Why trying to get your pre-baby body back is failing you

A few months ago, I had the honour to present at FILEX 2017 in Sydney which is the biggest fitness and health conference in Australia. The presentation was titled, The Motherhood Fat Trap. I also had the pleasure to present it with a real life mum and fitness professional, Kylianne Farrell of The Movement Room who brought her knowledge and experience to the discussion. 

I wanted to follow up that presentation with this blog as I know that it is an area where a lot of women struggle. It is kind of no wonder, with images and tag lines like this one...

This isn't your life.

Getting your "pre-baby body" back is something that brings huge emotional distress to women. More times than I would like to witness it robs precious moments of joy, happiness & connection with their partners as they celebrate the gift of a new life but battle internally with living inside a body that has changed.

Words like "hate", "disgusting", "fat", "wobbly", "gross", "dimply" are often used to describe what they now see. 

Here is my heartbreak with this

1. An under appreciation of the metabolic changes that occur post birth which are not in your control

Harvesting a child and feeding it is a very energy demanding process. There are metabolic changes that occur to accomodate metabolising "for two" during pregnancy and in anticipation for the demands of breastfeeding. 

These changes include: increase in insulin resistance, increased visceral fat, increased insulin, increased circulating lipids. 

Now let me make sure you get this, these things happen to ensure you have enough energy to grow and feed your baby. It's a good thing. 

It is hypothesised that breastfeeding may play a role in mobilising these accumulated fat stores and kind of "resetting' maternal metabolism. That isn't to say that if you don't breastfeed you will keep these fat stores forever. However, some studies show that the longer a women breastfeeds the more completely accumulated fat is offloaded. 

This is an area of grave debate and there are numerous individual cases where women who breastfeed lose body fat easily and women who don't breastfeed lose body fat easily. The point is that the demands of having a child and feeding it are high, from an energy perspective. We have innate mechanisms that ensure a mother will have enough energy stored to feed her child (these mechanisms were in built to make sure our species survived, well before the option to feed children formula existed). 

Fun Fact: Studies of lipolysis (the breakdown of lipids) and LPL activity (an enzyme involved in fat breakdown) in fat biopsies also show regional deposition of femoral fat (thighs) during pregnancy and mobilisation of these stores during lactation. Whilst I cannot promise a thigh gap post pregnancy if you breastfeed  (nor should this ever be on your #goals of things to achieve), it may be that accumulation of fat in this particular area, happens for an intelligent reason. The authors in this study, noted that long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids are concentrated in lower body fat, and they speculate that fat from this region is preferentially mobilised in lactation to support infant brain development. Fat around the thighs = healthy fat for babies growing brain!!!! Again, it's a good thing! 

You know how things look a little "well less defined" than before you had a baby? Let me introduce you to the hormone, relaxin. You can thank this guy for making your musculosketal system (bones, ligaments, muscles, joints, connective tissues including skin), a little more "relaxed" to accomodate housing a child and getting it out of you. Relaxin, levels peak during the transition of the first and second trimester and then again at birth and remain in a womens body until breastfeeding stops, but at lower levels. So try to relax about your softness, the shape will come back with time. 

2. Accidental or intentional undereating and or undernourishing

Yes, you read that correctly. I said, undereating ie. not eating enough overall calories to support the basic requirements for your body to function. Undernoursihing refers to a lack of adequate nutrients (like protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins). Both over the longer term signals to the brain famine/starvation and to kick into survival mode. 

I once had a new Mum reach me out and tell me that she didn't eat anything but coffee (which need I remind you, isn't food), for two days straight due to the new demands placed upon her of being a Mum. She ended up in hospital on a drip!

This may be more on the extreme end, however the majority of Mum's that I speak to are under eating and or undernourishing their bodies. Sometimes it is purely accidentally due to the demands placed on them and lack of support and awareness. But sometimes it is a diet or restrictive mindset due to desperately wanting to lose body fat.

