Plus Size Fitness: Ab Toning Exercises

I carry a lot of extra weight in my midsection. While I was pregnant I didn't do ANY crunches or heavy abdominal exercises. Since I am plus size I was at risk during my pregnancy to develop diastasis recti or a separation of my abdominal wall. Which you can read more about HERE. But now that Elyse is here. It is time to whittle my middle.

Being a plus size lady, some core exercises can be difficult due to the excess amount of fat in the midsection. Making some exercises more uncomfortable. WE can still do them, but listen to your body. Don't over crunch in on yourself. I find sometimes I want to do a fuller crunch, but I physically can't. So I end up pulling on my head more straining my neck. Watch out for that. Doing the movement as best you can is what you want to do to train your core to make it stronger. As you eat a healthy diet, your body will naturally start to lose the excess fat in the middle thus making these exercises even easier!

Are you ready to make that complete healthy lifestyle change but don't know where to start? I have created a 30 day workbook with daily action steps to help you make a complete healthy lifestyle change. 30 Days To A Healthy Lifestyle Change is available in my EXCLUSIVE private Facebook group as part of my Summer Slim Down To Success 60 Day Program as a TOOL to go along with your Beachbody On Demand All Access Pass workout programs and journey. If you are interested in joining us and are ready to order CLICK HERE and I will send you an email after you order with your materials and get you added to the group!

Russian Twists:
In a sitting position, lean back slightly and place your hands behind your ears. Then twist left elbow to opposite knee without crunch down. Then switch to right elbow to left knee and back and forth. Stay leaning back with your core tightened and engaged.

 Side Plank Twists:
Get into a modified kneeling side plank. Place your had behind your ear and elbow up to the sky. Then twist down to bring the elbows together as much as possible.

Plank Jacks:
High plank position. Start with legs together, then jump them out to wide position then back in and out. Tighten your core as much as possible to help stabilize your body.

 Basic Crunch:

Hands lightly behind the ears and lift with your chest not your head.

Supermans:

Down on your belly. Lift your arms and legs together slightly without straining your lower back and hold for 2 seconds. Then drop down softly. Then back up and so forth. The trick is to not go too high. If you feel a pinch in your low back, you are too high!

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January EXCLUSIVE Support Group

READY TO KICK in the new year and CRUSH your goals? Join my 30 day EXCLUSIVE support, motivation and accountability group. 

I am doing something I have never EVER done before! I am opening up my EXCLUSIVE SUPPORT AND ACCOUNTABILITY group to ANYONE who wants to dust off an old Beachbody workout, (or if you want to get a new one too that works!) and wants that support and accountability to help you stay on track with your new year resolution! Shakeology will not be required to be in the group.

Here's the thing guys. I want ALL of you to succeed so hear this...you can get access to Beachbody On Demand FREE for 30 days and have your pick to any of the included workout programs in there. That means, Any workout for FREE for 30 days, and getting access to my exclusive group with daily accountability, motivation, support, whatever you need from me to reach your goals, and my tools. FREE!

***If you are planning on getting 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, Core De Force, or Country Heat at the current sales price with Shakeology, you need to do so by the END OF THE MONTH. It will no longer be at the special price that it is now in 2017 (workout combined with Shakeology). There is a whole new DIGITAL ANNUAL ACCESS Beachbody On Demand CHALLENGE PACK where you get Shakeology, the color coded container system and an entire year of Beachbody on demand with access to every program ever made plus any new ones released in the next year, beginning 12/27. Email me to get on the list so that I can send you the link when it is available.***

IF YOU WANT IN THE GROUP COMMENT BELOW, EMAIL ME OR SEND ME A MESSAGE!

(one rule: must not already be working with another Beachbody coach to be in the group.)

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

Beachbody On Demand 3 Week Yoga Retreat

I am so proud of myself for completing another program through Beachbody, and only 2 months out from having Elyse. I finished up the Beachbody On Demand Exclusive 3 Week Yoga Retreat program a couple of weeks ago. The only time I have ever really done yoga, besides PiYo since it is a fusion of yoga and pilates, was my prenatal yoga classes. And to be honest, I was always so scared to attend a Live yoga class because well, I used to think I don't have the typical yoga body. I am not as bendy as the people who typically attend yoga, and well, it scares me to death to do it because what if I fall over, what if I can't hold a pose like everyone else. What if I just can't do it because of my size and I don't want to feel like the biggest outsider.

Well. The size issue, just needs to stop first of all because it does not matter what size you are. We can do yoga if you want to, and I proved that doing my 3 day yoga retreat. These are all self hating ideas and they don't do any good. Never make your size a reason why you can't do something unless. If there is a will there is a way. 

