Pelvic Floor Awareness
August 31, 2022
Written By: Coach MJDo we find ourselves avoiding certain exercises like skipping or jumping because we don’t trust our bladder to leak or our pelvic floor feeling an unknown pressure? Or are we running to the bathroom before or part way through a workout? Sometimes even sneezing, coughing or laughing is a concern.
Our pelvic floor is something that we don’t think about till we have an issue with it.
This topic is starting to open up more as we are learning more on how our pelvic floor plays an important part in the physical health of our bodies. Pelvic floor physiotherapists are being recommended more often to all ages as we are learning to be more proactive, instead of after the fact, when dealing with pelvic floor issues such as incontinence and prolapses. It can be an issue for men as well but tends to be talked about more with women.
To help you become more aware of your pelvic floor here is an exercise to try I call the marble exercise:
- Laying on the floor with your knees bent and feet on the floor in a relaxed position, imagine a marble on your belly. Take a few deep breaths to allow your body to relax and release any tension.
- Step 1: You want to move that marble from your belly button to your heart and back, think about it as a Cat/Cow laying down. As you inhale your hips rotate up in a pelvic tilt imagine the marble moving toward your heart, your pelvic floor automatically pulls in. Exhale as you rotate hips back feeling that marble roll back to your belly button, pelvic floor releases. It's all in the hip movement, keep everything else relaxed making sure we are not pushing our feet to the ground. Take it slow and really concentrate on the marble moving back and forth and the ebb and flow of your pelvic floor.
- Step 2: Now with the hips only, we are going to move that marble from hip to hip. Again don’t push your feet to the ground. Try to relax and move that marble side to side and feel the pelvic floor move with it. Can you feel one side working more than the other as you move your hips? As with the rest of our body one side may be stronger than the other.
- Step 3: Now let's put the 2 movements together and roll that marble in a circle around our belly button! Once again keeping everything else as relaxed as possible, visualize that marble circling around. Start at one hip rolling the marble up towards our heart around the belly button, down to the other hip and back to the starting hip. Feel the automatic response of your pelvic floor in each position. After a few rotations reverse the movement.
Can you feel your pelvic floor at work? Can you engage it a little more as you think about the different movement patterns? Does it need some work?
It is important to know how your pelvic floor reacts to the different exercise movements we do. A strong pelvic floor will keep you lifting and moving safely. If it is weaker we may need to adjust our movements or the weight that we use. There are many ways to work at building your pelvic floor strength just like any other muscle, the first step is being aware of it!
To learn more ways to work on your health and fitness journey contact Coach MJ at maryjane@degreefitnessseaforth.com, or click here to book your FREE No Sweat Intro!
Written By: Coach Sienna The media portrays fitness as looking a certain way and creating this picture of a “perfect person” who eats clean and works out everyday and does everything right and never messes up. When you're always being shown this version of fitness it’s easy to start to think, is this what being fit is? ..... And suddenly you find yourself comparing yourself to unrealistic standards. Fitness is much more than the shape of our body! It's about what your body can do for you and how it can support your daily life and how movement makes you feel strong, accomplished, proud, empowered! Here is how we can overcome the negative impact that some Media has on us, and fitness in general: Redefine Fitness Fitness is more than your body, it's strength, endurance, mobility, energy and how you feel. It's not supposed to be perfect or linear, your body will change and life will happen. What matters most is showing up for yourself and moving your body. Even a little bit can go a long way! Positive Self Talk You don't have to be perfect to love yourself. Be kind to your mind and speak to yourself with kindness. Remind yourself of what your body can do for you, remember you are WORTHY! :) Focusing On The Little Wins We often have such a heavy focus on how we look but what if it was never about how we looked but more about how we felt. Do you notice after you get in a workout or a session you always tend to have a lift in your mood and a shift in perspective. Movement has the power to make us feel strong and happy and more like ourselves! Do Movements You Enjoy Fitness should be fun and functional. You are more likely to stick to it if you enjoy it! Find movements that excite you. Like lifting, walking, running, dancing, gymnastics etc. When you focus on what your body can do and not what it looks like, you can start to see how strong and capable you really are! Set Goals Related To Movement-Mood-Function Movement - touching your toes or doing your first push-up Mood - Having more energy during the day and feeling less anxious Function - Carrying groceries, running around with your kids, etc. Remember - you are already enough! You don't need to look a certain way to be fit. You just need to move your body in a way you enjoy, take care of yourself and celebrate what your body does for you everyday! If you've been feeling stuck, or wanting to start working out with a Coach, or in an environment that is inclusive, inviting, safe, honours all body shapes and sizes, we can help! CLICK HERE to book a free meeting with one of our Coaches to learn how you can get started at Degree or, email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com .
Written By: Coach Sienna We know Cardio is good for your heart health but it is also good for our respiratory systems which help bring oxygen to fuel our muscles to do what they gotta do! By doing cardio we strengthen all of these components which help us live a happier healthy lifestyle! Your body is built to move and releases happy chemicals called endorphins from having an increased heart rate which can improve your mood. This can happen in just 10 minutes! We all know Cardio is an important part of our health but most of us just don’t have a lot of time due to kids, work, life etc. Just remember any movement is a good movement! No matter how long or short it may be. The little things add up (: Use this 10 minute at home cardio workout (no equipment needed!) to get your heart rate up and feeling your best even on the busiest days. 2 Rounds of 1 minute of Jumping Jacks 1 minute of High Knees 1 minute Air Squats or Jump Squat 1 minute of Burpees 1 minute of Mountain Climbers *Rest as needed but try to keep it 30s or less between movements! We understand life gets in the way and schedules can be tough - we are here to help! Let us know how it went! Email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com , or, visit www.degreefitnessseaforth.com/get-started to book your FREE No Sweat Intro to learn more!
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian You've probably heard of iron and know it's important. Maybe you've even had your levels checked through bloodwork! Iron is an important mineral in our diet. It is part of the blood cells that carry oxygen around our body, and plays roles in growth and the production of some hormones. The amount of iron you need varies. Men need less, while women need more due to blood loss during menstruation. This puts women at higher risk for low iron. The symptoms of low iron include feeling sluggish and fatigued, pale skin, and even hair loss! Women under 50 years old need 18mg of iron a day, while women over 50 and all men only need 8mg of iron daily. Many people can get enough iron through a varied and balanced diet. Iron is found in meat, poultry, fish, legumes, eggs, soy, and many grains and vegetables. Our bodies are better able to absorb iron from animal sources - this type of iron is referred to as "heme iron". Non-heme iron is found in plant sources and is harder for your body to absorb. If you rely on plant-based sources of iron, you may need to eat a lot more of it. Pairing iron sources with sources of vitamin C can also help increase absorption. If you suspect your iron levels are low, ask your doctor to check your levels through a blood test. If your iron level is low and you're already consuming enough through diet, you may need a supplement to increase your levels. Always check if you actually need an iron supplement before starting one! Iron plays some key roles in our bodies, and is important for overall health! Make sure you include a variety of sources daily to meet your body's needs! Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more information about our Nutrition Programs, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!