Skip The Abs For A Better Core

I may sounds like a broken record here but it is something I am asked almost weekly. How do I get a stronger core and flatter tummy. I touched on this on a previous post but a flatter tummy comes from a healthier diet. When it comes to conditioning the core, sit ups and crunches are not the way to develop that kind of strength. Those focus highly on our Upper Abdominals,  which in many of us are dominate to begin with.  With shifted pelvis's and collapsed rib cages.  Many of us have overused Upper Abdominals. 

So how do you develop a stronger core. Remember Core is found hips to shoulders and 360 degrees around. Therefore, that's a lot more ground to cover than just our abdominals. We have glutes, chest, back and shoulders to consider. Building stability in our core can be done by learning to properly master a squat. Getting our posture down. Fixing inbalances between our chest and back. All these require a recruitment from our abdominals. Keep in mind, that many of us have weakness in the pelvic floor.  I do suggest spending time working on strengthening that entire region which does include lower abdominals.  Learn how to properly brace your core. 

My point is, the more you spend time you spending on perfecting the large compound movements and building stronger function in your truck.  Those abdominals will only continue to benefit.  You don't need to spend time doing a 100 sit ups every day.  You spine will also thank you.  Too many sit ups and crunches causes to much spinal flexion that can lead to other postural discomforts. 

Build a core that will actually serve you and improve your quality of movement. 

It's Not Them, It's YOU

You decided to take on a Personal Transformation. You have goals to change you body, feel better and live a healthier life.  You feel so empowered you finally join the gym, contact the trainer you have been watching on Instagram. You book a consult with a nutritionist.  You pull in the resources to get you started. 

Than this happens....

I have sat with numerous clients over my many years in the industry who come in with excited energy to get started. They tell me they are tired of being tired.  They want to feel better, look better and live different BUT, this is where it changes. The dreaded BUT. I want to lose weight BUT my Husband does all the cooking. I want to eat better BUT my Boyfriend eats so much junk. I want to meal prep BUT I am not the one in my home that does the cooking or the groceries. I try to bring healthy snacks BUT everyone at the office always brings donuts.  I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen. I would do more cooking BUT my friends eat out a lot.  The list can go on and on. 

Always in these conversations I have to ask the hard questions. 

1. Who are you doing this for?
2.How committed are you to taking charge of your life and feeling better?
3. Why does it matter how your Boyfriend or Friends eat?
4. Where do you fit into this?
5. What are you willing to do to make you happy?

When it comes to your own Personal Transformation it is on you. There is no way of sugar coating it. It's your goal, your life, your responsibility. You have to be ready to take accountability for yourself and stop pushing your responsibilities on to the ones your love and care about. The way we live our life is unique to our own needs. Therefore, if your Husband does the cooking but you want to clean up your nutrition.  It is time to get in the kitchen. You will have to do some groceries shopping or tag along. If you want variety in your meals, you will have to meal prep and spend time in the kitchen. If your friends eat out a lot, you will have to prep your lunches or learn to say no. You will have to communicate for yourself. You will have to act as a personal advocate towards your own challenge. It is not them who is slowing you down.  It is you. The sooner you do this for you and you alone. The more success you will see. The clearer and more confident you will be at directing this new lifestyle for yourself. The more empowered you will feel by creating your own happiness. Therefore, being happier in the relationship you do have. Asking for support is different than expecting your loved ones to take on the work for you.  Relationship are not about fixing each others problems, it is about being there for them while they fix their own. It is about offering a shoulder to cry on when things get tough. It is about listening when you need to sound off.  It is about encouraging you to get to the gym. So relieve yourself and those around you by taking on this because it's what you want. Keep it simple and do you, for you. 

Morgan Kate
XOXO

Dear Moms, Don't Forget YOU

Becoming a Mom has easily become the most rewarding and challenging thing my body has ever done. I had moments where I sat back in amazement of what my body was doing, it grew life. The life of my most treasured son. Other moments I felt anxious watching how fast it changed. Not having enough time to mentally prepare for how I would look or feel.  I had moments where I loved my bump and others where I felt uncomfortable and not sure what to do with this new body.  Pregnancy is a short journey of immense change.  Than you hold your baby for the first time. 

