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How to manage your energy levels

Energy – the basic building block of life. Without energy, we couldn’t get out of bed in the morning, much less go for a run, or handle with care a challenging toddler (or teenage) tantrum. So how can we manage our energy levels enable to enable you to live life to the full and be a source of positive energy for all who come in contact with you? By Investing time each day to recharge, refocus, and refuel your Heart Body & Soul.

There are different types of energy and they all can have a very different impact on our lives. Positive energy, negative energy. High energy, low energy.

We all find ourselves feeling the effects of negative energy at times (angry, anxious, burnt out, depressed). If we spend too much time in the emotions of this negative energy, dark clouds can form overhead and every experience is tainted and makes life pretty miserable.

You know those down days – from the minute you get out of bed in the morning and stub your toe on the way to the bathroom, nothing goes right and its a downward spiral from there.

Other days you operate from high positive energy – you are confident, purposeful, connected and “on”, getting shit done left, right & centre.

But, without going to the well to refuel, we soon run out of that high positive energy and need to curl up and recover on the couch with a good book or binge watch a TV series in a day.

Just like in physics where for every action there is an equal and opposing reaction, balancing energy is a little similar. The aim is to balance energy expenditure with energy renewal. As written in The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz, “energy capacity diminishes both with overuse and underuse, we must balance energy expenditure with intermittent energy renewal.”

But before we get into the specifics, what does optimal energy look like? Simply put, its the alignment of the 5 core dimensions or layers of the energy pyramid – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

At the base or foundation level is PHYSICAL energy – good nutrition, healthy sleep habits, exercise & movement, physical stamina, and an overall sense of wellbeing.

Next level up is MENTAL or cognitive energy – focus on top priorities and decision making, be flexible and open to changing course.

The third level is EMOTIONAL energy – self-confidence, resilience, a sense of belonging and optimism.

And finally is SPIRITUAL energy – aligning with your core values and connecting to a purpose bigger than yourself, or living your “why”.

So, it makes sense then that if you are not sleeping or eating well, your energy foundations are not as solid as they could be and you might be looking for a coffee and chocolate at 3.30pm.

Similarly, if you are running around after kids and ticking off all the crappy little jobs on your to-do list, which let’s face it isn’t emotionally or spiritually fulfilling, your energy will be compromised and you lack the stamina and motivation to look out for #1 – you.

How then, can we work towards alignment of these core dimensions? The answer lies in including activities and rituals that address each dimension into your daily life to restore and amplify your energy.

Here’s a little activity for you to try and work towards building energy rituals into your day.

For each of the dimensions – physical, mental, emotional & spiritual – ask yourself the following questions:

  • I am at my best physically when I feel… (Strong? Fit? Eating well? Drinking water regularly? Well rested?)
  • To feel this way more often I will…(Create a list of daily rituals, habits or actions you can take, such as scheduling exercise, creating good sleep habits, getting outside for a walk, etc)
  • From the lists you create, then decide on 2-4 “non-negotiable” activities or rituals that you feel you need or require in your day to keep your energy in balance.

My non-negotiables are a daily walk outside, at least 10-minutes of solo downtime that could be spent meditating or writing in my journal or reading a book, and some form of purposeful movement. These are my fundamental requirements or energy refueling daily activities.

How do you manage your energy levels?

Its topics & activities like this that I cover in the Mojo Makeover workshop. Interested? If so, please sign up for the waitlist HERE and you’ll be first to know when the next workshop is announced.

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Change

“The Change”

Change is sometimes forced upon us. Menopause is a little like that. We don’t have any control over when it will happen, how long the transition will take, or what symptoms we will suffer. But just like paying taxes and dying, women will travel through perimenopause on the way to destination menopause. But what we do have control over, is how we react to and manage this change.

