When it comes to working out, could LESS be MORE?

I have a good friend who recently started working out regularly. She wants to lose a few pounds, and is working out three days a week for about 45 minutes. She's not seeing any results, and asked me for advice. I immediately told her that maybe she needs to work out more--more often, and longer. But then I started thinking--more about my own situation than hers--is it possible that less is actually sometimes more?

After the birth of my first baby, I worked out consistently, but probably nearly not as much as I do now. I changed my eating habits (tried the South Beach Diet for a few weeks--HATED it, but lost all the baby weight), and continued working out REGULARLY.

After the birth of my second baby, however, I couldn't wait to start working out. The overtraining probably happened during my pregnancy, and I was working out (intensely) anywhere from an hour to an hour-and-a-half six days a week. Soon after my baby was born, I went right back on that schedule. And guess what...I NEVER lost all of the weight before getting pregnant again. It's possible that I had more muscle, but I actually think I was just overtraining. Looking back, I should have probably cut back on the intense workout sessions, really focused on clean eating, and would've had better results.

I hate to say it, but my heart rate monitor is partly to blame. I'm a number gal, and I couldn't stand the thought of seeing my total calorie burn for the week anywhere under 3,000.

I'm completely guilty of the American mentality that if a little bit is good, then a lot must be better! I made a horrible garlic pasta when I was first married. If the recipe calls for 3 garlic gloves than 7 would make it even better, right? Luckily I married well, and my husband and I laughed for days. Another example--if you're supposed to apply sunless tanner once a day, then wouldn't twice a day work even better? I've been beautifully orange more times than I'd like to admit!

I have the same problem when it comes to working out...if I didn't have little rugrats keeping me grounded, it actually sounds fun to me to spend countless hours at the gym. But I would definitely be overtraining, and would probably look no different than I do now (pre-pregnant now, that is).

Overtraining can be especially harmful if you ARE following a diet plan. Over-exercising and restrictive eating will cause your body to hang on to any available fat for fear of never getting any more!

So what's my point? Listen to your body! Are you logging countless hours on the treadmill without seeing results? Are you losing muscle? Are you completely exhausted? As strange as it sounds, for some of us, working out a little less could actually be the answer!

So come July when I'm waking up at 4 am after a sleepless night just to fit in a super long workout before my husband goes to work, remind me...LESS IS MORE! I'll definitely be experimenting and tweaking my life with the birth of #3. As always, I'm open to suggestions!

Can any of you relate? Do you overtrain? Do you undertrain? Do you wonder why you work out so much without ever seeing results?

NO MORE CRUNCHES! (Guest post)

I'm thrilled that Bonnie from the Beautiful After The Belly Blog is enlightening the FitMePink world with her extensive knowledge of why CRUNCHES are BAD for us! Bonnie is a Prenatal/Postnatal Personal Trainer who specializes in the Diastasis Recti (diastasisrecti.com). Besides blogging about health and fitness (and you really should read her blog...it's chock full of amazing tips), she also teaches and trains in several locations in Chicagoland. Here's what she has to say about crunches...

Yes, its true. Crunches are absolutely TERRIBLE for the post partum woman’s body. Then why are they taught in gyms all over? I call it “False Traditions of our Fitness Fathers.”

A very high percentage of women - as high as 98 % - have a split in their recti muscles (the 6 pack muscle on the abs) following a pregnancy. The split creates a look and condition known as the “Mommy Tummy.” It is caused by continuous forward pressure during pregnancy. The official name for this split is DIASTASIS RECTI.

Doing a “Crunch” or “Rolling like a ball” or “jackknife” or “V sit” or “Teaser” or “Pilates 100” is the worst thing you can do for this condition because is makes the split WIDER!

SO…..WHAT is the answer?

Seated Tuplers and Headlifts are the best bet because they will actually BRING your recti back together and eliminate the “mommy tummy.”

How are they done?

SEATED TUPLERS: Imagine your belly is a sideways elevator and the 1st floor is where your belly is normally at in its relaxed position. Bring your belly all the way back to your spine (5th floor) and hold it there for a second, then release to the 3rd floor (in between the 1st and 5th), then back to 5th floor again (squeeze and hold for a second) then back to 3rd floor. Continuing doing until you reach 100.

100 may seem like a lot, but a set of 100 only takes 2 ½ minutes. Do 5 sets a day, altogether, or spaced out, whatever is easiest. Do this exercise sitting down with firm back support. You should be able to feel this in your back, as it also works the lower lumbar muscles. This is the FASTEST way to repair your recti and bring them back together, closing the diastasis.

Yes you DO breathe. You “sniff” to bring air in, and COUNT as your exhale, which forces the air to work through your body.

Once you get good, you can do this while driving – like at a stop light, or during highway driving. They are EXTREMELY POTABLE exercises.

HEAD LIFT: Lay on your back with your knees bent. Expand your belly to allow air to come into the body, Exhale, bring your bellybutton all the way to the spine (this is working the TRANSVERSE ABDOMINUS – the key to bringing in the recti). Hold the belly there and you slightly tilt your pelvus to bring the small of the back pressed into the floor, tuck the chin, and then lift up your head and bring it back down fairly quickly.

If your abdominals show any movement, then it means your TRANSVERSE is not quite strong enough. There should be no visible movement on your abdominals.