You life holds new meaning. I see life in a whole new perspective, or one that I lost in the believes of the society I grew up in. I see things in the eyes of my son. He is fearless, bold, innocent and pure. He loves freely, he is determined and never gives up. He fails and gets back to it. He doesn't have any expectations, just a zest for life and all of the excitement it brings. He has taught me to love myself deeply.  It was because of him, I got back to work. I let go of my expectations of my old body and accepted my new one. The one that acts as a constant reminder of him.  It isn't always easy because sleep is broken, schedules are changing just as fast as they grow. However, it is important in all the transition that you push yourself into the equation. Taking time to feel and be your healthiest will help you feel more comfortable as you take on all the new challenges. You'll be more patients, because there is stress as a new Mom's. Let's face. You have never done this parent thing before. It takes planning, it takes standing up for yourself.  It takes accountability. It takes love. I believe that the more time we take to love ourselves, the better we can love others. It is supporting yourself, so you can support others. It is not feeling guilty that you as a Momma need a little down time. You time to socialize, interact and reconnect with yourself.  It takes patience. It may hurt. It will be frustrating. You may feel you spent more time holding your babe, than holding weights. I just encourage you to keep trying. Keep at it. Don't give up. Don't be too hard on yourself. Just remember you. Get to know yourself again, we all deserve that. 

Don't forget YOU.  Ever. 

Sleep!  The thing so many people love but love to neglect or struggle with.  We are an over tired population. Sleep is a biological need, it is how we heal, recover and improve our over all well being.

It is a crucial role in our Personal Transformations. When clients are struggling to get their rest they often see increase in weight or difficulty losing weight.  This is why it I feel spending time in your pjs,  catching enough hours of sleep a night is important step in the process of Body Transformations.  Getting enough sleep helps reduce our cortisol,  which is the hormone that is often associated with fat gain.  Elevated levels of cortisol also communicate to the reward centre of the brain to want food.  Even when your not hungry!!  More sleep,  means less cravings, better appetite control, more feel goods! 

This is just the tip of the ice berg when it comes to adequate rest.  Start going to be a bit earlier each night and push for those 8 hours Loves!  Sleep tight. 

Tricks To Commit!

Struggling with that motivation lately?  Here are so me tricks to commit. Even implementing one at a time can help you stay focused and committed to your goals. 

1. Do something. Just giving yourself 5 minutes a day to move, write or paint. The act of "doing" inspires motivation. More often than not, you will find yourself hungry to do more. 
2. Try working out in the morning. I know the thought of getting up before the sun is crazy for some. However, in my experience.  The clients who show up first thing, tend to eat better for the day. Focus better and are more consistent on maintaining their routine. PLUS, they seem to stay on top of their results. This is because they do not miss their session. Especially, with summer coming. Sneaking in your workout before work. Leaves the evening or afternoons for you to enjoy some sunshine.
3. Sign Up For A Challenge. The restricted timeline can act as a great motivator to stay focused.
4. Show me the MONEY! This one is fun. You can put a small amount of money aside. Maybe give it to a trusted friend or love one and try and earn it back. It can be enough for a new pair of runners or a dress you have had tour eye on. Set the parameters. For each workout, you earn $1 back. Collect all the moula and go get that reward friend!
5. Visual it. The idea of seeing yourself "fit" is one way to manifest it. Believe it now and see it later. You can use photos, old clothes, new clothes. It is the start of believing in yourself. 

I hope these help you if your having a hard time staying motivated. If you like the tips, please comment, like and share with someone who may also find them handy!

Fat For Fuel

Fat for fuel. I wanted to touch base on this topic because it is one I know many of us question.  How can fat in our diets actually act as an important aid in a healthier lifestyle. Specifically, when it comes to those who desire to "lose" fat. 

