Looking ahead to a healthy, happy, New Year

Blink...and you'll miss it! Where did that year go? They say that the years seem to whizz by as you get older but personally I think it's more the case that Mums are just busier these days - you don't even have a chance to stop and think, you just DO and keep DOING. 

Maybe you're working full-time with a couple of little-ones occupying your time at home, or you're a stay-at-home Mum with children and never-ending activities for the kids that keep you on your toes - whatever your situation it's certainly different to when our Mums or Grandmothers were raising their kids.  

The end of the year is always a good time for a healthy dose of reflection: what have I achieved? Why does it feel like I haven't done anything? Now where are those sneakers/great abdominal 'blaster'/tummy vibrator whatsy-thimmingy that I never got around to using? Seriously though, sometimes it's good to just stop, forget about doing and be thankful for what we do have. If you have your family, healthy children, and your own good health then I think THAT's something to celebrate. 

And if you are thinking ahead to what you'd like to do - or stop doing - in 2013, see these tips to help you create resolutions that actually mean something to you, that you can stick to, and hopefully, make a difference to your life in the year ahead.
 
Create a plan - 'cos as the saying goes - "an objective without a plan is a dream."
In order for your resolution to have resolve, (as the word "resolution" implies), it has to have clear steps that can be put into action. A good plan will tell you: what to do next, and what steps are needed to complete the goal.

Don't wait 'til tomorrow - create Your Plan NOW
If you're like most people, then you'll have a limited window of opportunity during the first few days of January to harness your motivation.  So it's really important that you start creating your plan now.

Write it down
Commit your resolution and plan to writing somewhere; keep it where you can see it, and refer to it often.

Think "Year Round," Not Just New Year's
Resolutions should be realistic; with small steps to reach specific goals. Nothing big gets done in a day. Resolutions are set in one day, but accomplished with a hundred tiny steps that happen throughout the year.

Remain flexible to keep your sanity
Accept that being a busy Mum often means that things don't always go as planned. So when great intentions are derailed, there's no guilt or giving up: just pick up and move on. Most of all, recognise when you succeed at every step along the way.

Have you got portion distortion?

Hmmmmm...maybe those 'healthy' food options aren't so
under control after all?

So you think you're on the right track to a healthier life: you make healthier food choices, eat slow-release carbs, drink plenty of water, have cut back on alcohol, and exercise regularly. So why do you STILL feel like the size of a house, rather than the size you'd like to be? Perhaps the answer lies not in what you're eating but how much.

And if you continue to eat large portions of food, you not only increase your risk of weight gain, but digestive problems like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

So what's the best way to judge portion sizes and how do we stop ourselves from eating way too much?

Try these four top tips.

1. Choose smaller plates and ban bowls. If you use a bowl, especially when eating pasta dishes, it can make a meal look smaller than it actually is, so it's far easier to pile on the food! So opt for a bread plate instead and leave bowls for breakfast cereals and soups.
   
   
2. Check your maths. As a general rule, fill half your plate with non-starchy vegies and salad, one-quarter with protein (such as organic meat, chicken, fish, etc), and one-quarter with good starches (sweet potato, quinoa, brown rice, etc). If you're not eating carbs, then try filling your plate with two-thirds vegies, and one-third protein.
   
3. Eat protein first. Research shows that protein increases feelings of satiety, so if you eat it first, you'll feel full more quickly. Plus, you'll be less tempted to reach for more!
   
   
4. Live by the 'four foods' rule. Think about it, more choice simply gives you more room to binge. So try eating no more than four food at any one meal.

If you're looking for more tips, check out more ideas on how to avoid portion distortion.

Baby (or should that be body?) come-back

So you've had a baby and have managed to survive the first six-to-eight weeks of sleep deprivation and the other major life adjustments that come with looking after a newborn - congratulations! Now you may be thinking about how to get your body back into shape - safely - after pregnancy and childbirth.

This is an area that we're only too happy to help you with, because being fitter and stronger will help you cope with the demands of your round-the-clock job as a Mum. Try these five tips to get you started:

1. Don't diet! And not just because you may be breastfeeding, keeping up with the demands of being a new Mum means regular refuelling (and we're talking about YOU here, not just the baby!). Your body thinks you're starving when you lose too much weight too quickly and guess what? Instead of burning kilojoules, it conserves them in the form of fat! And half of the kilos you drop during radical dieting comes from muscle, not fat. But you need muscle to help boost your metabolism so you can burn fat!
   
2. Think fibre. It's your best friend after having a baby because food rich in water and fibre are bulkier, but contain fewer kilojoules. A cup of strawberries, for example, has about the same kilojoule count as a small biscuit, but it's far more satisfying (not to mention better for you!). Try a big bowl of stock-based soup or a large green salad with lots of veggies.
   
3. When sleep deprived, focus on food over exercise. Working out is essential for fitness and ensuring you have more energy to cope with your life as a new Mum, but if you snack smarter, you can also lose the kilojoules - which comes in handy for those days where you're just so knackered you can't even contemplate coming along to our pram camp sessions! Eating a bit less every day is easier than trying to burn off the extra kilojoules. That said, a 2005 paper in the Journal of Applied Physiology shows that physical activity along with diet can ensure that most of your weight loss comes from fat.
   
4. Consistency over time is the key. Whether you eat three big meals a day or six small ones, do it the same way each day. And remember, foods that keep you feeling fuller, longer is the key to stay consistent. Fibre is one way and protein is important too. Try low-fat yogurt, a hard boiled egg with wholegrain toast, or peanut butter on celery sticks!
   
