The right mindset to build strength

Top 10 reasons strong is the new skinny Part 3:

There's more to it than physical strength.......

When I talk about being strong, I don't mean looking like you're an over filled, over grilled sausage who's spent too long on the barbeque. I'm talking about having the strength to live a healthy fulfilled life and being functional or able to do all activities of daily life, without burning out.

To increase strength, is not (necessarily) a ticket on the vanity train, but developing physical strength will require hard work, an investment of time and money plus a wholesome, healthy relationship with food. In addition an increase in strength will empower you to understand that anything you desire is possible, if you are prepared to work for it and be consistent!

Getting stronger and stronger is great for your health, and is a goal which can almost always be progressed.........

Try this for size: 

"I originally started with a goal of a 20kg chest press, when I achieved that I went on to 25kg, now I can lift 75kg no problem!! (insert your own strength goals 💪).

Investing in your physical strength will help create mental strength and resilience. In a world, which is often shallow and judges purely based on looks. As Arthur Ashe once said:

“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” 

Arthur's quote hits the nail on the head, you can spend the rest go your life getting stronger, you can't do that with weight loss. 

Matters of the mind(fulness):

In some cases of anxiety, the brain is stuck thinking about the past and things that have gone wrong, our brain becomes lazy and assumes that things will go wrong in the future this amounts to a fear of the future (anxiety). Being mindful is all about living in the current moment, concentrating on what's happening in this very moment- Exercise is a perfect way to practice Mindfulness: E.g: You've done 6 push ups, you're beginning to tire. YOU ARE LIVING IN THE MOMENT and push on to the 7th, you have no time to worry about what's happening in the next few minutes never mind the next few months or years. All that matters is the push up!

Take home: Having a goal to become stronger will mean resistance based exercise. As you focus on movement you will be in the moment which is great for your mindset, progression through a challenging workout will develop a "can do attitude" which has the power to change your outlook forever 💪.

If you have any questions or would like to talk to me about how you can improve your own, diet and lifestyle without depravation and increase strength, then why not get in touch? Call me on 01273 258212

Thanks for reading,

Andy

Andy Payne is a Personal Trainer, based near Brighton in East Sussex, and founder of Three Pillars of Fitness, Exercise : Diet : Mind. You can follow him on Facebook and twitter 

Post natal movement and nourishment.....

In this Blog, I'm going to delve into some of the affects that pregnancy has on the body and what is suitable in terms of nutrition and movement, to heal the body post baby.

If you are reading this and have recently given birth then it's a massive high five from me and a huge amount of respect to you. I hope you and your "bundle" of joy are well and enjoying the world, others reading this blog may be Post Natal (in many cases it's been years since the baby arrived). This is still appropriate so keep reading as you may well feel that you have never fully recovered.

It's important for me to acknowledge that, I am Male. In truth, I will never say "I understand" when it comes to matters of pregnancy and birthing. I have, though seen members of my own family and certainly clients who have been through this "Life changing, life giving experience" and suffered various ailments as a result. 

I often hear Mum's in my class, voicing issues, like this.......

"I was picking "baby" up from the Mose's basket the other day and felt my back go!"
Yes, Mum's do this, they move lots: Lifting, twisting,  pushing, pulling. So it's important to incorporate this into exercise sessions by recreating your daily movement patterns, building strength in the muscles used and minimising the risk of injury.

"I went to see my GP for the six week check and it was over in 3 minutes"
Often the case in many parts of the world these "check ups" are being discontinued. In this country they seem to be inconsistent at best. This is a major oversight, many Mum's I have spoken with say the questions are geared towards the babies health, but what about Mum's? There are some 20 conditions which need to be discussed before a suitable programme of exercise is devised, so why aren't the G.P's doing this? These include: Joint pain, prolapse, scar healing, diastasis and gestational diabetes to name just a few.

"I gained weight as a result of pregnancy and now I'm on a diet" 
As a Mum I'm sure you'd agree, that pregnancy, birthing and child care take a massive toll, on you. Both your physical and mental health are challenged: Your hormones are all over the place, you may be lacking sleep, and the key focus is the well being of the new baby and the rest of your family. The last thing you need is the additional stress of dieting. The focus should be around what you CAN have not what you CAN'T, nourishing your body to aid repair needs to be the focus. General guidelines include:
-Colour: Fruits and vegetables (natures jewels!): Vitamins minerals and fibre
-Proteins: To promote healing and building, increasing levels of collagen
-Whole grains: Fore energy, satiety, and more consistent blood sugar levels
-Healthy Fats: Essential fats, polyunsaturated and mono unsaturated fats  
 IN SHORT,  JUST EAT REAL FOOD!!!!!

"I have no core/ no abdominal strength, I have tried the abdominal crunch challenge to improve it, but nothing happened!"
This is likely to be a Diastasis Recti (separation of the abdominal wall). As you are carrying a growing baby, the abdominal muscles separation. Causing weakness in your core. The core is made up of  the Transverse Abdominus, Rectus Abdominus, Internal and external obliques and that's without including back muscles which are critical. 
A significant separation here means that the very foundation of your body is compromised. 
The solution, is not spinal flexion (loading the abs, will cause further separation). The best thing to do here is target the midsection, in a standing position with a focus on 360 degree breathing to heal. 

"According to WebMD two thirds of 
new Mum's have a diastasis."
 

"I have pain in my lower back, butt, neck, hands, etc"
Many of the pains suffered by Mum's are as a result of:
-The increasing mass of the baby, and breasts means more weight held at the front of the body. This undoubtedly causes pain (often lower back, gluteal pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and/or pudendal nerve pain).
-Structural, hormonal and postural changes, as the body prepares for birthing.

"Will my body ever feel the same again after children?"
The truth is maybe not, but there's always hope. Giving birth to your bundle of joy is a miracle, nothing can distract from that. However, the process is very traumatic for your body. If your body feels different, even 10 years after child birth then you are still post natal. 

It should be acknowledged that the body has an incredible set of coping mechanisms, the body is truly wonderful and must be nourished and nurtured to support your daily activities. 

Here at Three Pillars of Fitness, we specialise in Functional fitness for Pre and Post natal women, as we know conceiving, carrying, birthing and caring for your child, and your family is a job for life. We like to offer Mum's a service which is focused on healing, repair and strengthening your body as well as offering some much needed "you time!"

FREE TASTER: If you would like to attend a free class on Friday 16th September at 09.15am (in Woodingdean, Brighton, UK). We'd love to hear from you. The class is designed specifically for Mum's, regardless of whether your child is 1 or 31 CLICK HERE TO CONTACT ME for more information.