These last two weeks have been very long for me. Actually more like this past month. I started a new training plan which involved more time in the gym and more time away from my daughter. It required me to tend to my house more than normal and make sure everything was clean as I knew I had family coming to visit soon and a spare room that still had boxes and things to be unpacked from when we moved. (Yes, still sitting there.) I had to spend time on preparing meals two times a week that took about 4-5 hours each time. To top it off I had 2 failed sleep studies which I still have to take one more and then I just quit lol. Let’s not forget appointments and Dr visits from having a sick kid once again! Anyways, all of this has made my time with my daughter feel limited. Each night I rock her to sleep I stare at her and realize how each day she gets a little bigger. New words are added to her vocabulary and I wonder where my sweet baby has gone as I hold this growing toddler who I love more than life itself. I dont want to miss this. This time I will never get back. This time that goes faster than I ever thought and one day she wont be my little girl curled up in my lap and it brings tears to my eyes. So for now I’ll stare at this tiny ever growing face and remember this….
Everyday, no matter what happens or who my daughter is with, when she sees me she stops and runs to me yelling “Mommy!” with the biggest hug because she missed me. She loves me. We need to as Moms (and Dads who read this) not be so hard on ourselves. We need to trust that what we are doing is right for our kids and not worry about what anyone else says or does. There will be times that no matter what we do someone else will disagree with our method or think they can do it better or just plain think we are wrong. Guess what, your not. If it’s what you feel is best then there is no wrong answer. There is no who did it better. It’s about what is right for YOUR family and guess what, the wonderful part is WHO F*%*ing CARES what others think!!! That’s the best part!! When you become a parent, you instantly become your own boss and no one above you will ever tell you what’s right or wrong. Your in charge. It’s a HUGE undertaking but absolutely the most rewarding experience one can ever have. It’s the most beautiful, exhausting, mind blowing, 24/7 time consuming, mentally draining, under appreciated, under valued and physically demanding job you will ever know and it lasts the rest of your life…… incredible right? (And a little scary lol) it’s also the BEST job I have EVER had…. period.
I read the poem below in a forum and had to share it here as it says it better than I could ever do…
“When we are worrying over whether or not they are eating right, eating enough, or if they even ate at all today.
They are loving us.
When we wonder if we are too hard on them or not disciplining them enough.
They are loving us.
When they give us extra cuddles or throw the biggest tantrum ever.
They are loving us.
When we are not sure if we held them too much today or didn’t hold them enough.
They are loving us.
When we can’t always be the fun and exciting mom because the house needs cleaned and life is chaotic.
They are loving us.
When we are trying to be present at home, but work is weighing on our minds.
They are loving us.
When we feel like everything is going wrong.
They are loving us.”
-Sara Bigelow Myser
Remember this, at the end of the day, nothing matters but your family. Your little ones who look up to you and think your the sun moon and stars all combined into one. You answer to no one but the Man Above, so release that tension from your shoulders, take a deep breath, and enjoy this little glimpse of time because it will all be gone before you know it and be just a wonderful memory.
xoxo
Wendy Lee Govoni Capurso
]]>Vitamin K is an essential vitamin that is one of the four fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamin K comes in different forms (vitamers) that are either phylloquinones (vitamin K1) or menaquinones (vitamin K2 which is abbreviated as MK-x.) The three forms of vitamin K that can be utilized by the body are vitamin K1 and dual forms of K2 (MK-4 and MK-7.) The health benefits of vitamin k seem endless and include regression of preformed arterial calcification, maintenance of bone density, and promotion of a healthy heart and vascular system. As with all of my articles, I do not feel making claims on a product or ingredient is good enough. Instead, we must dig into the research…and luckily for us. vitamin k has well over 400 studies that I have personally read over the years. The first one I wish to look at is from Knapen et al and looked at a three-year low-dose menaquinone-7 supplementation and how it helps decrease bone loss. The results were that MK-7 intake significantly improved vitamin K status and decreased the age-related decline in BMC and BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck, but not at the total hip. Bone strength was also favorably affected by MK-7. MK-7 significantly decreased the loss in vertebral height of the lower thoracic region at the mid-site of the vertebrae. This lead to their conclusion that MK-7 supplements may help to prevent bone loss (1.)
