2018 Reflections

I’m a planner and organizer, so I always look forward to the New Year as a chance to set new goals and create a plan to accomplish them. However, more recently I realized that I’ve been missing a step... I don’t properly take time to reflect on the year that is coming to a close. I have been depriving myself from celebrating accomplishments and acknowledging where I fell short. So before we storm into 2019 with new goals and hopes, take some time with me to reflect on 2018. Inspired by several different reflection resources online, I’ve compiled this one for you below.

I will provide a goal setting guide as we enter into the New Year. Expect it the first week of January.

2018 Reflection Questions

1. What I know about myself today that I didn’t know a year ago…

2. This year I dedicated too much time to…

3. This year I didn’t spend enough time…

4. The most valuable relationships to me this year were…

5. I improved my wellness in the following ways…

6. _________ brought me happiness this year.

7. _______ stressed me out this year.

8. I overcame the following obstacle...with the following skill or superpower…

9. I said I was going to ______ this year, and I did.

10. I said I was going to ______ this year, and I didn’t.

I hope you enjoyed the reflection. Let’s take these achievements and lessons learned and take on 2019! If you’re ready to get a jump on your fitness resolutions, check out my January specials.

Getting to the Core of Pregnancy

Three ways beyond exercise to promote a healthy core during pregnancy.

The body’s “core” is a system of muscles that support the spine and pelvis, with the ceiling being the diaphragm and the bottom of the cylinder being the muscles of the pelvic floor. The shift of the pelvis and the separation of abdominal muscles during pregnancy can result in weakness and instability. This may lead to pain in the lower back and pelvis during pregnancy. Women without any contraindications are advised to counteract the instability and weakness by strengthening abdominal, back, butt and pelvic floor muscles through exercise

However, beyond exercise, pregnant women shouldn’t overlook these 3 strategies to encourage a healthy pregnant core.

Image from http://www.fitnessnetwork.com.au/resources-library/aqua-pelvic-floor

Tip 1 for a healthy pregnant core: perform diaphragmatic (belly) breathing

Why? The diaphragm is a thin muscles that separates the chest from the abdomen, forming the roof of the core. A 2013 article in The Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare discusses the functional relationship between the diaphragm and the pelvic floor, indicating the diaphragm has a role in core function and pelvic stability. The diaphragm and pelvic floor muscles should work together, meaning as the diaphragm contracts and moves down during an inhale, the pelvic floor muscles should relax and lower. The opposite is true on an exhale, with the diaphragm relaxing and rising while the pelvic floor is contracting and rising

From https://bebrainfit.com/breathing-exercises-anxiety/

How to perform diaphragmatic breathing: Women should lie on their back with knees bent or for pregnant women beyond 16 weeks, sitting is appropriate. Inhale slowly to the count of 3, letting your belly expand outward. Exhale slowly to the count of 3, allowing your belly to relax. Repeat this 5 times. As the belly grows this will become more difficult and “chest breathing” will become more natural, however women can still be deliberate about the mind body connection between the diaphragm and pelvic floor. This type of breathing may also be useful in the first stages of labor as a relaxation technique and is a safe postpartum exercise to begin rebuilding the core after baby.

Tip 2 for a healthy pregnant core: Rise up with a side roll

Why? There are three groups of muscles that make up the abdomen. During pregnancy the rectus abdominis group (6-pack muscles), can separate due to increased hormones and tension placed on the abdominal walls due to the growing baby. A study by Sperstad JB, Tennfjord MK, Hilde G, et al. 2016; found that approximately 33% of women at 21 weeks pregnant will experience separation and that number rises to 60% when looking at women 6 weeks postpartum.This separation is called Diastasis Recti Abdominis. Anything that increases the pressure within the abdominal wall can widen the separation of the muscle (sneezing and coughing included). One factor that women can control is the pressure exerted on the abdominal wall while rising up from a lying position.

How to create less pressure while rising:  Women can rise up to sitting or standing by performing a side roll, rather than coming straight up and putting excessive pressure on the abdominal walls. From lying on the back, first bring knees to a bent position then roll to the side. Using both arms, push the body up. If lying in a bed, then drop both legs over the bed and stand. If coming up off of the floor, push up on both arms and then come into a kneeling position to rise and stand.