All species including humans have a primary goal in life - to survive and reproduce to avoid extinction. Lack of nutrients and calories over a prolonged period can trigger your stress response, leading to increased stress hormones, like cortisol, and a slowing down of metabolic rate through effects on thyroid hormone production. 

*** Note that the calorie requirements in breastfeeding go up by an additional 500 calories per day, so that's about one extra meal. 

The consequences of being in survival mode span well beyond fat loss resistance. 

Thyroid hormone not only effects weight regulation it also controls memory, concentration, mood, body temperature, intestinal motility, hair and nail growth, energy levels and more. 

Elevated cortisol can lead to redistribution of fat to the midsection, immune suppression, reduced healing, fluctuation in blood sugar levels and cravings, sleep disturbance, gastrointestinal upset, low libido and more. 

The worst thing a women can do in this scenario is eat less or exercise more to kick start fat loss. The opposite would be true and this can be really hard for women to get their heads around. Your body needs to know it is safe, well fed, and nourished in order to function and let go of excess body fat. 

3. Not recovering properly

One of the biggest take home messages from our presentation was this concept that the "fourth trimester" should really be treated like an athlete and the post birth phase as a recovery process from a major event (with or without any injury sustained). 

This means that in order to even consider performing at life there must be a recovery plan in place whereby you are building the body back up. That means eating enough food to support overall calorie needs for you and if you are breastfeeding for your growing human, replacing nutrients that have been used up more readily during pregnancy, supporting tissues to heal, sleeping when you can, and having a team of people around you to support and allow you to recover - physically, emotionally and nutritionally.

Throwing yourself back into the game and expecting to perform at peak level, despite your recent major physical and emotional event would be considered crazy in any sport. Yet as a mum it's kind of expected.

Having a recovery strategy in place sets the foundations for achieving fat loss down the track. 

4. Sleep is a critical missing piece of this puzzle

Of all the post pregnancy stories I hear, the lack of sleep and quality sleep is probably the thing that scares me the most. 

And when it comes to fat loss it can be a big missing piece of the puzzle. A single night of sleep is associated with an increase in insulin resistance, increased inflammation, changes in hunger hormones, emotional instability, increased calorie intake (and usually not of the meat and veg kind but rather the highly, palatable, energy dense kind). 

I am well aware that most Mum's cannot do a lot to improve this, being aware of the effects it has on you however can be empowering to make better decisions when you inevitably will be affected by the effects of lack of sleep.

Having ready to go healthier snack options, pre-made meals, removing all tempting foods out of your house and getting a nap in whenever and wherever you can is super important. 

And going easy on yourself, not trying to always push through it and give in to the tempting allures of 3 cups of coffee per day - because hey, a woman needs her sleep!

5. Thinking too big or too small when it comes to exercise

Too big = Feeling like you have to go and do a HIIT session three time a week

Too small = no time for anything anymore. 

Aim for something in between, minus the HIIT for now, don't do that yet. Remember we want recovery first which will ultimately set the foundations for fat loss moving forward. Go for a walk, not on the treadmill but outside, with or without baby. Find a group of women and a trainer who specialises in post natal training. Think of it as an investment into being an amazing Mum.

And better yet, start moving before you plan to become pregnant and during. The same is true for nutrition. 

6. Being unrealistic with your expectations

The reality is, your body after birth is different to your body prior to birth - need I remind you that you housed and gave birth to a little human, of course it is different now. 

The truth is, you are different too and your life is now different. And that is ok.

You have been through a life changing experience. You cannot and shouldn't expect or compare yourself to the life nor body you had before.

Nor should you compare your body to someone else's post baby body.

Focus on what you have right now; on what your body is capable of; that you are here to experience this amazing time in your life; and that it is the small steps you do everyday that make the biggest impacts on your health outcomes. 

It's not a time to do it all on your own. "It takes a village to raise a child". Ask for help, connect with people, speak about your struggles, and find time to nurture yourself. The only way forward is to go through it, one day at a time. 