But even more importantly that aiding in bone mineral density is its ability to fight atherosclerosis (as this is my main reason for recommending this vitamin to bodybuilders that are using potentially harsh supplements that can cause atherosclerosis over time.) Jennifer Ming has talked extensively on this topic stating that “numerous studies have demonstrated that people with higher intakes of vitamin K2 have a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. Intrigued by this connection, Polish researchers from the Medical University at Lodz teamed up with researchers from Maastricht University in the Netherlands and Poland’s International Science and Health Foundation to determine if vitamin K2 supplementation could reduce the progression of existing atherosclerosis. The scientists evaluated the progression of atherosclerosis in a group of 42 patients with chronic kidney disease. These patients were ideal for this type of study because they are known to experience a rapid reduction in bone mineral density (a measure of bone strength) as a result of calcium losses from bone. They are also subject to equally excessive deposits of calcium in tissues where it doesn’t belong—particularly in the walls of major arteries. For the study, the subjects were divided into two groups. One group received vitamin K2 (90 mcg per day) plus vitamin D3 (400 IU per day). The second group received only vitamin D3 (400 IU per day). After nine months, it was already evident that the subjects taking the combination of vitamins K2 and D3 experienced a slower progression of the Common Carotid Intima Media Thickness, which is a good indicator of atherosclerosis, as well as a predictor of cardiovascular episodes and death. Specifically, the thickness of the carotid (major neck) arteries increased by 13.73% in the group taking vitamin D3, but in the group taking both vitamins, it only increased by 6.32%. Remember that the group of subjects in this study have a tendency for an increased carotid intima media thickness as a result of calcium losses from bone. In addition, subjects taking the combination of vitamins K2 and D3 showed a reduction in carotid artery calcification score in all patients except those with the highest scores at baseline. This indicates that calcium was staying in the bones, where it belongs, and out of the arteries. These results clearly indicated that vitamin K2 does indeed reduce the progression of atherosclerosis” (2, 3, 4.)
Vitamin K clearly has a place on everyone’s health supplement shelf and has more than enough literature and actual application to back that statement up. In terms of practical application, we need to look at a few different minimum effective dosages for the various forms of vitamin k. For phylloquinone (vitamin K1), the minimum effective dosage is 50mcgs. For short chain menaquinones (MK-4), the minimum effective dosage is 1500mcgs. For the longer chain menaquinones (MK-7, MK-8, and MK-9), the minimum effective dose is around 100-250mcgs. So be sure to purchase a vitamin k product that contains the effective forms of vitamin k and in the proper dosages.
Alex Kikel
MS, PES, CPT, Speed and Explosion Specialist Level II
Owner of www.theprepcoach.com
References
First off, lets look into GABA! GABA is known as the ‘downer’ neurotransmitter that counters glutamate and has a tough time crossing the blood brain barrier. GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter of the CNS. It is well established that activation of GABA(A) receptors favors sleep. Three generations of hypnotics are based on these GABA(A) receptor-mediated inhibitory processes. The first and second generation of hypnotics (barbiturates and benzodiazepines respectively) decrease waking, increase slow-wave sleep and enhance the intermediate stage situated between slow-wave sleep and paradoxical sleep, at the expense of this last sleep stage. The third generation of hypnotics (imidazopyridines and cyclopyrrolones) act similarly on waking and slow-wave sleep but the slight decrease of paradoxical sleep during the first hours does not result from an increase of the intermediate stage. It has been shown that GABA(B) receptor antagonists increase brain-activated behavioral states (waking and paradoxical sleep: dreaming stage). Recently, a specific GABA(C) receptor antagonist was synthesized and found by i.c.v. infusion to increase waking at the expense of slow-wave sleep and paradoxical sleep. Since the sensitivity of GABA(C) receptors for GABA is higher than that of GABA(A) and GABA(B) receptors, GABA(C) receptor agonists and antagonists, when available for clinical practice, could open up a new era for therapy of troubles such as insomnia, epilepsy and narcolepsy. They could possibly act at lower doses, with fewer side effects than currently used drugs (1.)
