For the Love of Mandarins

I LOVE mandarins. In fact, I LOVE fruit. This doesn't mean I eat it by the truckload, but i certainly appreciate its relevance in this day and age.

In a society that is so obsessed with calorie counting and portion controlling, what better foods that fruit???

I love that mandarins are portion controlled. They tell you how much you should have: one. 

I love that they take a while to peel. You can't mindlessly eat them, and it is difficult to overeat as they take so long to peel that you can't easily eat 5 in a row. 

I love that they have great nutritional value. They have almost twice as much fibre, calcium and iron as apples!

I love that they are so sweet and can appease our sugar cravings. Rather than tuck into a pack of lollies or a chocolate bar, have a mandarin!

SO eating a variety of fruits (just two or three palm-sized portions of fruit) daily can provide a wealth of rejuvenating nutrients and fibre. 

Exercise during Pregnancy

Exercise during pregnancy is a great way to keep healthy, happy and energetic. Regular exercise can also help avoid pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and diabetes.

The level of exercise and the intensity will vary for everyone and will vary throughout your pregnancy. Some days you will have more energy than others and that is natural. Take each day as it comes and don't expect too much of yourself. Your exercise program needs to be flexible to accommodate for these changes.

These are some great exercises during your pregnancy:

• Pilates
• Walking
• Weights
• Low-intensity aerobics

Be Careful...

Some exercises are not ideal during pregnancy due to the changes of your body. This does not mean you need to give them up as soon as you become pregnant, but later in the pregnancy they may start posing problems.

Step Class: As your center of gravity changes with your growing belly, this can throw off your balance as you step up and down from a step platform. Also, as your belly grows you may not be able to see your feet which also increases the risk of falls during a step class. 

Yoga: While Yoga can be great for mobility, flexibility and breathing, it can become easy to overstretch muscles and ligaments due to the release of relaxin during pregnancy. This chemical released in the body during pregnancy enables mobility in the joints and muscles to accommodate the baby and the birth. 

In saying that, specialised pre-natal Yoga can be very beneficial during pregnancy, helping to prepare the body and mind for the changes it will undergo and the stress of the labor.

High Intensity Aerobics / Cross Fit: This is a fantastic exercise regime but is not deigned for pregnancy or post-pregnancy bodies. This high intensity work out may be suitable during your pregnancy if you have always undertaken this type and intensity of exercise, otherwise it is quite dangerous during the first trimester to push yourself outside of your comfortable fitness level.

Post-pregnancy your pelvic floor and abdominal muscles are at their weakest and this type and intensity of exercise can cause more damage than benefit. It is important to start slow when getting back into exercise and minimise the impact on the pelvic floor (avoiding jumps and wide squats).

Stay healthy & happy ladies! :)

Importance of Sleep

If you're anything like me, you probably don't make sleep a priority. So many things get in the way of a good night's sleep - work, chores, social life, etc. Sleep often seems more of a choice than a necessity. And for me, six and a half hours of sleep was my preference. Either that or eight hours - nothing more and nothing in between.

What I didn't realise was that I was actually sacrificing my health for my preference of limited sleep. I was regularly (once every second month!) sick with the flu or a cold, but would still push through and drag myself to work. Who needs rest anyway.... or so I thought....

Studies have shown that quality sleep is essential for the functioning of many systems in the body. I use the term 'quality' sleep because there are many times we sleep but don't get the 'quality' or the 'quantity'. And if you find you are regularly getting eight hours sleep and are still tired, it could be attributed to the 'quality' component of sleep.

The amount of sleep we need varies through our life and is quite dependnant on our age. Infants need approximately 16 hours of sleep; Teenagers need 9 hours of sleep; Adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep; and Pregnant women (especially during the first 3 months) may need more.

Why we need sleep:

1. Memories and new information is processed during sleep through a process called memory consolidation. This is why it is not helpful to cram the night before an exam. The brain processes information during the night so you would be much more effective with a good night sleep before an exam.
2. Lack of sleep alters the levels of hormones that affect our appetite. We are then more likely to overeat and consume more calories during the day. (I can tell if I haven't had enough sleep because I get sugar cravings by 2pm).
3. Chronic sleep deprivation may also cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates.
4. Lack of sleep can also cause irritability, impatience, an inability to concentrate and increased moodiness.
5. Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels and irregular heartbeat. 
6. Lack of sleep affects the regular functioning of the immune systems, increasing the risk of getting sick and hindering the body's ability to fight of sickness and disease. 
7. If you don't have enough sleep you are more likely to fall asleep during the day which can be very dangerous if you are driving, flying, performing a medical procedure, etc.

How to get sleep:

Certain habits or substances can actually affect the quality of sleep. I have listed a few ways to get better quality sleep below. For more tips visit the Harvard Medical School 'Get Sleep' website.

