Wall Climbing Wall Brawl is Happening at The UofA July 27

Wall Climbing at The University Of Alberta

Wall Brawl is a series of wall climbing events being put on by the Climbing Centre at the University of Alberta. All ages and skill levels are welcome to come try out new boulder problems!

The next one is being hosted Friday July 27 6-9:30pm and only costs $20 for the public! $15 for Alumi and current students. Great date night or grab a friend or older kids possibly?

When: Friday July 27th 6-9:30 Pm

Where: University of Alberta Wilson Climbing Centre 8708 114 street

Register here or call 780-492-2231

Body Helix Knee Compression Sleeve Giveaway!

For those of you that read my recent post about How I Got My Fitness Motivation Back, you would have read that I am now training for the Spartan Trifecta races this year. Which means.... lots of extra running. 

I used to love running a lot and gave it a break to try different things. Now I'm back, but my body is a bit older and needs more support and love. 

I started using the Body Helix knee compression sleeve on longer run days for some extra support on my right knee. My right knee over lots of running (and some aging) seems to seize up a bit sometimes after runs or hurts while I am running. The support from the knee brace has been helping this pain and seizing. So I am able to run longer and with less pain!

So I've teamed up with Body Helix to giveaway a knee brace! You have THREE ways to enter!

1. Comment below with your sport/workout of choice. What do you love and why would the knee brace support that?
2. Head over to Instagram. Follow Bitchinhousewife and Body Helix and tag a friend in the post.
3. Head over to my Facebook page and do the same!

No get out there!

How I Got My Fitness Motivation Back

It's funny, because up until a few-ish years ago I never thought of myself as am athletic person. Looking back I realized that maybe I always was. I loved playing sports, skipping rope and even was part of the running club in elementary. Maybe I wasn't so much in Junior High and High School but afterwards I would have spurts on and off with the gym and sports. I tried yoga for the first time 12 years ago and was a maniac about going for years. 5 years ago I completed a half marathon while 7 weeks pregnant with my second child. After she was born I was heavy into weightlifting and did a bikini competition. I think I have loved exercise, sports and working out my whole life. As long as I'm enjoying myself. 

Two years ago our lives changed dramatically. My husband was laid off from a job that we never saw coming. In the middle of a terrible recession, just 6 months after buying a new house. We of course went into scramble mode. We were both exhausted from working our tails off. I was teaching lots of yoga and tons of hard on my body fitness classes. Yes I was still keep active, but at this point it was about survival, not fun. 

Forward to a little more steady life a year later, I had surgery for my Endometriosis. A disease that causes awful and random pain in my abdomen, low back and pelvis. Working out hurt. And on top of that during my surgery, my tubes were removed, causing crazy hormone changes. I was a hot mess mentally and physically. 

I have felt in a slump. For the better part of two years. Which is super frustrating as someone who loves fitness. As someone who's body has done and once was capable of great things. 

I've spent some time sitting in thought about why I'm missing the pleasure from exercise. And here are the questions I've asked myself in order to arrive at where I am now.

• WHY? Why do you want to exercise? This is a very personal question. It can be for improvement of health issues, weight loss, time to yourself or anything really. Know that the answer to this is NOT wrong. It's okay to want what you want.
• WHAT? What do I want to achieve? For me I thrive on a end goal challenge. Something that scares me a little. This year I have decided I want to do the Spartan Trifecta. You may have a weight loss goal number, a certain amount of hours a week you want to yourself, learning how to do a pull up, reducing or eliminating medications (please work with your doctor). A specific goal is helpful to "keep your eyes on the prize".
• HOW DO I FEEL? Ahhhhh the one question I feel that is skirted a lot in the fitness industry. Take some time to journal or think about this one. And often. How do you feel about exercise? How do I want to feel? How do I feel about myself/my body? How does the answer to that positively or negatively impact you? How do you feel in the process? Maybe take some time to notice if some goal are motivated by shame or someone else's expectation of you. This alone is likely not a good motivator. It has to come from a place of you wanting to do good for yourself. 
• WHEN? When will you start? When do you want to complete your goal? Remember to be realistic and allow for set backs. They happen. Trust ME!
• WHO? Who do I need to support me? Let spouses, friends and family know of some of your plans. More often then not I find most are ready to cheer us on. Sometimes there are those that aren't. That's okay. I find journaling helpful. Writing down accomplishments along the way. "Jen you are a badass! You finally were able to do......." Be your own cheerleader!