I hope this gives some insight into the complexity of fat loss post birth and gives you some areas to focus on that you may have overlooked. I wrote an ebook, Healing Post Birth - A Nutritional Perspective that goes into a little more detail about how to optimise nutrients to promote healing after birth.

If you feel you need more support in your post birth healing please feel free to reach out.  

BONE BROTH ON THE GO

Ok this is a quick message to share a new product that I am currently LOVING that I picked up at the Australia Health & Wellness Summit where my talented hubby was speaking cutting edge training methodologies from the Institute of Motion for optimal health and longevity. I’m a lucky duck I know.

So what is this awesome new discovery you ask?

Well I am afraid it doesn’t involve any baked goods, or fancy superfood BUT it is very much a superfood (just not a fancy one) and of course a nutritious one (that’s what a “super” food should be after all).

It does come in a container so technically it is processed BUT hold your horses not the type of processed food…..

It is BEST OF THE BONE, Bone Broth Concentrate!!!! And no it’s not a powder but a liquidy, paste like substance that is slow cooked (& pressure cook), pasture raised, ground up bone and cartilage with the the marrow and all the goodness in a concentrate.

So all you do is add 1 Tablespoon to boiling water and you have a delicious, mineral, collagen rich bone broth. You could also add it to any cooking to infuse it with the boney goodness.

It is really great for those:

• Who don’t have a slow cooker to make your own bone broth (me at the moment, sad I know)
• For travel. Having broth whilst travelling is so handy to keep our immune system fighting well and aid recovery
• For peeps who want to try out the taste of bone broth before committing to the task of making it
• Time poor folks who still want to incorporate broth into their day but can’t be bothered with all that straining

*** Please note I am not endorsing laziness: making your own broth is way more cost effective and really not that time consuming; chuck it all in, let it simmer for 20 hours then do the messy straining job and your done!!!!

In case you need a brief recap of the benefits of bone broth and a recipe to make your own, check out this blog here.

But in short, the benefits of bone broth date way back to our grandma’s, grandma’s day and well before that, where they insisted on a cup of chicken broth to heal a variety of ailments, like tummy flu. Beyond assisting in digestion, and promoting a healthy tummy lining bone broth has many other reasons to drink this liquid gold daily.

Benefits include:

• Improving joint health and arthritis
• Reducing inflammation
• Helping bone repair
• A rich source of collagen (great for health skin/wrinkles/cellulite and soft tissue repair)
• Supporting the immune system

So if you are looking to improve the health of your skin, the health of your digestive tract, joint health, muscle, bone and soft tissue health and reduce inflammation, incorporating a cup of bone broth is a great starting place.

Using the whole animal (bones, cartilage, organ meats) and not just consuming the muscle meat of animals are key points missing in most peoples diet. These parts offer so many unique benefits and have soooooo much nutrition that it is embarrassing that we toss them out or never eat them. Have you watched, The Revenant, with Leonardo DiCaprio ??? You should, it’s a goodie. But there is a reason why when he is starving and needs food he cuts open the beast and chews on the liver — he knows its’s the most nutrient dense food on the planet and will give him most bang for buck nutritionally for him to survive.

So if you have been toying with the idea of bone broth and haven’t been able to stay committed to incorporating into your life regularly, these guys have done the work for you, and provide it is an easy to use form.

All you need to do is heat the kettle, add a dollop, stir and sip away at the goodness. I was extremely impressed by the taste as I am a bit of a flavour nazi when it comes to bone broth.

Check out the little info video and purchase here: https://theherbaldoctors.com/collections/polypill/products/bestofthebone

Love

Chantel x

IS FEAR AND FAILURE HOLDING YOU BACK

Here I am, one month in…….

Just in case you haven’t been following, I moved to Byron Bay from Airlie Beach one month ago. I know I know, a hard life, one perfect destination to another. That is the typical reaction I get. And while I totally understand that with this next statement I am going to expose myself to some possible, eye rolling from some people, moving here and starting in a new place is the second hardest thing I have had to do in my life. Maybe, I have been lucky and spared a lot of hardship, and for that I am grateful.

