I love Jump Squats :)

New exercises for our social media fitness game!! :)

For anyone who has not played this in the past with us, here are the 'rules' hehe. Simply post this graphic on your Facebook profile (pinterest, twitter etc) and for every like/comment/repin etc you receive within a 24 hour period you have to do the amount of reps listed on the graphic.  So if you get 5 likes after posting the jump squat graphic, you have to do 25 jump squats. :) I totally recommend you post the jump squats OMG, my BOOTY was amazing after doing this challenge on our Get Your Sexy Back Moms page and getting 52 likes haha.

xo - Heather

The Get your Sexy Back Moms, Mom of the Month~!

Our August and September Get your Sexy Back Moms - Mom of the month!

Feel free to email me @ GetYourSexyBackMoms@gmail.com to submit to be our next featured mom of the month!! :)

IT'S SHARK WEEK!

Diastasis Recti - The cause of the Mummy Tummy might be the exercises you are doing!

What is Diastasis Recti??

Today I have been on the topic of 'DR' multiple times, I have put off blogging about it, because I do not want to misspeak, however, it's too important of a topic to put off any longer!

I will do my best to explain, Diastasis Recti is an abdominal separation that occurs during pregnancy, it results from the pressure on your transverse abdominals and connective tissue by the expanding uterus. After giving birth the abs are supposed to go back together, but in some women the transverse abs do not return back together and you are left with a 'diastasis'. This separation is more common in women who have had multiple children, carried large babies and are petite, carried breech babies or who have carried twins etc.  Some women can find help in closing this gap by following the Tupler Technique or the MUTU system, but others either have to live with it or turn to surgery to sew the connective tissue back together (this is done in a standard tummy tuck)

*There is an easy way to do a self check. Lie on a flat surface flat on your back. Place your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent. Place your dominant hand on your belly button with your fingers pointed downwards. At this time slowly lift your head (just your head, you do not want to lift your shoulder off of the ground of you will get a false reading) while lifting your head slightly press into your belly button area with your fingers, you should feel your transverse abdominals working and coming together as you lift your head, if they come all the way together (no gap) then you do not have a diastasis, if however when they come together you can fit more than two fingers in the gap you have a medically diagnosable diastasis. If you do not feel the edges of your abs coming together you may have to use both hands (there are women who have been recorded with a 10 finger diastasis - meaning there was a gap 10 finger widths wide) A 1-2 finger diastasis is considered normal, but still a diastasis, so caution still needs to be taken when proceeding with traditional ab exercises even at just a 1-2 finger separation.  You can repeat this process 3 inches above and below your belly button to see how far up and down your diastasis goes, it is most common to have a finger measurement like 2,3,2 or 3,5,3 etc - usually the belly button area (the middle measurement) is the area most affected.
     * Special note: If you lift your shoulders off the ground your transverse abs will be drawn further together, and you may believe you don't have a diastasis when you do, this is why it is important to make sure you only lift your head and not torso off the ground*

 I do not know why doctors do not inform women of this condition at their 6 week PP checkup, BUT it is VERY IMPORTANT to find out fi you have a diastasis before starting any traditional ab routine! Moves like crunches and jack knives, and even full planks will only cause the separation to widen!! This is why so many moms seem to see their tummies stick out further and further the more they try to work out their abs... Diastasis Recti is often the hidden cause to the dreaded, 'mummy tummy'!!! That's a short intro, I hope it helps! Please spread the word to your mommy friends. Feel free to ask questions. I will do my best to help.

(What are your transverse abdominals? The transverse abs are your innermost layer of abs, they are said to work as a corset and are responsible for holding everything in. When this corset isn't 'laced' tight -diastasis- the corset doesn't do its job. This is how a diastasis causes that pregnancy like bulge.) -It gets more complicated, but that's my working knowledge of it- See graphic above hehe.

The Get Your Sexy Back Moms Mom of the Month: August - Meet Krista!

