I am seeing an increase of ante-natal clients in my classes and on my courses, so I thought I would write a blog especially for them.

When you find out you are pregnant your life changes, you are now especially aware of the miracle inside and your responsibilities.  You want to ensure that you are as healthy as can be and that the baby gets the best start in life.  It is therefore important to eat well, keep hydrated and exercise.

It can be difficult to find ante-natal classes on a day and at a time to suit your schedule.  Therefore, look at other options and activities that are accessible and accommodating for pregnancy.  It is important your teacher is trained and qualified, teaching ante and post-natal women is a specialist field.  Qualified instructors may accept ante-natal women on an occasional basis, if the class is suitable, however, for specialist classes additional training and a specific qualification is required. 

Book in advance so the teacher has time to prepare the lesson.  Your teacher will want to know how many weeks you are and a contact number in case of an emergency.

There are many benefits to exercise during pregnancy, and some more so than others.  Before you start exercising, check with your midwife or health care practitioner.  It is important you and your baby are not at risk.  When you receive the ‘go ahead’ you can introduce or continue with some gentle/moderate exercise throughout your pregnancy. 

Avoid high intensity exercise sessions and look for activities appropriate and accommodating to your changing body.  This can be walking, swimming, a gentle/moderate aerobics class (Exercise to Music), yoga and Pilates.  I was teaching aerobics the night before I gave birth to my second child!

The benefits of exercise during pregnancy are:

• Maintaining your fitness so you are able to continue with normal everyday life as your body changes and to prepare you for the birth of your baby.
• Improving your posture to help prevent back ache and lower back pain caused by pregnancy.
• Help strengthen abdominal and pelvic floor muscles.  Active and strong muscles will cope with the changes to your body during pregnancy and aid recovery after the birth of your baby.
• Improve your circulation.  This may help decrease the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
• Keep everything moving!  Help prevent constipation, varicose veins, blood clots, leg cramps and swelling of legs and feet.
• It may improve your sleep and help you relax, resulting in less stress, anxiety and fatigue.
• It will help prevent excessive weight gain improving self-image and self-confidence.
• It may teach you breathing techniques you can use during labour.

If you are pregnant, have received the ‘go ahead’ and are interested in trying a Yoga or Pilates class in Hornchurch or the surrounding area, contact me to discuss further.  If you are not local, I hope you find this blog useful and a class that is right for you.

Pauline Ward
Business Owner and Fitness Professional

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"Introducing, teaching and inspiring people to enjoy a healthier and more active life"

I wanted to write this blog as the trend still seems to be ‘Pilates is for girls’.  Not so; and for those of you who are unaware of the history and benefits from Pilates please let me explain.  I also want to see if your perceptions change after reading this and if you agree Pilates is as beneficial to men as Yoga is to Ryan Giggs! 

‘Pilates’ is named after Joseph Pilates, who was born in Germany in the late 19th century.  However, it was not called Pilates until after his death in 1967.  Before this, it was called ‘Contrology’, the name itself explains a little more.  Contrology is a sequence of controlled prescriptive exercises using complete coordination of the body, mind and spirit.  Joseph was fascinated by the anatomy, movement and rhythm of wild animals and domestic pets he was also cognisant of his own physical appearance, strengths and weaknesses.  It is with this extraordinary innovative understanding and learning he introduced an exercise programme which is, more poignant in the 21st century (with today’s sedentary lifestyle) than is was in the early 20th century when he designed it!  And now over 100 years on, Pilates is respected and recommended by leading medical professionals for rehabilitation and enhancement of the body’s performance and functionality.  

Pilates incorporates six original principles: Breathing, Centring, Concentration, Control, Precision and Flow.  If you relate this to a game of football (or any sport) I’m sure you agree it hits the nail on the head!

Breathing: Joseph Pilates said ‘breathing is the first act of life, and the last . . .  above all, learn to breathe correctly.’  Using the correct breath with movement (exercise) it will focus the mind, connect the deep abdominal muscles (diaphragm and pelvic floor) and enhance performance.

Centring: This is to exercise your abdomen, low back and pelvis and is essential to provide strong, stable and efficient functionally.

Concentration: Focus your mind and body on exact movement, how you move, where you will move.

Control: Execute every movement with control.  By controlling your movement your performance will improve.

Precision: Be precise, it is by working on the minute detail that improvement will be achieved

Flow: With reference to the fluidity and beauty of movement of wild animals, flow will enhance the cohesive, seamless, articulation of movement.

Now with this in mind what sports or activities do you think would benefit from Pilates?  Football, Rugby, Golf, Running to name but a few.  At home and in your professional life, office workers, nurses/doctors/carers, hairdressers, shop/bar workers, builders and gardeners would all benefit from Pilates.

Today, Pilates is very popular with woman, but we still see very few men.  There has been an increase in the number of men attending classes however I feel we still have some way to go before the stigma of ‘Pilates is for girls’ is changed.  It is also perceived as an easy workout; this is not so.  When you have mastered the essential exercises, the intermediate and advance options would challenge the strongest elite athlete, sportsman or individual.

