Tag Archives: post baby

Is fat gain caused by Nutrient deficiencies?

It’s been a while since I wrote to you, so I hope you are doing well?! xx

For some reason as far as weight loss is concerned this topic keeps coming up for me. Maybe it’s just like how when you look out for a white car you want to buy, you see them everywhere..

Anyway back on the topic of deficiencies and fat loss. As you have no doubt noticed, it’s very easy to lose weight when you are younger, as you may already know and I have a theory for that, which I might add is getting more and more ‘proven’ by the ‘experts’ research.

Nutrient deficiencies from age, stress and babies!

(I’ll include a very large link to more research in the next email.)

What I really want to discuss today are some other facts which aren’t as well publicised in the media and those are that to ‘lose fat’ and keep it off, your body needs to be healthy. Healthy from a standpoint of being fully topped up in happy hormones, vitamins and minerals. Minerals which, some of our bodies are better at holding onto, as we age, or for genetic reasons, than others bodies.

Lots of things such as age, having babies and stress all play a huge rule in how our bodies metabolic functions cope. Post baby I was definitely in the ‘not coping’ category and you could tell this from the 40 odd Kilograms (90 pounds) I gained during pregnancy – which did not fall off.. anyway I digress.

Stress plays a huge role too in body fat reduction and can be attributed to the bodies natural metabolic processes of circulating unwanted ‘stress chemicals/cortisol’ taking place. Hence when you allow the body to de-stress you then allow fat loss… (I’m going to save more info on the ‘stress part’ for another blog post).

I truly believe that nutrient deficiencies are a key reason as to why some people lose weight faster than others.

You see nutrient deficiencies lead to poor overall health as the health of the body as the internal function of each cell is effected. In fact the entire digestive system as a whole is effected. (yep you know what I mean, the number ‘2’s’ start to slow down and/or not eliminate fully… and you can clearly see why having a gut full of that is not good for you and also means you are bloated..).

Now just think of each of your several trillion cells which you are made up of, not being able to ‘eliminate’ their waste products. Yep, you know what I mean… those little cells then get tired, slow and reproduce the next cell with less than efficient building blocks, hence speeding up the aging process.

So once the entire metabolic process slows down, more toxins circulate and we often gain weight. Weight loss, or fat loss is a metabolic process. We grow and store fat cells is because our liver chooses to grow the fat cell, then shuttle toxins in there instead of allowing them to circulate through the blood stream and endanger the body. It’s the elimination of waste products and toxins, fast, that is pinnacle to being able to eliminate fat.

I hope you can see it’s not all about the calories?

The solution

Fancy supplements are not usually needed long term, however basics often are. They re-fuel the body with the essential nutrients we simply do not get from the soil anymore.

When our cells have the complete nutrients they desire they are then able to eliminate waste product in all forms from within our cells.

So how do you get ‘Healthy’ and re-mineralise your body.. To support your liver and all metabolic (especially elimination) functions.

Here we go I’m going to tell you what I did step for step post baby supplement wise (I’m going to piss a lot of high paid coaches off here).

I want to also state that every person is different and that to really conclude what you are deficient in you can have a blood test (and not the standard blood test your G.P will give you), but something from a specialist, reply to this email if you want some peoples details close to you where can do this.

My personal supplement list;

2 capsules of Hcl (500mg) during each main meal, to aid stomach acid production – The absolute KEY (in my opinion) to aid digestion and therefore absorption of nutrients, therefore enhancing fat loss.

9-12,000 mg of a dha/epa blend per day (fish oil) Spread through the day.

6 capsules of zinc (chelated form), spread through the day. Only taken with food.

4 capsules of magnesium (chelated forms) daily at night before bed.

30-40,000 iu of vitamin D, 2 x per week

Multivitamin (6 capsules daily) 3 with Breakfast and 3 with Lunch

1 dosage of an oestrogen reducing pea and rice blended protein shake per day.

This is not a prescription for you. All of these are very high dosages.

They worked/work for me.

Everyones situation is different and I need to say ALL supplements are VERY different quality. Make sure you use practitioner brand and a practitioner recommendation for you and always listen to your body. There was a few other things I included and rotate between having and not having but these were and still are the main (especially after times of stress for me – I often re-start them).

so where are you at yourself?

I’m interested to hear if you have any questions.

on a different topic there’s two up coming events where you have the opportunity to work with me;

I’m doing a 7 day face to face intensive in Jan in Melbourne – AM Daily sessions

7 days starting the first week of January where we spend the morning together and I personally coach you on Mindset, take you through exercise and coach you on nutrition to get you results, looking and feeling amazing. Lots of bonuses and extra surprise thrown in.

‘on location in Melbourne and also then in your home’

Reply to this email to lock in your place.

and a 5 day Retreat which will blow your mind in Qld – March 2016.

Reply to me on this email if you are interested in either of these.

As usual, there will be limited spots.

Everything is available on payment plan, never let that be an issue for you to get results.

xxx

Chat soon,

Kate

Flatter abs – No Diet changes or Exercise needed? (do you have separated Abs post birth?)