After all of these questions. I leap. 

It doesn't have to be perfect.

It doesn't have to exactly as you planned. 

It CAN be fun. It SHOULD be fun. Try different things. Different classes, studios, music, friends, trainers and so on. Rather then it being this awful thing you MUST do, it can be a fun thing you LOVE to do. 

This is my motivation. I have  goal. Because personally I do very well with scary goals. Just thinking of the Spartan Beast gives me a little butterfly in my stomach. The workouts aren't what I've done the past 4 years. It's new and different and fun. And I've now told the world (okay just my readers and close friends at least) that I'm doing it and need their support. This all makes the 5:45 am alarm clock not AS grueling. I look forward to the next time I run. I compete with myself to jump higher and be even better then yesterday.

Because it's about me. Not anyone else. 

And that's how I got my fitness motivation back.

Love,

Jen

Healthy Holiday Recipe: Rosemary Goat Cheese Quiche

Healthy Holiday Recipe!

Don't get me wrong I LOVE indulging in the Holiday yumminess, but I like to balance it out with some of the healthier things too. So I thought I would put together some of my Organic Box ingredients for a lovely Rosemary Goat Cheese Quiche. 

I love quiches because they are relatively easy to make and are a pretty balanced meal nutritionally. The eggs give it a great source of protein, cheese adding healthy fats, pis crust for energy from the carbohydrates and of course you get your veggies thrown in too!

They taste delicious fresh from the oven or the next day cold or warmed up! Perfect for Holiday potluck parties or lunch for work!

Ingredients (makes 2 quiches):

• 2 pie crusts. I buy them premade but you can also make them yourself!
• 12 eggs
• 2 handfuls of spinach. 
• 1 handful of grape tomatoes
• half an onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp rosemary
• 2 tbsp goat cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Lets make Quiche!

1. Preheat he oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pre bake the pie shells for 5-8 minutes. This helps the bottom be crispy under the egg mixture.
3. Turn on a pan to medium heat with olive oil. saute onions and garlic until onions are soft.
4. Chop up rosemary, spinach and tomato.
5. Toss veggies, eggs, onion and garlic into a bowl. Mix really well.
6. Add egg mixture into two pie shells. 
7. Add crumbled goat cheese into the pies.
8. Bake 30-35 minutes. You may need longer, a good way to tell is the center doesn't jiggle when moved a bit and there is some browning on top. 

TIP: If you want to take down the fat content a bit you can replace half the eggs with egg whites! for every egg replaced, use to egg whites. 

Also get $20 off your first order at The Organic Box using the code "OrganicBunch20"

Love, 

Jen

The Language Of The Fitness Industry Needs To Change

Last week and the week before my friend and I hosted a screening of the Embrace movie. A movie centered around the body positivity movement. Every time I watch this movie I leave feeling more love then ever for my body and the fellow women of the world. 

Then each morning I wake up to reality I feel like. 

A friend tagged me on Instagram to win a free 3 week pass to a fitness studio. Awesome. Don't mind at all. HOWEVER. The imagery used in this contest was of a women in a tiny bikini in the water from the back side with "perfect" skin and a very small waist and legs. Followed by an image of a women with her legs in the water, again very slender legs, followed by the last image of a woman in another small bikini, thigh gap and abs. Not even showing any of their faces. Literally just their young "perfect" bodies. Like they aren't even people or something.

The anger begins to build inside me. 

We have so far to go. We aren't going to change traditional media anytime soon. (That doesn't mean to stop trying). BUT fitness studios and trainers and teachers and instructors and gyms have the choice. Especially these small studios. They have a choice to embrace the women they are advertising to, rather then telling them they are not good enough through imagery.

To further my frustrations, I go to Facebook to see someone selling their fitness equipment saying "get those legs summer ready". 

You have legs. They are fucking summer ready.