Second, we look into taurine. Taurine is an organic acid which acts as a lipid/membrane stablilizer in the body and is one of the major inhibitory amino acid neurotransmitters in the brain along with the previously mentioned GABA. When Taurine reaches the brain, it interacts with GABA receptors in the thalamus which is involved in controlling how much sensory information is forwarded to the processing cortex of the brain. Its in this way that taurine is more like a depressant than a stimulant and results in a suppression of excitatory activity. Lin et al stated in a paper entitled the “Effect of taurine and caffeine on sleep–wake activity in Drosophila melanogaster” that “Taurine is a GABA receptor agonist, which is inhibitory to neuronal firing. We show here that flies receiving a low dose of caffeine (0.01%) increase locomotor activity by 25%, and decrease total sleep by 15%. Treatment with taurine at 0.1% to 1.5% reduces locomotor activity by 28% to 86%, and shifts it from diurnal to nocturnal. At 0.75%, taurine also increases total sleep by 50%. Our results show that taurine increases sleep, while caffeine, as previously reported, attenuates sleep. Flies treated with both caffeine and taurine exhibit two differential effects which depend upon the ratio of taurine to caffeine. A high taurine:caffeine ratio promotes sleep, while a low ratio of taurine:caffeine inhibits sleep to a greater extent than the equivalent amount of caffeine alone” (2.)
Last, we look into Mucuna Puriens. Mucuna Pruriens are beans that are a good source of L-DOPA. One of the main reasons I’m a big fan of mucuna pruriens is because of their ability to induce a feeling of well being which aids in cortisol reductions and clearly is a good choice when looking at improving your quality of sleep. Shukla et al stated “This study included 60 subjects who were undergoing infertility screening and were found to be suffering from psychological stress, assessed on the basis of a questionnaire and elevated serum cortisol levels. Age-matched 60 healthy men having normal semen parameters and who had previously initiated at least one pregnancy were included as controls. Infertile subjects were administered with M. pruriens seed powder (5 g day(-1)) orally. For carrying out morphological and biochemical analysis, semen samples were collected twice, first before starting treatment and second after 3 months of treatment. The results demonstrated decreased sperm count and motility in subjects who were under psychological stress. Moreover, serum cortisol and seminal plasma lipid peroxide levels were also found elevated along with decreased seminal plasma glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid contents and reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activity. Treatment with M. pruriens significantly ameliorated psychological stress and seminal plasma lipid peroxide levels along with improved sperm count and motility. Treatment also restored the levels of SOD, catalase, GSH and ascorbic acid in seminal plasma of infertile men. On the basis of results of the present study, it may be concluded that M. pruriens not only reactivates the anti-oxidant defense system of infertile men but it also helps in the management of stress and improves semen quality” (3.)
There are obviously more tremendous sleep aids when it comes to supplementation but GABA, Taurine, and Mucuna Puriens are three that are easily in my top ten favorite sleep ingredients along with melatonin, l-theanine, and a few others. Luckily, GABA, Mucuna Puriens, melatonin, and l-theanine are all in RedCon1’s sleep product Fade Out which also contains other ingredients to aid in growth hormone support, getting you into a deeper REM sleep, as well as to improve muscle recovery!
Alex Kikel
MS, PES, CPT, Speed and Explosion Specialist Level II
Owner of www.theprepcoach.com
References
Kidding. But really, this is more of a personal post on where I’m at in my pregnancy and some things that have crossed my mind.
I am currently at a couple days over 37 weeks. That puts me over 9 months pregnant…yes, there are actually 10 full months, technically. At a little over 9 months, I am absolutely slowing down. Physically and mentally. This is when I tend to want to go into hibernation mode after 1pm. I’m up by 6:30 every morning with my [almost] 5 year old, beat by the time I drop him off at the bus at 8:15am, come back home to my [almost] 2 year old and finish getting him ready for the day.
I force myself into the gym because I know that will at least buy me a few more hours of energy. No matter how tired I may feel, getting to the gym (specifically getting my heart rate up and blood moving) will always give me some energy and make me feel better. Fellow gym-goers comment on how I’m carrying the pregnancy either physically and/or mentally, and I always credit it to getting in the gym. As run down as I’ve been feeling, I know it could be a lot worse and I just could not imagine not having some sort of exercise regimen worked into my daily routine.