From http://brochures.mater.org.au/brochures/mater-mothers-hospital/pregnancy—information-for-women-and-families

Tip 3 for a healthy pregnant core: Avoid bearing down or breath holding

Why? As already discussed, increased abdominal wall pressure can lead to further separation of the abdominal muscles.

How to avoid bearing down or breath holding: women should exhale through any strenuous movements that might cause her to bear down or hold her breath. This might include bowel movements, lifting objects or other children, and movements during exercise.

Although these 3 strategies work to improve core function and decrease abdominal wall pressure, more research needs to be done on the risks and preventative factors related to pelvic and back pain, as well as abdominal separation during pregnancy.

Ready to learn more? Download 5 Tips for a Stronger Core During Pregnancy.

The FITT Principle: Design a Workout That Gets Results

How Do You Design a Workout Plan Using the FITT Principle?

Update 4/2026

Personal trainers use a framework called the FITT Principle to design exercise programs for their clients. Now it’s time for you to take charge of your workout plan. If you have already set a specific fitness goal and have a sense of your current fitness level, you can use this formula to design a workout plan that leads to results.

What Is the FITT Principle?

FITT stands for frequency, intensity, time, and type. These four variables work together in an effective plan. If you’re pregnant, I like to add a third T, which stands for Trimester. I go into this in my book, Active Mom.

Frequency is how often you exercise. Intensity is how hard you work. Time is how long each session lasts. Type is the kind of exercise you're doing, such as running, cycling, strength training, or swimming.

The first thing to understand is that these variables are interdependent. The intensity will affect how long each session is, and the type may impact frequency. Without having a degree in exercise science, understanding that one change can impact another variable is the first step in creating and sustaining your fitness plan. Because frequency, intensity, time, and type are connected, changing one means you should consider whether you need to manipulate the others. If you increase the intensity of your workouts and don’t adapt frequency to allow for recovery, you may not get the results you’re hoping for.

How to Use FITT to Build Your Plan

Let's look at a practical example. A healthy mom of two who can barely find time to workout, but enjoys exercising outside, wants to meet general health guidelines. Because the number of days she can find time to work out is her limiting factor, she decides to start with the frequency variable. She can realistically commit to 2-3 days per week. On one of the days, her kids stay later at school, so she decides she can fit in one 45-minute workout on that day, but the other 1-2 days will have to be 30 minutes. Now she has frequency and time determined. She’s a fairly experienced exerciser with no injuries or limitations, so when she chooses intensity, she decides that for the shorter workouts, she will exercise at higher intensities and on the longer day, she’ll do something more moderate like brisk walking or a bike ride.

This is how to manipulate variables to meet your goals and make your workout fit your lifestyle. For some of you, your starting factor might be intensity. If you’re avoiding high-intensity exercise, your type and frequency should correspond.

As a disclaimer, it’s not always that simple, and plenty of other barriers or considerations may exist for you, especially during and after pregnancy, but as I said, it’s a foundational starting point and worth considering.

Let’s take a look at the guidelines so that you understand what is recommended, and you can use the FITT(T, for Trimester) principle to personalize your plan. As a side note, if you need more guidance than this article, the Active Mom book is a comprehensive guide to help you personalize exercise and understand your needs so you can stay active through all stages of motherhood.

ACSM Aerobic Exercise Guidelines

The following are general aerobic exercise guidelines for most adults based on current ACSM recommendations. Use these as a starting point, not a prescription. Your specific goal, fitness level, stage of motherhood, and schedule will determine where within these ranges makes sense for you.

• Frequency: 3 to 5 days per week

• Intensity: Moderate to vigorous. Moderate intensity means you can talk but not sing during the activity. Vigorous intensity means you can only say a few words before needing to catch your breath.

• Time: 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous intensity activity per week. These can be accumulated in single sessions or broken into shorter segments of at least 10 minutes.