5. It's kilojoules that matter, NOT carbs. This goes back to tip #1 - no dieting. New Mums NEED carbs, so forget the low-carb diet. Eating fewer kilojoules than you burn is the key to losing weight. So what's the easiest way to achieve a kilojoule deficit? Pause before you eat to figure out just how hungry you are. Then stop as soon as you feel satisfied - not stuffed! And remember - you need any extra 2000 kilojoules a day if you're breastfeeding exclusively. Don't get too carried away though, 2000kJ is equivalent to 150grams of steak and two to three slices of bread OR just under 100g packet of chips!

Hot 5 tips to fat-loss success

"An objective without a plan is a dream" (Douglas McGregor)

Like anything else in life, the key to achieving your weight loss goals has to start with a plan. Try this step-by-step guide to ensure fat loss success!

1. Create a partnership. Yes, it's always good to workout with a friend as it can help boost  motivation but what you really need to do is create a partnership with your body, rather than battle against it. Do you ever look in the mirror and think means things about your body parts that you're not happy with? If so, you may be sabotaging your own health and fat-loss efforts. Instead flip negative thoughts into positive ones. Think about what you love about your body and focus on that instead.
2. Never go out hungry when shopping for groceries. You'll ALWAYS buy more than you need. Fix yourself a protein rich snack first - try half a cup of plain, low-fat yogurt with blueberries and nuts on top.
3. Navigate your way around the supermarket aisles to avoid temptation. Go around the perimeter of the supermarket first so you get your lean meats and fresh fruit and veg. Only go into the middle aisles to get 'clean' ingredients like oatmeal, whole-grain pastas or brown rice, low-salt canned beans and veg, nuts, olive oil, spices and tea. Avoid 'buy one get one free' offers as research shows that shoppers are likely to buy 30 to 100 per cent more than they thought they would!
4. Sit and slow down when you eat. Put everything on your plate that you want and put leftovers away in the fridge BEFORE sitting down to eat. Set the fork down after every bite to help slow yourself down and eat what you most want to eat first, instead of saving it until last. That way, you won't feel the need to rush through your meal to get to it.
5. Forget dieting - don't deny yourself food. Just find healthier alternatives for your fatty faves. Instead of salty chips, choose rice crackers or popcorn (minus the salt and butter!). Instead of biscuits and cakes, choose fruit, rice cakes, or toast with fruit jam. Choose a handful of dried fruit and nuts instead of lollies.

And reward yourself - for your fat-blasting efforts...but not with food. Choose manicures or pedicures, a facial, new playlist - anything that you love and consider an indulgence, but has nothing to do with food!

Top 7 tips to lose the baby weight

It doesn't matter whether you've just had your first baby, second, or have school-age kids, we all desperately want to fit back into those pre-baby clothes. And the good news is that you most certainly can and it's never too late to start - you just have to get started!

After I had my second baby I couldn't wait to get back into pre-pregnancy clothes - but it wasn't as if I could just walk out of hospital wearing my favourite pre-baby jeans: I was still lugging an extra 8 kilos and I had to work to get it off. Here's my top 7 tips to getting back into shape and feeling even better than you did before having your baby.

1. Ditch the mother's guilt. No-one ever tells you about the guilt that comes with being a Mum, but  realise that it's OK to spend sometime on yourself. After all, looking after yourself is the best gift you can give to your kids - if you're happy and healthy, then they are likely to be too! So if it means spending 30 minutes a day doing something that's just for you, then it's OK to make this happen.
   
2. Set some realistic goals for yourself. Take some time to think about what you really, really, want and work out a plan for how you can achieve it - and how to measure your success. After having a baby you might have a lot of weight to lose, for example, which can seem really daunting. So you need to break it down into small, achievable goals (like 500g per week for example).
   
3. Schedule exercise into your diary as morning appointment. Re-gaining your fitness and losing weight after having a baby is all about being consistent over time. Having a routine, especially if you have a baby, is going to be tricky but work out when your baby is most likely to be happiest, and slot in some exercise so that it happens most days of the week. Even if you have to break it down into three lots of 10 minute sessions!
   
4. Include your baby or your kids. Don't wait until your baby is asleep to exercise - chances are you'll find something else to do, and it's far better that they learn healthy habits early in life. When babies are very small, they're most happiest when with you so you can easily pop them on a mat next to you while you're doing your routine. As they get older, they love to get involved and do running, and jumping and squatting with you. Be creative!
   
5. Know that your eating habits will have the biggest impact on your weight loss goals. It's the 80-20 rule: losing weight is 80 per cent what you eat and 20 per cent exercise. Like any new Mum, sometimes you're going to be struggling to find the time to exercise (let alone find the energy), so even if you can't fit in much exercise - try to control what you eat (particularly portion sizes).
   
6. Eat smaller, regular meals throughout the day and drink lots of water. This is really important for new, breastfeeding Mums as you'll be constantly tired, thirsty and lacking in energy. Eating small, regular meals throughout the day will help stabilise your blood sugar levels and control those sugar cravings!
   
7. Plan ahead, organise yourself and just keep going. Take some time out to plan your weekly meals and exercise for the week - you can save a lot of time and focus on getting through one day at a time and doing the best you can for that day. Yes, you're going to have days when the baby is sick or screams a lot, or Miss Toddler whinges and hangs around your feet, or you dive into a whole packet of biscuits. But forgive yourself! Tomorrow is another day - you just have to keep going, and never, EVER give up!

The lowdown on cravings

A craving for a specific kind of food can be like an evil leprechaun sitting on your shoulder, constantly nagging you to over-indulge. And going on a 'diet' to restrict what you eat can make things worse.

