consume an entire POUND of raspberries to nourish your body with the same ORAC value of 1458 found in just ONE capsule of Longevity!

37 year old Samantha, who was the 2nd place winner of the 2008 Summer Transformation Challenge, is achieving amazing post baby shape up results once again. Her baby boy was born 9 months ago and just look at the results she has achieved!

“Before beginning this Fit Yummy Mummy journey, I was attending a gym 5 days a week. And yes, it was 1 hour of cardio, 1.5 hours of machine weights and sometimes an aerobic class. (That was before children). Then I had my first child on 29th of December 2004.

For the first couple of months I attended the gym for cardio to help reduce the weight gained from the pregnancy. It helped somewhat, but living in a foreign country I found that it was not always possible to ask for help from my “new” family. Nor are the gyms set up for mums with kids.

Thus lead to pills to squash my appetite ~

Although I knew that this was not the best road to take, I wanted to reduce my weight quickly. They helped somewhat, but my husband didn’t approve.

Before being married and having children, I was a ballet dancer and model…. for me my body is my temple. I found the whole thing of being pregnant and gaining weight and then losing it again very traumatic.

Prior to finding FYM I know that even though I was wearing size US size 6, I was not feeling very attractive at all. I wanted my “fluffiness” gone. And no amount of sit-ups helped. I even got desperate and bought an ab-rocker machine… results where nothing to shout out about!

This was not how I wanted to feel, look or life my life. I knew what I had been and was struggling with my inner-self to find that person again. The one that enjoyed life and wanted to live life to the maximum. I wanted my child to be proud of me, never to feel awkward and embarrassed of me, because of how I looked.

Everyone told me that I looked “fine” and that I should be happy that I had lost the weight.

The problem was I didn’t feel happy about not being toned and slim. And so Christmas of 2007 I made a promise to myself to find the answers that I needed to become the girl I was before, fit and fun to be with.

I officially became a Fit Yummy Mummy ready to begin my transformation on Monday, 14 January 2008! Basically, I was looking at another site… and in his site he mentioned Holly Rigsby and how amazing this woman was.

Curiosity bit me, and so I clicked on over to Holly’s site.

Originally I had hoped to find a program set out by a woman for woman and something that could be completed at home. This was exactly what I was looking for. Simple, easy to complete exercises (with photos) performed at home in a small amount of time. Holly’s program was perfect for what I was looking for.

Well within 1 week of joining the program, Holly suggested I try out the Summer Transformation Challenge. My reply… “but I’ve only being doing the program 1 week?” I had no idea what I was in for… however it was so much fun!

Within 6 weeks of doing the STC I had lost my “fluffiness” and was getting stronger and more toned than I had ever before by working out at a gym. I was excited to see “me” again. By the end of the this challenge, I was shocked to be nominated as a finalist and more surprised on opening up an email announcing that I had come in at 2nd place! Wow, this was so exciting!!

In August of 2008 I discovered I was pregnant with my 2nd child.

This time around I felt prepared for my post baby shape up. Mind, Spirit and Body were in sync and I knew that I had the tools of FYM which had changed my mind, spirit and body. This wasn’t going to be so hard. And by all accounts it wasn’t.

With my first pregnancy I gained 25 kilos (or 55lbs) this time round however, I’ve gained 12 kilos (or 26.4lbs). This is all thanks to using and modifying the Fit Yummy Mummy system along with the eating every 3-4 hours!

I followed the exercises as set out in the handbook… although this time I worked backwards, until I was only doing body weight exercises. Sure by the last trimester these were getting harder to do, but at least I felt fit despite gaining those extra pounds!

5 Days post baby Results

The starting point. Baby Marcus was born, April 29th, 2009, 7 lbs. 4 oz.

Height: 5′ 8″

Age: 37 Years Young

Belly: 37.4

Hips: 39.8

Weight: 138.6

Just 5 days after giving birth I started back on the FYM handbook to get my post baby shape up right. And slowly worked my way through each week. I haven’t rushed through the program, nor has every week been perfect. The main thing is I’ve been consistent ~ with my exercises and nutrition.