August Mileage Challenge! Hosted by Daily Mile. Join us ;)

See all you sexy mommas there! :) Last month's challenge was a HUGE success! We had tons of moms hit the 26.2 mile mark, and over 15 moms did 100+ miles!!!! :) Lets put up some huge number this August. xo - Heather http://www.dailymile.com/challenges/5831-the-get-your-sexy-back-moms-august-mileage-challenge?cr_id=OkNoYWxsZW5nZTo1ODMx&ur_id=NTIwMzUx

It's BAAAAAAAAACK - The 'Get Your Sexy Back Moms' Social network fitness game - New exercises added!

Post to your Facebook (etc) and for every like - you must do what the graphic that you chose to post says! Let you friends and family be a part of your fitness journey ;) Making fitness fun, yes it's possible! Play your way to fit sexy mommas!! xoxo

For more exercises to choose from - I have included the link below to the former rounds. I do one a week and count up all the likes in a 24 hr period of time and accept my 'punishment' hehe. 

http://getyoursexybackmoms.blogspot.com/2012/07/social-network-fitness-game-originated.html

Food is not Therapy, put down the chocolate and do some jumping jacks ;)

I made this little graphic today while thinking about why I crave sugar so badly when I am having a down day...

It can be so easy to get depressed or STRESSED and reach for comforting foods... So easy in fact that many times we may not even realize that an emotion is behind our naughty food cravings. Re evaluate your dietary choices, there might just be an emotional component. That being said. For those days, remember one simple line. Food is Fuel, Exercise is Therapy, so put down the chocolate and EXERCISE ;) (even a short 2 minute session of blood pumping cardio might kick that craving, it's worth a shot right?)

I hope you have a wonderful Monday night sexy mommas! I have had a fantastic day, my 7 month old angel started clapping her hands when you sing her favorite songs or say yaaaaaayyy! :) I need to go get in a workout ;)

xo- Heather

Wendy! Our July 'Get Your Sexy Back Moms' Mom of the Month!

Meet Wendy, Our July 'Get Your Sexy Back Moms' Mom of the Month! From 154lbs to 130lbs in 12 Weeks!

http://www.maxchallenge.com.au/stage4/profile.php?id=4483

Vote For This sexy momma!!! She took part in a 12 week challenge, you can see the results for yourself ;)

8 glasses a day not working for you? Have you tried Eating your water?

8 glasses a day may not seem like a lot to veteran fitness enthusiasts... But for A LOT of people its just another milestone we don't hit each day.

I am just as guilty as the next about this, and after researching the incredible health benefits of water (not to mention weight loss benefits of drinking H20) I have become a champion for getting the daily recommended amount of water.

So for those of you like me who just for one reason or another do not get the recommended daily dose through drinking, there is another way to supplement your daily intake.
...EATING! Eat your water.

I have compiled a list of some of the MOST HYDRATING foods you can eat! And what a better time than summer to get started!

Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July everyone and EAT SOME WATERMELON! ;)

xo, Heather

The Social Network Fitness Game - Originated by the, 'Get Your Sexy Back Moms' of Facebook!

This is SOOOO Awesome! Finally a fabulously fit reason for Facebook's 'Like' button!

So far we have done 4 rounds of this game with HUGE success! Look for 2 new rounds later this week and into next ;)

Game Play - Choose what body party you want to work that day and post the corresponding graphic as your status update. For every like you receive for a full 24hrs, you have to do the corresponding amount of reps marked on the graphic you posted. Not making sense yet? Sorry I just got done with a six mile workout and am buzzed n shaky so bear with me hehe. Ok SO for example, if you choose to post the graphic for SQUATS, for every 'like' you have to do 5 squats that day! :) :) :) Encourage your friends to participate, make it a contest, there is nothing better than making fitness fun, and by involving your friends and family you receive even more motivation to exercise :)

Have fun sexy mommas!!!!!!!!!!!! xo - Heather

 Like 'Get Your Sexy Back Moms' on Facebook :)

2 minute pre shower routine that will have you taking a cold shower ;)

Join us this month! ;)

 

xo, Heather

Like the, 'Get Your Sexy Back Moms' on Facebook! 