A study in the International Journal of Obesity found that 91 per cent of women said they had cravings when they weren't on a diet, and once they started restricting their kilojoules, that figure went up to 94 per cent.

But if you give in to your craving more often, then this is going to push you further away from your fat loss goals! The good news is that you CAN fight the cravings if you understand a little more about them.

1. Cravings are all about your blood sugar. TRUE. If your blood sugar levels stay pretty consistent throughout the day, then your eating patterns should too. It's when you're starving yourself for hours that the cravings start - and blood sugar can drop way too low even after about four hours of not eating.
2. Chewing gum can help reduce cravings. TRUE. A 2009 study showed that chewing gum after eating lunch can help to reduce snack cravings, and decrease the consumption of sweet food.
3. Cravings are the body's way of saying that it needs certain nutrients. FALSE. Researchers have found no evidence that this is the case for the vast majority of the most commonly craved foods. Beware of those 'hunger imposters'. If you've eaten an hour ago but crave Tim Tams or a packet of chips - it could be that your brain is playing tricks on you. If this sounds like you, then try a visual distraction. Researchers from the Flinders University of Adelaide have found this may help to reduce the urge rather than just 'thinking about something else'.
4. Eating the same thing everyday can increase your cravings. TRUE. Its seems that variety could really be the spice of life. A study in the journal Obesity found that always eating the same kind of foods can actually increase your number of cravings.

Is guilt the 'new' stress?

Women have pretty much made guilt a way of life.  As a busy Mum struggling with work and family commitments, who hasn't wrestled with not being 'good enough' or leaving a toddler crying at childcare, or for eating the entire contents of the choc biscuit packet straight from the kitchen cupboard, or (heaven forbid) taking time out for yourself!

While the big MG (affectionately known as 'mother's guilt') has probably always been around, it's really one huge cause of stress we could all live without - especially when you consider that your body's stress hormone (cortisol) is already working overtime while you adjust to life as a busy Mum surviving on very little sleep!

And guess what? Abdominal fat cells have four times as many receptors for cortisol than anywhere else in your body. So if you're continually stressed-out, your abdominal fat cells will be calling out for cortisol and encouraging your body to store more fat around your belly. Now who needs that!!!???

So what you really need is to stop stressing and starting ditching the guilt! How? Here's my top three tips:

1. Be a sane Mum, not a 'Super Mum' and cut yourself some slack. Don't waste energy beating yourself up over something you did or didn't do, just forgive yourself and move on. So what if you ate a whole block of chocolate - just face facts and move on.
   
2. Allow yourself to dream. All Mums need a life beyond 'being a Mum'. What have you been putting off? It's time to act - take whatever small steps are necessary to fulfill those dreams. A personally fulfilled woman makes an amazing Mum.
   
3. Remember that small acts can have big pay offs for you and your family. The key is consistency: instead of working out one hour every fourth day, try 10 minutes three times a day, on most days of the week. The smaller acts are more likely to become a routine. And when fitness becomes a part of your life, your children want to be involved too. When I returned to running after pregnancy (in between breastfeeding and sleepless nights), my then Miss Toddler would greet me at the front door on my return with a water bottle in hand and then proceed to do her own 'running races'.

So next time you feel the tugs of mother's guilt as you're out kicking goals for your own health and happiness - push that thought aside. What you're REALLY doing is passing on all the benefits to your family: good nutrition and exercise habits to last a lifetime, protection against certain lifestyle diseases, positive self-esteem and above all, a happy, healthy Mum - bring it on!

Kilojoule burn in heat vs cold

A pram camper finished her outdoors workout on a warm Spring morning, with a pointed question: "do you burn more calories (or kilojoules) working out on a warm day compared to a cold one?"
"Hmmm, I replied, that's a tricky question." And here's why.

• Cold weather itself doesn't increase kilojoule needs. BUT your body does use a lot of energy to warm and humidify the air you breathe when exercising outside in the cold. According to sport nutritionist and author, Nancy Clark, if you were to burn 600 calories (equivalent to about 2,500 kilojoules) while cross-country skiing for an hour in zero degree weather, you may use an estimated 23 percent of those calories to warm the inspired air. But you use the heat you generate with exercise to warm the air you breathe and help stop your lungs from getting chilled. 

• You don't burn extra kilojoules in cold weather unless your body temperature drops and you start to shiver. And even then, what you may 'burn' depends on a number of different factors. When a person is shivering, the body needs to work harder to maintain body temperature). And studies have shown that shivering can burn about 400 calories (or 1680 kilojoules) per hour and it depletes glycogen stores and leaves you feeling tired. In this situation the energy expenditure in cold weather is greater than in warm weather, but the actual amount of additional calories burned due to shivering depends on the temperature, how long the person was exposed, and the type of clothing. (And considering that at pram camp you're not likely to be wearing a lot of layers or even shivering for much more than a few minutes, the extra 'burn' would probably be non-existent).
  
• If you sweat more, particularly during your workouts in summer, you won't burn extra kilojoules.You burn kilojoules when your muscles perform work. Sweating is just the way your body uses to regulate excess heat.
  
  
  

Tweaking workouts to burn more fat

Some comebacks (like leg warmers) should stay in the past. But your return to exercise, whether it's after a having a baby, or after any long lay-off (including hibernation over winter), is different.

Any break in a regular exercise routine, including after giving birth, can result in a loss of lean muscle mass and cardio strength. Once you do start to ease yourself back into regular exercise, over time you can also start to tweak your workouts to burn more fat. Here's how:

...while walking
Walk your regular route the opposite direction, so your body doesn't know what to expect.

