BOSU Ab/Arm Circles

Check out this weeks Fit Tip of the week - the BOSU Ab/Arm Circles.
(http://www.bosufitness.com/BOSU-Ab-Arm-Circles)

I love this exercise and used it to stay in shape during my pregnancy (with modifications) and get back into shape after. (We actually filmed this Fit Tip when I was 5 months pregnant!) What I love most is the power generated in the core by finding and holding the Supine Plank position. All of the abdominal muscles are working to keep the torso stabilized during that powerful contraction. Opening up into the Arm Circles elongates the abdominal cavity and enhances the range of motion in the trunk. It is also a wonderful way to learn how to keep the breath flowing evenly while maintaining the contraction, or brace, in the abs.

Lots of variations to follow from this Supine Plank position... stay tuned!

Welcome to BOSU Fitness and Jen's Corner!

I am so excited that our new web site is finally live! Now that I'm back from my maternity leave, I've been looking forward to being able to get back to sharing my passion and love for fitness, training, and healthy living!

Life is a little easier now that our daughter is 6 months old. I really needed the time that I took to adjust and settle into a new way of life and all of the challenges that come with it! (Who knew that a bout of diaper rash could be so traumatizing and turn your life upside-down?!) Now I am focused on integrating all of the pieces of my life together so that they are a good fit.

Going through a pregnancy (and now post-pregnancy) has given me the opportunity to experience again the process of losing weight and getting back into shape. Part of the reason why I like to stay fit is because losing weight is no easy task! It takes hard work and discipline to stay on track and reach your goals but it also takes a heavy dose of patience and understanding. I find that as long as I stay committed, I know that I will succeed. Maybe not as quickly as I would always like to, but I know that I will get there.

For me, it's a matter of perspective. I really feel that right now, I am probably the healthiest I've ever been because of the lessons I've learned throughout my ongoing quest to be fit. At this point, fitness means a lot more to me than just looking great. It is about being inspired to be the best ME I can be - to live my best life. I know that I live life better when I feel great and I feel great when I am eating well, exercising, and enjoying time with family and friends. It's really as simple as that.

I've spent a lot of time struggling with myself over health, fitness, weight, and diet and frankly, the struggle was exhausting. I've learned many things along the way, however, that are helping me stop fighting myself and start loving myself. It might sound cheesy, but it's true. If you're interested in doing the same or just learning about how one woman has done it, then you're in the right place!

As I've said, I love to exercise, I love to eat well and I love to work on expanding my potential. I'm excited to share the things I've learned and hope to inspire and support those of you who are on a similar journey! Welcome to Jen's Corner and to BOSU Fitness!

IDEA World

The convention was great and my session was a success! "Mama Wants Her Abs Back" was part of the Stroller Strides pre/post-natal convention pre-con that taught instructors and trainers how to train their pre/post-natal client doing exercises with the BOSU Ball. I took them through about a dozen of the exercises I used both during and after my pregnancy along with appropriate modifications for each population.

My 6 weeks of preparation had me feeling fit and strong! And I really wasn't breaking my back to do it either. The KEY really was consistancy - an ongoing theme in my journey to stay fit. Being consistant with a routine is the second step toward a successful program. The first step, however, is commitment! I find that when I am committed and consistant, I am best poised to reach my goals.

I still have extra baby weight to lose and I know that now that the convention is over, I plan on taking a little break... but I also know that in a week or so, I will need to recommit to a new plan to get to where I want to go! As life moves on, I prefer to stay ahead of it. It's much easier than having to try to catch up!

Bouncing Back

Paige Marie is 7 weeks old already and wow, the road has been rough but (of course) wonderful. Our biggest challenge so far has been the breastfeeding and it has been quite difficult. After a couple of excruciating weeks, I finally visited a lactation consultant who told us that Paige has a tight frenulum (the skin connecting the tongue to the bottom of the mouth) which makes it impossible for her to fully extend her tongue and breastfeed properly ... hence the reason why she's been essentially "munching" on my nipples! Ouch! Can I say it again? Ouuuuuuuch! I've had mastitis and thrush twice each and poor little Paige has had her frenulum clipped twice! It seems that we are on the road toward improvement now but wow... what a rough (and painful) start! (P.S. Any mom's having trouble breastfeeding who still want to continue to try? Call a lactation consultant! They can help you out!)

Needless to say, the breastfeeding situation has been consuming my time but a couple of weeks ago, I had to get serious... Being the "go-getter" that I like to be, I agreed to present a workout session at one of the country's biggest fitness conventions (IDEA World) 10 weeks after having a baby - on how "Mama Got Her Abs Back". Frankly, my abs are the last thing I've been wanting to think about but I suppose the pressure has been good because it's teaching me how to get where I want to be as efficiently as I can!

Time is short (and precious!) when you have a newborn so the most effective way for me to workout is at home on the BOSU Ball. David has been good about helping me with Paige while I prepare my body for my session but the most I can realistically fit in is about 20 minutes every other day. (I also go our for long walks with Paige over the hills in the neighborhood almost every day. That definately helps the booty get back in shape!) I'm finding that I actually love it that I only have 20 minutes for my workout! Because my time is limited, I push myself harder and I know that my body responds well to that. And, I may be pushing harder but because the interval of time is short, I'm not exhausted afterward. In fact, I feel energized and refreshed! I'm finding that I need and look forward to these 20 minute workouts in order to meet the demands of caring for a newborn infant! And... I can see that I am getting my Abs back!

I hope to keep up with this schedule for the next couple of weeks so that I am in the best shape I can be for my session at IDEA. What excites me about it is that I feel I am a REAL LIFE example of a post-natal fitness plan that is Do-Able for most people who can find 20 minutes to do it. I can't wait to share my results with the group!

A New Beginning

It's been a while since I've updated this blog. Being pregnant and preparing for our little arrival has kept me preoccupied and somewhat distracted. With so many changes happening physically, mentally and emotionally, it was hard for me to focus a lot of my thoughts on myself and my journey, knowing how dramatically it was about to change.

David and I welcomed our first child, Paige Marie Weck, to the world on Sunday, April 22nd and we couldn't be more in love. No matter how tired I am or how sore my boobs get, all I have to do is look at her sweet little face and my heart melts.

The theme of this blog so far has been "Finding My Balance", something I've been consciously working toward for many years now. Just when you think you've made some progress and are headed in one direction, life changes and tells you to adapt.

Babies don't care about what type of routine or schedule we've set for ourselves - they need us to live on their time for a while. For someone like me who thrives on her own routine, this is a true exercise in patience and flexibility. Babies really do need their Mothers and I believe that the love and bonding that is shared in the first months of life builds a solid foundation for future growth and stability.

So, my schedule has been put on hold... for a while. I'm learning that perhaps Finding My Balance means something much greater than myself - outside of myself, really. I am now seeking to find my balance in a more external, worldly sense as opposed to the more internal, individual sense I'd been searching for. Balance in relation to others is ultimately more fulfilling because it means that you are evolving in response to and in concert with your interactions with the world. It is what will ultimately make us feel more connected, stable and secure.

Thus, I am embarking upon a new journey of finding my balance with a different perspective. It's not all about me anymore. It's about me in relation to my role as mother and wife, as a daughter and a friend. It's about knowing who I am so that I can give and share myself with the people in my life. I think that living more outside of myself will unlock the doors I've been trying to open internally. I already know that my heart has expanded emmensely as David and I have begun to create our family.