2015-Breast-Cancer-Awareness-Month Womens Health

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: How To Do a Self-Exam

It’s that time of year where we see beautiful hues of orange, red, yellows…and pink. October is breast cancer awareness month! Breast cancer scares me. Just last week one of our moms confided she has missed two weeks of training because she had breast exams which lead to a biopsy. Luckily it was benign and she is cancer-free. Early detection…
October 16, 2015
Kettlebell swings Fitness TipsPostnatal

Body After Baby: The Best 30-Minute Workout

The other day one of my clients asked me, “If I have 30-minutes to workout, what should I do”? Great question! Many women opt for cardio only, but the most effective post-baby workouts include strength training or functional exercise (think: lunges, squats, planks, pushups). Functional exercises will increase your strength, help alleviate aches and pains, torch belly fat, and give…
September 23, 2015
ActiveMomsCLub_KHphotoChicago Fitness Challenges

Workout Secret From Your Coach – Setting Goals

When I was seven months postpartum I had a hard time losing the last 10 pounds of baby weight. Yup, even trainers have struggles. That's when I recruited some clients and created a challenge among us to lose weight. It was a success; three months later I was at my pre-baby weight and more importantly feeling like 'my old self'…
September 11, 2015
Kegel Exercise3 Fitness TipsPostnatalPrenatalWomens Health

K is for Kegel

Yesterday I was aghast when my pregnant client said to me, “I haven’t been doing my Kegels (pelvic floor exercises) during this pregnancy because I know I am having a c-section”. NO! This statement is absolutely false. Unless your healthcare provider tells you differently, every pregnant and postpartum mama should practice pelvic floor exercises once or twice a day, especially if…
August 27, 2015
AMC_Fitness Challenge_B&A Fitness Challenges

Body After Baby Transformations –How Our Moms Did It!

Active Moms’ Club 60-Day Summertime Shape-Up Fitness Challenge yielded 20 eager mamas ready to get their body back after baby. The Challenge, our most successful group, goal-based program delivered impressive results. Combined, the women lost 84 pounds, and inches from their waistlines! The camaraderie that they shared was just as inspirational, making training sessions and getting fit more fun.  …
August 11, 2015
SwimCloseUp_racine Triathlon Training Tales

Racine 70.3 Ironman – Race Recap

For the last 16-weeks I have put in my training miles to compete in a half Ironman triathlon on July 19. A half Ironman consists of a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run. The last time I completed this distance tri was back in 2008, the year I was married, and before trying to start our…
July 25, 2015
Pregnancy Super Foods Active Moms Club_3 Family Health & WellnessNutritionPrenatal

Pregnancy Super Foods

Active Moms’ Club is thrilled to introduce a new guest blogger and AMC partner – welcome, Registered Nutritionist Heather Sullivan! Heather is passionate about wellness, food, and raising a healthy family. Our pregnant mamas are always asking about nutrition and weight gain, so we asked Heather to share some tips about what to eat during pregnancy. Researchers are discovering more and…
June 1, 2015
Fitness ChallengesFitness Tips

Establish Your Fitness Goals In 5 Easy Steps – A Goal Without A Plan Is Just A Wish

A goal without a plan is just a wish – it's a pretty powerful statement. As part of AMC's 60-Day Summertime Shape-Up Fitness Challenge, our participants are presented with a simple questionnaire to identify their fitness goals, why their goals are important, and to create an action plan in five easy steps to achieve success. Follow These 5 Easy Steps to Establish Your…
April 27, 2015
Growing Child newsletter Favorite ThingsParenting

Best Baby Shower Gift – Sprinkled With Patience

Each month I am reminded of the best baby shower gift I have received – a subscription to Growing Child newsletter. Growing Child is a monthly newsletter, delivered via email or USPS on the birth date of your child so each month’s issue matches the age of the child. I love the newsletter because it helps me understand my boys:…
April 20, 2015
Fitness Challenges

See How Consistency Pays Off – Fitness Challenge Winner!

