Life got crazy busy and we still don’t know if or when we will get back to posting here regularly. But, we thought it would be fun to check in and let you know what we have been up to.

We are still blogging, but on our own sites (which we started before Real Fit Moms).

Here is a quick rundown of where you can find us:

Emma

Emma is still blogging at Better with Cake, where she shares delicious, yet healthy, recipes every week.

Like these Strawberry Choc Chip Tahini Bliss Bites:

Emma is currently finishing a nutrition certification and still loves to lift heavy weights on a regular basis. She is also a certified personal trainer.

Be sure to follow Emma on her blog, and on Facebook and Instagram!

Stacy

Stacy blogs at A Delightful Home and is still just as crazy about DIY products as ever. Most of them are natural body care products or herbal remedies, not the build-your-own shelves kind of DIY!

Stacy completed her group fitness instructor trainer 18 months ago and is also at the end of a Family Herbalist course and recently started a natural living show on Periscope.

Be sure to follow Stacy on her blog, and on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

We miss you! Come say hi!

Hi friends,

We wanted to let you know that this blog will be on hold for a while.

Emma and I need to take a little break.

We are so thankful for all of you and so proud of the effort you are putting in to make life healthier!

We will most likely continue to update the Facebook page for this season. So, follow us over there.

Sign up for email updates if you’d like to know when we start posting again.

bch

With love,

Emma and Stacy

As a personal trainer, one question I get asked a lot is, “how can I get a flat stomach/6 pack/great abs”? It’s something a lot of people strive for.

Now I’m not going to give you a workout plan with a hundred different variations of crunches. What I will tell you is that you can trim your waist and build a stronger core without doing a single crunch.

Yes, you read that right. Not a single crunch.

As far as exercise is concerned, you may have noticed I don’t share many “ab” specific workouts here on real fit moms. That’s because I believe you should be working your core/abs with each and every exercise you do. Your abs are your girdle, you should have them engaged as often as you can, especially when your exercising. Even when your not.

Stop what you’re doing, take a breath and brace/engage your abs. Imagine you are trying to draw your belly button back against your spine. Don’t hold your breath, you should still be able to breathe freely while your abs are engaged. Now hold it for 10 seconds to start with. Relax and repeat.

Do this anywhere and everywhere – while your making dinner, folding laundry, sitting at the stop light while your driving around in your car running errands. Slowly build on the length of time you hold this for and in no time at all you will see progress. I promise.

I also firmly believe that abs are made in the kitchen. If you want to see that “6 pack” or even just get yourself a flatter stomach one of the main things you need to do it clean up your diet.

Look at what your eating. A lot of foods have crazy amounts of hidden salt (among other things)  and this my friend is something that can cause fluid retention and crazy bloating, ain’t nobody got time for that!

I would encourage you to eat as much fresh produce as possible. Lot’s of lean protein (chicken, turkey, fish, salmon, beef, kangaroo etc), lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Pay attention to what and how much you’re eating. Eat slowly so you’re not swallowing excess air and chew your food properly.

I was so excited to see I was not alone in my “no crunches required to trim your tum” mindset when we met Beth, owner of Fit2B in one of our weekly “How do you stay fit” features.

Beth is a professional, and girlfriend knows what she is talking about and actually specializes in this area. She has a wide variety of family-friendly programs to offer which are designed to  “effectively tone and strengthen the WHOLE body without crunches” and some particularly target Diastasis Recti (split abs). 

So, whether you’re just starting out, male or female, new mama, expectant mama, or your little ones are grown, you should totally stop by Fit2B and check out some of the incredible workouts Beth has to offer. A wide variety of fitness routines, ready when you are in the comfort of your own home, family friendly so everyone can join in while at the same time managing to be gentle, yet effective! LOVE

Can you believe it’s that time again, time for another one of our monthly plank challenges!

Are you in?

Good, let’s do this.

 

Here are the how to’s for those of us who are new to planking –

1. Lie face down on mat resting on the floor, palms down flat on the floor.
2. Push up off the floor resting on your elbow or you can push up with arms fully extended if you prefer.
3. Legs out straight behind you.
4. Keep your back flat with neutral spine (a straight line from head to heels).
5. Brace/contract your abdominals make sure you don’t stick your butt up in the air or have your body sagging in the middle.
6. Hold, as long as you can . . .

This is my preferred method of planking, on the elbows . . .

Here I am with arms fully extended, do what you feel people as long as your getting it done . . . deal?

You can click here to get a link to a video demo if you like 

Now get your stop watch ready, and go!

Here’s how I did this month –

I am not gonna lie here people, this month was tough! I was determined to beat my last months time, and I did, only just but still I did it!

Boomshakalocka!

I am getting stronger every day baby, little by little, slowly but surely I’m getting stronger. And so are you. Love it!

Don’t forget to share your results. You. Can. Do. It!!!!!

How do you keep track of your results/progress?

If you have any weight to lose, chances are you want it gone as quickly as possible.

I know I did.