Weight: 112lbs ~ Lost 26 Pounds

Hips: 32″ ~ Lost 7 Inches

Mommy Belly: 28″ ~ Lost 9 Inches

What I love about the FYM workouts…. Everything!

~ I truly look forward to each workout day.

I no longer dread going to the gym, surround by those who haven’t discovered what deodorant is!! Instead I have aromatherapy candles or oils burning to energize the room, my own selection of music ~ depending on my mood. The exercise are so easy to follow, the time frame couldn’t be better ~ 30mins 3 days per week ~ it’s so do-able!

I’ve still got some work to do but I’m very happy with my progress, which is all been made possible by Holly. Thank you.

Samantha Schiavone, 37 year old mom of 2 boys, Emmanuel 5 and Marcus 8 months, Attika, Greece

If you would like to become a Fit Yummy Mummy success story -> grab your fat loss handbook and get started today! www.FitYummyMummy.com

If DVDs are more helpful to you Grab your DVD Package and get started on your Spring Fat Loss Results NOW!

The only way to stop the cravings…..is to get off the roller coaster ride. For if you eat simple, refined carbohydrates or high sugar foods everyday, your body will remain in “crave” mode.

1. Clean out the Kitchen.

If junk is around, you will eat it. Also note that keeping sweets around for your children will only set them up to struggle with their cravings as adults.

2. Keep a Food Log

Skipping meals will cause your blood sugar levels to drop and bring on the cravings. Eating too many processed, high sugar foods brings on the desire to keep eating sugar. Eat more protein and produce to keep your blood sugar levels stable.

3. Wait it Out

As suggested in the post “5 Steps to Beat Food Cravings” true Cravings – not hunger- last for about 15 minutes – then go away.

4. Are you Stressed?

Stress drives sugar cravings. Consuming sugar temporarily elevates the levels of certain neurotransmitters in our bodies…the “feel-good” chemicals. Two of the major “feel-good chemicals released by eating sugar are:

1. Dopamine – releases chemicals like endorphins that give us a feeling of pleasure

2. Serotonin – produces a feeling of well being

While there are MANY stress management strategies you can implement, the quickest and easiest one to turn to….Exercise!

5. Break Old Habits

One way to take control and make a change is to keep a journal – write down what you are craving…why you are craving it.

Take control of the Craving instead of it controlling you.

You will be amazed at how powerful a few little lifestyle habits will give you the control you need to deal with and overcome those nagging cravings.

For more easy to use tips and strategies to get your nutrition plan on track so you can begin to see the fat loss results you are working so hard to achieve, be sure to get your copy of Fit Yummy Mummy.

The most effective calorie control strategies that will burn more belly fat is to set a goal to eat 10 servings of Produce – which are your fruits and veggies – each and every day.

By doing so you not only get full on less calories, your body has the energy and nutrients to fire up your metabolism so you can burn more fat and flatten your belly!

What is a serving size?

One Serving of Fruits is…

1 medium to large size fruit

1/2 cup small fruits like berries, grapes, etc.

1 cup chopped fruits like melons, grapefruit, etc.

1/4 cup dried fruit

One Serving of Veggies is…

1 cup cooked or raw veggies

2 cups leafy greens

1/2 cup beans/legumes

Now you may not be used to eating 10 servings of produce a day but do not fret. This is a goal and a very healthy, fat burning habit you can work your way up to!

Map out your Meals!

Yes – plan ahead – a success strategy!

As you see that you will be eating every 3 to 4 hours, eating an average of 4 to 6 meals a day, this is where you fill in the servings of produce.

I teach meal planning to be based around eating a protein and produce at every meal.

If you are new to this – aim to start with just 1 produce serving at each meal and work your way up.