The, 'Get Your Sexy Back Moms' July 26.2 Mile Challenge... Are you game?

  Hi Sexy mommas! July is almost here!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's time for A challenge, so are you game? Join sexy mommas from all over the world as we come together to support and motivate one another to get our sexy back. This July will be our first ever 26.2 mile challenge! You do not have to be a runner to participate.  You can log miles into the system by biking, running, walking, swimming, elliptical etc! This comes out to less than one mile per day of exercise!!! So come cheer on the other mommas and be cheered on as you race your way through July and hi that 26.2 mile mark! 
  Participation is SUPER EASY. DailyMile.Com is hosting the challenge for us, all you need to do is follow the link and sign in with Facebook and you will be connected to me and the rest of the participants :)  I will provide the direct link below. xo sexy mommas! It's time to break a sweat!

Take me to the Get your Sexy Back Moms July Challenge :)

Self Sabotage no more! 4 Simple Steps to fitness success!

Hey Sexy mommas, setting yourself up for fitness success is a must! So many of us practice self sabotage just by the way we think about point A to point B. Following 4 simple steps will help lead you in the right direction :) xo - Heather

De-complicating the Complicated!

I Think I must have had a BIG OL' BOWL of SARCASM for breakfast! (see graphic below hehe) Actually I'm starving and NEED TO EAT LIKE NOW, but first things first...

I call this, De-complicating the Complicated!

There are only 3 things you need to make your fitness dreams a reality:

1. To believe in yourself
2. To eat sensibly
3. To exercise

That's it, you don't need expensive equipment, you don't need to raid the organic section, or buy a dozen low carb cook books! The De-complicated truth is simple. If you consume less calories than you expend YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT. That's it... it really is that simple.

Don't let the over complication of getting in shape scare you away, do not let people talking about protein shakes and foods you've never heard of make you feel that this goal you have is JUST to remain a DREAM!  Don't be intimidated when someone talks about running 5 miles a day and you can barely get a quarter of a mile without throwing up... "GREAT RUNNERS ARE NOT BORN THEY ARE MADE" (one of my fav quotes)... Believe it or not everyone started somewhere and thousands of people started and succeeded from exactly WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT THIS VERY MOMENT.

So start believing in yourself and get out there and make it happen.  Okay,  that's all for now, breakfast awaits me YAY :) xo - Heather

It's Greek to me? -SO what's this obsession with Greek yogurt??

When I really stated getting 'into' nutrition and making healthy dietary changes I was bombarded with so called, 'super foods' on a weekly basis, healthy recipes full of ingredients I had never heard of, grains, seeds, plants... all completely foreign to me. I mean at first I was like, what the HELL is Quinoa? Why is brown rice good but white rice bad. ...there are GOOD carbs and BAD carbs?  Like one is gonna go to heaven and the other... well... I already mentioned where they are going two sentences above ;)

So one of these foods was GREEK YOGURT... and now, guess what? I LOVE IT! It's super yummy because it's kinda like a blank slate, you can add anything to it and make it taste the way you want. You can put in berries and granola and have a parfait, you can add spices and avocado and you have an amazing dip for fresh veggies (or yes, tortilla chips... AHHH yes I said the word CHIPS on a post about healthy nutrition, I rightfully accept my place next to those 'BAD' carbs mentioned above)... So moving on, here is a little graphic designed to give you a 10 second crash course in why Greek Yogurt actually does live up to the hype. 

If you have never given it a chance... Try it... at least once... You know you wanna ;)

Like the Get Your Sexy Back Moms Movement on Facebook!!

Negativity & Fitness Success - a part of life - its your choice what to do with it!

 

Like, 'Get your Sexy Back Moms' on Facebook! 