At this point in the gym I’m more “going through the motions” versus trying to maintain anything…except my sanity. I still choose to challenge myself for one or two exercises, meaning keeping the weight at a number that only lets me do 8-10 reps. Even with all of the benefits proven with exercise during pregnancy, I am still finding on many websites talk of “light weight training is aloud.” No one is mentioning if you were weight training at a higher level pre-pregnancy, then [with your doctor’s permission] you can continue weight training at that same level. This is where lots of women are scared off whether they are advanced or not. Pregnancy is a whole new game, and proper guidance is required.
There is nothing wrong with continuing to train at a “heavier” load IF you were training that way prior to pregnancy.
Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I’ll move on to more life at 3 weeks out of having a baby. I am at the official point of countdowns and checklists. Although with number 3, the countdown isn’t quite as in my face as it was the first two times. I’m just over here trying to balance my already existing mom life of 2 rambunctious boys, taking shorts naps, making trips into our office, taking more short naps, doing something for myself (gym), being awake for the hubby, more naps and more “momming”. Somehow I’m not even sure how I’ve gotten to this point so fast! But it’s here, in my face, with lots of check marks next to my to-do list. Here are some things to consider having done in the last month of pregnancy, that made it to my list:
These are really the main things you’ll want/need in the very beginning and the hospital will even provide things like diapers, pacis, formula bottles to take home and get you going. Of course as days go by, there are many more items to add on but these will give you a good start. So don’t start freaking if you haven’t gotten your baby bullet blender off your registry for making food in 5 months!
Once these are checked off, you’ll go through the standard “nesting” phases which can include anything from deep cleaning your cabinets to finishing off the nursery details on a ladder way too high for your own good. I’m having fun with this last month, as exhausted as I am, because now I’m really feeling it, and it’s really getting real!
One thing you realize once you have kids is time goes by quick. As absolutely cliche as it is, it is so true. It doesn’t seem so long ago at all that we were surprised by the news of our first pregnancy. The emotion, the wonder, the shock of it all was all too real. In a month that little boy will be 5, following our second little man turning 2. Now I can barely even remember life before these guys. So if you’re in a rush to speed this time up, because of discomfort or whatever your reason may be, just remember how quickly the time will actually come and cherishing certain moments is the best we can do!
-Darielle Singerman
]]>Let’s talk about motivation for a minute. What is it to be motivated? It’s actually just a state of mind. The feeling that something has caused you the desire to behave in a certain way. Knowing this, it’s important to hold onto those moments in our mind that got us into the thing we desire (in this case, fitness), in the first place. Obviously motivations can change once our goals change. The first time I worked out when I was 16 is not the same reason I work out today, but it’s not going to be far off. Is it to reach a goal? To prove something? To feel better mentally and physically? Like staying humble, it’s important to never forget where you started, where “it” came from. If you sit down and think about these moments, what has driven you in the past, you can prepare yourself before those de-motivating moments hit. I, for example, am motivated seeing others train harder than me. I’ve always had fitness goals since the day I became 100% committed 7-8 years ago. Whether it was through competition, losing baby weight, prepping for a photoshoot or even preparing for pregnancy, I’ve always had something in mind keeping me focused. In my mind I know watching people train harder than me will push me to be the better version, or at least continue with what I’m doing and maintain my fitness level. In my case, speaking on a day that I may not want to get to the gym, I mentally get fired up by watching training clips, whether it be one or 10 exercises. In general, setting goals is going to be crucial for anything you’re doing. Whether we’re speaking motivation in the gym, work or school. Goals are the destination and what you do to get there is the journey.