I am 47. It’s a little weird to see that number on paper, as it confirms that I am creeping ever closer to 50 and yet it doesn’t seem possible. I still feel 24 in my head, my body usually acts like a 30-year-old and my outlook on life remains young. Yet I can tell my body is changing. Although it’s been pretty smooth sailing up until now, I know bumpy seas may not be too far away…

Entering my forties was a breeze – in fact I was in better condition both physically and mentally than I was in my twenties. I felt awesome! The baby-making days were well and truly over (you can read about my Bump, Bubs & Beyond story here), I was running faster & further than ever (pic above is me running New York City marathon in 2011 age 41), lifting, jumping, studying, I started my own business, worked with a charity, managed an active family. Life was (and still is) good.

Then earlier this year, I started to notice a shift both physically and emotionally.

Physically I’m not bouncing back quite as quickly from training as I did 12 months ago. I need to include recovery, restorative activity and rest days regularly or I pay for it (hello sore back!). I’ve noticed a little “marshmallow” around my tummy and upper legs despite no deviation from my usual diet. And, I have days when I am completely s p e n t.

But I think it’s the emotional side that is most telling. In general, I’ve never really been too up & down with the monthly ebb & flow of hormones. Not any more –  I’m all OvEr the place!  Some days I’m clear headed, efficient, super productive, can handle anything that comes my way – good or bad. Other days I’m in a complete fog. Making a decision is stressful, being “on” and “up” for clients a real challenge, and trying to see the good in situations or people takes a lot of effort. My darling daughter tells me that there are times when my fuse is really, really short and I’m super grumpy mum! I also have days when I’d prefer to be by myself.

So, although I haven’t had it medically confirmed (blood tests next week) I’m pretty sure I’ve just taken a seat on the perimenopause train. This could be a quick express trip or stopping all stations. Either way, this is why I’ve started researching, questioning, listening and talking with other women about menopause. I want to know the facts that will help answer all the “why do I feel like this” questions I have. I want to find solutions and work out strategies so I can embrace this stage of life and see it as a positive experience. And I want to STAY STRONG, FIT & ACTIVE (in active wear) for a long time to come.

Women are brilliant at talking! Sometimes we just need a little kick start to get the conversation flowing, but when it does – BOOM! Let’s start this conversation about menopause. It (menopause) will happen so staying silent is not going to make it go away. Being a negative Norah (sorry Gran T x) about all the side effects will not make them feel any better. If we share our experiences, talk openly and honestly – without judgement – we can help each other through this stage and out the other side with our dignity, sanity and badass attitude intact!  Because guess what – we still have a whole lot of living to do.

If you’ve got a story to share, questions to ask, strategies that have worked for you, I’d love to hear from you. Please email me at jacqui@heartbodyandsoul.com.au  or join the closed Facebook Group I’ve created especially for all of the 40+ fabulous women of the Heart Body & Soul community.

All power to the badass ladies of Heart Body & Soul xx

 

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Let’s talk periods

Let’s talk periods, or more specifically the menstrual cycle. Our reproductive years are marked by the regular occurrence of a menstrual cycle. Like it or loathe it, the menstrual cycle and the hormonal changes that drive the cycle, lie at the core of a female’s health and well-being.

Some of us are really in synch with our monthly cycles, others (me being one of them) not so much. But there is much to be learnt from tuning into your menstrual cycle and then to use this knowledge to your advantage, particularly if you have specific strength, performance or physique change goals.

The cyclic hormonal changes involve a number of important organs in the body that are instrumental to the development and regulation of the reproductive and immune systems. These hormonal changes influence your mood, energy fluctuations, cravings, body shape and performance. By having an understanding of your cycle it can provide you with a useful “snapshot” into the status of your overall health, and therefore how to potentially make a few tweaks to your lifestyle to see positive changes.

The following is a brief summary of the menstrual cycle, the hormonal changes and how exercise prescription can be altered to take advantage of these fluctuations. It may also explain why you feel stronger one week and like you’ve hit a brick wall the next.

A normal menstrual cycle can be anywhere between 28 and 35 days. For the purpose of this article let’s use 28-days as that fits neatly into a 4-week period. A cycle can be divided into 2 main phases – the Follicular and Luteal Phase. Each phase is characterised by a change in the ratio of the two main sex hormones – oestrogen and progesterone.