I was inspired this morning to create this graphic in the aftermath of two posts made by mommies in the, 'Get your Sexy Back Moms' group on Facebook! One mom posted of being called fat at work! The other mom's story was that of a co worker asking if she was pregnant (directly after working 7 months to take off EVERY LB OF BABY WEIGHT she had gained!!) when she said, 'NO' the person responded with, "Is that just the leftover?" - These posts BROKE MY HEART! That being said I was so proud of the women who had the courage to report such happenings.  I know this is the harsh reality that so many women face each and every day, and it is so important for YOU to know that if this is or has happened to you, you are NOT ALONE.

One reason I am so inspired by our group on Facebook  is that I love that it shows the good side of human nature, that people (women) can come together to build each other up, instead of tearing each other down! Something that after reading these posts this morning, I realize is missing from much of the world we experience throughout our day.  

There are, unfortunately, always going to be sour pusses, whether out of jealousy (YES), insecurity, or just pure mean-ness, and how you learn to cope with it can really make a difference in your fitness success. So do your best to spin it to your advantage, 'let it light a fire under you and not extinguish the flame! It might be hard (but all worthwhile things are) but try to use NEGATIVITY as MOTIVATION. ...That takes the power away from the person spewing it and delivers it justly into your hands. So take that power and RUN WITH IT (literally if possible hehe)


I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Make time for a great workout sexy mommas. Don't give up!


xo - Heather

30 Inspirational Fitness Quotes!

Some of the BEST motivational (or amusing) fitness quotes, from philosophers, public figures and REAL LIFE MOMS! I have spent a long time looking for stuff that you don't see on a Pinterest board every day :) We all relish in cute fun sexy quotes, but sometimes we all need a chance to flex those brain muscles of ours and do some REAL THINKING. 

Much may be done in those little shreds and patches of time which every day produces, and which most men throw away.
– Charles Caleb Colton

If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else.  It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits.
There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. 

- Bruce Lee

The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win. 

- Roger Bannister

 A man's health can be judged by
which he takes two at a time pills or stairs.
-Joan Welsh

The difference between a goal and a dream is a deadline. 

-Steve Smith

 You will never find time for anything. If you want time, you must make it

- Charles Buxton

Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. 

-Lou Holtz

If you don't focus on your ass, no one else will.
-- Cristina Goyanes

 

Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. 

-George Bernard Shaw

I attribute my success to this -- that I never gave or took any excuse.
– Florence Nightingale

The price of excellence is discipline. The cost of mediocrity is disappointment.
- William Arthur Ward 

The hardest thing about exercise is to start doing it. Once you are
doing exercise regularly, the hardest thing is to stop it. 

- Erin Gray 

Another good reducing exercise consists in placing both hands against the table edge and pushing back.
– Robert Quillen

I have to exercise in the morning before my brain figures out what I’m doing.  

~Marsha Doble

Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. 

-Jim Ryan

That which does not kill us makes us stronger.

-Friedrich Nietzsche

The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition. 

- Thomas Edison

Exercise: you don't have time not to. 
- Unknown

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. 

- Mark Twain

It's never too late to become what you might have been. 

-George Elliot

Remember when you see a man at the top of a mountain, he didn't fall there. 

- Unknown

If your dog is fat, you’re not getting enough exercise.  

- Author Unknown

The only disability in life is a bad attitude. 

- Scott Hamilton 

Self-delusion is pulling in your stomach when you step on the scales. 

-Paul Sweeney         

We do not stop exercising because we grow old - we grow old because we stop exercising. 

- Dr. Kenneth Cooper

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. 

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Suffer the pain of discipline or suffer the pain of regret.

- Unknown

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. 

- Thomas Edison 

No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch!

- Unknown

We never repent having eaten too little.
– Thomas Jefferson

    

 This one is to make all you sexy mommas smile :)

"How long does getting thin take?" asked Pooh, anxiously.
– A.A. Milne  

'I AM MOMMY STRONG' - Sign Campaign!! Show off your 'Mommy Strong' Photo!

