Hi! I'm Sophia - a British born, London trained, Californian living Pilates Instructor, Personal Trainer and lover of all things fitness & wellness. I'm wife to John and Mama to baby Theodore. I workout to keep my body strong and healthy and my (over-worrying anxious) mind calm and focused. My approach to fitness is to listen to my body and move it in a way that makes it feel good - some days this means slow, controlled mindful Pilates and other days this means a higher intensity, sweaty workout! But the main thing underpinning every workout I ever do is good form - moving well means maximising the benefit of every exercise (and workout) reducing the risk of injury and, ultimately, feeling much better in mind and body....'move well, live well' as I like to say!
Anyone who knows me well knows that I LOVE food! I have a semi-serious chocolate addiction and am currently working my way through every Californian Pinot noir and Chardonnay available. To me, living a healthy life doesn't have to mean excluding the things you love; to build a positive, life-long relationship with fitness and food, nothing should ever be considered 'bad' and you shouldn't ever be made to feel guilty about what you ate or the workout you didn't do (rest days are super important!)! Yes, of course, we must consider the nutritional value of our food and make sure that we include as much nutrient-dense food in our daily diet as possible (for optimum energy and health benefits) and, of course, if we become overweight for our height/build then we might need to consider whether we're consuming more calories than we're expending and look at reducing daily calories consumed from certain foods (as well as increasing activity levels to create the calorie deficit required for weight-loss). BUT....if we exclude the less nutrient-dense (but super yummy and soul-nurturing) foods from our diet completely, we will only ever end up wanting them more and (more often than not) will end up developing a very negative, unhealthy (and potentially disordered) mindset towards food. And, let's be honest, food is one of THE most wonderful things about life so let's enjoy it! My approach to wellness is just as much about my downtime on the sofa with Netflix and a glass of wine as it is about my workout program....I get anxious and overwhelmed pretty easily (even more so since having a baby!) and so downtime is SO important to me for my mental health and overall wellbeing. We moved to the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area last year for my husband's work and I had my gorgeous baby Teddy last summer. So life is currently pretty much all about new Mama life and figuring out how I maintain my fitness and wellness as best as possible now I have my mini-man to look after (without being able to call my Mum to come and save me when I can't cope...argh!). I hope you enjoy my little blog - I don't find the time to update it half as often as I'd like to (I only wash my hair once a week these days so sitting down to write a blog post is nothing short of a miracle!!) but take a peek below for my thoughts and top tips on all things fitness and wellness, including advice based on my recent pregnancy and postpartum journey. Oh, and I'd love to hear from you - get in touch if you have any questions, requests for content or want to connect or collaborate! Big virtual hugs, Sophia x |
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There's no disputing that staying as fit and active as you are able to during your pregnancy provides both you and your growing baby with numerous health benefits. Research has shown that regular exercise throughout pregnancy can help (not only Mama to) maintain a healthy weight but it can also help reduce the risk of baby being born at a significantly larger than average birth weight (known as fetal macrosomia). Staying fit and active will help keep your body strong and conditioned to help you avoid (or reduce the severity of) the aches and pains often experienced during pregnancy such as pelvic/pubic pain, sciatica and back pain. Other proven health benefits include improved circulation, lower blood pressure, improved bowel movements (goodbye pregnancy constipation!) better quality of sleep, reduced risk of gestational diabetes, improved endurance levels and breathing techniques and, ultimately, ensuring that your body is strong enough to get you through (and recover quickly from) the biggest workout of your life...labor! What's more, regular exercise during pregnancy can have a significantly positive impact on your mental health. During what is a highly hormonal and often stress/anxiety inducing time, regular exercise can help improve mood and energy levels by releasing 'feel good' hormones (serotonin and dopamine) and reducing stress hormones (cortisol). Practicing certain movements and stretches nearer to your due date can also help encourage your baby into an optimal birthing position, which can contribute to a smoother birth with less medical interventions; helping to bring your baby into the world calmly and positively. So, we all know how important regular exercise is during pregnancy but during a time of (hormone fuelled) physical, mental and emotional change, knowing what kind of exercise is safe and the most effective can often be very confusing. So here's my top tips for how to exercise safely and effectively during pregnancy:
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AuthorSophia Rose, Pilates Specialist & Personal Trainer Archives
January 2020
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