Follicular Phase

This first phase occurs between day one (first day of bleeding) and ovulation (when an egg is released from the follicle). When you have your period oestrogen and progesterone are at their lowest levels. Interestingly, this is the time when women are physiologically “most like men” which explains why you may feel strong and good when exercising.

Oestrogen levels rise gradually during the first 10-days of the cycle and peak just prior to ovulation around day 14. Oestrogen has a positive effect on mood and energy, muscle strength and force production, and has a protective quality in mitigating muscle damage.

In regards to exercise and training – this phase provides an opportunity to build muscle, improve strength and train at higher intensity. The body can handle more pain, can produce more muscle force and recovers well. Therefore, high intensity, short duration interval sessions are effective, as is training for strength and hypertrophy gains.

Interestingly, during this phase the body utilises more glucose and is more insulin sensitive – the body’s cells readily absorb glucose out of the bloodstream to use as fuel. It is therefore important to fuel the body with adequate amounts of carbohydrates to meet any increase in energy demands.

Ovulation

Ovulation – when an egg is released from the follicle – occurs around day 14 and is characterised by a sharp increase in all hormones, including testosterone.

Luteal Phase

The time between ovulation and menstruation is the luteal phase. Initially there is a dip in oestrogen levels, but this rises again, along with the hormone progesterone.

Progesterone is known to be “catabolic” in nature – it “breaks down” molecules – as a result increasing core body temperature and a switch in fuel source from carbohydrate to fat.

If you are in tune with your body, you may notice subtle changes that occur after ovulation – energy shifts, mood changes, maybe you don’t recover so well after training. And, as you near your period, you may experience symptoms of PMS and/or cravings.

This is potentially a time to switch down gears and reduce intensity and loads to match your energy level and mood, and honour how your body is feeling. In the lead up to your period, you may find switching towards lower intensity, longer duration intervals and exercises, circuit training and general play may be more beneficial than short, sharp intense sessions. If you suffer from bloating, cramping and other premenstrual symptoms, the ability to activate your inner core may be impacted and could leave you vulnerable to injury without adequate preparation.

And finally, if you really are feeling crap – give yourself permission to rest. A few days of lighter training or relaxation will actually improve your overall health.

Some women are more prone to cyclic changes than others. Understanding how you respond to your cycle can make it easier to adapt your lifestyle – exercise, nutrition, sleep and stress levels in particular – in order to work with rather than against your cycle.

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Readiness to Train

“As we warm-up, do a scan of your body. How do you feel today? Stiff or sore from Monday? Work and modify the exercises for how you feel today.”

Have you heard me say and ask this before? By being able to identify with how you and your body “feel” on any particular day, and then modifying how you train is one of the best ways to honour your body and get the most out of not only that day’s training, but your training in general.

Using a daily readiness scale is a simple way for you to track how different lifestyle choices and behaviours impact on your overall wellbeing, and therefore assist you to make the necessary tweaks to help you achieve greater benefits from your fitness program.

Your daily readiness score provides valuable insight into how various physical, emotional, psychological and lifestyle stressors impact you and your body. There are no hard and fast rules or “one size fits all” approach for training intensity as it all “depends” on so many different factors – gender, age and goals to name just a few. I believe the best approach for the everyday athlete – like you & me – is to honour how you feel, and if you want to get a little more techo, track your heart rate (HR) to monitor intensity and recovery through your workout.

Why measure?  We have been conditioned to think that “more is better” and “harder & faster” or “go hard or go home” is the way to approach each and every training or fitness session. But in reality, training an already “stressed” system too hard will see results plateau or reverse, and only increase the stress on an already inflamed body. Pushing through when your body and your emotional state is already in “fight or flight” mode and unable to cope will take you further away from your goals than towards them.