• Type: Any sustained, rhythmic activity that elevates your heart rate. Walking, cycling, swimming, dancing, running, and rowing all qualify. Choose something you will actually do consistently.

Don't Forget Resistance Training

Aerobic exercise is only part of the picture. A complete plan includes resistance training, and the FITT principle applies here, too. Current ACSM guidelines, updated in 2026, recommend training all major muscle groups at least twice a week. Consistency and effort matter more than complexity. Whether you are using barbells, resistance bands, or bodyweight, choose an approach that fits your life and build from there.

Prenatal Exercise Myths, Debunked

Don’t let outdated advice keep you from staying active during pregnancy.

I've worked with a lot of pregnant moms, and many of them sought me out because they feared they were going to do the wrong thing. The fear of exercise during pregnancy has many roots, but with a lot of the moms I worked with, it started with guidance that is outdated, incomplete, or simply never made it to them in the first place. Let’s set the record straight on three of the most common myths about exercise during pregnancy.

Myth 1: If You Didn't Exercise Before Pregnancy, You Shouldn't Start Now

This is not true. If you began your pregnancy already exercising, you should continue those healthy habits. But if you weren't active before becoming pregnant, now is actually an ideal time to start. Current clinical guidance is clear: even previously sedentary women are encouraged to begin an exercise program early in pregnancy. The risk of staying inactive is well-documented. Physical inactivity and excessive weight gain during pregnancy are risk factors for gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, and other complications. If you haven’t been told you have an unhealthy pregnancy or contraindications, do yourself and your baby a favor by getting and staying active.

Myth 2: Your Heart Rate Shouldn't Go Above 140 BPM

The 140 bpm rule is one of the most persistent pieces of outdated pregnancy advice still circulating today. It originated from an American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) guideline published in 1985, was removed in 1994, and yet more than half of OB/GYNs still recommend some form of heart rate limit to their pregnant patients. It happened to me when I asked about exercising during my first trimester. This is a prime example of updated research not reaching the people who need to be aware of it (and why I wrote the book Active Mom).

Current ACOG guidance does not specify a maximum heart rate. Instead, it recommends monitoring intensity through perceived exertion. Two practical ways to do this are thetalk test and the RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) scale. With the talk test, you should be able to carry on a conversation during exercise but not sing. That range, feeling "fairly light to somewhat hard," is where most pregnant women should be working. If your provider recommends a heart rate cap, it is worth questioning whether that recommendation reflects current guidelines or your specific risk factors.

Myth 3: Kegels Are the Best Way to Train Your Pelvic Floor During Pregnancy

Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor, the group of muscles that support the bladder, uterus, rectum, and small intestine. I’ve had moms come to me saying they know they should do kegels, or they do kegels, but they’re not sure they’re doing them right. They tell me they want to strengthen the muscles to avoid leaking.

Although I’m always happy they’re aware of the need for a healthy pelvic floor, it’s clear that only one piece of advice around pelvic floor training is mainstream. When performing kegels, you’re probably focusing on the contraction, just like you would during most exercises when your goal is increasing strength. What I’d like for you to consider is that it’s important to be able to relax your pelvic floor as well, especially during labor and delivery. If all you’re doing is squeezing and not also learning how to relax, you’re doing yourself a disservice. In fact, many moms that I’ve worked with who had incontinence due to pelvic floor dysfunction found out after seeing a pelvic floor pt that their muscles actually weren’t weak, they were too tight, and doing a bunch of kegels was not what they needed.

Beyond that, kegels alone don't address the full scope of what pregnancy demands from your body. Your entire pelvis shifts during pregnancy, which affects the 40-plus muscles attached to it. Focusing only on the pelvic floor is not enough to support those changes. A comprehensive approach integrates pelvic floor work into your broader core training rather than treating it as a standalone exercise. One of my favorite ways to train the pelvic floor is awareness during strength exercises like squats or deadlifts, or adding it to abdominal exercises.

If you’re looking to strengthen your pelvic floor and want to learn more about integrating it into your routine, consider my prenatal core training course to find out which exercises are right for you as you move through each trimester.