To help you understand better, let me just touch on a few benefits of eating healthy fats on a regular. First, they help produce cell growth. Our metabolism is made of chemical transformations found within our cells. Therefore, healthy cells equal a healthy metabolism. Healthy metabolism promotes better foods absorption and pulls nutrients from our food.  A healthy metabolism has a better shot at breaking down that unwanted fat and building that strong base of muscle. 

Second, fat is a very reliable source of energy. Fat is broken down into fatty acids. Where they travel through the blood stream and are eaten by hungry cells. However, we do need to balance how much fat we eat because when our body doesn't use this energy right away, we do store it in our fat cells as triglycerides. However, almost half our energy comes from the use of fat. That is a large demand to meet each day. 

Fats also help develop a healthy brain. It has the ability to improve our function. Without it, we will feel tired, foggy and unfocused. It helps with hormone productions, particular our sex hormones. Finally, it helps our skin look better and protects our organs. 

As I discuss often, if we deprive ourselves of certain macronutrients we are removing an important resource for our bodies functionality. We are stripping the body away from it's natural ability to create and transport other essential micronutrients, like vitamins and minerals. If the body isn't fully equipped the body will store fat in order to maintain homeostasis.  Therefore, if you have ever cut out fat or avoid it and notice no gains. This is the bodies way of adjusting to the deprivation. Our body is smart. Our food holds information and resources. It is like trying to run a car without gas. 

So how do you know if you need more fat in your diet?

1.  Are you hungry all the time?  Fat can help satiate your appetite. Making you feel full longer.
2. Dry skin. Fat has the ability to really improve the state of our complexion.
3. Do you struggle with extreme mental fatigue?
4. Have you or do you lose your Menstrual Cycle?

These are all signs that there could be an imbalances with your fat consumption. I love fat, it is probably my favourite Macronutrient. It is an essential in my nutrition. Especially, with diagnosed Adrenal Fatigue. There are many ways to get healthy fats in your diet. You can try, olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, avocados, nuts and seeds. If you are struggling with ways to get more fats in your diet, do not hesitate to connect. Comment below and let's get you feeling the power of using fat for fuel. 

Motivation Makeover

Motivation is tough to come by. It can come like oil in a pan. It comes on strong and other days it is no where to be found. Left us cold and feeling unfocused.  My question is this. Have you lost your focus?  Do you still want the same things you did yesterday? a week ago? 3 months ago?

We are so quick to chalk up an unmotivated day as unfocused.  If you remember why you started and that desire burns in your gut. You need a motivation make over. The fight if far from over my friend. 

Let's start!

First, give yourself a break. Your having a tired day. Maybe you caught the blah's. It happens. Shake it off. Rest up. Face the feels and move on. Tomorrow is a new day.

Second, read your journal. If you don't journal.  I suggest you do. It is a great way to see how far you have come. It keeps things in perspective and even can keep you motivated. It can reconnect you to those "pumped up" feels that may be missing at the moment. 

Third, share it with someone who keeps you accountable. It's ok to not feel like working out. It doesn't make you uncommitted to your goal. Your accountability-buddy may have just the right support you need. Get it off your chest. The longer you live with the more likely it will become your new state of mind. 

Forth, try something new. Sometimes we get comfortable with our routines. We get bored. When we get bored, we get distracted. When we get distracted, we get unfocused. We get unmotivated. This is the perfect time to try that new fitness class you have been thinking about. Sometimes that burst of energy we feel when we try something new is just the ticket. It can recenter you or expose you to something new. It may be the thing you may need to take you to your next step. 

Lastly, do it even if you don't want to. Motivation comes and goes. Like I mentioned, it is not a test of your commitment. You have been committed.  It is a challenge we face to test our focus. Remember, you wanted this. So just allow yourself the needed change of pace. Stay present. Show up. Do you best. 

You go this. Slay it like any other day.