...while running
Typically run for 30 minutes? Try this: day 1 - go slower than usual, but jog for 40 mins. Day 2 - speed up, but jog for only 20 mins. Day 3 - jog fast for 1 min, easy for 2, repeat 6-10 times.

...don't run but want to start?
While out walking add short bursts of running into your routine - run to the next tree or lamppost and walk (recover) for two lamp posts. Repeat 4-6 times. Build on this walking session each week so eventually you're doing more running than walking.

...while resistance or weights training
Stand instead of sitting to use more muscles

...while cycling
Sit when you climb. When you stand, you use body weight for momentum; sitting mean you have to push more weight with less help.

And check out our tip sheet on your number one fat loss solution - interval training - to give your workout an extra boost

Top hero foods for new Mums

Most of us know what we should eat and why we should eat it. But it's often the case we get caught up in work, or running around after our little (or not so little) kids, that we don't. We say it's too hard too eat healthily, we don't have time to cook or plan meals, or even that it costs more to prepare healthy alternatives. And we look for a short-cut or what we think will be a quick fix to good health and fat loss.

And does it work? Maybe in the short term, but so-called 'dieting' isn't the answer when you look at the big picture. Diets mess with your head, your moods, and confidence. How often do you feel guilty about something you ate for instance? 

Diets can create a negative cycle of stress, deprivation, bingeing, guilt, denial, frustration and the biggie – failure. Not exactly what you'd call a great model for a happy, healthy Mum. And like it or not, our kids learn by example and not just from what we say but what we do. A friend of mine was shocked to see her three-year-old mimic her on the bathroom scales, saying she'd “have to try harder” and that she was “too fat”.

So forget dieting – start by throwing away all the junk magazines and crazy diet books – and start eating positively and getting savvy about nutrition. It all comes down to habits and behaviour.

After all, if you take the time now to look at why you're eating certain foods - and looking at the foods that seem to sabotage your health – then you can set yourself up with new, positive, life-long eating habits.

And more importantly, happy, healthy Mums can't help but be an example to their kids.

New Mums - check out our top 12 hero foods especially for you! You need to take extra care of your body so it has a chance to recover and heal from the birth trauma!

5 ways to beat back pain

Lifting, pulling, reaching, twisting, and juggling kidlets in the folds of our arms or on our waist. These are just a few of the movements a Mum does everyday - which are all bound to take its toll on your back. Especially when you consider the 'seismic activity' that your body undergoes during those nine months of growing a baby.

Funny thing is, you kinda expected when you had the baby that everything would just glue itself back together didn't you? No one really told you about pelvic instability or abdominal separation or even how just being pregnant changes the way that your back looks and behaves.

If you have a bad back, it's unlikely to be because of the changes caused by pregnancy to your posture. It's more to do with how your muscles have adapted to your changing body. The muscles of your back, belly and pelvic floor are designed to move and support the joints of your back and pelvis and as your 'baby belly' grows, it can become harder to do their job properly.

So what can I do to beat lower back pain? Try these 5 tips to avoid back pain:

1. Strengthen your core. If you're a new Mum or Mum-to-be, forget about the six-pack abdominals. Focus instead on strengthening your transverse abdominal muscles that help support your back. If you're having trouble working out how to target the right muscles, try re-connecting your core - ie. get your pelvic floor, diaphragm, abdominal and low back muscles to switch on and 'talk to each other'. [Top tip for Mums-to-be: use pelvic tilts to help protect your back. Also, coming down onto your hands and knees on the floor, and holding your belly button in to your spine to contract your abdominals helps relieve the pressure].
   
2. Keep mobile throughout the day. Move regularly and at least once every hour, by moving your arms, back and legs, or walk a few steps to loosen your back. If you do have low back pain, reduce your activity and intensity levels but try to stay active (eg. walking if it doesn't cause pain).
   
3. Stretch regularly. Holding stretches for about 30 seconds at a time, and make sure you stretch the back and hip muscles regularly, and not only after you exercise.
   
4. Reduce the load. Be conscious of picking up your baby or toddler. Avoid long periods of  balancing those kidlets on one side of your waist. Bend your knees and squat, holding your belly button in towards your spine, to pick up ANYTHING. If out and about, and you need to pick up a few groceries, use a backpack to carry to make sure you have even weight distribution.
   
5. Wear proper footwear. We all know that stilettos are not a Mum's best friend, but also make sure that your everyday 'shoe' is fit for purpose! And what about your sneakers? Even if you do a lot of walking, you should be fitted with a proper running shoe that is suitable for your foot type and the surface that you're walking/running on.

8 steps to better sleep

Forget Carpe Diem. When it comes to being a new Mum or a Mum-to-be, it's all about Carpe Siesta. 

A good nights sleep is hard to find and so you learn to sleep when you can - and where you can. A friend of mine was so desperate for sleep that she told her hubby she was going to the loo, handed him the baby, shut herself in the bathroom and napped with her head on the the sink for 20 minutes! Whilst working on a gym floor, I used to sneak off to the 'sick bay' at lunchtime to catch a 15-minute snooze on the couch. Another friend used to take her baby for a long drive to get him to sleep and when he did nod off she'd pull to the side of the road, set her watch and take a 10-minute power nap herself.  She also looked forward to her twice-weekly outing to the 'Babes in Arms' sessions at her local cinema. Who cared what movie was playing....?