The fundamental benefits of Pilates should surpass any gender stigma and be celebrated by both men and women.  Pilates will harmonise the body, stimulate the mind and lift the spirit.  So come on boys, what have you to lose?

Inspired Health and Fitness – The complete approach to health, fitness and wellbeing at work

Pauline Ward

Business Owner and Fitness Professional

Follow me on facebook: Inspired Health and Fitness 

Follow me on twitter:    @IHFcouk 

Website:                      www.inspiredhealthandfitness.co.uk

Linkedin:                      Pauline Ward

Telephone:                   07821 969405

Sadly, I am not going to mention anything new; nevertheless, sometimes we need to hear, see and internalise the same information many times before the penny finally drops and we are called to action.  I am hoping this blog is the 'Eureka Moment' and this happens for you.  Yes; I am referring to the lady sitting on the comfy seat in the corner of the carriage on her daily commute to work and the guy sitting at his desk for yet another very long sedentary day!  This also applies to an estimated 25,000 (black cab) drivers and over 67,000 private hire drivers in London as well as hundreds of thousands of office workers, chauffeurs and drivers worldwide.

Refresh; what are the possible consequences from sedentary lifestyle? Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, DVTs and respiratory ailments.  Not to mention feeling lethargic, lacking in energy, poor mobility and back pain to reference just a few.  This is not new research, in fact, an article written by Mike Adams the Health Ranger Editor of NaturalNews.com published on 28th July 2004 ‘Sedentary lifestyle causes more deaths than smoking’.  I recommend everyone to read this article: http://www.naturalnews.com/001547.html 

More recently in The Lancet 13th August 2014 it says: Diabetes prevalence has increased at an unprecedented rate worldwide, mostly because of ageing populations, rising obesity rates, unhealthy eating habits, and increasingly sedentary lifestyles.1 Diabetes, mostly type 2, now affects a staggering 347 million people worldwide.1 Presently, close to 10% of adults have been diagnosed with the disease, with the highest prevalence in developed nations such as the USA.1However, these figures are just the tip of the iceberg.  http://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(14)70172-X/fulltext

Why is it, 10 years on, little to no progress has been made?  Why is ‘moving more’ so low on our list of priorities that we simply ignore it?  Let’s stop and think for a few moments; what is most important to us and where would we be without good health?  Most would say their family (husband, wife, partner or children) are most important.  You, however, are central within that mix and it is good health and wellbeing that will give you the golden ticket to longevity and not just existing.  It is not rocket science just plain common sense; ‘move more’ and sit less. 

In my previous blogs I have said ‘find activities you will enjoy’.  You don’t have to go to the gym or sign up for exercise classes.  You simply need to move more.  Move more at home, move more at work, move more in everyday life.  

Think of a triangle with 3 layers, the bottom layer is every day activity.  This is the biggest layer and is essential for life.  This simply says ‘move more every day’.   We should be moving for most of the day (this is how the human body was designed) we were not designed to sit.  Our predecessors were hunters and gathers and most of our ancestors worked the land or had jobs which were labour-intensive.  In today’s world were have taken the ‘labour’ out of most work.  We therefore need to address the balance, move, walk, stretch, reach and react physically to stimulate muscle function and circulation.

The second layer is; be active (exercise) for 2 hours and 30 minutes each week.  The NHS has published guidelines on how much physical activity we should do to keep healthy: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults.aspx

The third layer is the epitome layer where specific (extra) activities are introduced to facilitate results.  This can be rehabilitation, weight loss, improved performance, to be faster, to be stronger etc.  

If you have just read this blog and consider your lifestyle as sedentary or inactive, stand up and move more.  Go fetch a glass of water, walk to the other side of the office and speak with a colleague rather than email or call, go to the shops for a newspaper.  Moving more could save your life.

Now to finish; I must get up and move more!

Inspired Health and Fitness – The complete approach to health, fitness and wellbeing at work

Pauline Ward

Business Owner and Fitness Professional

Follow me on facebook: Inspired Health and Fitness 

Follow me on twitter:    @IHFcouk 

Website:                      www.inspiredhealthandfitness.co.uk

Linkedin:                      Pauline Ward

Telephone:                   07821 969405

I have personal experience of this scenario; 5 years ago I returned to work after cancer and major surgery.  The main challenges are the journey to and from work and having the energy to complete a productive day.

Here are some tips to help ease you (or the employees you are responsible for) back into work:

Plan your journey 

The journey will be easier travelling outside of normal working hours.  Consider a later start and earlier finish to your day when first returning.  If your job allows, look into working from home every other day.

Take breaks during the day

It is healthier to allow frequent shorter breaks than one hour at lunch time.  Speak with your employer about the options available to you.  Move away from your desk.  I know if I sit at my desk, I will answer the phone, I will just reply to one more email, I will continue working!  This is not a break – move away from your desk or workstation!  You may be interested in a Power Break, The Stress Buster or the Back Care Programme as an active option: http://www.inspiredhealthandfitness.co.uk/our-services.html  these can be provided in just 10 minutes.