The problem I have found with trying to lose weight quickly is this: it rarely stays off.

Super fast weight loss is often the result of some type of serious deprivation and/or a crazy exercise schedule.

You know what happens when you deprive yourself for too long? You binge.

Sometimes you end up heavier than before.

Eating too little and overexercising are both harmful to the body. Doing these things for a long period of time will cause damage and also make it more difficult to lose weight.

As much as we might want the weight gone right now, this is a time when slow and steady wins the race.

Making small changes, sticking with them, and forming new habits, takes time and care. Trying to change everything at once often leads to burn out and giving up.

This is something we tried to drive home in the eBook 42 Days to Fit. Make one change at a time to see lifelong results.

You are not on a diet. You are living a healthy lifestyle!

You need to build it brick by brick.

Now, speaking of 42 Days to Fit, we want to give you a little heads up about an amazing eBook bundle that is coming out on Monday and will be available for 6 days only: The Ultimate Homemaking Bundle.

This bundle includes 97 eBook and eCourses, plus $140 in product bonuses, and it’s selling for $29.97! Is that crazy, or what?

42 Days to Fit is part of this bundle, along with some other amazing books on eating real food, losing weight, mothering, organizing, and other healthy living in general.

We’ve seen the line up and you won’t believe your eyes!

We’ll share all the details on Monday. You don’t want to miss it!

Do you find it hard to look at weightloss and fitness as a slow and steady thing?

Some of you may or may not have noticed that our wednesday workouts have been a little lower body focussed lately . . . that would be because I injured my rotator cuff. Majorly. Like serious, s-e-r-i-o-u-s pain. Im talking weeks (months actually) of torture physiotherapy to get it back to a place where I can get through the day almost pain free. Sigh. Just incase you noticed I thought I should explain a little.

Anyway, here I am well on the road to recovery and ready to build some strength back in to my upper body and guess what? Your totally coming along for the ride.

Today we are doing a basic upper body workout, all you need is something for resistance. Anything appropriate to you upper body strength but make sure its challenging. Use what you got people, make it count.

So as always, firstly we need to warm up for 5 minutes or so. Run on the spot, do jumping jacks, jump rope, dance around the living room, do step ups on the stairs. Anything to get you warm.

Then we get serious.

We are going to perform 10 reps of each exercise (each arm with tricep extension) with a 1 minute rest once all exercises have been done through once. Then we repeat the entire routine through twice more for a total of 3 sets, each time we finish strong with our plank I want you to aim to hold it for an extra 15 seconds for example – our round 1 plank is 30seconds, round 2 is 45 seconds and round 3 is 6o seconds. Get it? Got it? Good

You can do it!

Then finish with a nice little cool down, maybe take a slow walk or something anything to help bring the heart rate down, then finish with few stretches.

Don’t skip the stretch people, it’s like dessert for your body and you deserve this little treat, you worked hard 

Ok enough chit chat, lets get it on!

Question of the day –

Do you prefer to work upper or lower body?

I personally prefer lower body, each to their own though right?

I was watching the biggest loser last night and something struck me. Well it usually does, it’s sooooo emotional. My heart breaks for these contestants who find themselves feeling lost, helpless and out of control. We have all been there right? I know I have. It’s no fun I can tell you that much.

Anyway, these contestants who are slogging it out for hours and hours in the gym, eating carefully tailored eating plans to ensure they are staying within their individual calorie goals only to step on the scales on their weekly weigh in (in front of the entire nation!!) only to be devastated because the number they see on the scale doesn’t meet there expectations.

It’s heartbreaking.

Yes I am aware that it is a weightloss competition therefore the number on the scale reflects their chances of winning the big bucks but I feel like this is something we can all relate to. Being a slave to the scale. Whether your needing to lose a little or a lot, or if you one of the unlucky few who are struggling to gain some much needed weight, don’t let yourself become a slave to the scale.

There are so many other things we can pay attention to. Things that are much more accurate, not to mention more important than any number you see on a scale.

Especially if you are just starting out and incorporating resistance training to build some lean muscle. I have talked many times before about how much I love lift weights. Lifting weights will not bulk you up ladies, it will sculpt a lean, toned fat burning machine. Muscle burns fat, the more muscle you have the more energy (aka calories) you will burn even while your sleeping. Truth.

However, in the early stages of your journey while your body is building some new muscle mass, it can show small weight increases during the initial stages because as we have heard time and time again,  muscle weighs more than fat. While your weight may increase in the beginning, it is not because you are not making progress.

I strongly encourage you take “before and after photos”. This is, although incredibly daunting is a great way to see your progress. You look at your body in one way or another every day so you may not see the changes taking place.

Track your measurements, not every day though. Once a month take your measurements and even if there is no change on the scale you bet there will be some changes in your body composition. How are your clothes fitting? A little more comfortable? The scale may not show it but you will be getting, leaner, smaller, healthier and these things and so much more important than a number on a scale.

Pay attention to how you feel. Are you sleeping better, less bloated, hows your skin looking and most importantly how is your energy?

