Category: Recovery & Wellness

You can’t pour from an empty cup—or a burnt-out body. This is your space for active recovery strategies, mobility drills, and mental health resets. We explore everything from foam rolling techniques to nervous system regulation to ensure your fitness journey is sustainable for the long haul.

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Recovery & Wellness tfc Community

New Year Fitness Reset: How to Honor Your Progress and Start Fresh

The start of a new year has a way of making us feel like we need to erase everything and start over. New goals, new routines, new versions of ourselves.

But here’s the truth most fitness conversations miss: you don’t need a clean slate! You already have momentum, experience, and growth behind you (yes, even if the last few weeks of the year didn’t look how you planned!).

This New Year fitness reset isn’t about guilt or perfection, it’s about honoring what you have already accomplished and choosing how you want to move forward now.

Celebrate the Small Wins (They Matter More Than You Think!)

Progress isn’t only measured in before and after photos or perfect streaks of workouts. Some of the most important wins are the quiet ones.

Maybe you move your body during seasons when motivation was low; that’s a win! Maybe your workouts became shorter, but more consistent; that’s a win! Maybe you chose walks, mobility, or rest when your body asked for it; that’s a win!

For moms especially, fitness often happens in fragments; a stroller walk or a home workout squeezed in during nap time. A season of showing up imperfectly but repeatedly.

Those moments count! They build resilience, confidence, and a foundation you can continue to build on.

So, before you rush into the next goal, take a moment to acknowledge all you have accomplished this year!

Falling Off the Wagon Doesn’t Erase Your Progress

The holidays, illness, travel, or burnout can easily disrupt routines, but that doesn’t mean you’ve failed.

Fitness isn’t fragile! A few weeks off doesn’t undo months of consistency; your body remembers the habits you’ve built, and your mind remembers what movement feels like.

You didn’t quit, you paused.

And pauses are part of a sustainable, lifelong approach to health and wellness!

Let this be your permission slip to let yourself off the hook and stop letting the end of the year (a time when most of us are slowing down and enjoying time with family) overshadow everything you’ve worked for in the months before!

2025, My First Postpartum Year: A Different Kind of Strength

This past year was my first year postpartum after welcoming my first baby at the end of 2024, and it challenged me in ways I did not fully anticipate.

I struggled with pelvic floor dysfunction, especially when running, and I navigated postpartum depression and anxiety. My workouts looked nothing like they did before pregnancy, and mentally, I had to relearn how to meet myself where I was.

What made the biggest difference was community: leaning on other moms and parents for support, honesty, and relatability reminded me that I wasn’t broken, I was rebuilding.

That experience is why I created Core & Restore: No-Leak Physique, to help women rebuild core and pelvic floor strength with confidence. It’s also why I created Run Like A Mother: The Postpartum Comeback, to support moms returning to (or starting for the first time!) running safely and sustainably.

My challenges became the blueprint for helping other women move forward without fear or frustration.

Starting Fresh Without Starting Over

Prioritize Yourself and Your Health

Taking care of your body isn’t selfish; it’s foundational.

When you prioritize your health, you show up with more energy, patience, and resilience, not just for yourself, but for everyone who depends on you as well.

This year, let your wellness matter.

Incorporate Fitness in a Realistic Way

A successful New Year fitness plan fits into real life.

That might mean fewer workouts with more intention, choosing movement you actually enjoy, or letting walking count. Let your season set the pace!

Consistency doesn’t require intensity, it requires sustainability.

The Fitty 500: A New Year Fitness Challenge Built for Real Life

One of my biggest personal milestones this year was running 500 miles in 2025. This was the most mileage I’ve ever covered in a single year, and doing it during my first year postpartum felt intimidating. But I chose this goal intentionally.

I wanted a reason to keep moving for me and for my daughter: for my physical and mental health, to show up for myself, and to model for her that women are strong, capable, and resilient.

I also knew that my workouts would look different with a new baby. Relying on walking, jogging, and running felt realistic and flexible. It became something I could do with my daughter alongside me, rather than something that pulled me away from her.

That experience, and the joy and accomplishment I felt when I completed my goal with 10 days to spare, is what inspired the Fitty 500.

The Fitty 500 is a virtual fitness challenge to run, walk, or hike 500 miles throughout 2026, at your own pace. It’s designed for all fitness levels and busy lives.

You’ll get:

  • A full year to complete the challenge
  • Access to a supportive Strava community and mileage tracker
  • Accountabiltity without pressure or guilt
  • A Finisher’s Prize (including a custom medal and t-shirt) when you complete all 500 miles

Early bird registration is $43 now through 01/15, then it increases to $57.

If you’re looking for motivation that lasts beyond January, this is it!

register now

More Ways to Move Forward With Support

If you’re craving structure, guidance, or a plan that fits in your current season:

You don’t have to figure this out alone!

Carry Your Progress Into the New Year

You don’t need to become a new person in January, you just need to keep going.

Take your wins with you! Let go of guilt, and choose goals that support your life, not compete with it.

This year, let fitness be something that strengthens you, not something that weighs you down. You’ve got this!

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Recovery & Wellness

How to Balance Exercise and Rest to Avoid Burnout and Support Long Term Fitness

If you have ever felt stuck between wanting to stay consistent with exercise and feeling completely drained by it, you are not alone. Many people fall into the trap of believing that more effort automatically leads to better results. For busy moms especially, movement can start to feel like just one more thing on an already overflowing to-do list.

The truth is that progress does not come from constant pushing; it comes from balance! Exercise and rest are not opposing forces, they work together. And, when one is missing, the other eventually suffers.

Learning how to find the right mix between movement and recovery can transform not only your fitness results, but also your energy, mental health, and relationship with your body!

Why Rest is Essential for Muscle Repair and Recovery

Workouts create the stimulus for change, but rest is where the change actually happens. When you strength train or challenge your body, tiny micro tears form in the muscle tissue. During rest, your body repairs those fibers, making them stronger and more resilient.

Without adequate recovery, that repair process never fully completes. Over time, this can lead to persistent soreness, stalled progress, nagging aches, and an increased risk of injury. Rest allows your muscles, connective tissues, and nervous system to reset so you can continue training consistently.

In other words, rest is not lost time; it’s productive time.

Exercise, Rest, and Mental Health

Exercise is widely recognized for its positive impact on mental health. It can reduce stress, improve mood, boost confidence, and provide a sense of accomplishment. Movement is powerful tool for emotional regulation.