But it has really got me thinking a lot about fear and failure. Two very foreign emotions for me.

Fear is defined as an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm

Pushing through fear is still a constant daily chore for me. And let me give full credit, for Jan to bear witness to this journey, I think it must feel like a 4 year war like battle.  Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of judgement. I have it all. And anyone who reads or follows successful people knows that FEAR is stifling to growth and development and FAILURE is essential to success. I know this stuff. That doesn’t mean it makes it any easier. If anything it makes it even more frustrating.

Today I was reminded again, that I am not alone in this feeling.

And from an outsider it pains me dearly to see the mental internal struggles that people are facing within themselves day in and day out. Because I know I need not remind you, that we only get ONE chance at this.

So I wanted to write and let people in on a little secret….

The only difference between the people you think have it all together, and you, is their willingness to be vulnerable. 

To acknowledge your struggles to your loved ones, to ask for help, to have someone to support you and for you to commit to yourself a daily practice that you are not going to give into fear, but acknowledge it and push through it. The truth is, you really owe it to those around you that care about you and most importantly you owe it to yourself to be the best version of yourself.

Even if you have forgotten what that best version looks like. I am 300% confident they are in there, maybe buried deep but waiting patiently for you to uncover it. It won’t be comfortable but holding onto that feeling of what it will be like when you are there, should keep you moving forward.

Now let’s get this clear. Your best self is not a lighter version of yourself, a prettier version of yourself, a taller, smaller, fitter, stronger, musclier, smarter, funnier version of yourself.

The best version is YOU, unapologetically YOU. With all of your flaws, troubles, your worries, your laughter, your sadness, your fears. I cannot express to you enough, how heartbreaking it is for those who love you, to watch you become a smaller version of yourself.

There is a reason why when we watch a small child in all their innocence, your heart lights up and you cannot help but to smile. They dance in public until they see people are watching them or not, sometimes they dance more, they cry, they laugh, they say exactly what is on their mind, they’re loud, when they are tired they get cranky and need to sleep, sometimes all they need is a good hug from their parents and above all else, they need to feel LOVED. And as adults we listen to these cues almost instinctively.

Yet when it comes to ourselves we don’t listen at all. As we get older and the world teaches us to become harder, through disappointment with ourselves and others, we build up a barrier and we let fear and failure take over us. Stopping us from feeling worthy of LOVE.

Vulnerability is not for the weak, but for those brave enough to want to know happiness. Said me 🙂

I beg you. Stop living small, right now. Don’t wait for something significant or tragic to happen to make you regret all the time you have spent living in your own fear of not being good enough.

If you are totally lost and don’t know where to start, these are a list of things that can help:

• Acknowledging that fear is limiting you
• Talking to people, friends, family, loved ones. This is one of those times where alcohol is advisable. Go for a glass of wine with a girlfriend and tell her your fears (these people aren’t there to judge you, but support you, and if they do judge, I guess they weren’t really your friend).
• Clear things up in your life. If you are holding onto emotion from years ago, deal with it. Especially guilt, you have to get rid of this in order to move forward. Write a letter, see a counsellor do whatever it takes to let it go.
• Having someone in your corner, to lift you up. There is nothing wrong with needing to be told you are worthy. If you don’t have anyone, I am volunteering and putting my hand up.
• Meditation. I really like Melissa Ambrosini’s mediations.
• Spend more time doing things you LOVE, things that make you feel better. BUT don’t let that become your obsession or escape. People so often use exercise to make them feel good only to end up obsessed and in a body image war.
• Listen to motivational talks, speakers, people that really get you questioning yourself. In order to grow you need to be challenged.
• Follow people who inspire you, not who make you feel worse about yourself. Anyone thinking they need a social media overhaul?
• Don’t let yourself get caught up in your head with the negative talk, shut that sh*! down and quick
• Don’t project too far forward or into the past.Stay present.
• Be grateful for things, and don’t just say you’re grateful, actually show gratitude for things. Say thank you, send a message, give with acts of kindness
• Be kind, but actually genuinely kind. Not just to get things in return.
• Smile, laugh, have fun. Don’t take life so seriously. One day it will be just a memory.
• Remember the best things in life are free, don’t let financial woes stop you from enjoying your time – spending time in nature, with loved ones, sitting still, chatting with friends, laughter, being intimate.