Please do not be discouraged, do not lose heart and please, please, please do not become a slave to the scale. In the past I have had husbands, sisters, loved ones hide the scales from clients who were obsessed with weighing in every day and losing heart to the point of wanting to give up because the scale just wasn’t moving how they wanted or thought it should. Weighing in every day, or several times a day was stressing them out. Stress does not do a body any good. We all know it. You know what happened, once the pressure of the scale was gone and these clients took to weighing in just once a month . . . giving them the time to take in other changes taking place, their skin was clearer, they were sleeping better, less bloated, their clothes fit better and they had loads more energy. And you know what else, the numbers moved in their favour.

So I encourage you to please, step away from the scale. Breathe. Take each day as it comes. One day at a time, one meal at a time, one workout at a time.

You can do it.

You are more than a number on a scale.

You are enough.

What are some other ways you can track your progress in your journey to better health and fitness?

OK, so today we are doing a hard and fast lower body HIIT workout.

When I say fast I mean fast. It’s just 6 exercises followed by 1 minute of (active) rest . . . then we repeat it through twice more for a total of 3 sets.

I got this workout done in under 20 minutes and that included a warm up and cool down stretch.

Boomshakalocka.

Get. It. Done!

Remember the thing about a HIIT workout is that you need to give it everything you’ve got. It’s a shorter workout remember, You. Can. Do. It! The benefits are totally worth the burn. Increased cardiovascular fitness, and revved up metabolism . . . ahh yes please.

Like I said, totally worth it right?!

No equipment, no excuses. Just get in and get it done. I’m not gonna lie though, this is a tough one. When I say hard and fast, I mean it. Each circuit took me about 3 1/2 minutes to complete, followed by 1 minute rest. Quality not quantity here, people. Make. It. Count.

So, why not kick start your day with this killer lower body HIIT, get the heart rate pumpin’, metabolism kicked into over drive. Feel the burn, baby!

So as always, firstly we need to warm up for 5 minutes or so. Run on the spot, do jumping jacks, jump rope, dance around the living room, do step ups on the stairs. Anything to get you warm.

Then it’s go time.

Like I said, we are going to perform each exercise with as much intensity as you can muster then take a one minute, well earned rest once all exercises have been completed once. Here’s the catch though, you must remain active. Slowly walk around the room, grab a drink of water, pat yourself on the back, anything . . . just keep moving. Let your heart rate come down a little but don’t stop moving, OK? Then we repeat the entire routine through twice more for a total of 3 sets!

Finish with a nice little cool down, maybe take a slow walk or something, anything to help bring the heart rate down. Finish with few stretches.

Don’t skip the stretch, it’s like dessert for your body. I know I’ve talked before about how much I love it, stretching really is one of the best things you can do for your body – please don’t skip it. You deserve this little treat, you worked hard 

Here we goooooooooo!

Boom! Crushed it! Nice work!

What’s your fave post workout cool down/stretch?

I just wanted to take a minute to say that you, my friend are enough.

You are wonderful

You are amazing

You are strong

You are intelligent

You are beautiful

You are extremely talented

You are like no other and that is a truly incredible and wonderful thing.

To often we get caught up in comparing ourselves to others –

– “She’s prettier/skinnier/fitter than I am”

– “She’s a better wife/mother/friend than I am”

– “She is so much more talented/intelligent than I am”

You know what . . . we need to stop looking and comparing ourselves to others. Acknowledge others accomplishments, use them as inspiration but don’t try to be someone that your not.

No two people are alike. No two journeys are alike. You are different, you are unique, you are enough!

Now go, look yourself in the eye and tell yourself. You are wonderful, your are amazing, you my friend are enough.

And I love you, just as you are xo

Welcome back to the How do you stay fit series, today we’d like to introduce you to Renee of Yo-Yo Eating No More.

Tell us a little about yourself and your lifestyle

One 15 yr. old and a 13 yr. old. I home school them from birth on.

How do you “find” (or create) the time for exercise?

I make it a priority during the week and sometime during the weekend.

What time of day do you prefer to workout (morning/afternoon/evening)?

Morning.

What is your favorite workout?

Fitness Blenders.

Do you have any health or fitness achievements to share?

Ran 2 5ks without stopping to walk. No longer a yo-yo eater. Praise God!

What are your current fitness goals?

To remain stable with my exercise and weight.

Favorite healthy (family) meal?

Smoothies and just “Real – Live” food.

Favorite treat meal or guilty pleasure?

Chocolate.

Do you pamper/reward yourself for achieving a health and fitness milestone? If so, how?

Chocolate or new fitness equipment.

If you could tell moms who want to get fit one thing, what would it be?

Don’t stop trying. You are worth it!

Do you have a blog or website?

Yo-Yo Eating No More.

I love that Renee is no longer a yo-yo eater! I think many of us have “yo-yoed” from time to time! This is very encouraging to read!

Want to share any tips for how you stay fit. Leave us a comment below.