We have choices. We can choose to change the world by saying things like "invest in yourself" and "workout for you" and "exercise for your health", rather then "get abs" or "grow your booty".

Abs do NOT equal happiness. That shit comes from the inside. Workout because you feel strong or empowered. Workout to feel and be healthy. 

The language of the fitness industry needs to change. 

It starts with us as consumers. We can put our dollars into businesses that support positive body statements and images. 

"Language Matters" as Mayim Bialik talks about in one of her videos regarding how we talk about women. Same rules apply how we talk about our bodies. If we keep sharing and buying products telling us to "get summer bodies" the cycle continues. BUT we have a chance to take notice of this language and advertising and fight with our wallets.

#REALBODYADVERTISING

Outdoors No Equipment Stairs Workout

Outdoor Stairs Workout

Nice warm weather calls us to places like city stairs for workouts. Stairs are a great workout cardiovascularly and for the the butt and legs.  Add a little bit of upper body work and you've got your full body workout in!

First Set

Walk up the stairs for the first set. Reaching the top you can do a few stretches if you;d like before coming back down 

Second Set

1. Pick up the pace a bit (if you can) going up the stairs. 
2. At the top do 10 Tricep Dips. Can be done off a bench, rock, top stairs or from the ground.
3. walk down the stairs.
4. At the bottom for 10 push ups. Can be done from the ground and feet, ground and knees, of off the last few steps.

Third Set +

For the third set up to as many as you can do, repeat steps for the second set, just adding a bit more speed either up and/or down. 

TIPS

• Bring a small rock from the bottom of the stairs up each time you do a set to keep track of how many you have done.
• Set goals for the amount of sets you want to do. Maybe each week you add a set.
• Set time goals for how quickly you complete sets or workouts.
• Increase the reps of the push ups and/or tricep dips occasionally to 12 or 15+.

Feel Good Syrup Giveaway

Feel Good Syrup is a locally brewed elderberry syrup for immunity and good overall health. I use the Feel Good Syrup in the fall to help boost the immunity as we start to go inside and germs are everywhere! Anyone with kids knows, September and October is when everyone seems to get sick!

The main ingredient in the Feel Good Syrup is Elderberry. Elderberry is a powerful immune booster. But not as well known, this berry also relieves congestion and is great for Spring time to help with congestion in the sinuses and chest from allergies!

So I've teamed up with Feel Good Syrup to help you get some relief this Spring. Enter here on the blog to win a bottle of this amazingness by telling me which spring time irritants do you suffer the most from?

Then head over to my Instagram and Facebook for additional entries!

Winner must live in Edmonton and Area to pick up from St. Albert. Good Luck!

Love, 

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

Wear The D@mn Bathing Suit Anyways

I am a straight up advocate for all things loving yourself. Last night I even had the pleasure of speaking at the Xtend Barre screening of the Embrace movie. Which is a powerful movie about loving and embracing the body you have. I, along with my friend Kaye are also screening this movie in June!

Anyways. I preach and practice self love. Key word PRACTICE. I'll get to that point in a moment though. But as a self love advocate, I have my moments of not loving myself so much. 

Last week was Spring Break and on the Monday I decided to take my kids to the mall Waterpark. (Don't do that by the way. Spring break I mean). That morning I had a total melt down. I put on my bathing suit and just couldn't handle it. 

I admit it. I couldn't. I'm human. 

BUT I wasn't going to let it stop me from making memories with my kids. 

So after teaching that morning we headed to the Waterpark. I put on my bathing suit and had a moment in the change room. BUT. BUT then I said to myself. 

"You are going to wear that damn bathing suit anyways. You have two choices. You can hate every moment and try to cover and scower, OR you can rock the shit out of it."

I chose to hold my head in high regard and walk out there like Queen Bee herself.

In reality, we are going to go to the event, head to the beach, or whatever else it is anyways, so we may as well just love ourselves and keep going. Own our bodies like we actually love them. 