Eleven motivated mamas pushed, pulled, squatted and lunged their way to get fit, healthier, and stronger with AMC’s 90-Day New Year New You Fitness Challenge. The Challenge – our most successful group goal-based program – began in January and just wrapped up April 2. This Fitness Challenges is part of Fit & Fab’s Small Group Postnatal Training program. Fit &…
April 13, 2015
FavoriteWorkoutSongs2_Activemomsclub Favorite Things

My Favorite 25 Workout Songs

Upbeat, angst, dance, hip hop, rap – these are my favorite genres of music to motivate me through a workout. I like to listen to music at the gym when I'm pushing through a challenging circuit or prefer to drown out environmental sounds. My music varies depending on mood and type of workout. I can dig deep for one more mile when…
March 30, 2015
Toddler_Wsit Family Health & WellnessParenting

3 Tips to Correct Asymmetries & Muscle Imbalances in Children

We are thrilled to introduce new guest bloggers, Jessica Trenkle and Rose McLean, physical therapists at Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center – AMC’s newest partner. They are dedicated to helping all children reach their fullest potential through play and movement. Welcome to the Club! During Active Moms' Club classes, our new moms always discuss concerns about their child’s physical development. So we…
March 18, 2015
AMC EventsFitness Challenges

90-Day Fitness Challenge Update

It’s March and spring is just around the corner. AMC’s 90-Day New Year New You Fitness Challenge – our most successful group goal-based program has 11 strong-willed mamas working their butts off to be stronger, fitter, slimmer and healthier in 2015. There is no doubt, our mamas are dedicated to make this their best year yet! The Challenge began January 3…
March 1, 2015
Ironman70_3RacineMetals Fitness TipsMom Moments

Committing To Your Fitness Goals – What Does It Take?

Just as I have been asking my clients to be thoughtful about their fitness goals, I’ve been thinking about my personal fitness goals for 2015. Goals are important to have purpose and motivation. And when you achieve your goal, the sense of satisfaction and empowerment is even more stimulating. Since all my clients share their personal goals with me, I…
January 12, 2015
Fitness Challenges

New Year New You Fitness Challenge – Slim Down for 2015!

Are you ready to take back control after the holidays, to get your body back after baby, or simply up your fitness level to new heights? Make 2015 your best year yet with AMC’s Fitness Challenge – our most successful group goal-based program – is back and better than ever! Join our 90-Day New Year New You Fitness Challenge to change…
December 29, 2014
Favorite ThingsPostnatalPrenatal

2014’s Top 12 Blog Posts for Expecting & New Moms

My mission is simple, I'm here to share a variety of helpful information and opinions on all things related to Mom's world.  From the best pregnancy exercises to prep you for delivery, to postpartum experiences that run the gamut from depression to the "baby bump" to simple steps to getting your body back after delivery... along with anecdotes and ah-ha…
December 21, 2014
Fitness TipsWeight Loss

5 Strategies To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Avoiding weight gain during the holidays can be challenging for everyone, particularly for overstretched mothers. Thanksgiving kicks off a five-week gauntlet of holiday parties and celebrations that doesn't end until the new year. But rather than resigning yourself to putting on weight and dealing with it as part of your 2015 New Year’s resolutions, devise some strategies to end 2014…
December 2, 2014
The Organized Mom

Easy Ways to Simplify for the Holidays

Active Moms’ Club is thrilled to introduce a new guest blogger today, Sarah Giller Nelson. Sarah is owner of Less is More, a professional organizing company inspired by a passion for beauty and order. Less is More specializes in getting busy families organized – and now with the holiday season full steam ahead, Sarah is sharing some useful tips to…
November 24, 2014
FitnessChallengeResults_ActiveMomsCLub Fitness ChallengesWeight Loss

60-Day Fitness Challenge Winners – See Their Amazing Transformations

Active Moms’ Club just wrapped up Fit & Fab’s 60-Day Fitness Challenge. The Challenge – our most successful group goal-based program – began in September with 19 motivated mamas eager to get their body back after baby. I’m incredibly proud of these women. They are stronger, leaner, and more fit in just eight short weeks. The camaraderie they shared with one another…
November 10, 2014