It may not seem like much but creative 'napping' can be just what you need to get you through the next toddler temper-tantrum or the hourly baby breastfeeding battle through the night. And even though you may find that you're now getting far less sleep than you want - there are ways to improve the quality of sleep and general restfulness throughout the day. Try these 8 ways to get a better sleep:

 1.    Get your bedroom right. There are three things you can do to get a better sleep:

• Use your bedroom for sleeping and sex only. Don’t do homework, watch television or send emails in bed.
• Just like in your baby's room, make sure your room is pitch dark while you’re sleeping (get curtains made from heavyweight or blackout material if needed).
• Also ensure that the room is a comfortable temperature, it should be towards cool rather than warm. Do you need a new mattress, pillows or doona?  If so, making these purchases could make a real difference.

2.    Establish and try to stick to a routine
Aim to go to bed at the same time each night and follow a predictable routine leading up to bedtime ie. 60-30 minutes before you go to bed. For instance, once the baby has gone down for the night, you might listen to soothing music, read a relaxing book, shower, brush your teeth and get into your PJ's. Your body will recognise that it’s time to start winding down.

3.     Recognise and commit to managing your stress
Many people who suffer from sleep issues struggle with managing stress. If you think stress and anxiety are getting in the way of a good night’s sleep, get these issues under control. Try a little extra exercise, meditation or yoga to bring stillness to your mind or seek professional help from your GP, child health nurse or health care provider.

4.     Avoid caffeine and alcohol at night
Especially right before bedtime, they'll work against getting a good night's sleep. Try cutting them right down or out completely if your sleep is severely disturbed.  Be aware that dark chocolate contains caffeine and may also contribute to sleeplessness.

5.  Burn or apply calming essential oils
Use lavender in a bath or on pulse points or use an essential oil burner as part of your ‘before-bed- preparation-routine’.  After a while, just the smell of Lavender will trigger a sensation of ‘rest/release’ for you.  Seek advice if you are breastfeeding when applying oils to your skin as to which are safe for both you and the baby and although Lavender is a very safe oil for everyone, it’s good practice to burn oils once baby is out of the room.

6. Don't over-hydrate
Slurping too much liquid in the evening guarantees you'll be making extra trips to the loo long after midnight. Even though your body helps by naturally reducing urine production while you sleep, it's a good idea to cut off liquids at least an hour before going to bed.

7. Start Turning the Lights Down During the Early Evening

Our bodies are programmed to go to sleep with the sun and get up with the sun. Our circadian rhythms are longer than 24 hours and need the light to help us reset each day. At night, go from bright to dimmer lights as you move toward the bedtime. This simulates a time of dusk, which naturally helps our bodies prepare for sleep.  For a lot of Mums, especially in the early days, this means going to bed not long after putting the baby down (sorry - not the time to catch up on re-runs of your favourite TV program!)

8.  Swap warm milk for cherry juice
While milk does have small amounts of tryptophan, the hormone that induces sleep, it's not for everyone. Instead, you could try a morning and evening glass of tart cherry juice - which contains the sleep hormone melatonin. According to a recent British study, people who drink it regularly sleep an extra 25 minutes - and more deeply - than those who don't. That's gotta be worth a try....zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Oh baby...do more for your pelvic floor

 As I'm sitting here writing this, I'm re-educating my core - getting all my front and back pelvic floor muscles to talk to each other. And keep talkin' I say, because around 80 per cent of all women will have issues with their pelvic floor at some point. Like flossing your teeth, pelvic floor exercises are health habits you know you're supposed to do. But if you had a dollar for each time you ACTUALLY did them...well, you'd probably have a dollar. According to the Continence Foundation of Australia, one in three women who have had a baby have incontinence. So it's time to do more for your pelvic floor!

So what is this pelvic floor business anyway? 

If you haven't had a baby, it's probably a muscle that you haven't given a great deal of thought about. Connecting your pubic bone and tailbone, your pelvic floor supports a swag of organs including your uterus, bladder and bowel. When it contracts, it's like a sling - lifting and supporting  those organs from underneath.

It's a little like the bottom of a plastic bag under the weight of a whole lot of groceries, and yep, that's the kind of pressure that's it's under. And just think of the added pressure to those muscles further weakened by a few extra kilos or pregnancy weight. Eeeekk! And pregnant ladies are also more susceptible to further weakness in this area due to high levels of progesterone the body produces during pregnancy. So yes, everything stretches!

And what if I haven't had kids?

Ladies - take note, it's not just during the body's time of hormonal changes (like during pregnancy and menopause) that you need to be flexing 'the muscle'. One study from the University of Utah in the US found that 10 per cent of women aged 20 to 39 will experience a pelvic floor disorder and it significantly increases with age.

It's time to toughen up

See our tip sheet on re-connecting your front and rear pelvic floor muscles. It gives some simple tips to help you switch on all parts of your core - pelvic floor, diaphragm, abdominal muscles and lower back muscles.

How to kick those constant cravings

It's not just pregnant women who run into constant food cravings - all of us are susceptible to a sudden desire for those super-rich Tim Tams, savoury crisps, or Tobasco sauce. And despite what you might think, willpower alone won't get you through. So what's behind those constant cravings and how best can you kick the habit?

Researchers are divided when it comes to what causes food urges, but agree that emotional and environmental triggers, hormones, obesity and dietary imbalances can all play a part in leading you to the junk food aisle of the supermarket. There's also some research to show that mental imagery and the brain's 'reward centre' may also have a role. In any case, it's a helluva lot more complicated that just blaming your lack of willpower.