Fruits and Veggies are low in calories, high in satisfying fiber and loaded with nutrients to create a thriving metabolism.

Here is a sample of what 10 Servings of Produce looks like for me on a typical day. Each produce serving is paired with a protein.

Breakfast – 1 cup blueberries (2)

Snack – 1 banana (1)

Lunch – 3 cups spinach, 1 cup diced tomatoes and bell peppers (3)

Snack – 1/2 cup dried cherries (1)

Snack – 1 cup carrots, 1 pear (2)

Dinner – 1 cup sauteed spinach and squash (1)

Calorie Intake for 10 servings of Produce:

Less than 650 Calories!!!!

While eating this much produce may sound like a LOT of food – calorie wise, it is not even Half the calories needed for the day – which mean you get FULL on Less and naturally curb your calorie intake!  So those are 10 calorie control strategies.

Your assignment for the upcoming week – map out your meals and add in your produce.

See what a difference eating more of the Good Stuff does for YOU and your fat burning results!

Do You Crave Sugar?

Top 2 Reasons you Crave Sugar

1. Sugar Cravings exist out of Habit

You must have satisfied this craving in the past – following a meal with something sweet. Then suddenly it becomes a part of your mindset. After every meal must come dessert. The good news is ALL Habits are learned, so this habit cam be unlearned as the result of practice and repetition.

2. Sugar Cravings exist because you EAT Sugar

What?

If you eat simple, refined carbohydrates or high sugar foods everyday, your body will remain in “crave” mode.

Sugar takes your Hormones for a Roller Coaster Ride. Take a peek at what is happening inside your body when you choose to foods high in refined sugar.

Eating simple sugars causes a spike in your blood sugar for these foods are quickly absorbed into the blood stream.

This in turn gives you the temporary sugar high ~ it feels good…however, your body does not like this imbalance and a series of hormonal responses take place.

** Insulin Increases

Your body produces an increased amount of the Insulin – a storage hormone. Insulin’s job is to remove excess sugar from the bloodstream and store it in the muscles and in the liver.

** Glucagon Goes Away

In order to facilitate this rush of insulin, glucagon – a release hormone…responsible for releasing More Fat…good right? NOT when you eat too much sugar. This helpful fat loss hormone is diminished.

Each time you consume simple sugars and refined carbohydrates, you are doing nothing more than locking in fat.

But wait…the ride doesn’t stop there…

About 30-45 minutes after the sugar rush, you wind up with residual low blood sugar….your blood sugar levels hit bottom. You Crash!

This rapid drop in blood glucose levels starves the brain of its primary fuel and you experience symptoms such as:

* Energy slumps during the day – especially in the afternoon

* Cravings for sweets

* Cravings for stimulants (tea, coffee, cigarettes)

* Irritability of mood swings

* Poor concentration or fuzzy thinking

Your body reacts once again for at this point your energy level bottoms out, you have trouble thinking clearly and you end up with cravings.

You will inevitably crave sweets as these foods will raise blood sugar the quickest, getting you out of your slump.

The blood sugar High/Low cycle repeats – again and again and again…just like getting on an endless hormonal roller coaster ride.

This is what is happening inside your body every time you eat sweets, simple sugars, refined carbohydrates.

The only logical way to stop the cravings…..is to get off the ride!

Click here to see how to curb your sugar cravings.

The workout plateau is one of the most frustrating parts of losing fat and reshaping your body.

Getting stuck can happen for a number of reasons.

- workouts are no longer challenging

- doing the same workout over and over again

- overtraining

- one too many “cheats”

- boredom

- unsure of what else to do

The women I work with at Fit Yummy Mummy have come in search of a fitness plan that not only helps them to lose the stubborn baby fat so they can get an even better pre-baby body back…

…these women are also looking for a plan that allows them to make a positive lifestyle change. The need for daily support and motivation is also at the top of the list for lasting changes to take place.