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What I’m referring to is a client I started with several weeks ago who went from not being able to see her toes to seeing her toes in one week. She had given birth to twins over a year ago and had separated abs. Yes she’d had twins. After doing just one of the exercises I explain here, in this post, she reduced her stomach so much she could see her toes (personally I didn’t think her stomach was big enough to stop her being able to see them but apparently it was).

I see it all the time, women doing crunches trying to get ‘flat abs’. Hell I’ve even been guilty of it myself before I knew that abs were really made in the kitchen… A story for another time.

What I want to discuss here is the condition known as the separation and thinning of the Linea alba ligament or what’s sometimes referred to as Diastasis recti. This ligament runs down the middle of your abdomen. It’s not only a female post birth condition, however this is a very common cause. Men can get this problem too.

The length of time after the birth/trauma and addressing the problem does not matter. Anything can be fixed I just want to give you this as a resource of things that are great to do and things which are not so great to do, as if you put too much pressure on the abdomen in the incorrect way while this part is healing, in the worse case scenario you can cause a hernia (where your insides begin to protrude out through the lining in your abdominal wall).

NOTE: If you observe an abdominal protrusion or any hernia symptoms or potrusions while doing crunches or any other time, stop immediately and discuss it with your doctor

If you have this ‘condition’ you will probably have been diagnosed with it not long after giving birth. However in most cases the medical profession fails to let the woman, post birth, know what exactly, they can do about it without causing further damage.
I also want to add, It’s never too late to start address the problem.

The issue with doing crunching type exercises is it causes more strain on this area which does not bring the separated tissue back together, in fact in the worst case scenario, can eventually lead to hernias and in the best, never achieve the aimed desire of flattening the abs OR strengthening the core to support the spine.

So what can you do?
Here’s a list of what not to do and some replacement exercises you CAN and should do. In fact after just one week of implementing the breathing exercise I had a mother of twins go from ‘not being able to see her toes when she looked down’ to being able to see her toes! 🙂 so this is not just from the text book.

Below I have linked a video I made for you which shows you how to measure the gap.

If you do the exercises religiously, at a minimum several times per week you can expect things to be almost back to normal in a 12 week period. Obviously everyone is different and it may take more time.
To do and not to do;

No ab crunches of any kind (no Pilates 100s, sit-ups, reverse abs etc) Alternative is diaphragm breathing with a gentle pelvic floor lift / contraction at the end of the exhale part of the breath. – This is the exercise that shrank my clients stomach in one week! 🙂

No planks
Alternative is side plank

No exercises staying on all fours
Alternative – Diaphragm breathing or side lying leg exercises

No burpees
Alternative just the jump (if your pelvic floor will hold it) and not plank

No swimming Freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke or butterfly, avoid stretching the arms above the head and therefore stretching the abdominal cavity.
Alternative – swim with a kick board against chest using legs only this is for both on your belly or on your back

No deep back bends in yoga, (such as camel pose or up dog)
Alternative – half the back bend such a sphinx pose

No push-ups
Alternative – Push-ups against the wall in a diagonal position

Down dog (yoga pose) is ok but no transition to a plank
Alternative drop to knees to transition

However, trust me the basis is simply not to put forward, outward or downward pressure on the rectus abdominus (six pack muscle) or outer layer of abdominal muscles at all. The focus must be on the deeper muscles. The transverses abdominus, internal obliques (side muscles) and the pelvic floor (needs no description here) as well as healing and visualising the healing of the pelvic floor from the inside out.

This woman I’ve included a link to below – Julie Tupler, has built a business around this one particular issue, recommends using her splint for the healing time (no it’s never too late to start). I didn’t personally have this issue, however if I did I’d try everything without the splint first. I have had clients recover without the splint, but you are the best judge as it’s your body.
https://www.diastasisrehab.com/TUPLERTIPS.PDF

Do you want to change YOUR body from the inside out? – I promise it’s actually the only effective way to do it 😉

The next round of my women’s only online 12 week challenge is opening places soon.
If you’d like to apply for one of the spots or find out more click here.

Loads of Ab exercises and lots of other awesome stuff included, to get you the body you deserve 😉

Do you or someone you know have Separated abs after birth?
Please share this article if you think it may help someone.

Click here to see the video on how on measure your gap so you can track your progress.

Me Fat vs. Now – How I used to think

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My aim with this post is to help you shorten your pain and frustration if you are in any,

while you are trying to ‘get healthy’ or ‘lose weight’.

Here we go;

As soon as my eyes were open in the morning this is what Id’ think;

THEN: I can’t believe I’m this fat, I should know what to do to change, I’m a personal trainer 🙁

insert picture here of someone squeezing their fat and having a very sad face 🙁

NOW: I am so grateful for this little healthy girl who’s just woken me up… and I’m also grateful for… x, y, z. (the list changes daily) – Sometimes I still have to fight off the habit off squeezing any fat and saying negative things to myself, but I’m definitely winning that war. Distraction is a great thing.

NO I’m not saying I’m fat, but see how we all do our own heads in with this talk? – I’m similar to you, we are all a work in progress.