What often gets overlooked, however, is that rest plays an equally important role in mental health.

When the body is under constant physical stress without enough recovery, the nervous system stays in a heightened state. This can increase feelings of anxiety, irritability, and mental fatigue. Many people experience guilt around taking rest days, which only adds to the pressure.

Balance rest helps restore mental clarity, improve motivation, and make workouts feel energizing again rather than draining. When recovery is prioritized, exercise becomes something you look forward to instead of something you force.

NSDR: Non-Sleep Deep Rest for Busy Lives

Non-sleep deep rest, often referred to as NSDR, is a simple yet powerful recovery tool that fits easily into real life. It involves entering a deeply relaxed state while remaining awake, allowing the nervous system to downshift and reset.

NSDR can support overall wellness by improving sleep quality, aiding muscle repair, enhancing exercise performance, and reducing mental stress. It is especially helpful for people who do not always get enough sleep (new mamas, I’m talking about us!).

Examples of NSDR include guided body scans, breath focused relaxation, or lying down comfortably with your eyes closed for 10 to 20 minutes. No special equipment is needed, and it doesn’t require silence or perfection. Even short sessions can have meaningful benefits!

This type of rest teaches your body how to recover efficiently, which carries over into better energy and focus throughout the day.

The Importance of Active Recovery

Rest does not always mean doing nothing. Active recovery is a gentle form of movement designed to support circulation, mobility, and healing without adding stress to the body.

Incorporating active recovery into your exercise routine helps reduce stiffness, improves range of motion, and supports long term consistency. It bridges the gap between intense workouts and full rest days, creating a more balanced program.

Active recovery allows you to stay connected to movement while honoring your body’s need for lower intensity days.

Listening to Your Body Instead of a Rigid Schedule

While structure can be helpful, rigid schedules often ignore the realities of daily life. Energy levels fluctuate based on sleep, stress, hormones, workload, and emotional demands. For moms, these fluctuations can be especially pronounced.

Learning to listen to your body builds trust and sustainability. Some days call for intensity and challenge; while other days call for rest, gentler movement, or shorter sessions. Both are valuable!

Consistency does not mean doing the same thing every day. It means showing up in ways that support your body and your life as they are right now.

We Are Meant to Live in Cycles

Nature offers a powerful reminder of balance. Plants bloom and rest, animals hibernate, and everything in nature moves through cycles of activity and recovery.

Humans have evolved to extend productivity beyond daylight, keeping the lights on and the pace fast. But our biology has not changed; our bodies still need periods of rest and lower activity to function well.

Honoring cycles in training, energy, and recovery is not a step backward, it’s a return to what supports longevity, health, and resilience.

Gentle Movement Options for Low Energy Days

On days when motivation is low or energy feels limited, gentle movement can still provide benefits without pressure. Some of my favorite options for lo-fi days include:

  • Yoga or light stretching
  • Walking, especially outdoors
  • Foam rolling or mobility work
  • Unstructured dancing to music you enjoy
  • Playing a sport purely for fun

These types of movement support circulation, mood, and recovery while reinforcing that movement does not always have to be intense to be valuable.

Finding Your Balance

Balancing exercise and rest is not about doing less; it’s about doing what is sustainable. When rest is treated as part of the process rather than a reward or a failure, everything shifts.

You move better, you feel better, and fitness becomes something that supports your life instead of competing with it.

If you are navigating burnout or trying to rebuild a healthier relationship with exercise, support can make a meaningful difference. Please join my email list for guidance rooted in balance, strength, and long term wellness, or book a free consultation to explore what a more sustainable approach could look like for you!

Your body is not asking you to stop, it’s asking you to simply listen. You’ve got this!

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Postpartum Strength Prenatal Fitness Recovery & Wellness

Why Self Care Matters for Moms and How to Celebrate Your Postpartum Body

Motherhood transforms you in ways that are beautiful, challenging, and deeply powerful. From the moment you see those two lines, your body begins an extraordinary journey of stretching, shifting, and adapting to grow new life. It’s no wonder that so many moms look in the mirror after birth and barely recognize themselves!

But here is the truth that often gets buried beneath pressure to “bounce back.” Your body did something remarkable. It changed because it needed to. It changed because it created your family! And it deserves care, nourishment, and celebration for everything it has carried.

This post will walk you through what truly happens to your body, why returning to a pre-baby form is not the real goal, and how you can support yourself with strength, nourishment, and self compassion.

Your Body Changes Immeasurably During Pregnancy and Birth

Diastasis Recti

As your uterus grows, your abdominal muscles move aside to make room. This separation is called diastasis recti and it is incredibly common. Many moms don’t even realize that they have it until months later, or may never even realize it!

Healing is possible at any stage postpartum (yes, even years later!) and it begins with gentle, intentional core support. My Core & Restore: No-Leak Physique program is designed specifically to guide you through this safely and effectively.

Pelvic Floor Changes

Whether you had a vaginal birth or a cesarean, your pelvic floor carries a tremendous load during pregnancy. It may feel weaker, tighter, achy, or less predictable. Leaks, heaviness, and pressure are all normal signs that your body is asking for a little extra support.

Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD) is also an extremely common postpartum symptom that roughly 2 out of 3 women experience (myself included!), although it does not always get the care and attention needed to heal properly. This is why I created the Core & Restore: No-Leak Physique program, where I also share more about my experience with PFD and how the workouts in the program helped me to heal and feel stronger and more confident in my body again.

Rib Cage and Pelvic Bone Expansion

Your rib cage widens to help you breathe for two. Your pelvic bones shift and create space for delivery. These changes are just part of the natural blueprint of pregnancy. Some of these expansions remain long term (it can take seven years for bones to return to their normal positions) or may never fully return, and that is completely normal.

Your Organs Make Room for Baby

Your stomach, bladder, intestines, and diaphragm all shift to accommodate your growing little one. Your body reorganizes itself with incredible intelligence and purpose. This alone is worth celebrating!

Why “Getting Back to Your Pre-Baby Body” Should Not Be the Goal

Your life looks different than it did before you became a mom. Your priorities have changed, your daily rhythm has changed, and your heart has changed! So it makes sense that your body would reflect this new chapter, too.

Bodies are not meant to go back, they are meant to move forward. You can honor the body you had before while still embracing the body that carried your child; both can be true at the same time.