So, with that in mind and to help you quantify your readiness to train, I’d like to introduce to the Daily Readiness Scale as developed by PTA Global. This scale gives you an honest and solid indication of how hard you should train on THAT day, if at all. Simply answer the questions honestly and tally up your score. Once you know your readiness score, you make a few subtle tweaks to your workout to give you the best chance of improving your outcomes.

Give yourself 1 point for each you have done well:

  • I slept well and feel rested
  • I have fuelled my body with good nutrition
  • I have hydrated with 2+ litres of water
  • I have moved well and often in the last 24 hours
  • I feel energised and strong
  • I have no pain or stiffness
  • I feel emotionally happy and clam, not stressed
  • I feel mentally ready and motivated to train

What your score means:

GREEN 6-8 out of 8 – You are good to go!

AMBER 3-5 out of 8 – Caution! Reduce the intensity or weight today

RED 1-2 out of 8 – Take it very easy today

For example, if you scored in the red zone thanks to doing too much, eating poorly and not allowing for sufficient recovery in your life – then make your training session one that focuses on restorative movement or an activity that makes you feel better than when you started. And if stress and emotions are running hot, then reduce the stress & intensity in your session (stay out of the red zone!), and focus on play, movement and recovery. If you score in the amber or caution zone as you’ve pulled up a little sore & stiff, then employ strategies that will help you move more efficiently – lower impact, full range of movement, less is more.

And finally – the best way to increase your readiness score and boost your overall wellness is to try and tick all the boxes by looking after the 4 big rocks:

  • SLEEP – Prioritising good quality sleep
  • STRESS – Understanding how stress affects you and what strategy is needed to reduce its impact on your body
  • NUTRITION – Hydrating and nourishing your body with foods that serve you well
  • MOVEMENT – Move daily, decrease time spent sitting and find purposeful “exercise” options that you ENJOY doing

A little more on the BIG ROCKS to come soon!

How ready are you to train today?

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One step back…two steps forward

Do you feel a constant urge to make progress? In life, relationships, fitness, business? Have you noticed that progress isn’t always one way traffic?

Progress is by definition “forward or onward movement towards an objective or to a goal”, or my preferred definition “gradual betterment”.

The path towards the goal may plateau and undulate, and even loop back on itself, but ultimately we move forward, we get better, we progress.

Back in the day I very rarely (ie. never!) took a backward step in training until I was forced to. For the stubborn among us, sometimes we are forced into or need to regress a movement, skill or training load – such as when faced with injury or illness – before we can progress.

But there are also times, (and there are also sensible people who work with a good coach) when we can embrace regression or chose to take a backwards step, in order to take two steps forward.

If we embrace regression – rather than wait for imbalance or injury to strike – we give ourselves a better opportunity to succeed in the long run.

So, is it time to give yourself permission to REGRESS?

Maybe you’ve had an extended break from training. Maybe you are returning to exercise after having a baby. Maybe you’ve been stuck on a performance plateau for a few months. Maybe you have an underlying injury or imbalance that’s causing a chain reaction in other parts of your body.

Addressing an injury, imbalance, weakness or a plateau doesn’t have to be a negative experience

Tackle your weakest link, the one you’ve possibly been ignoring or avoiding for a while.

Regressing doesn’t always mean choosing “easier” exercise options.

Try slowing down – less is more.

Train smarter – not harder.

Try increasing your range of movement – focus on quality over quantity.

Allow for adequate recovery – within and between sessions.

You may find that by taking a step back, you come out stronger on the other side, and take two giant steps forward.

I’m embracing regression this term and working with a new coach. My focus is to slow down, less is more, quality over quantity – in order to become more efficient, move better, and progress.

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Murves

40+ – Let’s build and then keep those MURVES!

So you’ve had the big 4-0 bash, or maybe you’re approaching the next milestone birthday 5-0. I hear it’s the new black…well it better be because I’m heading in that direction pretty bloody fast!

But I digress…

If you’ve reached the 40+ age bracket, you may have noticed a few extra fine lines on your face, a change in your body shape, maybe hairs sprouting in interesting places (TIP: always have tweezers on hand for that stray chin hair!), possibly a few(!) stray grey hairs creeping in.