Six month ago I had my baby girl,
Today I am Mommy Strong,
Get Your Sexy Back Moms!

http://www.facebook.com/GetYourSexyBackMoms

The I am 'Mommy Strong' sign campaign!

The, 'I am Mommy Strong' sign campaign! I came up with an idea yesterday afternoon (the inspiration for this photo after my workout yesterday) and I would love for ALL of you to take part. I would love for anyone who is interested to take a photo of yourself with a sign somewhere in the picture that says, 'I am mommy strong' your photo choice is up to interpretation. I flexed hehe but you can do anything you want, you can incorporate your baby or children. Have fun with it. You can submit  the photo by messaging me through our Facebook page (link below).  If we get enough participation I would love to be able to showcase them on http://www.facebook.com/GetYourSexyBackMoms -Can't wait to see your photos sexy mommas!!! :) Have a great Wednesday and a wonderful workout today! :)

Chocolate is ranked the #1 most craved food by women!

SO chocolate... Dietary friend? Hardly. Are you still going to crave it and give in? For most of us the answer is: YES! This is where reality creates a need for a MIDDLE GROUND, if you don't have a plan for when those cravings come then you will reach for the nearest satisfying food which can result in the worst choice possible.  I truly believe that accepting that giving in to cravings from time to time WILL HAPPEN, allows you to be prepared so that when that time comes you will have the best possible option on hand! The answer: DARK CHOCOLATE (in moderation of course!)

SO why dark chocolate?
*Full of antioxidants
*Full of necessary minerals
*Good for your heart
*Improves your mood, compounds found in dark chocolate are mood elevators!
*Low glycemic index - meaning it will not cause a blood sugar spike!
*Current studies are showing that dark chocolate just may have cancer fighting properties and may have the ability to improve cognitive functions!! Stay tuned on that!

SO my new favorite thing in the world is:

SO when you are going to be 'BAD' at least do it 'GOOD' :)

Other options, dark choc covered nuts, dark choc covered sunflower seeds and more as I come across them. Feel free to add your suggestions to the list!

http://www.facebook.com/GetYourSexyBackMoms

 

Want to submit to be the next 'Get your Sexy Back Moms' Mom of the month?

Requirements: You don't have to have a flat belly, or be comfortable posing for a photo in a bikini. Only requirements are that you have had at least one baby and have undergone a noticeable transition. That's it! Your courage will inspire some other mom out there who doesn't think doing what you have done is possible!

If you are interested feel free to message me on facebook.
To submit visit our Facebook Page and message me :)
I will email you back and let you know what I need in order to show you off xo

Get Your Sexy Back - Motivation!

The Banana: 'Why it is the best thing you've ever put in your mouth'

 

What else can do all of these things?

1. Help you lose weight

2. Give you energy

 3. Help treat depression

4. Relieve PMS

5. Relieve stress 

Okay, so there might be some other magic fruit out there that can do some or even all of these, I am not an expert in every kind of fruit and their healing properties, but what I do know is that the banana is pretty amazing... and yummy and that's a combo NO ONE can argue with!

The banana is a low calorie, low fat, high in nutrient dietary option. Packed with potassium and fiber, bananas can aid in losing weight. Fiber makes the banana a satisfying snack choice that will stay with you as it takes the body a long time to digest, meaning you stay full longer, and not reach for that mid afternoon cookie ;) Also, the potassium found in bananas helps to fight water retention by eliminating excess fluid that sodium is working to retain.

Research has shown that two bananas  (220 calories) supply enough energy for a 90 minute workout!!

Bananas help make you feel 'happy' by boosting your serotonin and dopamine levels, apparently bananas contain the protein tryptophan which the body converts into serotonin.  How amazing is that?! 