What You Can Focus On: Building Strength to Support Mom Life

Function Over Aesthetics

Motherhood is physical. You lift car seats, rock babies, carry toddlers, bend, twist, squat, and move…constantly. Building strength helps you do all of this with less discomfort and more confidence.

Explore the programs I have designed specifically to promote this type of functional strength with guided support tailored to your lifestyle!

Strength Creates Confidence and Energy

When you strengthen your core, glutes, back, and pelvic floor, everyday tasks feel easier. Back pain decreases, posture improves, and you feel more at home in your own body!

Self Care is Not Selfish: It’s Survival

You Cannot Pour From an Empty Cup

Taking even a few minutes for yourself is not indulgent, it’s necessary. When you nourish your body, move intentionally, and rest when you can, you show up with more capacity for your family.

You Are Setting the Blueprint for Your Kids

Children learn what self care looks like by watching you. When they see you move your body, fuel yourself, and take small pockets of time to breathe and reset, they learn how to care for their own physical and mental health.

This is a great place to explore ideas from our prior post Fun and Engaging Family Activities to Encourage Movement.

Nourish Your Body Instead of Dieting It Away

Your Body Needs Energy

Postpartum life requires fuel. Healing requires fuel. Hormone balance requires fuel. Chasing kids requires fuel! Restriction only drains you further.

Simple Nourishing Wins

Keep quick protein options handy, prepare snacks you can eat with one hand, drink water regularly, and give yourself permission to eat enough each day.

Check out some of my favorite healthier, easy grab-and-go, high protein snacks: The Best High-Protein Snacks on Amazon.

Learn What Your Body Actually Needs

Did you know that chronically under-eating actually leads to fat retention rather than fat loss? If you want a personalized estimate of what your body needs right now for your goals, take a look at my FREE Caloric Needs Calculator. It’s designed with Fitness Nutrition Science to help moms find clarity around nourishment rather than guesswork or restriction.

Realistic Self Care Ideas for Busy Moms That Cost Nothing

  • Five minute movement breaks: dance, walk, stretch, or squat!
  • Breathing resets throughout the day: try a 4-count inhale / 4-count exhale for 4 breaths.
  • Gentle stretching: can be done in front of the coffee pot, while the kids put shoes on, or during Bluey!
  • Ten-minute non-negotiable “body care” blocks: take a walk, do a quick workout, take a hot shower with the door closed, put on a face mask or your favorite lotion.
  • Asking for help and delegating tasks: sure, maybe you do it best, but would you rather it be done perfectly and be burnt out, or done fine enough and you got 15 minutes to yourself?
  • Joining a supportive mom group for connection and movement: if you’re in the Inland Empire, SoCal area, check out our Mommy & Me Fitness classes and Coffee Runs, we’d love to have you!

Final Encouragement: Celebrate What Your Body Has Done

Your body grew a human. It birthed your baby. It’s still carrying you through long nights, early mornings, endless cuddles, and everything in between. It has earned more than judgement. It has earned care, strength, nourishment, and time.

When you are ready for guidance, support, and programs tailored to the real life needs of moms, explore:

Your body does not need to be reclaimed, it deserves to be honored!

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Recovery & Wellness

How to Stay Motivated When You Don’t Feel Like Working Out

When the holidays roll in and the weather turns chilly, motivation can slip away almost without warning. Your days start filling with school events, family plans, gift shopping, and cozy evenings that feel much more appealing than putting on leggings and squeezing in a workout. If you have little ones, that mental load double and sometimes movement simply falls to the bottom of the list.

If you are feeling that shift right now, you are in the right place! This season brings its own unique challenges and you deserve encouragement that feels doable and realistic, especially during this busy time of year.

Motivation is Not About Willpower

It is incredibly common to blame yourself for not being “motivated enough” or “lacking discipline” to keep up with your fitness goals. But the truth is that motivation is not the starting point. It grows from small, consistent choices that build confidence and routine over time.

During the holiday season, moms often experience extra emotional weight. Stress, guilt, fatigue, and constant decision making can make even the simplest workout feel overwhelming. You are not falling behind; you are navigating a season that asks a lot from you!

A wonderful shift happens when you stop expecting every workout to be perfect. When you focus on the small wins, your momentum returns and those little choices add up!

Navigating Fitness During the Holidays

The holidays can completely reshape your daily routine. Instead of fighting the chaos, it helps to reframe your approach.

Think in terms of consistency rather than intensity. Movement does not need to be long or complicated to be effective!

Here are a few ideas to keep you grounded:

  • Anchor your workouts to something already in your day. A short strength circuit after nap time, a walk after school pickup, or a quick stretch before bed can all serve as queues to get in 5-15 minutes of movement without overwhelming your schedule.
  • Lean into “movement snacks.” Ten minutes of squats, light core work, or a short pre-/postnatal routine can make you feel grounded without eating up your day.
  • Plan your week with grace. If you know you have holiday events, baking marathons, or travel days ahead, choose gentle workouts that match your energy level. Being realistic sets you up for success and avoids frustration.

Cozy Indoor Workouts for Cold Weather Days

When the cold sets in, the couch starts calling your name. Rather than forcing outdoor workouts or trips to the gym when they feel uncomfortable, this is the perfect time to shift toward indoor, at-home routines that feel warm and inviting.

Try a few of these cozy ideas:

  • Bodyweight strength circuits you can do in pajamas
  • Gentle cardio to your favorite (holiday!) playlist
  • A slow mobility flow to wake up or relax your body
  • Prenatal friendly workouts if you are expecting
  • Light equipment variations like dumbbells, bands, or a stability ball

Indoor workouts are wonderful during winter because they remove the pressure of getting bundles up and heading outside. You stay warm, you stay consistent, and your mood gets a helpful boost when sunlight is limited!

Let Community Carry You

This is the time of year when many moms feel extra isolated. Between busy schedules and colder weather, connection can take a back seat.

Community support can make all the difference and that is exactly why my Mommy & Me Fitness Classes exist! These classes give you a friendly space to move your body, recharge, and connect with other moms who get what this season feels like. If you want to explore the schedule, take a peek at our Mommy & Me Fitness Classes page.

Even if you are not ready to join a class, simply knowing you are not alone this season can be deeply motivating!

Follow a Program to Stay on Track

When your life feels full and your energy is stretched thin, the hardest part is often deciding what to do. A time-bound program or a structured workout calendar takes away that decision fatigue. You simply show up and follow the plan!