These are all visible signs that A G E is making its presence felt. If you can see it externally, then it is definitely happening internally. It is in this 5th decade of life that our physical body has tipped over its peak and the downhill slide will start to gain momentum.

Never fear…exercise is HERE!

That’s right ladies, there IS a way to put the brakes on ageing and that is to BUILD & KEEP YOUR MURVES.

As we age (quite) a few things happen. Here’s a selection:

  • metabolism slows down;
  • the balance between connective tissue breakdown and regeneration is tipped towards the negative;
  • as we reach the end of our reproductive years (menopause) hormone levels change which has not only a physical but also emotional impact;
  • and we lose muscle. It is estimated that women lose approximately 5-8% of their muscle mass each decade after 40. Therefore, by the time you reach 60 you may have lost more than 15% or your lean muscle tissue…this has MAJOR implications.

Why is muscle so important:

  1. Muscle is metabolic tissue; it requires energy to function (contract) even when we are at rest. Therefore, the more muscle tissue you have, the higher energy requirements/use and higher metabolism.
  2. Muscle uses glucose as a fuel source therefore assisting in the regulation of blood sugar levels, insulin sensitivity and helping in the prevention or treatment of Type 2 diabetes.
  3. The action of muscular contraction and weight bearing exercise is directly related to the prevention of bone loss, and maintenance of bone density and bone strength
  4. Physical Strength…need I say more!
  5. Posture, balance, joint mobility is all linked to muscle tone, strength and activation patterns. That saying “move it or lose it” is not just an old wives tale!
  6. And of course the aesthetic appeal of shapely murves (muscly curves!) Michelle Obama arms anyone 😉

So, that’s the WHY, what about the HOW to keep or build muscle? Here’s a few ideas to keep in mind when considering MOVEMENT (or exercise), MINDFULNESS & NOURISHMENT choices in the 40+ age bracket to ensure you keep or even build muscle mass:

  1. First thing to do is add resistance training to your movement program ie. movements where you are working against a load – body weight, machine weights, or free weights. In a class, at the gym, at home, in the park – doesn’t matter where…just lift!
  2. Include weight bearing cardio exercise Walking, running, tennis, netball, aerobics, yoga or pilates. Although swimming and cycling have great cardio benefits, they don’t have quite the same effect on muscle and bone as these others.
  3. Ensure you are getting enough protein in your diet. Protein shakes are NOT necessary. The RDI (Recommended Dietary Intake) of protein for women is 0.75g/kg body weight per day (e.g. a 60kg adult female has a RDI for protein of 45g/day). If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or an athlete, your protein needs will be higher. As an example, if you were to eat a 150g steak you will be getting more than enough of your protein requirements for the day. There is a difference in the quality of proteins obtained from animal and plant sources. If you think that your diet may be lacking in protein, please seek the advice of an accredited practising dietician.
  4. Rest. Adequate in both quality AND quantity. It is whilst we are at rest that our body undergoes the necessary physical repairs and regeneration at a cellular level, but we also need this time to mentally & emotionally recover.

So, there you have it. Let’s build and keep those murves ladies into our 40’s and beyond. Jump off the treadmill and pick up a dumbbell – your Heart Body & Soul will thank you xx

 

 

 

 

 

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DOMS – Ouch!

DOMS – Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Have you recently resumed training or exercise, or maybe just ramped things up a little? Feeling that familiar next day soreness? Welcome to DOMS – Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Yes, it has a name and anyone is susceptible to it.

So what exactly is DOMS? The name says it all – it is that “next day” or delayed muscle soreness you feel after exercise. The soreness typically begins to develop 12-24 hours after the exercise has been performed and may produce the greatest pain between 24-72 hours later.

DOMS can result from any type of activity, but strength training, downhill walking/running, stairs and plyometric exercise are all known DOMS triggers. (I think we can safely add metafit to that list too) These activities all cause muscles to lengthen while force is applied – this is eccentric muscle action. A metafit example of eccentric loading is the landing phase in a jump – the quadriceps muscle is lengthening while the leg breaks against your body’s momentum as it absorbs the landing impact.