There is a completely different group of women who have been following a challenging resistance training program, made changes to they way they eat and they have achieved a great deal of fat loss and are super close to reaching their ultimate body shaping goals…

…these women just have 5 to 10 more pounds to go yet they are Stuck!

While Fit Yummy Mummy absolutely can be quite effective in busting through those last few stubborn pounds – as my own personal before and after Bahama’s Bikini photos show at ClubFYM …

…this fat loss plan was not designed specifically as a short term plateau buster to prep your body for a photo shoot, a trip to the beach or red carpet ready.

PS

While I would never consider myself stuck at a plateau, I will tell you that over the winter months, the drive to stay as lean as I am in the summer is not as strong.

All it took was a planning a trip to the Bahamas to help me ramp up my efforts and get bikini ready in a matter of 4 weeks. Photos and complete story are available at ClubFYM.com

Lift, Firm and Tighten Your Booty

Try my tight booty workout with out 3 of my favorite moves

IMPORTANT: These moves are challenging. If you have problems with your knees, please do not attempt. As always, consult with your Dr before beginning a new workout or exercise routine. For best results follow a FULL body resistance training plan AND clean up what you eat!

These are three of my favorite lift, firm and tighten your butt moves because they are quick, intense and work your bottom where it matters most!

1. One Leg Deadlift

Perform 4 to 8 repetitions each leg

One Leg Deadlifts work your hamstrings, glutes, back, core – basically a total body exercise but where you notice them the most is in your glutes!

You can choose to use a dumbbell, kettlebell or just your own body weight. In this video I am using a 16 kg KB.

Be sure to keep your shoulders square, core tight and back flat as you hinge forward at the waist keeping the DB or KB to one side, your front leg bends slightly, about 45 degrees. At bottom of move, squeeze your glutes and pull your upper body back up to start using your hamstrings and lower back. Do not lean to one side. Repeat all repetitions on one side before switching to the next.

2. Jumping Lunges

Perform 5 – 10 repetitions each leg
This means jump left, jump right, ONE. Jump left, jump right, TWO…

Start in the lunge position – one foot forward and one foot back. Bend your knees, push then jump up high and switch leg positions. Use explosive, but controlled movements.

You can choose to modify this move by simply performing lunges – forward or reverse. I find that reverse lunges place less stress on the knee and allow you to really focus on and activate your glutes.

3. Jump Rope

Perform 25, 50 – 100 single jumps

Yes, single jumps. These are much more intense, make you work harder in a shorter period of time and really fire up your abs! If you want a great looking butt …you gotta have the abs to go along with it! Plus jumping rope truly is a full body exercise allowing you to burn more fat and keep your lower body challenged!

If your jump roping skills are a bit rusty and you are tripping all over the place….toss the rope aside and do pretend jump rope. The intensity totally changes when you do not have to start and stop.

How To Use:

Complete this tight booty workout 2 to 4 times. Add it into your full body resistance training workout or complete as a single circuit workout.

Lift, Firm and Tighten Your Butt Tips

So You Want a Better Butt….

Because I know some will watch this video and think you only need 3 moves to reshape your butt – well let me just say that there is no such thing as Spot Reduction!!! You simply cannot work one area of your body and expect the fat to magically burn off and leave you with a beautiful toned butt, thighs, arms or abs.

You CAN however, work moves like this into your FULL Body Resistance Training Workout plan to ensure all the Major Muscles of your body are Being Worked effectively in ORDER to

~ Boost your Metabolism so you Burn More Fat

~ Loose Inches

~ Create Tone and a sleek Defined Booty…for without muscle you butt will just look mushy, soft and flat ~

Plus a tight, perky butt looks so much better in your favorite jeans!

~ Keep you Strong for STRONG GLUTES allow you achieve even MORE in your workouts!

Fit Yummy Mummy Follow Along Workout DVDs – helping Moms Get Their Body Back in just 90- minutes a Week ~ all from the comfort of Home!

>>> www.FYMWorkouts.com