And research hasn't proven that you're craving what your body needs. But what is clear, according to the Dietitians Association of Australia, is that we usually crave foods that lack nutritional value. And that's because when we often eat, we do so out of habit rather than hunger.
So how do you kick it? Try these top tips:

1. Distract yourself. Research shows that distracting your mind, particularly with something 'visual' can lead to a fall in cravings.
2. Eat smaller, regular meals. Cravings can occur when you go too long without food. Eating smaller and more regular meals stops you going into 'starvation' mode, which can trigger a chaotic change in hormones - and can ultimately lead to a 'feeding binge' - without the satisfaction.
3. Eat low GI, complex carbs. This helps to stabilise some of the body's hormone functions throughout the day.
4. Manage your stress load with exercise, taking regular breaks and catching up with friends. Less stress means a slower release of the stress hormone (cortisol), which is often associated with those constant cravings.
5. Sit quietly for three minutes. And focus on your breathing BEFORE making your food choice.
6. Always eat breakfast - and make it healthy. This increases the feeling of fullness throughout the day and research shows that you tend to snack and overeat less.
7. Don't go cold turkey. Gradually reduce the amount of unhealthy food and portion sizes that you eat. This will also help to cut the amount of stress and cortisol release, plus it makes it all actually achievable - and you won't feel as it you've 'failed'.

And what of Mums-to-be and cravings?

Cravings for unusual foods, or foods that you may not otherwise eat, are common during pregnancy - especially for foods that provide energy and calcium. Some women even develop a bizarre taste for paper or even soil! Food cravings in pregnancy are thought to have a protective benefit for the growing baby. So by all means, accommodate those cravings where possible, as long as you don't find yourself replacing the more important nutrients with paper or pencil shavings!!!

From baby number 5 to 5km

Julie Rey with baby number 5

As a busy Mum it's often hard to motivate yourself to keep striving towards a health and fitness goal during winter. The daylight hours are shorter and colder so it's easier to tell yourself 'you'll get out later...' But don't make the mistake of relying on motivation alone to drop a dress size, or run 2km without stopping. Whatever it is that you want to do, you've just got to DO IT, over and over again, until it just becomes a part of what you do and who you are. No excuses.

Yes, it's harder if you have a family, but if you're committed to something you'll always find a way. Take Mum-of-five, Julie Rey. She works as a full-time teacher, is studying for her Masters, AND has FIVE children ranging in age from 10 months to 8 years. She finds the time to re-build her fitness, and if she can, what's stopping you? Here's Julie's story...

It’s 5.00am as I roll over and haul myself out of bed. Which child is demanding my attention you may ask, as surely with five it must be one up too early? Actually the answer is none. While it may be 5.00am I am up to my own alarm. I have set it deliberately to get myself up. This is my time of day.

Yes, as insane as it sounds I miss my own fitness and if I want it back then I have to take it seriously.

With my ‘Couch to 5km’ program in hand (thanks to Coach Michelle), I am up to attack the task of being able to run distances again.

What I find amazing is how effortless it seems once you make the commitment to yourself. Is it having so many children that gives you dedication, I don’t know that this is so. Whatever it is, every time I get out the door and onto my running route, I feel fantastic. It doesn’t matter to me how fast I go but it does give me a huge sense of achievement that I met my set goal for that day.

The six weeks of my program seemed to have flown by and to celebrate my first week at running 5km I headed down to my local club for a timed run – celebrating a 5km time of 32.06 (followed by 30.44 just three weeks later).

So what words of wisdom are there to pass on?

1. Take time to take yourself seriously – it doesn’t matter how big your family gets, you are worth the effort
2. Set a goal and find out how to get yourself there (every little step towards it will make you feel fantastic!)
3. Find your time – it doesn’t have to be 5am, but find a time that works for you and stick to it

5 tips to stay on track

Are you the kind of person that tends to 'hibernate' during the winter months AND tuck into fatty 'comfort' food? Do you find it hard to keep the mental demons at bay? Stay on track to achieve your health and fitness goals with these five tips.

#1 Change your outlook. Instead of thinking 'I've got to go on a diet', decide to make a permanent change to the way you live your life. If you do, chance are you'll eat differently, exercise more, and have a healthier outlook on being healthy and happy. Change doesn't happen overnight though, so give yourself time to adjust. Some research suggests it takes at least 21 days to create a new habit! It's better to avoid going cold turkey and give up all your favourite treats at once. Your body will adapt better if you do this gradually.


# 2 Eat breakfast. Your Mum was right, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Even if it's only a quick slice of toast and a glass of juice in-between feeding your baby or your toddler before you rush out the door to childcare - or a bowl of cereal once you're at your desk at work. Kick-starting your metabolism first thing in the morning is essential in the quest for fat loss. If toast or cereal doesn't work for you - try a fruit smoothie instead.

# 3 Spread the word. Tell your friends and family about the number one health and fitness goal that you want to achieve. Doing this is a bit like RSVP-ing for a party in person - you're far more likely to stick to your plan if you do it face-to-face. And you're more likely to stay on track when you know that you have others to answer to!

# 4 Check your portion distortion. Serve your meals on entree or salad plates. Put your leftovers away in the fridge BEFORE you sit down to eat. And eat slowly - it can take at least 10 minutes for your brain to get signals from your stomach that you're full.

# 5 Plan ahead and be organised. No one can deny that fitting exercise into the everyday chaos of working and running around after your family is going to be easy. But it IS possible to maximise your time without overcrowding your diary. Take a walk or run at lunchtime while you're at work, for example. Or do a series of resistance exercises using your body weight - instead of flopping in front of the TV - when the kids are in bed.

I've had a baby...where do I begin?

The post baby body can be a scary thing for the unsuspecting. During pregnancy you've had time to adjust to the expanding waistline. After the baby is born, all of a sudden the tummy's empty and your breasts swell to the size of watermelons. Then over the next few months your body changes shape again. There's fat sticking where you'd rather it wouldn't, veins popping, hair falling out, skin wrinkling and maybe breast shrinking, and some of your bones don't seem to be where they were previously.