Back to my point on the practice of self love though. So I head out and I have my head held high. Minutes later I maybe see someone that has a body I don't. I go to my "negative place". But I take a moment (and a breath) and realize I'm still the EXACT SAME person and body I was 5 minutes ago when I loved myself. I can CHOOSE to love myself still. This process happened maybe 20 times that day. It's a PRACTICE. A practice to CHOOSE to love ourselves. 

I can CHOOSE to feel defeated or I can choose LOVE. 

Let me tell you a little secret. Love feels WAAAAAAY better. 

And you know what ladies? Each time we do this we are basically super heros saving the world. Each time we choose to love ourselves and express it in the world, we send that message out. We can feel it from each other. Encourage each other to love ourselves, in turn helping more women enjoy their bodies. The more "real" bodies we see and women loving them it send that message to other women telling them to EMBRACE theirs! Then it catches like WILDFIRE and the world changes.

YOU CAN BE A SUPER HERO!

Just WEAR THE DAMN BATHING SUIT ANYWAYS. 

As my mom's friend gave her the advice. Choose the memory you want your child to have. Of you watching them play in the water or of you playing with them.

Love, 

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

Wheatgrass Giveaway!

Two weeks ago I had my laparoscopy surgery for endometriosis. I of course in my natural nature went on a mission ever since to consume everything I could to help me heal. I found Urban Leaf a local to Edmonton wheatgrass farmer. Yes a wheatgrass farmer. How cool is that? 

I got a chance to check out their awesome facility in west Edmonton where they are very scientific about growing the perfect wheatgrass as naturally as possible. Hence their phrase "beyond organic". They keep contaminants out and perfectly timed watering the plants for optimal growth and sweetness. 

Since wheatgrass is full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals its the perfect thing for me post surgery to help heal. Boosting the bodies immune system and alkalizing pH levels not only help with healing post surgeries or injuries but every day life to keep us running. I actually even take mine in the afternoon when I normally have that mid afternoon slump where I used to reach for a coffee to give me that extra boost! 

Personally I take the shot straight as it comes, but a lot of people mix into smoothies or dilute with a bit of water. 

I love that I don't have to take up counter space or have my own juicer to get such a powerful healthy product. And I hear that soon you might also be able to get ginger and tumeric shots too!!!!!

Find Urban Leaf shots through their site or you can also purchase from Glow Juicery Locations, Maka Eatery and Juice Monkey. 

You can also enter to win one box (two weeks supply) here on the blog by telling me below your favourite health regime. Then head over to the Facebook and Instagram pages for extra entries!!!! 

Contest closes March 15th 11:59pm. 

Fit Chick Friday - Richelle Ludwig

I'm honoured to have Richelle Ludiwg on the blog today for Fit Chick Friday. Richelle write beautiful message of self love and acceptance and I'm so happy to have her sharing her message. Make sure to check Richelle out!

Certifications:

Certified Holistic Nutrition Practitioner, Cognitive Approach Practitioner and soon to be 200hr yoga teacher

Where to find Richelle

Richelle has a coaching business is all online.

What are your specialties:

I work with women who struggle with the diet-binge/emotional eating cycle and body image.  I’m passionate about empowering them to break free from the diet cycle by changing their rigid thinking and awareness around food.

What got you into fitness?

To be completely honest, what got me into fitness was a disordered relationship with food and my body.  I saw it as a way to control my body.  That being said, I discovered how much I actually love moving my body and my favourite way to do that has changed over the years as I improved my relationship with my body.  Now it’s all about being strong, longevity and feeling good!  I discovered heavy lifting through Crossfit, which was a different mentality for me as I’d always been stuck in trying to make my body smaller and therefore weaker.  With yoga specifically, I started practicing to help me calm my nervous system down as I was in phase 3 Adrenal Dysfunction from years of overexercising and being stuck in the diet-binge cycle.  I discovered that it had so much more to offer and during a class was the first time I ever experienced really being in my body and feeling good.  This hooked me and I continued my journey with yoga during my process of healing my relationship with my body.

What/Who is your biggest motivation?

My biggest motivation these days is just wanting to live a good life and be able to do the things I love as I age.  In my day job I work with a lot of seniors and can see the affects of not moving well.  I want to continue to move as best I can as I age.  I also want to feel really connected to my body, which is why sometimes I just drop a dance party in the kitchen and that may be my form of movement for the day.  I used to use exercise to disconnect, but now I really love to balance that out with movement that allows me to go inwards too.

