Hello Fit Chics…I just thought I’d share some surprising and interesting information with all of you women who are pregnant and/or are planning on having a family in the future.

Did you know that research has proven that women who exercise during their pregnancy are less likely to request an epidural during labor?? I thought this was really surprising! Apparently your pain tolerance is a lot higher.

Personally, I did not need an epidural for my first pregnancy and I did exercise all the way through. My second pregnancy was a C-section, so obviously I was sedated!

Here are the details of the study:

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This may be you: You have been following a great diet and exercise program for many years now, and suddenly your weight keeps creeping UPwards? Huh? Makes no sense right?

Well, the truth is that as we age we lose muscle. So if you are doing nothing to MAINTAIN your muscle then you are going to lose it. Why does losing muscle make you gain weight? This happens because the less muscle you have throughout your body, the slower your metabolism will be.

Did you know that on average men and women who DO NOT lift weight will lose approximately 6 lbs of muscle every decade?

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Are you a GRATEFUL person or do you tend to focus on the things that you don’t have? Do your thoughts often reflect a stream of negative, incessant thought all day that keeps repeating itself over and over again?

You may want to listen to what I have to say here because your thoughts may be having a direct effect on just how much exercise you engage in each week!

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Well the holidays are officially upon us. The American Thanksgiving is just about here…only two days to go! As a mom, wife, employee, friend, and neighbor do you find that you have little to no time for yourself?!

The majority of women are guilty of this. They put everyone else’s needs before their own. You likely know what I’m talking about! You are juggling your career, extracurricular activities for your kids, trying to pay attention to your hubby, making the time to listen to your co-workers issues…and now on top of it all you have holiday shopping to do. There is baking and cleaning to be done…your family is expecting you to host the gathering this year and you are completely exhausted! Gee…I wonder why?

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Okay Fit Chics…do you LOVE CHOCOLATE? Just before that time of the month, do you get irritable and feel totally ‘out of control’ rummaging through your cupboards looking for anything with chocolate in it?! I know I go through these spells just before my period.

Physiologically, this is so normal. Check out what I have to say about the forbidden word, “CHOCOLATE…”

As Fit Chics, we experience a dip in sugar levels and estrogen before our period, which explains the craving for high sugar and high fat foods.

Am I tellling you to go ahead and buy all the chocolate you can afford? No! What I do though is ‘give in’ to my craving. I will have my piece of chocolate and move on with my day…the key is NOT to beat yourself up about it!

I do recommend that you buy DARK CHOCOLATE, as it has many health benefits such as…

A high content of flavonoids and antioxidants which neutralize free radicals in your body. Free radicals are nasty and can damage cells, clog arteries, and contribute to chronic illness and aging. They are found in leafy veggies, fruits, wine, and chocolate.

I look for a dark chocolate that is high in cocoa, at least 85%.

Remember to NOT feel guilty…just move on with your day and understand that food cravings can signify a need for certain nutrients that you are lacking. Just don’t go overboard and indulge in chocolate all day!!

Have a great weekend Fit Chics!!

Cheers to health,

Angie
ISSA – C.P.T., B.Ed.

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This is the time of year when people want to get serious about their weight/fat loss. Let me give you some facts to remember so that you are prepared ahead of time for your fitness journey…

Soon, the gourmet feasts will be here…and so is that snazzy dress that you plan to fit into! Here is the TRUTH to your concerns:

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I thought this was an interesting study to report from Boston College: “60% of the successful dieters had strong beliefs that they could handle uncomfortable situations. Their thoughts reflect a very positive and firm belief that they are in control of their eating.”
Whereas, two-thirds of the unsuccessful dieters reported worries about what other people were thinking of them.

You, too, can be a very successful eater. Work on these stategies:

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Well, the holidays are upon us and it’s that time of year of family gatherings, wonderful memories, and, of course, lots of scruptuous food!

Do you already have the thoughts that…”Ya, maybe I’ll just wait until the New Year to begin my diet program.” Or, “There is no point in trying to stick to my plan during the holidays since I HAVE TO eat Aunt Pat’s homemade apple pie or I just HAVE TO eat one of her delicious brownies.”

If you are already succumbing to this kind of ‘all or none thinking’ you are setting yourself up to loosen your belt another notch. This is obviously not the direction you want.

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There always seems to be great confusion surrounding what to eat and when to eat before your workout routine. I want to clarify a few things for you.

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I just wanted to share a great tip with you that I find is working very well with my training clients. We have a ‘check in’ call. We set up a time to do a quick call to each other in the morning. This call is solely to let the other person know that you did your cardio. Wow, is it effective!

Once that alarm goes off in the morning, I am UP! I am ready to get going on my bike or walk because I know that someone is counting on me to do it. I know that I will be getting a call soon and I don’t want to have any lame excuses. This set up will encourage you to be accountable to a plan and motivated to prove to someone else that you did it!

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