Programs also help you stay anchored through the holiday season because you are working toward something, not just trying to keep up with whatever the day brings.

If you want a little help choosing a plan, reach out for a free consultation or browse our programs page where I have beginner friendly workouts, postpartum options, strength programs, and more.

Quick Wins That Boost Motivation Today

If you want an easy way to get moving today, here are some simple actions that spark quick momentum.

  • Set your workout clothes where you will see them
  • Press play on a five minute warm-up and let your body do the convincing
  • Send a friend a quick message for accountability
  • Join a new program
  • Choose one cozy workout you can do tomorrow and plan it tonight
  • Celebrate even the smallest wins, because they matter!

These tiny actions shift your mindset and help motivation return naturally.

You Are Allowed to Pivot

Your energy changes throughout the year and that is normal! The holiday season brings a different rhythm and you are allowed to adjust your workouts without losing progress. Showing up in small ways still counts and often matters more than chasing perfection.

Whenever you are ready for encouragement, structure, or support, you are always welcome in my programs or Mommy & Me classes. You have a community rooting for you every step of the way!

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Recovery & Wellness

How to Make Your Morning Routine Calmer with Yoga and Stretching

The Calming Snapshot

Stop starting your day in chaos! A simple, beginner-friendly yoga routine of just 5-10 minutes can lower your stress and set a positive tone. We’ll focus on four poses (cat-cow, low lunge, downward dog, and child’s pose) to improve posture, open Hips, and connect your mind to your body. Weave these poses into existing tasks (like waiting for coffee!) for instant calm.

If you’re a mom of children under 12 years old, I’m going to bet that your typical morning starts like a car alarm: loud, sudden, and leaving you frantically looking for the keys. Between hunting down missing shoes, negotiating breakfast and jackets, and trying to find the one clean shirt that fits, you start the day reacting, not responding.

When you start your day in full-blown chaos control, you’re left feeling like you’re already playing catch-up first thing in the morning. This is why adopting a morning yoga routine is not just a wellness trend, but a vital strategy for modern motherhood! It is about creating a few minutes of intentional movement to shift your nervous system from “fight or flight” to “ready for anything!”

The Science of Calm: Why Stretching Works for Stress Relief

The magic of a gentle stretch session is not just physical; it’s chemical and psychological.

The Physical Effect on Stress

When you feel stressed, your body releases cortisol, the stress hormone. Getting your body moving, even gently, helps to regulate your nervous system. Stretching and light movement help reduce muscle tension, which is often a physical manifestation of anxiety and stress. Research confirms that engaging in mind-body exercises like yoga significantly reduces symptoms of anxiety.

A systematic review and meta analysis published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry found that yoga interventions significantly reduced anxiety symptoms in various populations. (Check it out here).

The Power of the Mind-Body Connection

Beginner-friendly yoga is built on linking breath to movement. This focus is a powerful tool because it forces you to be present. When you focus on inhaling and exhaling, you cannot simultaneously run through your mental to-do list. This simple shift of moving your attention into your body is the most effective way to hit the mental reset button and calm the nervous system.

If you struggle with breathwork, remember that this connection is also key to your core strength, as well as rebuilding and repairing from diastasis recti after birth. A strong core is a major component of our functional fitness! For more on optimizing your stability and strength (especially during or after pregnancy and childbirth), check out some of our other posts on these topics:

Four Simple Poses for the Busy Mama

These four movements target common pain points for yoga for moms: stiff posture from carrying or nursing, tight hips, and the need for a total reset. Aim for 30-60 seconds in each pose (but stay as long as you’d like!)

  • Cat Cow (Marjaryasana Bitilasana): Great for postural alignment and getting your back ready for the day ahead. This gentle mobilization warms up the spine and is perfect for counteracting the forward-slouch from nursing, rocking, or scrolling.
  • Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana): Excellent for hip opening! If you spend a lot of time sitting, driving, or standing up holding your baby, this will help release tension in the hips and hip flexors.
  • Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana): A wonderful full-body stretch that lengthens the hamstrings and calves. It’s a mild inversion that can be gently modified by placing your hands on a stool or countertop, rather than directly on the floor. Remember to come out of it slowly; the inversion means your blood flows to your head, which is a great morning boost!
  • Child’s Pose (Balasana): The ultimate calming and relaxation pose. Bring your knees wide to allow the hips to open as you melt towards the floor. Take 5-10 deep breaths here for a complete mental and physical reset.
Here’s how to do Child’s Pose – check out our YouTube Channel for more movement demos!

Weaving Movement into the Morning Madness

You don’t need to block out a clean 10 minutes; the trick to a sustainable morning yoga routine is to blend it into your existing routine.

Practical Tips for the Calming Routine:
  • The 5 Minute Window: Commit to just five minutes immediately after you get out of bed (or even before getting out of bed!) to gently move.
  • The “Wait” Rule: Do not let yourself pour the coffee, brush your teeth, or check your phone until you’ve taken 5 deep breaths in Child’s Pose.
  • The Blend: Use your current routine or tasks as a yoga cue:
    • Do Child’s Pose from bed before you even stand up.
    • Perform Downward Dog while the coffee brews in the kitchen.
    • Do a Low Lunge on each side while packing lunches.
  • Embrace the Chaos: Let your kids climb on you during Downward Dog and make it a Mommy Mountain! Their added weight just turns it into an assisted stretch 😉

Your Day, Your Tone

Adopting a beginner-friendly yoga session in the morning is an act of self care that fuels you for the rest of the day. It’s not about achieving the perfect pose; it’s about choosing to start with calm, not cortisol.

Ready to incorporate more balanced, functional movement into your busy life? We have programs designed exactly for the different phases of motherhood!

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Recovery & Wellness

The Importance of Getting Enough Sleep to Support Fitness Goals

Late nights, early mornings, and a never-ending to-do list…sound familiar? For moms especially, sleep often feels like a luxury reserved for another season of life. Between kids waking in the night (I tended to my daughter after her bedtime twice while writing this!), work, and household responsibilities, sleep is usually the first thing to be sacrificed. The problem is that while workouts and nutrition get most of the spotlight when it comes to fitness, sleep is the hidden factor that can make or break your progress.

Today, we’ll explore why sleep is essential for fitness success and cover recovery, metabolism, performance, and the role of stress hormones.