• Avoid sugary foods close to or before bed. The glucose will affect your sleep patterns. If you are hungry before bed or late at night, try a low sugar food like yoghurt or proteins such as nuts.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine before bed. It will interrupt your sleep.
• Try a chamomile tea before bed as it can help the body to relax.
• Bright lights and TV before bed will affect your body's natural rhythms and make it harder to fall asleep.
• Similarly, avoid using your phone in bed as this will also make it more difficult to fall asleep.
• Shut out lights so your body will more effectively rest. If your blinds are not effective then an eye mask can help. 
• If you are still having trouble sleeping, relaxing sounds can help the body to fall asleep. There are CDs and apps for this - ocean sounds and music, rain forest sounds, the sound of rain, etc.

For more tips and facts about sleep visit the Australasian Sleep Association website for more information.

Sleep well!

Changing Moods

Mood changes are quite common especially with hormonal changes such as menstruation and pregnancy. When mood swings start affecting relationships is when we need to pay more attention. If they are quite severe, or change quite frequently it can be helpful to monitor these changes. That way you can see what might be causing the mood changes - such as stress, sickness, certain situations or even the weather.

I have found it extremely helpful to keep a mood journal to keep a record of how I am feeling and what events happened that day. I use the Mood Diary by Eli Lilly which has been invaluable to me. Another good mood journal is the Daily Mood Chart by the Black Dog Institute.

By keeping a record I can look back more objectively and see the extent to which my mood has been fluctuating and whether there were any particular stressful events which may have triggered it.

Often when we reflect on past situations we do not recall the heightened emotions we were experiencing at the time and can think "well, it wasn't that bad". Things are usually better after the fact, but this can make it difficult to recognize where dramatic mood changes may have been occurring.

The aim of recording the mood is not to dwell on it or get caught up more in the situation, just to simply record what you are feeling, without any self judgments. You can then reflect back on the past months to see if there are any patterns of consistency to the mood changes, and can also take this to discuss with your GP.

I also want to add that just because you have mood swings does not mean you have bipolar. Mood swings are very common and normal. By tracking your mood swings you will be better equipped to speak with your GP about your mood changes.

For more information about depression and bipolar, please visit the Black Dog Institute website which has some great resources and information.

Core Muscles

The core refers to the trunk of the body, from the shoulders to the pelvis.

The corset is a group of muscles that is referred to in Pilates in the abdominal area. They are sometimes referred to as the ‘core’ and are the muscles that Pilates exercises target for stability and strength. They are called the ‘corset’ because combined they create the body’s natural corset.

The corset muscles include the diaphragm, transverse abdominis, internal obliques, multifidus and pelvic floor. These are the muscles that are closest to the spine and are our postural muscles. These muscles provide the stability and strength from which all movement begins.

The corset muscles are slow-twitch which means that they can produce a small contraction for a long period of time. They do not fatigue as quickly as fast twitch muscles which is why they are integral to the body’s stability and posture. These may also be referred to as ‘local’ muscles because they are the deep stabilisers of the body.

If there is a weakness in the corset muscles, the ‘global’ muscles groups will be used. The ‘global’ muscles are the larger muscles and are fast-twitch which means they can be activated quickly but are not intended for contractions for a long period of time. The global muscles therefore fatigue which can cause a postural imbalance. The global muscles can also become dominant which prevents the local muscles from activating correctly.

It is therefore essential to start a training program with corset and local muscle stability (and strengthening) before beginning to train the larger global muscles.

The Power of Pilates

Pilates has been a buzzword in the fitness industry for some time now, and has been appreciated for its benefits for several decades by dancers and athletes. I discovered Pilates about four years ago, but it wasnt until I started seeing the benefits in my running and training that I began to appreciate the power of Pilates.

About Pilates

Joseph H. Pilates (1881 – 1967) developed an exercise system that he called ‘Contrology’ which is known today as Pilates. Joseph Pilates believed that all movement originated from the abdominal area and was therefore the ideal place to start a corrective or conditioning program. This way of thinking was ahead of his time. It is only recently that researchers have been able to identify that abdominal contraction precedes limb movement in healthy subjects.

Benefits of Pilates

Pilates is a great remedial exercise because it is low impact and focussed on stability and strength. Using mainly body weight and lever length to increase challenge, Pilates exercises focus on posture and control throughout the movements. There is no final end goal but a journey through increased body awareness, control, mobility and strength.

Pilates can help improve posture, reduce back pain, increase core strength and stability, lengthen muscles and develop increased mind-body awareness.

Principles of Pilates

• Concentration
• Alignment
• Centering
• Breathing
• Control
• Isolation
• Precision
• Flowing movement
• Routine
• Integration

Getting Started

Whilst there may be many types of teaching using similar exercises, performed with incorrect or incomplete technique the benefits will not be as great.

The best way to start a Pilates program is to visit a Pilates studio or a personal trainer who has Pilates qualification. It is best to work one-one-one to get the best results and ensure the correct muscle activation. Once you are familiar with the muscle activation, breathing and technique, a transition to a small group class can help progress your training.

Remember, start slow. You are learning something new so expect it to take a bit of time. Be patient with yourself and enjoy!