What are some of your favourite exercises/equipment?

After years of distance running I have developed a real love for strength training.  I love deadlifts, squats, pullups and pushups.  When I was so focused on being thin, I was really weak and couldn’t do a pullup or pushup to save my life.  Now I love being bigger, stronger and more capable.

What is your favourite outdoor activity?

Hiking or backpacking in the mountains!  Something I really want to try outdoors is MovNat, but Edmonton has yet to get any instructors that I am aware of!

What is your favourite indoor activity?

Yoga, which can obviously be done outdoors too, and of course strength training.

Any advice you’d like to give to other women?

Be honest with yourself about why you choose the type of exercise you do.  It’s important to come from a place of love instead of fear with everything in life, including movement.  If you are afraid of gaining weight and using exercise to control your weight, burn calories or punish yourself for eating, this is an unhealthy relationship.  Choose movement based on how fun it is, how empowered it makes you feel and how energized you feel after it.

Find Richelle through:

Website: www.richelleludwig.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmpoweredVitality?ref=hl

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweredvitality/

Refreshing Green Smoothie

I haven't been feeling 100% the last two days and food is no friend of mine, but smoothies are easy to make and drink. I made this one without any protein powder because I needed something more light and refreshing then thick and creamy. Feel free to add protein powder to this one, vanilla or plain would be wonderful!

Ingredient:

• 1/2 cup kale (I cheat and buy the frozen bagged stuff, it's just so easy!)
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
• 1/2 cup frozen mango
• 1 tbsp fresh grated/thinly chopped ginger
• water to consistency

Super simple and so good for you!

Love, 

Jen the Bitchin' Housewife

What's A Mala Anyways?

Mala’s have become very popular lately. They look gorgeous but they also can serve a function.

What are the made from?

Many different materials are used in the making of mala’s. I’ve seen beads made from animal bone, different stones and rocks.

Mine here is from Mala and Me made from black onyx. "Black Onyx  assists with challenges in life, especially those caused by a drain of energy. This stone can help you to feel comfortable within yourself and in your surroundings. Black Onyx is said to promote self-control helping the wearer to keep excessive emotions and passions under control, while keeping you protected."

What are they used for?

They can be worn with the intention of the stones/gems they are made from protecting/helping you. Traditionally malas have been used in helping meditation. Using the beads on the necklace to help repeat an intention or a point of focus in meditation. 

I had surgery on Monday and since I have been spending time meditating on healing. With each bead I repeat to myself over and over "I am healing and healthy".
 

Why 108 beads?

I've heard many reasons behind the 108 beads. The number 108 comes up in many ways, including even the fact that the suns diameter is exactly 108 times the size of the earth's.

My super sweet bracelete from Eliasz and Ella

What about the bracelets? 

I also love bracelets. I think they look pretty stacked on wrists with different colours, but I use them for quick little reminders. While I'm waiting in the car to pick up my daughters from school or while I'm teaching and people are laying in Savanasa. A moments to align with my intentions for myself and my day. Sometimes I use no mantra and just use it to count a few deep breaths.

The mystery of the mala solved. 

Love

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

Park Show Supporting Local Artists

As a busy mom and yoga teacher/fitness instructor I find I struggle so much with my own personal style. I feel like yoga pnats are my sense of style somedays. EEEk! This weekend I am going to check out the Park Show. It's a local volunteer run organization that supports local entrepreneurs, designers and artisans. 

"PARK is a socially conscious organization that aspires to create opportunities for developing fashion designers and artists to share their work and sustain a profitable business.

We create spaces by hosting annual events that give creative entrepreneurs the opportunity to showcase their talents."

This weekend they are hosting a show to support these artists and you can get in on the fun! Grab a girlfriend and spend some time having some fun. (My favourite form of self care!)

You can actually shop some of these designers and artisans during the Showroom Market from 12:00 p.m to 5:00 pm which is free to attend!

Then check out the fashion shows happening in the evening! 

