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Tag Archives: Motherhood
Finding Fitness was my GiFT
by: Tanya Carinci – Founder of Girls In Fitness Training (GiFT)
“Are you pregnant?”
A simple one-liner of a question asked my 12 year old niece, Alana, one spring morning in 2010. Nothing wrong with the question except for the fact, I had given birth one year prior.
I remember the heat level in my body rising, my face turning the brightest shade of red from embarrassment and the feeling of absolute mortification.
What had happened to me? Prior to giving birth to my three wonderful children, I was a beacon of health, I worked out and loved my body. Where had the old Tanya gone?
Posted in healthy living, life & wellness coaching
Tagged fitness, Motherhood, yoga teacher training
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The Power of Connection
“Anxiety is extremely contagious. But so is calm.”
~Harriet Lerner
I have spent my professional life working with children as both an elementary school teacher and now as a yoga teacher and yoga therapist. I am constantly amazed at how much my ability to be connected to my practice, to be present and grounded, impacts my time with kids. These days, when I teach parents and teachers about sharing yoga and mindfulness with children, the heart of my message is simple but profound: Connection is what makes all the difference.
My observation is that yoga and mindfulness go hand in hand with connection. When we become more mindful, we connect deeply with ourselves and develop a capacity to connect more genuinely with others. Likewise, when we consciously foster connection with ourselves and with others, we naturally slow down and become more present. 
This idea of connection is worthy of deep exploration. It seems ironic that we are living in the most connected world in history, and yet symptoms of disconnection are all around us: loneliness, sadness, anxiety, anger, frustration. According to ancient teachings, disconnection is at the root of suffering. To move out of suffering we must develop present moment awareness and a capacity to attune to ourselves and to attune to others. Attunement has been defined in the following way:
The Most Unusual Piece of Advice I Got Before Becoming a Mom
Moms are heroes. Remember those pesky little things called pregnancy and labour? Remember how much reading and preparing we did for those things? Well, creating a human inside you then pushing it out through a tiny hole is just the beginning. It’s the beginning of something harder, something you can’t prepare for, something that requires on-the-job, minute by minute training. Oh, and also, it starts right after you create a human inside you and then push it out through a tiny hole. You’re freakin’ tired, your body aches, your abs are torn apart, you might have staples in places a stapler should NEVER be and it starts whether you’re ready or not. Looking back, this is the easy part. Soon they’re walking, then talking (probably talking back) and the next thing you know they want nothing to do with you, and they leave to go to a party where you’re worried they’ll get pregnant because you probably gave them self esteem issues. (Just a little glimpse in to my scary mommy brain…)
Posted in healthy living, life & wellness coaching, pre/post natal, toronto studio
Tagged Motherhood, yoga
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Confessions from a Broken Belly Mama
Casey with her middle son, Billy
Pregnancy took my belly for a big, bumpy, RIP roaring ride. It never occurred to me that as the baby (and your belly) grows, the chances of tearing your abdominal muscles grow as well. With each pregnancy (there were 3) my #DiastasisRecti (DR) expanded and 6 fingers deep to be precise! For those of you who haven’t heard of the DR, it is defined as a separation of your rectus abdominis, AKA your six-pack! When the abdominal muscles move aside, your uterus, bowels and other organs have only a thin band of connective tissue in front to hold them ALL in place. After baby, this condition causes your belly to stick out (yes, just like it did when I was about 5 months pregnant). I was so excited to feel good in my own body again, however, this unfortunate symptom has been quite hard at times on this mama’s soul. People (mostly women) constantly ask me if I am pregnant again. “So…you are going for the fourth?” and “When are you due?” are the most frequent questions that I get. Being a fitness instructor and wearing spandex for a living doesn’t allow me to wear “looser” attire!
Posted in life & wellness coaching, pre/post natal, toronto studio
Tagged having a baby, Motherhood, post natal
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7 ½ Weeks Post Baby – First Cycle Class – Getting Back on the Bike
Me pictured here with cycling Instructor, Joanna Perlmutter
At seven-weeks post baby, I woke up and no body part was screaming pain. Sleep deprived, yes, but I can cope with the fatigue much better if my body is not in any pain. After trying my first yoga class last week, I though I would brave the bike. I have to admit, I was scared to even sit on the saddle, afraid of reliving parts of childbirth and embarrassing myself with the thought of not even getting through the class!