It is believed that the muscle soreness develops as a result of microscopic damage to the muscle fibres involved in the exercise. DOMS appears to be a by-product or side effect of the repair process that develops in response to the microscopic muscle damage.

The severity of the soreness depends on the type of forces placed on the muscle.

  • Running down hill will place greater force on muscle than walking down the same hill, therefore soreness is likely to be greater after running
  • Full impact/jumping burpees will place greater force on muscle than stepping through, therefore soreness is likely to be greater after full-impact burpees
  • Increasing the time under tension in the eccentric phase of a press-up (ie. taking 5-6 sec to lower to the floor) will place greater tension on the muscle than if lowering down in 1 sec, therefore more likely to be sore after eccentric press-ups than regular press-ups
  • A high number of repetitions will cause more damage and soreness than a lower number of reps

Unfortunately, the bad news is that ALL of us are susceptible to DOMS, even those of us who have been exercising for eons! The good news however, is the severity of the soreness will normally reduce as your body adapts to the work it regularly performs. (One of the many reasons to stay active and keep moving) In fact, just one bout of soreness-producing exercise actually has a partial protective effect that reduces the chance of developing soreness in that same activity for weeks or months into the future. As an example, explosive jacks performed on day 1 of term 1 may/will probably induce soreness but not so much or at all on day 30.

All the theory in the world won’t help ease the pain, so here are a few suggestions that may (no guarantee though!):

  •  Ice packs
  • Massage
  • Tender-point acupressure
  • Foam roller massage
  • Oral pain relief

It’s important to remember that these treatments may be effective in reducing symptoms of pain, but the underlying muscle damage and reduced function may persist. If the pain becomes debilitating, you experience swelling or notable loss of function, please seek medical advice and treatment.

Active recovery or light activity – walking, spinning with very little resistance, stretching, mobility exercises, water walking/hydrotherapy – will often reduce symptoms during the activity, but (may) return after recovery. Light activity is unlikely to impair your recovery, but if experiencing severe symptoms exercise could make matters worse. DOMS should only last a few days (usually 3-5 days) and the muscles involved will be better prepared for future bouts of the same type of exercise.

Finally – please don’t fall victim to the old saying “no pain, no gain”. When starting out, returning to, or increasing your training it is unlikely that you can avoid muscle soreness altogether. However, pain does NOT need to be present to indicate gains in strength or fitness. Pain may indicate a need to reduce or refrain from an activity, particularly if that pain is felt during exercise (ie. acute). If acute pain (not soreness) is felt, it could indicate a problem with the exercise (too intense, bad form, too heavy, etc) and should be stopped before muscle or joint damage occurs.

So, there you have it. We are ALL susceptible to DOMS, particularly when manipulating more than one variable eg. either the intensity, duration, frequency or type of exercise. How to avoid that dreaded “I can’t get up” feeling? STAY ACTIVE, build-up slowly, “listen” to the signals your body is sending you, what you CAN do and what you SHOULD do are not always the same, and finally if you are feeling pain DURING exercise BACK OFF or STOP, and ALWAYS allow for sufficient recovery between sessions.

Happy training xx

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My bump, bubs & beyond story

Eighteen years ago (yes, I’m that old!) I was working in sports management for a private company responsible for managing some of Australia’s greatest and most recognisable Olympic athletes and AFL footballers. I was happily married, we’d bought a home, and I was pretty fit. Falling pregnant wasn’t that hard…staying pregnant was!

My first pregnancy lasted only 12 weeks, and I miscarried two-days after we’d told everyone our happy news. I hadn’t even considered it could happen to me! Tears flowed, wine was guzzled and before I knew it I had another “bun in the oven” just 2 months later. This time as you can imagine I was super anxious. Weeks slowly ticked by, we made it to the 12-week scan and all was perfect. We shared our happy news and guess what…a week later I sprung a leak BIG TIME! Blood everywhere, at work, surrounded by stunned (young) male colleagues…SHIT SHIT SHIT NOT AGAIN!