Most importantly, know that someone out there, your mother, your father, your daughter, your son, your husband, your wife, your grandma, your friend & me – think  that there is something pretty freaking AMAZING about you and wishes that you saw it!

DON’T EVER FORGET IT ….. RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW….

Love Chantel 

HAVING TROUBLE SLEEPING? HERE’S A SUPER EASY TIP

DO YOU HAVE A SET OF BLUE-LIGHT BLOCKERS? Hopefully I am going to convince you why you should at least consider it....

Yep, this actually does happen….

STudying with the blue blockers ....

No, it’s not overly sexy.
Yes, they are oversized and take a bit to get used to. Admittedly sometimes they end up spending more time on top of my head. And No, you can’t see your orange vegetables very well on your plate, nor your highlighting if you are are using orange/yellow.

BUT they do block out blue light pretty well. Not sold yet …. I DON’T BLAME YOU, maybe just keep reading….

A bit of history

• Exposure to light in general has a profound impact on the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal axis (HPA axis) (our stress hormone control tower, that influences loads of other hormones as well like thyroid and sex hormones).
• All life on Earth evolved, with this 24 hour light-dark cycle.
• For most of our evolutionary history, we lived in sync with the natural rhythms of day and night, without exposure to artificial light. And our hormones were happy and healthy.

Why does this matter?

• Well environmental light has the strongest influence on the circadian system and light exposure has been shown to shift the natural human biological clock (and hence any disruption can and will effect our hormones).
• For example, exposure to artificial light in the evening or at night can delay sleep onset, and light exposure during the day affects sleep quality and duration during the night
• Nighttime light exposure, suppresses the production of melatonin, which not only affects our sleep but also disrupts the HPA axis. Melatonin suppression has also been shown to increase the risk of cancer, impair immune function, and possibly lead type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

Blue-light is the worst

• Short wavelength, or blue light is the most melatonin suppressive, and this is the type of light emitted from electronic devices.
• This is a big problems as 95% of Americans (and I assume around the same for Australians) report using some type of electronic device at least a few nights a week within an hour before bed. Let’s all be honest, it’s a tough habit to break!
• In addition to too much light exposure at night, most people are not getting enough exposure to light (natural light) during the day
• Outdoor light is far more intense than indoor light. Bright light exposure during the day helps to regulate cortisol levels and balance the HPA axis, which actually helps anchor your circadian rhythm so that light at night has less of an ability to shift your rhythm.

What to do?

• Make outside time a priority! The first 30 to 60 minutes of outdoor light exposure creates about 80% of the anchoring effect. So just going outside for about half and hour at lunchtime or in the morning can provide you with the majority of anchoring light you need to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm.
• Power down devices at least 2 hours before bed time – that means minimal lights, TV, electronic devices. I hear you…. you’re thinking what the hell am I going to do then? Well life did exist before… so embrace some of the old time traditions like conversation, reading, games, and maybe just maybe if your really stuck for ideas some hanky panky?
• Use candles and minimal lights leading up until bed time. Bring back the romance, nothing wrong with dinner by candle light, and let’s face it, it’s sexier than the glasses right?
• If you have to use your devices make sure you have night mode activated on your iPhone, f.lux for your MacBook (and equivalent applications for non Apple users) and wait for it….. YOUR VERY own, super sexy, night glasses for screen time. Thinking it’s only a matter of time before TV’s catch up and start making a “night mode” too.