Why Sleep is a Cornerstone of Fitness

Think of sleep as the body’s reset button. During those precious hours, your body repairs, recharges, and resets your endocrine system. When sleep is consistently cut short, your motivation dips, workouts feel harder, and the energy you need to stay consistent is nowhere to be found.

Chronic sleep deficit also disrupts the delicate balance of your hormones, including those that regulate hunger, stress, and muscle repair. This disruption creates a cascade of challenges for anyone working toward strength, fat loss, or overall wellness.

See my post of Coping with Pregnancy Fatigue if this resonates with you!

Recovery and Muscle Repair Happen During Sleep

It’s in deep sleep that your body gets busy repairing muscles, synthesizing proteins, and growing stronger. If you’re skipping (or missing) rest, you’re shortchanging the very gains you’re working for! Instead of bouncing back after workouts, you’re left dragging, sore, and hitting plateaus.

The right recovery tools can help too. A good foam roller or yoga mat (like the ones I’ve highlighted in my post on fitness gear and equipment for moms) can enhance recovery; but nothing substitutes a good night’s sleep.

I design training programs that intentionally build in recovery, and I also offer dedicated recovery services. If you’ve been feeling stuck, let’s talk about how to optimize both your workouts and your rest!

Sleep, Metabolism, and Weight Management

If you’ve ever stayed up too late only to find yourself craving sugar or salty snacks the next day, you’ve experienced sleep deprivation’s effect on metabolism. Poor sleep throws off ghrelin (the hormone that increases hunger) and leptin (the hormone that signals fullness). The result? You feel hungrier, crave more processed foods, and have a harder time sticking to your nutrition goals.

For moms working on postpartum weight loss, sleep can feel impossible to prioritize, but it directly affects your body’s ability to shed fat and maintain energy. Even a little extra sleep can make your nutrition efforts far more effective. So let your village step up and get your naps in when you can!

The Cortisol Connection

One of the biggest culprits in stalled progress is elevated cortisol, the body’s main stress hormones. Research shows that inadequate sleep increases cortisol levels (especially chronically inadequate sleep).

Why does this matter? Cortisol not only promotes fat storage, especially around the midsection, but it also interferes with protein synthesis; the very process that builds and repairs muscle. Too much cortisol for too long can actually break down muscle tissue.

In other words; you can be hitting the gym consistently and eating well, but if your sleep is poor, elevated cortisol will make everything feel like an uphill battle. Think of those mornings after only five hours of sleep: your workout feels harder, your patience is thinner, and your body is working against itself instead of in harmony with you.

Performance, Focus, and Injury Prevention

Lack of sleep doesn’t just impact your waistline, it also affects your performance! Sleep-deprived bodies react slower, have poorer coordination, and fatigue more easily. This means heavier weights feel impossible, runs feels sluggish, and workouts leave you drained instead of energized.

There’s also the increased risk of injury. When your focus is compromised, it’s easier to misstep, lift with poor form, or overestimate your capacity. Sleep sharpens your mind and body so you can trainer harder and safer.

Sleep Facts Every Mom Should Know

Here are a few science-backed truths to keep in your back pocket:

  • Women often need more sleep than men. Research shows women’s brains engage in more multitasking and complex activity during the day, which leads to greater recovery needs at night.
  • Sleep needs fluctuate with hormones. During menstruation, postpartum recovery, or any period of physical healing, the body may need up to an extra hour of sleep per night.
  • Seven to nine hours is the general recommendation, but moms in demanding seasons of life should aim for the higher end whenever possible.

Knowing these facts can help you give yourself grace. Wanting more sleep isn’t weakness, it’s biology!

How to Get Better Sleep (Even as a Busy Mom)

You may not be able to clock nine hours of uninterrupted rest right now, but small tweaks add up:

  • Create a bedtime routine, even if it’s just ten minutes of winding down.
  • Limit screens before bed (blue light suppresses melatonin, the body’s natural sleep-aid).
  • Use supportive items: blackout curtains, white noise for the baby, and a good pillow (check out my favorite maternity pillow that turned me from a stomach sleeper into a permanent side sleeper!)

Conclusion

Sleep is not a luxury – it’s a powerful tool in your fitness journey. Without it, recovery slows, cravings spike, motivation dips, and progress stalls. With it, everything becomes easier; workouts feel better, nutrition is manageable, and results come faster.

Even small improvements in your sleep can create meaningful change. So tonight, give yourself permission to go to bed earlier. Your body, and your fitness goals, will thank you!

If you’re ready to align your workouts, recovery, and lifestyle for real results, book a consultation or join a program with me at the fitness cult!

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Postpartum Strength Prenatal Fitness Recovery & Wellness

Keeping Fit During the Holidays: Tips for Moms & Expecting Moms

The holidays are here, and with them come festive decorations, endless to-do lists, and of course, delicious food at every turn! It can feel like the perfect storm for skipping workouts and overindulging, but staying active and feeling your best is still entirely possible. Fitness and wellness do not need to be complicated; small, consistent choices can make a big difference for your energy, mood, and overall well-being.

In this post, we will explore realistic ways to fit activity into busy holiday schedules, share quick and effective workouts for moms (that are pregnancy-approved, too!), offer general movement tips, and cover holiday-friendly nutrition and hydration strategies to keep you feeling good inside and out.

Incorporating Workouts into a Busy Holiday Schedule

The holidays are hectic, and finding time for yourself can feel impossible, which is why planning is your best friend. Early mornings, nap times, or even a few minutes before holiday events can become your workout windows. Think of this time as a little hard-earned “me time;” a moment to prioritize self-care amidst the chaos.

Micro workouts that take only 10 to 15 minutes can fit seamlessly into even the busiest days. You can combine movement with mindfulness techniques such as guided meditations, mindful walking, or yoga/prenatal yoga. This approach nurtures both body and mind, helping you feel grounded and energized. For more ideas on including mindfulness in your workout routine, check out my prior post on Mindfulness and Meditation Techniques for Expecting Moms.

Remember to approach your holiday workouts with flexibility and self-compassion. Progress matters far more than perfection, and every little movement counts. As I like to say, a little bit of anything is still more than a whole lotta nothin’!

Quick and Effective Workouts

Low-impact, safe exercises are perfect for expecting moms, especially when time is tight. Walking, prenatal yoga, and bodyweight strength exercises are easy to do at home, in a hotel room, or even in the living room between holiday tasks.