But the little bean growing inside me was a stubborn little thing (still is!) and held on tight. Even though my body kept trying to get him out, he stuck in there. By 23-weeks the little bean was big enough to be viable so into hospital I went and stayed there until little bean was born at 31 weeks. Small, skinny, no suck reflex, but a bloody strong ticker and a good set of lungs.

Eight weeks of daily or twice daily visits to the hospital only to have to leave my baby there, expressing day & night (god I felt like a cow – 100% express feeding will do that to you!) was my introduction to motherhood. Not normal but I didn’t know any different. All my energy, focus and love was being poured into the little bean we named Ben.

Fortunately, Ben thrived once he eventually got home and I dropped expressing – mastitis anyone? I quickly forgot about all of the above and guess what…19 months later we added a bouncing baby girl to our family (yes I was pregnant again before Ben had turned 1!) It was a text book full term pregnancy, natural drug free delivery, no stitches and she was 3.8kg!

Just to keep life interesting, we started a renovation to our little house. Not a room was left untouched. So with a 19-month old toddler and a 10-day old baby (yes 10 DAYS) we moved into my in-laws for 6 months!

A little side-bar here: Up until the first pregnancy, I had “control” over my body. I trained hard, ran harder and faster (or tried to) each session, I was hyper aware of my weight and what my tummy looked like. 3 pregnancies later, little time to recover, less time to exercise and that control I had over my body was gone but not forgotten. I tried gyms, but the kids hated the crèche; I tried running again, but my back didn’t like that (probably my weakened pelvic floor and abdominal separation had something to do with that but I didn’t know anything about those things then), walking with the kids in a double stroller was my sanity, watching (very) closely what I ate was my weight control. (Return to running blog coming soon)

But I digress…the little internal flame for another child was still burning bright. So although I had sworn 2 children was all I wanted, I NEEDED a third! Baby #3 decided to make things a little difficult towards the end of the pregnancy as he (yes, it’s the boys who have caused problems) decided he was pretty happy lying across my belly and wasn’t moving. He wanted to come out the sunroof, not the door! So, c-section it was for #3, followed by wound infection, followed by mastitis…let’s just say with 3 babies & 4 pregnancies in 4 ½ years I was over the whole pregnancy/birth/breast feeding/baby thing and that internal flame was snuffed out!

But as with everything I take on, I threw myself into being a full-time stay-at-home mum but to my own detriment. I felt I had lost me in the process of giving so much of me to them (make sense?) I wanted and needed something where I could just be me, feel good about me, take control again. Eventually I found that in running. The more I ran, the better I felt. The better I felt, the calmer I became, the fog lifted and I was a much happier person/mum/wife. (By this stage I had learned about pelvic floor weakness & abdominal separation and was working on re-building from the inside out.)

So, why am I telling you this? Because we all have scars of motherhood – some visible, some not – and I’m no different. We don’t all bounce back after childbirth, nor should we. And just when you think you’ve got this motherhood and being a woman thing nailed…hormones go bonkers, what was working now isn’t, and you’ve gone back to square one.

I’ve learnt the hard way that we need to be kind to ourselves, allow time to heal, recharge and reflect. Harder & faster is not always better. Make space each day to devote to you – move and nourish your Heart Body & Soul. … little by little…a little becomes a lot xx

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Mumma-pause

Is this all there is?

So, you’ve just turned 40. Had a big birthday bash to celebrate. Your kids are all at school. The career that you put on hold whilst the kids were little is back on track, and now you have a teeny bit more time for you.

Hang on a sec – what’s that? Did you ask “is this all there is?”

You’ve finally emerged from the fog that descends with the arrival of kids. Now they have grown and are out of the house for a good chunk of each day you have a little more time and space to just be me. Time to see where you are, reflect on who you are and take a little glimpse at what lies ahead. But, have you found yourself asking “is this all there is”?