Granted I am not as bendy as people who have been doing yoga, but that is just the thing. I haven't been doing yoga. Like ever! The 3 day Yoga Retreat was released with the concept that it is a beginners yoga course to teach proper alignment, poses and work your way up from there. WHICH IT DID! I actually learned a new hand position regard planks and downward dog making it much easier on my wrists. So that has been very helpful! Plus it was at a slower pace, allowed for them to go over each move in detail but still allow me to fell like I was getting a workout. My body was sore, and I was shaking and sweating in the moves.

By the end of the 3 weeks my body felt more bendy, I could actually pull the straps of our Ergo baby carrier tighter without help, so I had more noticeable flexibility in my body. I felt more confident in the poses and by the end of the 3 weeks I wasn't as shaky with some of the moves. I did modify the plank moves and anything that put a lot of strain on my core to help it go back together (helping to prevent/repair diastasis recti) since I did just have a baby and I will continue to modify my planks for the next couple of months to build my core back up but I really did enjoy this program and feel like I can do and join most any yoga class. I have confidence in yoga that I didn't have before. And to me that is what this program is all about!

READY to start doing yoga, plus have access to 100's of workouts FREE for 30 days? CLICK HERE to sign up for Beachbody On Demand (it's like Amazon Prime's membership, you get tons of stuff included with your membership plus options to upgrade!) Want to learn more about the 3 Day Yoga retreat ? Send me an EMAIL!

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

BEST Fitness Apparel For Expecting Moms

Hey fit moms! You want to know about my favorite pregnant workout tops? I love my For Two Fitness tops. I start wearing them at 14 weeks to show off to the world that I was TRAINING FOR TWO (or as early as you want) and my tops GREW with me to even wear them at 40 weeks! No riding up, no binding, still comfy and soft from 16 weeks until 40 weeks! Honestly they were the only top I really wanted to wear at the end of my pregnancy because they were so long and covered my belly up pretty well! 

Guess what? I have a special offer coming to you from For Two Fitness! For being my reader you can use the special Promo code FITBECKY to save 30% STOREWIDE at For Two Fitness and also get FREE priority shipping on orders over $75. Valid through January 15, 2017. Just enter FITBECKY in the discount code box during checkout. They have super cute tops for your growing belly and even a tank for after your little one has arrived! And they have more than just tops, shorts, capris you name it they got you covered!

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

The One Exercise EVERY Woman Should Do Daily

It might be hard to hear this, but ladies, squatting is the BEST for us! And honestly we can rock the squat because we have great leg muscles! Think about how many times we bend down to pick up the clothes off the floor that our husbands just throw off and leave. Think about the toys we pick up. Or picking up our kids. Getting out of a chair, car, going to the bathroom. If I had a penny for every squat I have to do a day I would have a whole lot of spending money right now!

Just because we do a "squat" to pick something up everyday doesn't mean we are doing it right. Often times I catch myself and remind myself to, keep my knees from crossing in front of the toes. Take time out of your day to do some squats with the right form and technique to help your body be able to do it all the more easier and to help avoid injury down the line.

Squatting is such a great leg builder though. A proper squat with good range of motion is great for your quads, hamstrings and glutes (drop it till it's hot!). Do it right and it's also good for your knees, hip and posture. Train it to get some serious leg muscles going on that look fabulous on anyone! Who doesn't want that muscle line visible on the side of your thigh?!?

Here are a couple of ways to help you build up your endurance for squatting

Body Weight Squats
Easier and the first step to building up your squats. No weights, all you do is just squat. Keeping your hands in front of your heart or out front for balance. Keep the weight in your heels. For a beginner start out slow with smaller reps up to 12. As you get stronger increase the number you do up to 30.

Dumbbell or Kettle bell Squat
Once you get up to doing 30 body weight squats 3 times a day you can comfortably start using some weights to help provide yourself with more resistance. Again start with light weights and a smaller number of reps in the beginning and build from there. And as you get stronger you will increase the pounds of weights to use and your number of reps per set! You can change up your squats by pulsing them slightly at the lowest point of the squat. Or holding the squat for solid 10 seconds. You wanna feel that burn in your legs. This will do that for you! This is helping to build up your muscle!

Barbell Squats
The cream of the crop right here. If you want to get some serious tone on your legs, you can max out your weights using a barbell. But, you have to have proper form and technique to be able to perform this as it you can get injured very easily. Build up to this. Have someone spot you at the gym for safety. But seriously nothing makes you feel more like a badass than squatting a barbell with some serious weight on it!

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!