How does a banana relieve PMS - Vitamin B-6. The B-6 found in bananas helps to regulate your blood glucose level. - And ladies I am sure you know what I am talking about here, when you are feeling a tad 'crazy' and eat something and suddenly whatever you were just 'crazy' about is no longer the end of the world... This is how your blood glucose level can affect your mood, so I guess I would call a banana a PMS mood stabilizer ;)

Bananas can relieve stress by counteracting the reduction in potassium levels by the raise in our metabolic rate due to stress. So because a banana is so high in potassium it can replace the potassium that a stressed out individuals metabolic rate kicks out of the body! So next time you're stressed make yourself a nice hot bubble bath ditch the wine and bring a banana.

Those are just five of the reasons Bananas are truly the best thing you've ever put in your mouth! ;)

Other reasons to love the banana: Cut the risk of death by stroke, Full of antioxidants, Can help you quit smoking,. Bananas can help with ulcers, nervousness and anxiety, mosquito bites, hangovers, morning sickness, heartburn, constipation, Anemia, Alertness, and blood pressure,  

Have something to add to the list? Leave a comment!! :)

Moms, why you should throw your scale away!

Throw your scale away!!!

By Heather Rice in Get your sexy back: A place for fitness oriented moms!

I was going to wait a little while to address this, but I think maybe it is important enough to say something now. I personally have a real issue with tracking success through lbs. When we are pregnant it is very important to keep track of weight gain with a scale because we are putting so much on in less than a year and need to keep it in control, however once you have that baby and are close to your pre pregnancy weight I think it's time to throw the scale out!

Why? I have reasons (I'm sure I'll think of more later when the baby isn't so distracting lol or when I have time to research and educate myself more) One is that when we are pregnant the majority of women lose a lot of muscle mass, and when we have the baby and start a postnatal exercise routine we can start putting that muscle back on. Muscle equals lbs! 5lbs of muscle is a lot smaller than 5lbs of fat, so you can be smaller have less fat and weigh the SAME AMOUNT! The problem with tracking success with lbs, is that a lot of women think they are back down to their pre pregnancy weight because a scale tells them so, they don't realize that they may have a higher % of body fat than before and less muscle. Lbs on a scale do not mean you are where you were before being pregnant. This can be frustrating for many women because they see that magic number on the scale but don't feel that their body looks the way it did before having a baby, and they (YOU) are right, it doesn't look the same because it isn't!

You have to put that muscle back on, and for the majority of women even more because as we age we naturally lose muscle tone. And what is going to happen once you start an exercise routine focused on adding muscle to regain that beautiful pre pregnancy shape? You may see that your weight losses stop, you may see that you actually gain a lb or two! Women often see this, freak out, feel that they are going backwards get frustrated and just stop any routine they were doing because they are so bummed at what the scale tells them!

Lbs mean nothing, just a general guideline as to what is healthy or obese. A person weighing 140lbs can have less fat on their body and be in much better shape than a person weighing 125lbs. So don't be afraid of what the scale tells you, if you have been strength training and feel stronger chances are you are putting on muscle mass and that accounts for not seeing that 3lb loss on the scale that month, it is not a failure it is truly a success! You TRULY CAN BE LOSING FAT AND SEEING VERY LITTLE OR NO CHANGE IN LBS!

So lose the scale and start judging progress by the fit of your clothing, the way your rings fit, the amount of fat on your face in a photo from one month to the next, or BEST OF ALL go and have your body fat % checked at the gym. A trainer can do it in five minutes with a caliper and some math! And it will give you a much better indicator of your actual fitness level than lbs ever will!

The reason this bothers me so much is that I have seen way too many women give up because of the SILLY numbers on a scale, it really can be so detrimental to a persons progress, so please don't let this be you! And remember the more muscle you put on the more calories you burn, strength training is a win/win!!!

That's my beef with lbs and scales for now... I'm sure more is to come! XO

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8 Reasons to dink 8 glasses a day!

Fitness motivation Tip #1 - 'You catch more flies with honey than vinegar'

 

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