While reading up on various ways to stay motivated, I came across something interesting, written by James Clear. He talks about the “Goldilocks Rule”. Psychologically, people are much more inclined to remain motivated when that thing is neither too easy nor too hard. You guessed it, it’s gotta be just right! Lets take the gym for example (shocker). If you are at a point that you are just going through the motions, not truly being challenged and no longer feel you are pushing yourself, it has become way too “easy” for you, thus leading to feeling unmotivated. On the opposite end, if you walk into a gym that feels overly intimidating to you, or perhaps you’re working with someone that is pushing you way beyond your fitness level and you feel nothing but discomfort for days after each training session, that may demotivate or discourage you. Find the healthy balance between the two where you are being challenged in a realistic way. You’ve set realistic goals and feel you are actually working towards something attainable. Humans enjoy a challenge, but usually if we feel it is reachable. So next time you’re not feeling the motivation, think about the routine you’re in and if tweaking that would tweak your motivation at all. If that doesn’t work, just throw on some shoes, suck it up and do 10 burpees, 10 squats & 10 pushups. Pushing yourself through the “pain” (in this case, not wanting to do it) , will actually trick your mind into thinking differently!
-Darielle Singerman
]]>I also knew I couldn’t do it alone. And that’s OK to admit. Find yourself a good coach.
What is a good coach/mentor to you?
To me, a good coach makes time to listen and communicate. I know I can expect a response in a reasonable time. (No waiting anxiously for weeks for a reply. A good coach is one who won’t allow you failure. It’s THEIR opinion you come to respect. As much as you want it for you, you want it for them,and if you drop the ball, you feel like you let two people down. Their excitement is your excitement. Their motivation is your motivation. Every day, I want to not only make myself proud, but also make my coach proud. I push harder knowing she is there,pushing me. And I know as bad as I want it,she may be the only other person that wants it more for me than I do….
The quote below is a long-time favorite:
“Life’s best coaches are those who believe in you and your potential, sometimes even before you do.”
Remember this when you look for someone who is going to be in charge of changing your lifestyle.
Disclaimer: There are as many good coaches as there are bad ones, so make sure you DO YOUR RESEARCH on the best fit for you. My perfect fit is Team Bombshell with Mama Bombshell, Shannon Dey, and my personal coach, Gennifer Strobo. You have to do what’s right for you, and sometimes that requires trial and error. Do not be afraid to say what you want. You pay an expert to help you so before you go and spend hard-earned money makesure you are willing to also invest your energy and time, and sweat. (Lots of sweat.) At the end of the day, YOU are still the one that must follow instructions. No one can make you get out of bed, food prep, or go to the gym. But a good coach sure can make you feel accountable! No matter how you do it – self-motivation or hiring help, DO IT FOR YOU!
At 30 weeks pregnant with her 3rd, Darielle demonstrates over a dozen different home workout exercises using bands and light dumbbells. Add weight, reps, sets, etc to increase intensity. Our mission: to show all women that working out while pregnant can be safe and beneficial for mom and baby!
]]>For the first, you may be scared, most likely nervous and most definitely not sure what to expect. The pregnancy thing is brand spanking new and everything from the insane tiredness at the beginning, to “why is my hip hurting”, to “why am I getting this weird feeling in my chest after eating??”, aka heartburn. And thats just the first 9 months of this new life! Once that’s over, you get to experience childbirth for the first time and then finally the grand finale that never ends, raising a little human. Oh the questions, comments and concerns that come with that..where’s the suggestion box?? Life as a brand new mom literally rocks your world.
Then comes number two. This time, it’s way less scary and a bit more predictable. During the pregnancy, your confidence is higher, you’re busy with number one and life overall has already taken its biggest turn. You’re already a parent, but now you’re adding multiples to your pack. I’d have to say one of the biggest questions you may ask yourself with this one is (and I’ll use my sons name for example purposes): “I love Asher so much, more than I could ever imagine loving someone. How can I share that love with someone else?? Will I love baby number two as much as I love Asher?” Now this was never a huge concern of mine, but I think it’s a thought a lot of women are ashamed to admit they have. I’ve heard from plenty of other moms this concern, or even just the thought. You’ve created this little family with your first, and you wonder how you’re going to add in an additional little love. But you do. Baby number two is born and he fits right in, maybe with a little bit more excitement because you know of the wonderful things to come.