So there you have it. Did I pull off those glasses and convince you?

If so, you can purchase them for a total of $24.00 from http://www.optimoz.com.au/products/uvex-blue-light-blockers?variant=13482833159

Love Chantel

EMPATHY – THE HIDDEN TREASURE OF COMMUNICATION

EMPATHY – THE ABILITY TO PUT YOURSELF IN SOMEONE ELSE’S SHOES

I was walking home, thinking about a loved one that I was missing. I was thinking, I hope they know how very much I love them.  And I realised something, something pretty profound that honestly has taken me most of my adult life to realise.

And that is – they may not know the extent to which I love them. Because I don’t express love the way they do. This is very hurtful to me, because this person deserves to know how much I love them and whilst I try to express it, they don’t know how to receive it and vice versa.

About 5 years ago, I was at a work conference which was all about customer service.The presenter at this conference diverged and recommended a book called, The 5 Love Languages. At the time I was going through my own personal struggles so I noted it down and one day when I was feeling pretty desperate I ordered it and read it.

For those who know me well, they know this is pretty significant, I’m not a big book reader, unless it’s of the textbook variety. I actually hate to admit it, because I love writing, and language and words and I envy people who read long, juicy novels. I do long for a balmy, sun filled, tropical holiday where there is just me, the sun, my love and a juicy book. One day …

I will skip ahead to current day and spare you the details of how all that turned out but it is kind of coincidental that some years after this conference and in a different time in my life I was chatting with a friend, who I respect very much and has a beautiful relationship with his wife, and he mentioned this same book.

---

The book explores the concept that we have 5 basic love languages:

1. Words of affirmation

2. Quality time

3. Physical touch

4. Acts of service

5. Giving and receiving gifts

---

I am sure there is a lot more psychology behind why we are inclined to fit into these particular categories and the book probably covers this (it’s been 5 years since I read it). But what is important to realise is that most of us are a mixture of different types of languages but generally we have one or two dominant love languages.

Sounding a bit hippy, crunchy? At the time I thought so too. But now, a little older, a little wiser and maybe a little more hippyer – I actually think it’s pretty significant. Hence, why I am divulging this somewhat lengthy, possibly corny, love story with you.

My Love Languages are clear – I feel most loved through quality time and physical touch and/or words of affirmation, I crave them. Lucky for me, Jan from day one gave me an overwhelming amount of this, making me feel instantly loved.  I haven’t asked him directly what his are but intuitively I make sure I am giving plenty of words of affirmation and physical touch. So far things are working well 🙂 But maybe after he reads this, he can tell me how I am doing in filling his love meter.

For us we are definitely a strong mix of those THREE. And they flow naturally from us so it seems to work. However, like all couples when life gets busy or you are caught up in your own stuff or other people’s stuff then your expression of these things can get compromised. That’s when someone needs to recognise it and show up and start giving out more love.

Unfortunately most couples/parents/children do the opposite and actually stop giving out love because they aren’t feeling loved. This creates a sad, vicious cycles of no one feeling cared for. And really who wants that for their loved one?

Jan and I both aren’t big on giving and receiving gifts or acts of service. Although at times Jan may wish I was more expressive of my acts of service around the kitchen or laundry :).

What prompted me to share this was I recently read a blog from Melissa Ambrosini, the guru in, self love, and she mentioned the book (this was now the third time it had made its way into my life) and her positive experiences with it.

And whilst it may not save a relationship it certainly does give you some insight into the intricacies of how people express and receive love.

For example, if you are someone like me, who tends not to place as much value or express love via acts of service or giving and receiving gifts, paired upped with someone who expresses love via doing these things and also feels loved via receiving these , there is going to be a disconnect.

It is very likely that the quality time and the physical touch that I am trying so desperately to give to show my love is not getting the message across the way they need to feel loved. And this realisation, makes me cry.

But today I realised it, and I now I can try.

Love is at the heart of our being. When we give it; when we receive it; we are better humans.

Love Chantel