Here are a few quick routines to keep you moving:

  • A 10-minute core and glute circuit to strengthen your back and support your pelvic floor.
  • A 15-minute yoga flow to stretch tight muscles and calm your mind.
  • Short walking intervals during errands or while prepping for holiday gatherings to sneak in extra steps.

Adjust the intensity based on how you feel each day, your trimester (if applicable), and your comfort level. If you would like a tailored approach to fit your schedule, energy levels, and stage of motherhood safely, I’d love to help you design a personalized program that keeps you moving and confident this season!

Reach out here for a FREE consultation!

General Activity Tips Beyond Workouts

Even outside structured workouts, staying active can be simple and fun! Try to move throughout your day through light stretching, standing breaks, and walking.

NEAT, or non-exercise activity, can have a surprisingly big impact. Dancing with your kids while wrapping gifts, tidying up, cooking, or brisk walking while shopping all count as valuable movement.

Strength-building does not have to mean heavy lifting. Carrying groceries safely, picking up packages, and practicing good posture while bending or lifting are all ways to strengthen your muscles gently and stay functional through the holidays.

Nutrition and Hydration for Energy and Wellness

Food is fuel, but it is also an important part of holiday joy, social connection, and family traditions. Balance is key, so try to focus on getting your protein, fiber, and healthy fats to keep energy steady.

Start with smaller portions, especially when faced with multiple tempting dishes. Our eyes often end up bigger than our stomachs, so eating slowly gives your mind time to register fullness, usually taking about 15 minutes.

For quick, healthy snack ideas, check out my prior post The Best High-Protein Snacks on Amazon for Busy Moms and Health-Minded Eaters.

Hydration is just as important as nutrition, particularly during busy or festive days. Keep a water bottle nearby and sip frequently.

Finally, practice mindful eating. Enjoy holiday treats without guilt, savor the flavors, and listen to your hunger and fullness cues. This approach helps you feel nourished and satisfied while still participating fully in the holiday celebrations.

Takeaways

Small, consistent movement combined with mindful, balanced eating can make the holiday season more enjoyable and less stressful for moms or moms-to-be. Remember, progress matters more than perfection, and every step counts – literally and figuratively!

Bookmark these tips, and share your own holiday fitness hacks in the comments below! Explore our prenatal and postpartum workout programs or personalized training options to stay active, energized, and confident through the season.

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Prenatal Fitness Recovery & Wellness

Mindfulness and Meditation Techniques for Expecting Moms

To those who say pregnancy is beautiful: when was the last time you were pregnant, because what?!

I’m only half-kidding, because of course pregnancy is a truly wonderful and amazing experience! However, it’s high-time we acknowlege that pregnancy is also a very physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding and exhausting experience. Incorporating a daily mindfulness practice can help manage the demands and stresses of pregnancy both mentally and physically, as well as help prepare the body and mind for labor.

Understanding Mindfulness and Meditation

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and aware of the current moment, including one’s thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, without judgment. It helps cultivate a non-reactive awareness, reduces stress, and enhances emotional well-being. Techniques like meditation and mindful breathing are commonly used to develop mindfulness.

Meditation is a practice that involves focusing the mind to achieve a state of mental clarity, emotional calmness, and heightened awareness. It typically involves techniques such as controlled breathing, visualization, or repeating a specific mantra. The goal is to quiet the mind, reduce stress, and enhance concentration.

Practicing mindfulness and meditation throughout your pregnancy can reduce stress by calming the body’s nervous system and reduce physical tension held in the body. It can also help improve your sleep quality and overall mental state. There are also many pregnancy-specific forms of mindfulness to help you build a connection with your baby and prepare yourself for labor and delivery!

If this all sounds a little too new-agey, or just downright too daunting, don’t worry! Mindfulness is called a practice because nobody has perfected it yet; and practicing mindfulness can actually be as simple as counting your breaths.

Practical Mindfulness Techniques for Expecting Moms

– Mindful Breathing

Just as it sounds, mindful breathing combines your mindfulness routine with simple breath-work. There are many different ways to practice mindful breathing; such as controlling your breathing to fit a certain breathing pattern, or visualizing your breath traveling through your body with each inhale and exhale.

Mindful breathing is an excellent opportunity to prepare the body and mind for labor – check out our recommended breathing techniques in our post The Benefits of Prenatal Yoga for Moms-to-Be or learn more at the American Pregnancy Association.

– Body Scan

The body scan technique allows you to visualize each physical part of your body, bringing awareness to any areas holding tension or discomfort, and using your breath to promote relaxation in each individual are systematically.

Steps for practicing the body scan at home:

  • Find a comfortable space and assume a comfortable position (laying down or sitting comfortably) with your eyes closed
  • Pay attention to your normal breathing pattern and allow it to slow and relax
  • Shift your attention to your toes and notice any sensations that arise – tingling, warmth, tension, or relaxation
    • don’t worry about controlling the feelings, just acknowledge them and continue taking relaxed breaths
  • Slowly “scan” upward, through your feet, ankles, calves, knees, thighs, hips, abdomen, chest, back, shoulders, arms, neck, and head
    • take your time and notice any areas of tension, breathing deeply in those areas and allowing the muscles to relax
  • Once you’ve completed the scan, come back to your breathing and notice any differences in how you feel, both emotionally and physically
  • When you’re ready to conclude your mindfulness session, gently open your eyes and take your time stretching as you go back to your day

– Mindful Walking

Mindful walking takes the principles of mindful breathing and combines it with movement. Simply take a walk – preferably outside to experience nature, but on a treadmill will also work! Focus on your breathing and how it changes as you walk; explore syncing your breathing and movement patterns and pacing.

Rather than closing your eyes during mindful walking, be very aware of what is around you, taking note of it and how it impacts your senses, and appreciating it. This could look like bringing awareness to the grass or plants around you and appreciating their fragrance, or focusing on the sound of the birds or other creatures around.

Please be aware of your surroundings while walking. Take care to avoid any trip or fall hazards, and practice safety around busy areas with exposure to vehicles. Stay alert and visible, and remember to keep to designated pathways. Always obey local traffic laws and signals.