I went to a dear friend and staff member’s class, Joanna, who is a mother of two as well. Comforted by knowing her style of teaching which is commanding, high energy as well as inclusive of all riders, I knew it would be a good class to find my legs again.
I sat next to loyal client who comes to Spynga 3 x a week and is there to work hard. She was my secret inspiration to keep pace with. Truthfully, I was just happy being in the excitement of a cycle class again. Those who are indoor riders seriously love the endorphin rush, music and challenge of it all, not to mention the continued results they see and feel in their body.
Posted in indoor cycling, pre/post natal
Tagged cycling, Motherhood, motivation, post natal
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What I Packed as I Wait for Baby!
So I made it. 40 weeks and no baby yet!
I was 5 days overdue with my first and beginning to think that my babies like to arrive fashionably late. What I did wake up with 2 days ago on my due date was a head cold and fever! An indication of labour or something I caught from my toddler? The latter is my guess. My daughter is a very affectionate 2 year old and is always holding hands or hugging the boogery kids when I go to pick her up from nursery school at the end of the day. Although, I have heard that when labour is eminent, symptoms are similar to that of the flu or a common cold.
So I am just resting and waiting for baby, trying everything I can to cure this cold. I need to have enough energy for the labour, delivery, and the first 2 nights with baby (yes, I did ring for a nurse to ask her what to do with my baby who wouldn’t stop crying all night as my husband, looked upon me, panic stricken as if we were in over our heads!) You need extra pre-labour/delivery sleep if you have the luxury of a little time to yourself.
Posted in healthy living, life & wellness coaching, pre/post natal
Tagged Delivery Room, fitness, having a baby, Motherhood, motivation
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A Spynga Mom’s Post Natal Odyssey
I want to start off by thanking you for following me + Spynga.
As some of you know, I am one of the co-founders of Spynga the Yoga + Cycling studio as well as a mom of one amazing girl with another on its way by weeks end! As a devotee to vinyasa yoga, indoor cycling, and strength training for over a decade, being committed to practice of these kinds helped me with post-baby #1 recovery but in all honesty, the confidence that becoming mother infused, I never felt stronger in my life. My time on the yoga mat is one that is always sacred to me whether I am simply breathing, sitting still or flowing. My practice always informs me of what is truly in my heart and gives me a greater understanding of who I am daily. Whether my intention is to restore, strengthen, ground, or explore, teachings of self-respect and self-love is what continuously shines through and enhances my connection to those I meet on my path, my higher self and all phenomena. The magic I feel as a student and teacher never dulls and is ever evolving. My affection for indoor cycling, originally inspired by my business partner and dear friend Casey, is the one activity that makes me feel physically and mentally powerful and clear. It is a rush like no other and I love conveying that through my classes. I learned over the years that stability serves as an essential component to a lifelong physical practice and discovered that strength training helps to prevent injuries and gives me the equilibrium to challenge myself. I truly believe in these physical, mental and spiritual modalities in conjunction with fueling your body and heart with love, good food and GREAT people!
Posted in cycling, pre/post natal
Tagged fitness, having a baby, Motherhood, post natal
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Balance and Boogie: Kids Finding their Groove in Yoga
by Ya’ara Saks
Kids live in a world with parents who are constantly plugged in, hurrying from work to playdate to homework and stressed out. Funnily enough we don’t realize that as overscheduled as we are – they are too. As adults we come to the mat to destress, let go and find balance – they reap the benefits when we come home calm and clear – why shouldn’t they have the opportunity to model us and have that time too?
Yoga for kids is the perfect antidote to all that we pile on our kids from school to sports and more. Yoga gives them the tools of a balanced healthy outlook and strong positive connection with themselves. Already at a young age and into their teens, children often feel pressure at school academically and socially. With the added pressure if they are involved in competitive organized sports, it’s easy for kids to become overly self-critical, and lose confidence as they grow and develop. Yoga is the chance to find the opposite – a nourishing space where there is no judgment and no need to be the “winner” or place a perfect pose.