Eat well

Food is your fuel for the day.  Plan ahead and bring healthy food to work with you.  You are looking to eat foods which are rich in vitamins, protein and zinc.  Fruit and vegetables especially broccoli, greens, peppers and berries will help recovery.  Also include eggs, pulses and nuts as these are nutrition rich foods.  Foods high in fibre will promote a healthy digestive tract allowing you to absorb more of the foods nutrients.   Eat often, small meals and healthy snacks will get you through the day and keep your energy up.  Move away from your desk to eat.  It is unhealthy to eat at the work station.  To eat in another room will encourage you to move (a little) more often.

Introduce some gentle exercise

You may have been given an exercise sheet after surgery.  If not ask for recommended exercises and make time to do them.  Exercise will enable you to recover sooner.   Inspired Health and Fitness can work with you on specific exercises or introduce an exercise plan.  With face to face encouragement from an experienced instructor and time allocated during the day for some gentle exercise, your recovery will be quicker.  Employers will want you back at the top of your game as soon as possible.

Relax and get a good night’s sleep

Your body and mind will heal best if you get a good night’s sleep.  Try to establish a routine working with your optimum body clock.  Sleep when your body and mind tells you to.   If you find it difficult to sleep, try breathing exercises, easy reading, listening to music or other relaxation techniques.

Inspired Health and Fitness – The complete approach to health, fitness and wellbeing at work

Pauline Ward

Business Owner and Fitness Professional

Follow me on facebook: Inspired Health and Fitness

Follow me on twitter:    @IHFcouk

Website:                      www.inspiredhealthandfitness.co.uk

Linkedin:                      Pauline Ward

Telephone:                   07821 969405

We all know that feeling, we have worked hard, organized our calendar and longed for that well-earned holiday for months.  Then it’s over so quickly, we are back on the treadmill, in commuter hell with a stupid schedule and hundreds of emails to answer!  Was it worth it, we ask as the holiday blues set in?

I can’t proclaim to help change your circumstances (you do have to return to work) however you can change your perception and how you feel by taking stock and acknowledging the positives.  Give yourself a little time to adjust, breathe (take a few very slow breaths); nourish your body with healthy foods (breakfast is essential) and introduce some exercise to address your sense of mind and wellbeing.

Try and introduce some activity into your working day.  Get up from your seat, move around, and take the stairs; go outside at lunchtime.  All of these activities will release endorphins which make you feel happy and more positive.  It is this positive outlook that will get you through that first day, week and possibly months back at work after a holiday.  Evaluate and acknowledge the benefits you feel from physical activity (exercise) and make it a permanent fixture in your daily schedule.  It does not have to be sweaty and arduous it can be calming and relaxing.  One size will not fit all, look for activities you enjoy as it is only then you will continue and reap the benefits.

You may have a wellbeing (exercise) scheme at work, check with HR and utilize this benefit. For the forward thinking, leading employers a health and wellbeing programme will be available.  If not, involve yourself in the introduction of wellbeing exercise sessions at work and voice your feelings, take control and implement change.  The good news is, with each day back at work you are one day closer to your next holiday!

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development have researched well-being at work and the benefits:  

What is well-being?

“There are many varied definitions of well-being. The CIPD believes that well-being at work initiatives need to balance the needs of the employee with those of the organisation. We define it as: creating an environment to promote a state of contentment which allows an employee to flourish and achieve their full potential for the benefit of themselves and their organisation. The well-being approach also brings benefits for people at all levels inside and outside the workplace. It makes the workplace a more productive, attractive and corporately responsible place to work. Well-being will run the risk of being dismissed as a gimmick unless those involved in its introduction and promotion demonstrate the positive business benefits that it brings. To be effective, employee well-being needs to be part of a regular business dialogue and to be deeply embedded into an organisational culture. The well-being dialogue can be beneficial to employees’ health by making employees feel valued and by giving them an opportunity to use their experiences to improve their working environment”.

http://www.cipd.co.uk/nr/rdonlyres/dcce94d7-781a-485a-a702-6daab5ea7b27/0/whthapwbwrk.pdf

Here are some examples of employers who have implemented wellbeing at work:

Fiona Dawson, President Mars UK

“Mars believe that our employees are our greatest assets and providing schemes that care for them is driven by two of our guiding principles, Responsibility and Mutuality.  We believe that good health is good business and having a workplace wellbeing programme is a fundamental element of achieving this aim”. http://www.fdf.org.uk/publicgeneral/Workplace%20Wellbeing%20doc_13.pdf

Jonathan Warburton, Chairman or Warburton

“Our people are the foundation of the business and therefore a happy and healthy workforce is of the upmost importance. We pride ourselves on our employee retention record and make sure that the health and wellbeing of the team is at the top of the agenda.”

http://www.fdf.org.uk/publicgeneral/Workplace%20Wellbeing%20doc_13.pdf

For a free consultation, information and services from Inspired Health and Fitness go to: http://www.inspiredhealthandfitness.co.uk/our-services.html

Photo Ref: Neorio Bay, Poros Island, Greece