– Guided Meditations

If you are concerned about staying present in the moment with meditation, try a guided meditation to help keep you focused! Guided meditations are recorded meditations led by instructors who will slowly take you through a meditation, usually with a specific theme or mantra to focus on. Many meditation apps or programs have courses for pregnancy designed to promote bonding with your baby! Some of our favorites:

– Affirmations and Positive Visualization

Affirmations are positive statements that can be repeated to yourself to help challenge negative thought patterns and cycles. They are most effective when written in present-tense and first-person point of view (i.e., my body is a strong and safe home for my growing baby). You can create affirmations that are personal to you and your goals, whether specific to your pregnancy or not. Affirmations should be repeated often and can even be physically written out and displayed to help influence your subconscious mind to align with the values of the affirmations you have chosen.

Positive visualization builds on affirmations by taking the desired outcome or experience (i.e., I will have a positive labor and delivery, free of complications and with my baby in perfect health) and picturing it in vivid detail. Try to engage as many of your senses as you can in visualization and imagine experiencing every detail. For example, using the affirmation above; start by imagining arriving at the hospital or birthing center, picturing every detail from the colors of the walls, to the sounds of the center (doors opening, staff greeting you), to the physical sensations you feel (the cool door handle, the soft bed you sit on). Think about how you will feel once you have achieved the desired outcome (overjoyed, proud, relieved, enamored with your new baby) and allow yourself to feel those emotions during your visualization as well!

Affirmations and the positive visualization of them are unique and personal to each person; but if you are looking for somewhere to start, here are some of our favorite affirmations for expecting mamas:

  • my body is a strong and safe home for my growing baby
  • I will have a positive labor and delivery, free of complications and with my baby in perfect health
  • my body knows what it needs and I honor myself by listening to it
  • My body is strong and capable of nurturing this baby
  • My baby is healthy and safe in my womb
  • I trust my instincts and my body to guide me through pregnancy, labor, and delivery
  • I am surrounded by love and support
  • I am calm and confident in the face of any challenges
  • I embrace the changes in my body and the growth of my baby
  • I am nourishing my body and my baby with healthy foods and rest

Creating a Mindful Routine

These mindfulness techniques are designed to be easy to incorporate into your every day life and routine. You can practice mindful breathing or body scans first thing in the morning before getting out of bed, or at night to help your body relax into sleep. Affirmations and positive visualizations can be repeated and explored while you go about mundane tasks like brushing your teeth or making your morning coffee.

Mindful walking is an especially great way to practice both mental and physical self care during pregnancy. If you have a busy schedule, consider spending 10-15 minutes walking during your lunch or break times at work, whether this is inside your building or outside in the surrounding areas, or even parking lot. Taking this break from your day will help you to manage stressors as well as providing both the physical and mental benefits of mindful walking!

Overcoming Challenges in Practice

If meditation or mindfulness seems out of reach, you’re not alone. Many people find it difficult to focus when first starting a mindfulness practice. Remember to give yourself grace and not expect perfection. The art of mindfulness is about slowing down and allowing yourself space to feel your emotions without judgment – that means without judgment for feeling imperfect in your practice, too!

When it feels impossible to fit mindfulness into a chaotic schedule, filled with distractions of work, your other kids or pets, and the various demands of life, be flexible with yourself and your routine. Speak your affirmations aloud to your kids or pets, and encourage your kids to repeat your affirmations along with you. Ask your partner to participate in a guided meditation or body scan with you at the end of the day before going to sleep.

However you choose to incorporate a little mindfulness into your day. remember that it is intended to be an activity of self-love and relaxation, so be gentle and kind with yourself! There are many relaxation and stress-reduction benefits to practicing mindfulness, and there is ultimately no singular “right way” of practicing; so take your time exploring different techniques to find what feels most sustainable and works best for you.

Have you practiced mindfulness before? Share your tips and experiences in the comments below? Haven’t tried it out yourself yet? That’s okay! Tell us what aspect of mindfulness practices you are most interested in or hesitant about!

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Prenatal Fitness Recovery & Wellness

The Benefits of Prenatal Yoga for Moms-to-Be

Prenatal yoga may sound fancy and complicated, but it’s actually one of the easiest ways to stay active while connecting with your baby during pregnancy!

Yoga is the practice of combining breathing techniques, meditation, and specific body poses to exercise and strengthen your body through mind-body connection. A regular yoga practice has also shown to have a myriad of mental benefits, such as stress reduction and management, as well as the physical benefits.

Pregnancy, while a very exciting time of a new parent’s life, can also cause many stressors as your life – and body! – undergoes this huge change. As such, many expectant mothers have found that adopting a yoga practice brings a much-appreciated sense of peace as well as improving their physical comfort throughout their pregnancy.

Disclaimer: Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any exercise routine during pregnancy.

What is Prenatal Yoga?

Prenatal yoga is a specialized practice for pregnant mamas that adapts traditional yoga poses to meet the unique needs of pregnancy. It focuses on building strength, flexibility, and relaxation, combined with breathing techniques that can be used both throughout pregnancy and during labor and delivery. Prenatal yoga also includes modifications for safety and comfort during all trimesters. helping to alleviate common pregnancy pains and promote the connection and bond between you and your baby. It is specifically designed to support your growing and changing pregnant body, and targets strengthening the core and pelvic floor to support labor, delivery, and postpartum recovery as well.

Physical Benefits of Prenatal Yoga

Prenatal yoga poses focus on improving your mobility, which can help restore your sense of balance as your growing belly begins to make you wobbly. Poses such as child’s pose, downward facing dog, tree pose, or tailor pose help open up the hips while strengthening the core; both of which will assist in labor and delivery!

During pregnancy, your body releases a hormone called relaxin, which causes the tissues of the body to soften and relax to assist with opening through the pelvis during labor and delivery. This causes the joints to have a looser feeling that can make it easy to accidentally over-stretch a muscle, causing pain or injury. Prenatal yoga helps to improve flexibility without over-stretching by incorporating strengthening of the muscles into the practice.

The improved flexibility and strength that comes from a prenatal yoga practice can ease common pregnancy discomforts like back pain, hip pain, and sciatic pain. Additionally, prenatal yoga enhances the body’s circulation and improves the efficiency of blood flow. Your blood volume can increase 50-80% in pregnancy, which can contribute to swelling of the ankles, feet, legs, and joints. A regular prenatal yoga practice can help to reduce swelling, as well as addressing other pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, and sleep disturbances through gentle movement.

Mental and Emotional Benefits

Yoga reduces stress and promotes relaxation through the use of meditation and breathwork, as well as fostering a mind-body connection. Prenatal yoga in particular also fosters a mama-baby connection by incorporating movements that help you to feel connected to your baby.