Guess what ladies, what you’re feeling has a name “mumma-pause” – an amazing period of transition in your life when you get to be a little selfish. Reinvent yourself if you really want to. The best bit – by now you’ve grown a pretty thick skin so you really don’t give a SHIT how silly you look whilst doing it.

Here are 5 signs that you may be experiencing “mumma-pause”:

  1. After years of the same hairstyle, you’ve had a savage new haircut or colour change.

Guilty! We all gasped when Carrie Bickmore turned brunette overnight. Well I’ve gone the reverse and I’m nearly blonde, mainly due to the fact I’m trying to camouflage the greys that are taking over.

  1. Where once a jog around the block or a hit and giggle with the girls at tennis was enough exercise for a month, you’ve developed a sudden interest in intense exercise.

Well this is nothing new to me, and I even ran my fastest marathon at 41. BUT I have been trying a gazillion different forms of exercise from hot yoga to CrossFit, to triathlons and ocean swims and I hate swimming!

  1. That gaping hole left by the kids not being around during the day has been filled with the purchase of a puppy or a kitten, or both.

I threatened for years to add another dog to our family, and just over a year ago I did! We added Billie the spoodle to the tribe.

  1. You’ve gone back to uni or taken up studying.

That under grad, post grad or TAFE course you always wanted to do but never had the time or money is now possible. I’m the perfect example of this as since turning 40 I’ve completed Certificate 3 & 4 in fitness, 1 semester of a post grad in Human Nutrition, countless professional development on-line and weekend courses including further education in Safe Return to Exercise, women’s health and post-natal exercise.

  1. Turned a hobby into a business.

Hello Heart Body & Soul!!

Ladies, you’re not alone in your mumma-pause. You can follow my mumma-pause journey on Facebook or Instagram, and see just how much reinventing I’m doing AND laugh at how silly I look whilst having a blast doing it!

Jac x

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The Ageing Brain & Exercise

whats-your-excuse-fitness-motivation-triumphExercise – training for your body & brain!

We all know that exercise is good for your body – protecting you against diseases and conditions related to ageing. The good news about exercise doesn’t stop with the physical benefits though. More and more research is discovering that exercise has a positive effect on our brain and slowing the cognitive decline usually associated with ageing.

Thanks to Dionne for sharing her expertise in this area. A really interesting snapshot article from a fellow metafitter who practices what she preaches!!

Exercise has been known for years to be advantageous to cardio-vascular health, protecting against diseases associated with ageing. There is increasing evidence to suggest that exercise benefits age related and neurobiological cognitive decline. BUT the question is how much, how long and how often and what intensity is required to be beneficial? Is more, really more? In the face of such public uncertainty and debate, researchers have been eager to answer these questions!

Data collected from animal models suggest that cardiovascular fitness training (CFT) directly correlates to improvement in cognitive performance. In animals, aerobic exercise has been found to increase brain- derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and other important neurochemicals. This increases neurological survival and new neuron development. This means that the brain is more efficient, plastic and adaptive, which results in better learning and performance in adulthood.

Physical exercise, but not spare-time activity, at 36 years was found to be significantly associated with a slower rate of decline in memory from 43 to 53 years, after controlling for the same factors. Those who engaged in physical exercise showed on average a half-point slower decrease over those who did none. Those who gave up exercising after 36 years did not show the same benefit as those who were exercising at 43 years, either new or continuing. The results suggest that continued engagement in physical exercise slows down the rate of memory decline and that cognitive benefit of physical exercise is enhanced by persistent or more recent activity.

Further studies have also suggested that interval training increases in circulating growth factors is connected to temporal lobe functional brain connectivity in healthy older adults. Future research could focus on discovering that Metafit with its short duration and intensity would provide optimal changes in growth factors and how it may be beneficial to cognition and disease progression.

GO METAFITTERS!!!!
—
Dr Dionne Shnider
Ph.D. APCCH;M.A.P.S
Psychologist and Clinical Hypnotherapist
Provider no. 2713214W

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