BUT - don't panic and definately don't give up on achieving your health and fitness goals.

Did you know:

• Skin relies on elastic properties to regain shape, so gaining, and losing weight more slowly during and after pregnancy helps prevent damage and helps you to return to shape.
  
• Skin is also more likely to sag if you lose your weight quickly without exercise. If you lose fat under the skin without maintaining or increasing muscle tissue, the skin can wrinkle or sag with nothing to fill it out.
  
• Exercise increases your circulation, and so increases the blood flow and hydration to the skin.

So look to no one but yourself in setting goals. Don't compare your body with your sister's, your friend's, or a celebrity 'Yummy Mummy'. Although all Mums essentially have a similar experience in pregnancy, we all have our own stories, we're all effected differently, and there's a huge range of normal.

After all, you don't see the complete effects of motherhood on other women's bodies - only on your own.

Five fat loss behaviours to keep weight off for good

As a trainer and a distance runner, I often have ladies ask: “Michelle, what's THE most important thing for me to do to lose weight and keep it off.” 

There's so much MISinformation out there in 'weight loss land' so it's no wonder that it leaves women so confused. “Should I cut out all carbs?”  “Or do I just avoid eating carbs at night?” “Should I exercise everyday?” "Should I fast to 'cleanse' out my system?” “Or should I snack regularly rather than eat three main meals a day?”

But losing weight and keeping it off for the long term is really about practising healthy behaviours that you can do easily, and every day so it just becomes a part of what you do and who you are. Cutting out carbs or cleansing is not a long-term solution.

So here are five things that women living the fat loss lifestyle do every day to maintain their results in the long run. They don’t compromise when it comes to these actions. They know that if they do nothing else, these behaviours done daily will help them to stay healthy, fit and lean. Don’t over think this stuff. This is basic. If you want to take it to the next level, you can begin to think about the nuances, but for those who want to live a fit, healthy life, these are the non-negotiables.

1. Protein, protein, and more protein. Each meal should revolve around what the protein will be. Why? Protein is the basic component of tissue, organs and muscle and is needed in the repair and replacement of cells in your body. Protein also keeps you feeling fuller for longer, so it can help it terms of reducing your overall kilojoule intake. Choose from fish, chicken, turkey, eggs/whites, quinoa, beans, lentils, and other legumes, etc.
2. If it didn't grow, walk, or swim – don't eat it. In other words, eat mostly real food, and plenty of fruit and veg. Don’t stress about which veggies are starchy and which fruits are higher GI. These are nuances that can be worked out later. The bottom line is that if you are eating fruit and veg, you're not likely to eat junk food or a lot of packaged and processed foods. The more real food you eat, the more energised you'll feel, and you'll take in more vitamins and minerals.
3. Drink water. Lean people drink water more than they drink any other beverage. I know some women who hydrate with diet coke or a coke zero – but this is what women do when they go on on a 'diet'.You're not on a diet – your mission is to lose and maintain fat loss.
4. Move, move and then move some more. There's no way around it, if you want to live the fat loss lifestyle - movement has to become a part of your life FOREVER. Walk, take the stairs, play soccer or climb equipment in the playground with the kids, anything. And you'll find that the more active you become, the more you will want to push yourself to do more – whether it's lifting your own bodyweight, or climbing up a hill that you've always wanted to take on, or tackling your first 5km run. The main thing is you just stay active, and do something everyday – either on your own or with your family.
5. Sleep. This is the tricky one – especially for new Mums. But research shows a strong link between obesity and lack of sleep. The fact is that sleep is the metabolic reset button that readies us for the next day, so that we have the physical capacity to workout hard and run around after our children, and the mental capacity to make the right food choices and control stress.

More power to the core!

No doubt about it, your once pregnant body has transformed and spent the last nine months pushing and squeezing those vital organs out of the way - all to make room for a growing baby. And if you're like most new (and not-so-new) Mums, your abdominals may have also taken a hammering during pregnancy and childbirth....and beyond. And what was once a 'six-pack' (or at least that's how you remembered it?) has now been scattered to the four corners of the far flung universe - or at least split right down the middle. So what does abdominal separation mean, and what on earth can you do about it???

Weak abdominal muscles increase the risk of injury and pain in the lower back - and can leave you looking pregnant long after you have a baby. An abdominal separation (diastasis) is common after pregnancy. As your doctor or midwife might have told you, diastasis occurs when the more superficial abdominal muscle (those 'six-pack' abs) - have separated down the middle to accommodate the growing belly.

Your midwife or GP may have checked your abdominals shortly after birth, but if you're not sure  if you still have any abdominal separation, click here for more info on how to check your abs.

And what if you still have a gap after six weeks? Sometimes those pesky abs take a while to draw themselves back in together. It's important to give your body time to heal and help it by strengthening the deeper abdominal (core) muscles. So forget the crunches for now, and stick to the core.

The transverse abdominis (or the transverse abdominal) is a deep core muscle which provides postural support. It wraps horizontally around the body like a thick belt worn by competitive weightlifters and it support the spine. It's connected to the more superficial rectus abdominis at the front, so you can pull in your whole tummy by contracting the transverse muscle, which is the best way to encourage a separation to heal.

Much lower back pain is associated with a weak transverse abdominal, particularly after pregnancy. Strengthening this muscle not only saves your back, but also gives you a waistline again, rather than an apple-shaped torso which can persist. So more power to the core I say!

And if you're looking ways to strengthen those far-flung abs, here's what you can do to reconnect with your core (and your pelvic floor).