Breathwork, meditation, and visualization can reduce the body’s release of cortisol, a stress hormone. Cortisol is associated with the triggering of the body’s “fight or flight” mechanism; lower levels of cortisol mean more feelings of calmness or peacefulness!

Mindfulness is an important cornerstone of any good yoga practice. Mindfulness is a state of being aware of the present moment, observing thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment. It also helps you become aware of your thoughts and emotions as they occur naturally, but without getting carried away by them. Practicing mindfulness during your yoga practice can be especially useful because it allows you to focus on cultivating a mind-body – and a mama-baby – connection, which improves both the mental and physical states.

Preparation for Labor and Delivery

Breathing exercises and techniques are a crucial part of labor-pain management. Focusing on your breathing ensures proper oxygenation, which is vital for the health of both you and your baby during delivery. Performing breathing exercises also helps your body to relax and calm the nervous system, allowing the muscles of the body to work with labor contractions, rather than tensing up and resisting, which can slow or stall labor. Practicing labor breathwork with prenatal yoga throughout pregnancy helps the body prepare for labor by building cardiovascular as well as muscular endurance.

Some beneficial breathing exercises to practice for labor include:

  • Deep, Slow Breathing: Inhale deeply through the nose, feeling your abdomen expand, and exhale slowly through the mouth. 
  • Rhythmic Breathing: Find a comfortable rhythm, like inhaling for three counts and exhaling for three counts, to help stay focused. 
  • Paced Breathing: Match your breath to the contraction, becoming faster as the intensity increases and slower as it decreases. 
  • Light Accelerated Breathing: Use short, shallow breaths through the mouth at about one breath per second during the peak of contractions. 
  • Pant-Pant-Blow Breathing: A sequence of short, quick breaths followed by a longer blow, often described as “hee-hee-hoo”. 
  • Expulsive Breathing: Use this technique during the second stage of labor to help push more effectively. 
  • Learn more from the American Pregnancy Association

Tips for Practicing Prenatal Yoga

  • Find a supportive and comfortable environment: whether this is your living room, an outdoor space in good weather conditions, or a local group class, you should feel both physically and mentally safe and comfortable
  • Listen to your body: be prepared to modify poses to find what feels right for your practice; every pregnancy is unique and will require differing practices – embrace where you are in your journey and focus on the mind-body-baby connection
  • Daily practice: yoga requires little else other than a comfortable space to be; try to incorporate even just a few minutes every day of breathwork, mindfulness, and physical poses that release muscle tension and bring relief

You should always stop activity immediately and seek medical attention if you experience any of the following or are concerned about the health and safety or yourself or your baby:

  • vaginal bleeding
  • abdominal pain
  • regular or painful uterine contractions
  • leakage of fluid from vagina
  • shortness of breath before exertion
  • fainting
  • severe headache
  • chest pain

What is your favorite technique for practicing mindfulness? Share with us in the comments below!

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Recovery & Wellness

should I work out if I’m sick?

With the school year back in full swing, fall weather beginning to take over, and flu season approaching – and fast! – you may have started to feel that tell-tale tickle in your throat creeping up.

Nobody likes to be sick and left feeling miserable; whether it be a common cold, seasonal flu, viral infection, or the latest strain of COVID-19. But when feeling sick completely upends your life and all the healthy routines you’ve worked so hard to cultivate, it can add a whole new level of frustration, and there may be a temptation to fight through and try to stick to your exercise program amidst the sniffles.

In fact, evidence shows that a consistent moderate-physical activity exercise program can effectively strengthen your immune system, which reduces the chances of getting sick and the severity of the symptoms when you do get sick, as well as making recovery much faster. Additionally, exercise releases hormones in your body that are designed to fight stressors on the body, which can aid in fighting off viral infections quickly and effectively.

So does working out when feeling terrible show dedication that would surely brand you as a certified fitness icon, or is it actually worse for your body to try to push through instead of taking that extra nap?

There is no black and white answer; as experts agree that the best approach is to listen to your body and give it what it needs – whether it be an added rest day or two, or a gentle workout to stick to your exercise routine. Your body will let you know exactly what it needs – just be sure to listen!

the best approach is to listen to your body and give it what it needs – whether it be an added rest day or two, or a gentle workout to stick to your exercise routine.

Still on the fence about that workout sesh? Review our list of DO’s & DON’Ts Exercise Guidelines to help you determine the best next steps:

DO’s & DON’Ts of Exercising While Sick

  • DON’T workout if you are:
    -coughing persistently or with -phlegm
    -wheezing
    -experiencing shortness of breath
    -experiencing chest pain
  • DON’T workout if you have a fever or body aches
  • DON’T workout if you have nausea or diarrhea
  • DON’T workout if you are experiencing dizziness or lightheadedness
  • DON’T go to public workout spaces if you are contagious
  • DO workout if your symptoms are mild:
    -runny or sniffly nose
    -headache
    -stuffy nose
    -mild sore throat
    -ear infection
  • DO take it easy
  • DO listen to your body
  • DO make sure to get extra rest – even if it means skipping the workout
  • DO replenish with extra fluids and nutrient-dense foods

Above the Neck Symptom Check

When in doubt, use the “above the neck” symptom check. If your symptoms are all “above the neck,” such as runny or sniffly nose, sneezing, teary eyes, headache, etc.; a light to moderate exercise bout may do you good! Exercise can help to open the nasal passages, clearing congestion or tension headaches to help with symptom control.

If your symptoms are mainly “below the neck,” as with a cough you feel in your chest or a phlegm-producing cough, or a stomach bug, it’s recommended to skip the workout and get some extra rest instead!

Whether you skip the workout while you recover or you decide you are well enough to work through it, make sure to take your time easing back into your pre-sickness routine. Spend a couple days working out at a lighter pace or load than usual; this means if you would typically run a couple miles, go for a nice jog or brisk walk instead. Take the time to take it easy until your body has fully recover to avoid the risk of getting sick again!

tfc Approved Sick Day Workouts

  • Go for a walk
  • Meditate
    • bonus: hang in the sauna!
  • Foam Roll
  • Stretch
  • Gentle yoga / restorative yoga
  • Swimming
  • Light jogging
  • Leisure-to-moderate pace bicycling

Need more workout ideas? Check out our Instagram, join a group class, or contact us to get started!

sources

Mayo Clinic

Web MD

Medical News Today

CDC

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