The Details
Date:
Saturday March 4, 2017

Location:
Epcor Tower - 16th Floor
10423 101 St NW
Edmonton, AB

Event Times:
10:00am - 4:00pm - SHOWROOM Market
7:00pm - PARKSHOW Opening Reception
9:00pm - PARKSHOW Runway Show

Pop-Up Shops available throughout the evening

Get your tickets HERE

I Have a Cleaner and Feel No Guilt About It

After my first babe was born for a while I had a cleaner. It was glorious. Leave and do grocery shopping and errands and come back to a nice clean home. Then spend time with my daughter rather then cleaning!

A few months later I had this awful guilt about being a stay at home mom and spending money on someone cleaning my home for me. (That mom guilt is a real jerk isn't it?) So I stopped having her come. Despite my husbands advice and support on having her come.

Fast forward to a few years, a bigger house and an extra daughter later.......

I've learned my lesson. My lesson in being cheap and my lesson in mom guilt. 

I always thought (wait let me rephrase that I always STILL think sometimes) that I can do it all. I can be the super mom that does it all. I can have a clean house and happy kids and work and blah blah blah. And I realize you know what? I DONT HAVE TO BE!

One of the moms in my bootcamp said something so perfectly in relation to this last week. She's a mom of 4 kids and said " I feel bad for you with only 2 kids. With 2 you feel like you can still do it all and everything still be perfect. With four you realize it's impossible and relax on things a bit."

WOAH. Truth bomb. 

Anyways...... a few months ago I came to this conclusion that if I ask for help rather then trying to do ALL THE THINGS I can actually be more relaxed, spend more time with my kids and husband and quality time working on my blog and business. Just from having someone come into my house every second week to clean takes enough pressure off me. 

I feel not a single inch of guilt or remorse about receiving this help and honestly way more relaxed. It's not another thing on m "to do list" and clears my space and time for things that are far more important then cleaning my baseboards!

And since I know I am going to be asked...... I use the amazing Pernickety Services who not only do cleaning but grocery shopping and errands of all kinds. So really, you can get your help in any form. 

Take care of yourself by asking for help. It's not a weakness but a sign of strength. Honestly. 

Love,

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

Spring Green Smoothie

We had some warmer whether here in Edmonton last week and now I'm on spring mode! Check out my smoothie from this morning. I'm all about the ginger kick lately!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
• 1/2 cup kale (I used frozen chopped kale)
• 1/2 cup avocado (I recently discovered the frozen stuff from PC)
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger
• 1 scoop vanilla protein
• Water to desired consistency. 

Love, 

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife.

Digestive Smoothie

It's said that the mix of ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and coriander are a powerful digestion stimulator. Although I kept the corainder out of the smoothie (that I think would be too weird...) this smoothie has antioxidants, digestive aids and healthy fats great for hormone function. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup kale (I used frozen chopped kale)
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger
• teaspoon cardamom
• teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 scoop vanilla protein
• Water to desired consistency. (I like this one a little more on the watery side)

Love, 

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife.

Fitness Gear Review - True Life Fitness

There is a newer fitness clothing line right here in Edmonton named True Life Fitness and I've got my hands on a pair of the pants they first launched the Blaire Legging! These are super fun and well you know me... I LOVE to support local business. 

The first time I wore these I wore them to teach hot yoga, and yeah I was sold for a number of reasons. Probably my favourite being that I was dry minutes after teaching and sweating. After I teach I rarely ever change and usually just take me and my wet clothes home in my car. Which can be uncomfortable especially when it's cold out! I noticed that within minutes of coming out of the hot yoga room all covered in sweat, my pants were dry! No uncomfortable walk out into the cold air and drive home!

I was worried about the zipper in the back and doing anything where I would be laying on my back. I didn't even notice the zipper to be honest. Wasn't in my way at all. Which is great because I also LOVE having a pocket in pants for keys or music as I workout. 

The top waistband is the bigger control design type. I like that I feel supported in the "mommy tummy" area without it digging in. Sometimes I find the tops of pants kind of roll over when I'm doing yoga specifically, but these stayed put through all my vinyasas.