Now comes baby number 3. Fear is almost non existent. Nerves? What’s that, I need coffee. You’re a pro at this. Now for the first time, this pregnancy may seem more exciting than scary. Not only have you been through it twice, but there’s no longer a question of how can we fit more kids into this pack and love them equally. You do. You know you do, and that’s exciting. You’ve created your family and now the excitement grows of knowing you get to bring in another little person into your family. Introduce him to your world, kid 1&2’s world and all that you’ve been building since your first little guy or girl made their grand entrance. Not only do you get over those nervous thoughts, but you really have no time to pay too much attention to the everyday little annoyances of pregnancy. You’re just as, if not more tired from the first two. Too busy to dissect and analyze every ache, pain, craving, thought, etc that you may have with the first pregnancy. So yes, the 9 months fly by. Being only 2 months away from welcoming number 3 into the world, I feel like I could use an extra 6 just to prepare his nursery.
Darielle Singerman
]]>Throughout these years of child rearing and wanting to always do the “right” thing for your children, be the best mom you could ever imagine being, it’s easy along the way to forget about ourselves. We are constantly thinking “give, give, give” to our little ones that we are taking so much away from ourselves and possibly your significant other. Between stories I hear and people I know, it can become a real negative life changer when you’re too busy giving every ounce of physical and mental energy to your little ones and forgetting about yourself. While it’s easy to forget about what you love to do (what is that any more anyways??), I do believe taking just a little bit of time out of your week, hopefully your day, to think what would make you happy can be a game changer. Why a game changer? If you’ve ever had a long day with your kid/s, where they’ve driven you absolutely borderline crazy, only to be imagining yourself floating on a raft to a deserted island sipping margaritas in complete silence, then you know how going out to dinner with your significant other that night can literally save you mentally and emotionally. Fast forward 60-90 minutes into date night, you find yourself wondering what the kids are doing, if they had a good night, whats the plans for tomorrow, etc. etc. You go home, wake up the next morning and want to hear all about their night while snuggling on the couch sipping a cup of coffee…which will naturally last 2 minutes before the cycle starts all over again. My point is, sometimes we may not realize how the shortest amount of “break” can make such a huge difference. Not only were you able to connect with your partner sans screaming kids, but you were able to get that time for normal, human-being you, taking away “mom” you. If you think about the result of any “constant”, the fuel will run out.
Not only are the occasional breaks so important, but I bring you to my main point of keeping YOU as YOU, and not Mom. Sure, we’re still “mom” 24/7, but something else we easily do is letting go of part of our identity. When I think about some things that have identified me before becoming a mother, fitness and music come to mind. Fitness is an obvious and something I’ve kept my passion for throughout my years as a mom, but most of you wouldn’t know about my love of singing. Music is something I grew up in and loving, attempted to pursue professionally and made the decision to change when I found it wasn’t realistic any more. Every now and then I have moments of wanting to bring that part of me back to life, even if it were just doing voice lessons a few times a month. What stops me from doing this? Well, the life of a mom. It is hard to fit new activities for yourself into your life. I bet if I really committed myself, I could make it happen. While I haven’t yet made a commitment to that part of me, something that perhaps is just part of my past, I have made time to focus on new interests. Even if they are short-lived, just to get something new in my life, I’ve made it happen. I won’t lie, it feels good! When my oldest was around 2 years old, I signed up for a photography class. I went once a week at night for a couple months and although I didn’t continue, it was a really nice break in my normal routine. Recently, I’ve really enjoyed painting, another possible hobby to pursue. While I’m not sure if any of these “extra” hobbies will stick at this moment being that I do personally commit myself to my own personal fitness, my husband, my 4 year old, 22 month old and soon-to-be newborn, I do know the benefits of taking these times out for myself when my gas tank needs it! Fitness is such a huge part of my life, that perhaps thats why I have little to complain about. Anytime I do start to feel guilty for going to the gym, I remind myself that the hour I spend in the gym, taking care of my physical health, I am also taking care of my mental health. That one hour, or even 30 minutes, can make the biggest difference on the rest of my day, my energy & attitude with the kids. What’s my take home message? If you have absolutely nothing else going on with yourself, or you feel guilty about it, just remember your kids will remember how you made them feel as a child. You have the ability to choose whether you’re going to be grumpy, annoyed, energetic or happy. Hopefully choosing the latter, how you get there, the kids don’t need to know!
Darielle Singerman
]]>