I’m sure you’ve heard a thing or two about probiotics and if you heard right, then you know that these live bacteria and yeasts are beneficial to the human body, in particular for optimal gut health!          

The weekend’s coming to an end and I’m sure you enjoyed a lot of extra servings of ‘something something’ that might have you feeling slightly slower than usual on a Sunday evening. Whether it was brunch today or pizza for dinner last night, we’ve all been there. Weekend’s are often reserved for overeating because we tend to save “healthy eating” for Monday to Friday and go ham Saturday and Sunday.

After having a baby, our bodies naturally change. I’m a big believer in embracing our new and beautiful mom bods, but of course, we still want to be fit and feel our absolute best! But it’s not only our bodies that change, our hormones do too! If you’ve been fighting to reduce some belly fat, but have been unsuccessful, there is a good chance that your hormones are a big part of the equation. And sadly, hormone imbalances can get the best of us! If you missed this post on the Not So Mumsy blog, I am posting it here because this info is too good not to be shared!

I can’t even tell you how proud I am of my cousin Emily, who is a beautiful mama of 3! She came to me looking to kickstart her journey and wanting to feel better inside and out, as well as increase her energy. But then when it came to numbers, she blew me away! In just 30 days she had lost an incredible 11.8 lbs, 2.5 inches off each thigh, 1.5 inches off her hips and 4.25 inches from her waist!

We're just two weeks into the new year, so I hope some of your 2017 resolutions are still standing strong. Like many of us, I'm sure something about health and fitness is included as part of your list. One of my intentions this year is to try at least one new fitness class each month. And let's be honest, there is just something about wearing fresh new active gear that makes a workout that much better. 

A lot of moms resort to hours of cardio to shed that "festive 15" or to “get their pre-baby body back”, but sometimes you can be doing more harm than good. Yes, it's an important component of your fitness journey, but cardio isn’t the end all be all of weight loss. You do have to be mindful of both the quality and quantity of cardio you do and this can make the biggest impact on your mommy mood and appearance.

Are you running out of time when it comes to holiday shopping? I feel like I am! And so many people have asked what's on our wish list this year and you know, it wasn't an easy question to answer. We are so blessed with a supportive family, great jobs and our good health that it's hard to think of wanting more. Of course, we do love to treat ourselves a little and the holidays seem like the perfect time to do so. But this year, Santa Claus (S.C.) was one step ahead of us and predicted what we wanted!! 

If you missed us on the Not So Mumsy blog this week, we just shared a post about fitness during pregnancy and more specifically, in the first trimester. It's a great topic and one of my favourites! I have to say that I still remember that there were times in my first trimester when I was so tired I could barely lift myself out of bed, let alone lift a dumbbell. On the other hand, I recall being in the final stretch of my pregnancy and still hitting the gym and squatting like it was nobody's business!!

A big thanks to MISSBISH for featuring last week on their FLEX ZONE series. I wanted to make sure I shared our interview in case you missed it. 

'This is how we roll' ... especially after last night's amazing adidas #HereToCreate class with Julian Ho at Totum Life Science. My mini couldn't attend and was pretty bummed about it. However, it was a great change for me to get a sweat on with other women in the city. Be sure to sign up next Thursday morning at 9 a.m. for your chance to join in on the fun (and sweat). PS - it's FREE!! Sign up at www.heretocreate.ca

Halloween is just around the corner and this girl keeps changing her mind about what she wants to be. Yesterday was a police officer and today is a storm trooper. What a dilemma! Costumes aside, it’s that time of the year again where those baby kit kat bars and tootsie rolls are lying all over your home ready for the taking. Yup, say hello to Halloween! Sadly, those little two-bite candies can add up and before you know it you’ve eaten half a bag.

Now let's get down to business! Many of us haven’t jumped rope since grade school, but perhaps it’s time we skip down memory lane. You can get a wicked cardio workout in just 10 minutes and all you need is a skipping rope... and some jumping skills.

Healthy and sustainable weight loss happens over time and includes a wholesome eating regimen coupled with a consistent workout routine. But what happens when you only have a week to fit into you favorite little black dress for a friend’s wedding or you need to get bikini ready for a last-minute family vacation. Everyone asks what you can do if you only have a week to get it together! I just shared these tips on the amazing Not So Mumsy Blog, but if you missed it here are the details!

We are almost halfway through October which brings us to Canadian Thanksgiving. This weekend is usually a time when we feast on a little too much mashed potatoes and bread, plus one too many glasses of vino. But once this weekend is done, there is just no more excuses to get yourself back no track. Sure, cooler temps might give us a better reason to cover up with oversized sweaters and boyfriend jeans, but why not make October the month you take it up a notch with some new fitness goals? Let’s do this, mamas!

I'm no yogi, but the cobra pose is a move that we love! It helps alleviate back pain and helps to stretch out our abdomen muscles. This is a mommy approved move, but of course always get approval from your doctor and/or pelvic floor physiotherapist! This pose, otherwise known as bhujangasana or the snake pose, not only helps relieve pain in the back, but it also helps with uneasiness in the muscles of the neck and abdomen. I should also mention that the cobra pose helps to manage stress, anxiety and depression!

We're back on the amazing Not So Mumsy blog talking about common fitness myths that need to be put to rest once and for all! Seriously almost every other week there is another weight-loss trend promising to get your mom butt in shape, so naturally it’s tough to know what actually works when it comes to becoming a healthier mama.

Summer just ended and you might have had a little too much sangria and dessert to celebrate the warmer temps. But now that September is here, the kids might be back to school and you should be back on track, but you're just having a harder time than usual. 

Sure, we lug around a heavy diaper bag all day and maneuverer busy malls carry a toddler, but sometimes this just isn’t enough to tighten that arm jiggle us moms often complain about. Tank top season might be over here in Toronto, but that doesn't mean you give up on toning those arms of yours. Last summer we shared this post on the Lot801 Blog so just in case you missed it, I want to make sure you're in the loop with three moves you can do to help you achieve shapely toned arms. Who wouldn’t kill for arms like celebrity moms Madonna and Sarah Jessica Parker? Me please! Not to worry, this doesn’t involve rushing to your local gym and lifting dumbbell after dumbbell; these moves can be done right at home (with no weights required) and hopefully you’ll be sporting a tank top with confidence in no time!

I am so proud of Linda Blair and her progress from last month's kettlebell challenge. She is a mother of a two and following any type of "program" was also new to her, but she stuck to it all the way!