Now I'm not normally one to wear light colored pants, but paired with a neutral shirt I felt comfortable. I've got the whole black widow look going for me some days so I probably SHOULD add some colour to my life. I had a lot of people ask me about them and compliment them too. I guess maybe I would avoid wearing them during "that time". (Sorry I am so TMI).

Overall I feel supported as I wear them, but without it being too tight I cant actually move. 

BUT the BEST part.......... k not about the actual pants but $2 from every purchase goes to Women Win helping support women get involved in sports! How amazing is that?!?!?

Love,

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

Why You Pee During Your Workout

I am a mom. I understand. Sometimes (particularly while jumping) we pee a little during our workouts. And anyone reading this who isn't a mother.. well...... sorry to say it's true most of the time for women after having babies. This is not my areas of expertise BUT I thought it would be great to bring in the wonderful (and gorgeous) Kaye Burrows from Core Love Fitness who DOES specialize in this area to talk about WHY we pee! Read on below for Kaye's amazing advice!

Why are you peeing during your workout?  And how to stop!

I remember leaving my first Stroller Boot camp class after my daughter was born and thinking “Is my vagina just sweating a lot or did I totally pee my pants?”  Hint: no, vaginas don’t sweat a lot.  

There is a major misconception that if you are experiencing urinary incontinence (leaking pee) after having babies it is because your pelvic floor is stretched, loose and weak.  Another misconception is that doing 100’s of kegals a day will solve all of your pelvic floor problems.   

In my experience, many women experiencing leaking have a hypertonic (tight) pelvic floor and thus have a really hard time strengthening the muscles because they cannot first get them to relax.  Your pelvic floor is made up of muscles that, just like any other muscle, work best when they can both fully relax and fully contract!  If this is your pelvic floor, kegal-ing away all day is not going to solve the problem.  

You can see from this diagram of the pelvic region that your pelvic floor is supporting some pretty important stuff!  I know that you may be desperate to get your ‘body back’ after having babies and so you turn to crunches/sit-ups, planks and running.  For the sake of your pelvic floor, I actually recommend you don’t do any of those, if you are experiencing incontinence.  Just for now, not for forever, I promise!

What to do:

1) First off,

I can’t recommend a pelvic health physiotherapist enough.  I would never have healed my own pelvic floor without one!  Here is a helpful link from Pelvienne Wellness that can help you find one.  If you want help locating one in Edmonton contact me here and I can share my recommendations.  

Next, you need to figure out if the way you breathe and stand is supporting your core and pelvic floor.  

2) Breathing

Start lying on your back, and place one hand on your ribs and one hand on your belly.  As you inhale, intentionally bring your breath into your ribs and into your belly instead of lifting your shoulders and breathing into your chest.  This encourages your diaphragm to move through its full range of motion and supports the deep core and pelvic floor muscles.  As you exhale, feel both your ribs and your belly sink towards your spine.  Try to breathe right into your pelvic floor.  Repeat 10 times (or more- relax and breathe Mamas!).

3) Standing.  

The two cues I say most often are:

• “Leave your behind (bum) behind you”

• “Keep your headlights (breasts) shining forward”

In the above photo my hips have shifted forward and my ribs have lifted up and shifted back.   This is a really common posture for moms because it takes some of the load of carrying babies (all day long!) off of the arms and into our spine and pelvis.  

In this photo, I have brought my bum behind me and rotated my ribs down and forward so that my “headlights” are shining forward.  This is a much better alignment to support my core and pelvic floor.

4) Be smart about your workouts.

Find an expert that you trust to guide you.  Burpees, jumping jacks, crunches and other high intensity exercises that are creating a ton of intra-abdominal pressure are not for a body that is repairing the core and pelvic floor.  If your class instructor or trainer doesn’t have a lot of knowledge about diastasis recti, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic floor healing, incontinence and hormone levels in nursing moms, look elsewhere.  You don’t want to move backwards in terms of healing and strengthening.  If you are looking for a fantastic online program that you can follow along at home, go here.  And if you need more help, please reach out!  I am so passionate about helping women feel connected, strong and at home in their bodies.  I would love to help you get there!  You can find me at corelove.ca, on Facebook and Instagram.