ONE LAST QUESTION: How do you get the transverse strong enough to do the headlift? THE SEATED TUPLERS – it is the fastest way because it strengthens your abdominals in a seated position, which is the MISSING LINK of abdominals. You will not have gravity working against you in a seated position. Then when you begin to do abdominals while laying on your back where gravity is working against you, you will already have a mind body connection to the muscle to tell if your transverse muscle is actually engaged.

Quick story to rap up: I was in a Yoga Class today, and there was a girl who was 33 and pregnant with her 6th child. She is quite fit, loves to run, etc. and was doing some of the worst abdominals you can do while pregnant – ROLLING LIKE A BALL, V SIT, JACKNIFING. I knew she had a HERNIA after her 5th child (which is due to the split in the recti ) and had to have surgery and comprehensive physical theraphy with her abdominals and pelvic floor. I just cringed. The damage you can do with these particular exercises is so much greater when you're pregnant because you already have the forward pressure of the uterus on your abdominals!

Thank you, Bonnie! For more tips on strengthening the abdominals, losing the "mommy tummy," great recipes, and other healthy-living tips, check out her blog!

Working Out While Injured

Hi there! You're still checking this abandoned blog? Well, to everyone who's still reading, rather than explain where I've been, let me direct you here. Yes, our house has been full...of kids, vomit, and a poor, crying baby with a broken arm. An amazing baby who can't talk, but knows how to continue living her life to the fullest with a pretty significant injury. Here's what she's taught me:

1. Pain should NOT be ignored! Pain is the indicator of an injury. If you experience pain while working out (or crawling), stop. Cry. Don't use the injured body part until you figure out what is wrong! The old adage "no pain, no gain" does NOT apply. Discomfort while working out is OK, pain is not!
2. Consult a doctor. Just because your parents, gym buddies, friends, etc. think it's probably "just a bruise," doesn't mean that it is. If you're experiencing true pain, get a professional opinion!
3. Modify! If it hurts to crawl on your hand, try the forearm. Don't continue working through the pain...you could make it worse!
4. Avoid overuse injury. Landing too hard in a simple fall can cause a buckle fracture in the arm. Likewise, training errors, such as running too far, too fast, too soon can cause overuse injury in a runner. The feet have to absorb 110 tons of energy with every mile run, so don't do more than your body can handle!
5. Cross-train. If crawling hurts your arm, try taking a few steps with your legs! Walking may seem harder at first, but you may just find that you prefer it! If the doctor tells you to stop running for a while, try swimming or cycling! A new love affair may emerge.
6. Listen to your body. When you're ready and healed, get moving! Your body knows best!

Workout Myth Busters

When it comes to working out, we are bombarded with opposing information and beliefs. It can get pretty confusing to sort through all the opposing advice. Here are a few of our favorite myths...

Myth: No Pain, No Gain
Fact: Come on people, if your muscles don't hurt, it doesn't mean you're not getting a good workout! While resistance training can be pretty intense, it doesn't have to be painful to qualify as a good workout! Listen to your body...there's a difference between the "pain" when you've reached failure (when you physically can't do any more!), and the "pain" of a torn ligament.

Myth: It's best to workout in the morning.
Fact: Workout WHENEVER it's convenient for you! I definitely prefer working out early in the morning, but since the birth of my second baby, waking up at 5:00 am feels like the middle of the night to me! I hope to get back to that early morning routine, but for now I'm fitting it in during nap time, or occasionally in the evening. It's more important to focus on getting that workout in than worrying about what time you're able to do it.

Myth: Pre-workout stretching will reduce risk of injury.
Fact: Post-workout stretching is much more important. Do a pre-workout warm-up, and a post-workout cool-down, followed by stretching. (And feel free to leave a comment if your opinion differs on this one...)

Myth: Lots of crunches will create a flat tummy!
Fact: There is really no such thing as spot-reducing! If you want to get rid of belly fat, bulging thighs, double chins, etc., it won't be achieved by working that specific area of the body over and over! (I'm picturing one of my mom's old workout videos where you held your hands on your neck, stretched your chin up, and let out a HUGE breath of air...workin' the double chin, baby!) Anyway, ab exercises define muscle, cardio exercises burn fat. If you have more muscle, you'll naturally burn more fat, but the real way to get that flat tummy, etc. is by what you eat, and the calories you burn! Also, when you lose fat, it comes off ALL OVER the body...not just one place at a time. So be patient, and it will come off! Just stop doing all those crunches! I usually skip the crunches, personally (although a good plank is always good).

Myth: Running is the best way to get in shape.
Fact: Running is actually pretty hard on your joints. You may get a great heart workout by running, but you'll actually burn about the same amount of calories walking a mile as you will running a mile. I personally LOVE running, but occasionally burn out and need a change of pace. Do whatever form of cardio exercise you enjoy (be it cycling, swimming, speed walking, the elliptical, jump roping, etc.) and whatever will keep you motivated for the long haul...as in for the rest of your life!

Myth: If you stop working out, muscle will turn to fat.
Fact: Seriously, people? They are COMPLETELY different, so no...they won't turn magically into each other. When you lose weight, muscle mass increases and fat decreases, so it may appear that the fat has turned to muscle. And vice versa. When your muscle atrophies (gets smaller), and fat increases, it may appear that the muscle has turned to fat. It doesn't work that way. Wouldn't it be nice, though, if we could wave the magic wand and turn the fat to muscle? If any of you figure out how that works...let us know!

Are any of you women afraid of resistance training for the fear of "bulking up"? Yet another myth. What other myths have you heard? (Workout related or not...we're dying for some comments here!)