Top tips for time poor New Mums

As a Mum myself, I'm well acquainted with sleep deprivation. It has been an unwelcome guest in my house since I had my two children - and likes to visit all too frequently.

When you're pregnant with your first baby, you tend to hang on to that dream that if you nap enough in those last few weeks in the lead up to having bub then surely you'll have some credit up in the sleep bank you can use later on?  Right?!

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way, and sleep deprivation can create a host of problems - including fatigue, lack of motivation and an increased susceptibility to illness and injury - to name a few. As hard as it may seem, the only way around it is to make time for yourself. That's right, as busy as you are with your newborn, try to schedule at least 30 minutes a day when you turn off your phone, put aside the dirty laundry, and hand the baby over to their Dad, a babysitter, or grandparent. Make your workouts non-negotiable. You wouldn't quit breathing just because you were too busy - right? Exercise my friends, is just as important.

Check out my top 4 tips for time-poor Mums (road tested and proven to provide relief from the effects of sleep deprivation by many of us out there!).

1. Take the short view. Babies are only babies for such a short time so go easy on yourself when getting back into exercise. You goal may simply be to leave the house that day - but do it! Even walking around the block with bub in the pram will make you feel better. 
2. Stick with easy-to-make meals. Prepare big batches of freezable casseroles and soups while you're pregnant and reap the benefits after you've had the baby. If not, there's always easy spaghetti bolognaise, chicken with rice and veg and tuna salads. You don't have to be a gourmet cook!
3. Schedule some down time. Even if it's just 10 minutes! To soothe sore muscles, take a bath or better yet, book in for a massage.  Or just put your feet up and read a few pages of a book.
4. Power nap when and where you can. When bub sleeps, join them! Even if you just set the alarm for 20 minutes, get comfortable and close your eyes. You'll get a second wind that will carry you through the rest of the day.

Have you got some great tips that have helped you? Please share them with us...

5 rules of flat abs

Hip raises to help strengthen your butt

Did you know that you can whittle your waist and trim your 'mummy tummy' without doing a single sit-up? If you're the kind of person who regularly does sit-ups and still have tummy flab that just won't go away then you may have to re-think your approach. Try our 5 rules of flat abs to get you started:

1. Attack those hidden core muscles. You can do sit-ups all you want but they only target the superficial muscles - instead, you need to work your transverse abdominis, multifidis and internal obliques. Say whaaaat? To practise engaging the right muscles, lie on your back and place your palms just below your belly button. Exhale and allow your stomach to expand as far as you can, then focus on pulling your belly button towards your spine, drawing your abdomen towards the floor. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 8-10 times.
2. Move your butt. In order to lose your tum, you have to work your bum. Try doing the glute bridge march and hip raises where you raise and lower your bum (see picture at top) to tighten your butt.
3. Eat those flat belly foods. You won't even be able to see your abs if they're under a layer (or more!) of fat, so it's time to excavate them by following these dietary guidelines:
   - Increase your protein. Research has shown that when you trade carbs for an equal amount of protein, you can reduce your overall tummy fat.
   - Cut out sugar. According to the Australian Diabetes Council, the average Aussie eats about 20 teaspoons of sugar every day in processed foods like soft drinks and sugary cereals. That's 1480 empty kilojoules a day!
   - Don't cut out all fat. Choose good fats like olives, nuts, and avocadoes.
   - Be aware of your sodium (salt) intake. Nutritionists suggest you should consume less than 2000 milligrams each day to avoid retaining excess water (most of us have closer to 5000 a day).
4. Stop stressing. High anxiety can produce excess cortisol - a hormone that encourages the body to store extra fat!
5. Work your abs LESS often. Daily ab workouts are not the answer ladies! You'll see benefits quicker if you gives your muscles a day to fully recover between workouts. And stick to 15-20 repetitions of each exercise. Too easy? Then you need to do a harder ab exercise!

Eating cleaner to get leaner

You may have heard the saying, "great abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym". While exercise will certainly keep your metabolism ticking over, if you want to make real changes to your womanly physique, it all comes down to what you eat. In fact, much research suggests that least 80% of fat loss comes from nutritional change!

In winter of course, the last thing we all feel like doing is tucking into a cold salad. We just love those winter comfort foods that leave us with a bit of fire in our bellies. The good news is that eating for fat loss or good health doesn't have to be all about salads. You can incorporate lean cuts of meat with seasonal vegetables to make really yummy casseroles, curries, soups and stews.

Still need more help? Here's my top five tips for hearty winter cooking while cutting the fat:

1. Cut the fat. Most basic casserole and soup recipes start with 1-2 tablespoons of oil. Just use a non-stick pan and reduce the fat to just a teaspoon or less!
2. Sweat it. While softening onions and other vegies, cook them on a low heat, covered with a tight-fitting lid. This is called 'sweating' and allows the moisture in the vegies to create steam, which helps soften them without the fat. If the pan dries out, just add water instead of oil.
3. Add more vegies to the mix. Extra vegies add volume to a meal which will not only make your plate look fuller, but also fill your stomach with slow-digesting fibre.
4. Go for tomato-based sauces. When choosing curries and casseroles, use recipes which use a base of either stock or tomato, rather than cream or coconut.
5. Add beans to soups and casseroles. Beans are a great source of slow-burning energy, plus they're so cheap. They're also fantastic for thickening soups and casseroles. Add them early in the cooking process to break down and thicken the sauce.

And coming soon....a great new service offering hundreds of mouth-watering meals from around the world all carefully prepared for you so that they taste great, are quick and easy to make and, of course, good for you! Nutrition Complete uses only the latest, scientifically proven research to give you the quickest, safest and healthiest way of losing weight.