Summer is here and the swimsuits are out! Mixed feelings about it? In a culture that is drilling "bikini body" images into our heads at every opportunity, moms often feel defeated when it comes to their physical self. We are constantly putting our children’s needs before our own. How can we take care of the kids, clean the home, cook the dinner, maintain a job, AND stay healthy and fit? As a personal trainer, I encourage my mom clients to take a realistic approach. It's not

Your body will most likely never be the same. Yep. You heard me. But who cares? Something better may be waiting. I'm kind of immune to the craziness now, but 4.5 years ago I was in shock and awe as I saw my entire existence changed in an instant. Suddenly I was a mom. I could no longer sleep on my own schedule, linger in the shower, sit on the toilet alone, eat a meal using 2 hands, or leave the house in a timely fashion with only one small purse. Life as I knew it was change

Okay, I'm going to lay it all out on the table… If you know me well, you know that I am a high-strung kind of person. I am SO much calmer with yoga in my life, but I can still be dramatic. I’m not sure if I was born that way, or if I was a product of a dysfunctional household. Or maybe this is the way life is for a great many people in the modern world? I'm not sure. I like to be going, doing, seeing. I obsess about things. I get caught in cycles of negative thinking. I catch

So you have goals for 2017? (besides recovering from 2016?) Don't stress. Change can feel daunting, but putting a positive spin on it may be the most effective way to live the life you have been yearning for. Let Go Try asking "What am I clinging to?" It could be physical. It could be mental. Maybe it's negative self talk, fear, addictions, stress surrounding work, or unhealthy friendships? Once you have answered that question "What am I clinging to?" give yourself permission

Are you in need of some gift-spiration? Try giving gifts that inspire wellness this year! The giver and receiver will both feel great. I must admit that some of these items are on my wish list. (And I am not endorsing any particular products here-btw! These are just ideas from my own heart and mind that are meant to inspire.) Happy giving everyone! Foam Roller If you have not experienced the magic of a foam roller, you are missing out. It is a great in-home tool that anyone

There are major incentives to using your buttocks properly....not just to look good in your favorite jeans. If your glutes are firing properly they can improve posture, increase pelvic floor strength, and protect your joints. We live in a very "seated" society which tends to create "dumb" asses. They just don’t know how to engage because we have not taught them to do so. Sitting for long periods of time can re-position the natural tilt of the pelvis and stretch out already we

A key piece to the healthy living puzzle is motivation. What keeps you motivated to stay fit? What inspires you? If you have not found something that truly motivates you, then you may not be reaching your goals. Finding positive ways to self-motivate will greatly increase your chances living your healthiest lifestyle. For me it’s a combination of things…I do it for my husband. I know he loves me even on days when I am disheveled, un-showered, and covered in baby spit up, b