————–

THEN: It doesn’t matter that I eat this packet of raw cookie dough as I’m fat anyway and completely bored with my life.

NOW: I’m conscious of what I’m eating. I mostly follow ‘paleo’ eating (I have done for approx 12 years) although I sometimes add carbs like sweet potato, potato and some rice. Most importantly I’m mindful – and present, while I’m eating it… even when I do overdose on the odd family block of Kit Kat or Potato cakes.

See, I still have treats (or eat off the plan), often several times each week but it doesn’t happen as often as it used to – plus it makes me feel sick which is a real deterrent. And I just want to add, I don’t sit there and put myself down while I’m doing it, I enjoy it. I now think, oh well, this might disrupt my sleep and I’m going to feel a little ‘hung over’ from the food tomorrow so I just know that’s going to happen and the world won’t end (I also try not to make major life changing decisions on these days haha – as that’s how I ended up in Melbourne, coming from Sydney. I made a tired decision, long funny story that one).

OH ALSO A Damage Control Supplement Tip: I also take 2-3 fish oil (or borage seed oil) capsules immediately afterwards, AND 1 Green Tea capsule, so my blood sugar doesn’t spike too high and then crash (which leads to the growth of more fat cells, one feeling more ‘crap’ for want of a better technical term and not to mention a damaged pancreas).

————–

THEN: Just do functional exercise as it uses your whole body at once for more of a fat burning effect, and it’s great for stability and strength.

NOW: I’ve realised the more full body circuit / running / long cardio workouts I do, the tired-er I get. (This has only effected me post baby I might add, which is why I sometimes like to take it out of mumma’s weekly exercise routines when they are my clients). I’m not saying don’t EVER do them, I’m just saying listen to your body, it knows and maybe there’s no need to bash it into being how you want it.

————–

THEN: Who’s body is this?? I hate it!!… (I used to run into things with my hips for the first little while after I had my daughter, then I got used to being bigger – which was depressing in itself). I completely disrespected myself and I thought that if I bashed myself up enough that would lead to me finally getting my size 10 body back post baby. But 4 Years after having her I was still close to 90 kg and a size 16-18 🙁

NOW: I’m stuck with this body for life, I will nourish it, respect it and damn well get it to do what I want by working with it, not pushing against it. Rather I need to develop patience.

I really had to let go of what I knew to be ‘the best way’ of exercising and eating and I had to try new things 🙂

It also helps that I have dived into, and I am incredibly grateful for, my work and the ability or career choice of making my life about helping other people, as soppy as that sounds. There’s nothing (that I’ve found) to be as effective to make you forget about your troubles as contributing to others and being around other people. So maybe you could get a cause bigger than yourself?

For a more detailed explanation of my post baby weight loss story, click to have a look at these videos I made here. They pretty much bare all.

Maybe you are not on a weight loss journey, maybe you are just on a ‘learn a new skill’ journey… I hope you can get something out of my story. I know I learnt to try new things rather than pushing crap up hill, so to speak.. by repeating old methods, day in day out, even though they weren’t working.

One simple example was that I had been exercising longer instead of smarter… To the detriment of my body as I got very, very tired, (and all you mums out there know you can’t afford to work, run a house and have a sleep in the middle of the day).

Here’s the link to my post baby weight loss videos again.

For now, stop bashing yourself. Love yourself instead. Know that you WILL get there, where ever you are going.

You are already amazing xx

Sorry are you too tired to want to get laid? – how wrong was I in that last post!

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Apologies if you are a sleep deprived mum who’s exercising purely for her sanity, if at all. You see one of my lovely readers just wrote back to me in response to that last post telling me she’s too tired to want to get laid. Wow do I remember that feeling! I’d completely forgotten.

At the moment I’m sure there’s a million things you could think of that you’d rather do than have sex. (999,999 of those being to get some sleep perhaps?).

You see I’m rather lucky now my daughter is a little older and I share her with her father every second weekend. So I get to have my own ‘private’ life and I forget what it’s like to have small children running around and never getting ANY time to yourself.

I also know that I wasn’t interested after having my child until I raised my zinc (red blood cell) levels back to waaaayyyyyy above the norm for Australian standards. You see Zinc helps to raise your testosterone levels, naturally. Read more about zinc and how to test your levels click here.

Until then, nurture yourself and have some ‘you’ time without the guilt. Do whatever it is that makes you a more awesome person to be around and better parent, friend, spouse, sister, brother, aunty or uncle.

Chat to you soon,

x Kate

My Personal Journey of Weight Loss Post Baby

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This series of videos has been a long time coming. I wanted to share with you the tough times I had over a period of 4 years to get my body back. From mindset challenges I had to overcome to trying and failing at many different theories on exercise and nutrition, getting back up and then trying again. I discuss everything including the bad (personal) stuff.. what worked, what didn’t and why. I hope you or someone you may know can get something out of these videos. Please feel free to share them if you think someone else may benefit.

It’s a challenge I certainly wasn’t ready for (the one of becoming a mother), so if this helps someone know not to give up on their quest for health and to learn to love themselves, then the aim of the videos has been reached. Let me know what you think in the comments below;