T H E B L O G

I'm with you!

I know exactly what to do, but do I do it?  Nope!

What's more, I then beat myself up afterwards for not doing it. I judge myself.

It could be writing that email, it could be making that call, but, more often than not, it's sweeping the left over food off the kid's plates whilst I'm tidying the kitchen.

In the cold light of day I realise that's pretty grim, I don't want (or need) that excess food, but still I do it.

I'm sabotaging my own success.

And that's not just my imagination, the self-sabotage thing - it's a real psychological phenomenon.

In fact, your mind is constantly sabotaging your potential for peak performance and happiness.

Every single negative emotion that you experience, from self-doubt to stress, is the result of one of your ‘saboteurs’.

If you can relate, and want to learn more, click on the video.

Positive intelligence (PQ) coaching (developed by Stanford professor and best selling author Shirzad Chamine) uses research based tools to strength ...

Following on from lesson 1, I wanted to show you some exercises that you can use to progress your diastasis healing.

These exercises are designed to be a stage 2, for after you are practised at the breathing technique and are able to engage the core from the pelvic floor all the way up to the diaphragm with your breath.

Today we’re performing each exercise for 1 minute - again focusing on nice long exhales with the S breath. Again we’ve got 5 new exercises to do and we’re doing 2 circuits - so the workout only last 10 minutes. 

However please feel free to continue going after the video stops! I’ve only done them so quickly because it’s a video - in my programs and with my PT clients we spend a long time really working through these exercises.

Exercise 1: Superman Extension

Exercise 2: Back Lying Knee Push - Right. Lying on your back, bring the right knee up and position on the inside of your left knee, with your left hand push into your right knee but resist moving the knee as ...

In this 3rd lesson in the series I take you through another 5 exercises to help you to heal your core and your diastasis recti having had a baby.

These 5 exercises are a progression on from the exercises shown in Lesson 1 and 2, therefore if you aren't able to properly engage the core using the correct breathing technique do head over to www.rebeccafredericks.com/get-started and learn the exact technique that you need to be doing throughout these exercises.

Try the following, 2 - 3 rounds, 1 minute per exercise:

Exercise 1: Bridge with Moving Ball: Exhaling and zipping up whilst going into the bridge and bringing the ball forwards to your hips

Exercise 2: Side Lying Twist - Right: Exhale and zip up whilst twisting the knees up (don't roll onto your back)

Exercise 3: Side Lying Twist - Left: Exhale and zip up whilst twisting the knees up (don't roll onto your back)

Exercise 4: Kneeling Twist - Right: Exhale and zip up whilst twisting the top part of the torso to the right

Exercis...

I have so many clients, whether they be new mums or not, that come to me with a diastasis.

This simply means that they have a split in their stomach muscles (the top layer called the rectus abdominus). With an un-repaired diastasis you are likely to experience core instability, lower back pain, pelvic floor issues, and a bit of a ‘pooch’ in the tummy area.

Every single pregnant woman will have had a natural opening between their rectus abdominus during pregnancy - your rectus abdominus absolutely have to split apart to make way for the baby. In many women this split will heal itself automatically in around 6 weeks.

Even a 1cm gap is considered ‘healed’, as long is it isn’t deep (I.e you can push your fingers down deep into the gap). However if you had a big baby, your core was weak before pregnancy, you’ve had multiple previous births, or you had twins - you may have a wide and deep diastasis and it may need to be repaired before you can go back to more traditional workouts.

In t...

Having had a baby we suddenly become VERY aware of our pelvic floor.

Almost immediately we’re told to do ‘kegals’ - one type specific pelvic floor exercise. 

However this type of exercise is a tiny part of the picture and exclusively doing them can actually cause more harm than good.

Learning how to breath properly, learning how to engage the core properly, learning how to re-discover our neutral spine, learning how to integrate the core with the pelvic floor, learning how to exercise the slow twitch pelvic floor muscles and MORE are all vital to our pelvic floor health after having a baby.

In this short video I explain a little more about what happens in pregnancy to cause issues with the core and pelvic floor.

For more help with diastasis recti, weak core muscles, pelvic floor weakness and prolapse please click here  for a completely free 3 week video training series.

You DO NOT have to live with leaking, pain, DR, pelvic floor weakness. That is NOT a ‘normal’ part of being a m...

After we’ve had children our pelvic floor is, very likely, weakened. This can mean that high impact activities like jumping and running can lead to discomfort, leaking and actually making our pelvic floor even weaker.

So, if you have recently had a baby, you do experience leaking or a weak pelvic floor - today’s exercise is for you.

Just because you’re not leaping around doesn’t mean you can’t get a really great workout in and that heart pumping!

Today’s workout is just 12 minutes and a brilliant option for busy mums with little time.

Try doing 20 (or 30 if you want to push it) seconds of each exercise for a total of 4 rounds. This means each circuit will last just 4 minutes. And, if you really have no time, just do 1 circuit. You’ll still get some great benefits from just 4 minutes and you’ll feel amazing afterwards I promise!!

Here are the exercises:

Circuit 1:

Exercise 1 - Static Lunge - Right

Exercise 2 - Static Lunge - Left

Circuit 2:

Exercise 1 - Twisting Squat...

If you’re workings towards a stronger core, having had a baby or not, purposefully targeting the obliques is really important.

These muscles run along the sides of the core helping you to bend, rotate, breath properly, support the abdominal wall and stabilise the spine.

We have both internal (deeper) and external (more superficial) obliques which work in opposition - so when you turn to the left the left internal obliques and the right external obliques fire.

There are loads of excellent exercises which target these muscles and I’ve selected just 5 in today’s session. All of these are great to do at any stage of your post natal recovery (keeping those feet down in the mason twists).

This gentle workout is perfect for new mums looking to regain their strength.

We’re doing 3 sets and 8 reps per exercise:

Exercise 1: Side bend with Resistance Band - right

Exercise 2: Side bend with Resistance Band - Left

Exercise 3: Standing twist to Diagonal knee up - Right

Exercise 4: Sta...

The perfect sweet, energy packed treats for you and your kids.

4 ingredients and ready in literally 4 minutes!

Full of fibre and vitamins and naturally sweetened, these are an excellent 'go-to' for those cold, grey afternoon when all you really want is a packet of McVities!

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Pitted Medjool Dates

1 Cup Raw Almonds

1/4 TSP Salt

1/4 Cup Desiccated Coconut / Ground Almonds work too

METHOD

Blend the almonds, dates and salt together in a food processor for around 3 minutes.

Roll into balls 

Then roll into the desiccated coconut

Enjoy!!

Ooooh join us today in making these extremely healthy and tasty bars.

No cooking required and only 7 ingredients they’re an excellent, filling, healthy go-to snack in our house-hold.

INGREDIENTS

1.5 Cups Rolled Oats

1 Cup Pecans (or any other nut)

2 Cups Pitted Medjool Dates

1 Cup Walnuts

3/4 Cup Cacao Powder

1/4 Cup Maple Syrup

1/4 Cup Almond Butter

METHOD

Toast the oats and pecans in the oven for around 7 minutes until golden (optional - it works well without toasting too)

Blend the walnuts in the food processor and set aside

Blend the dates in the food processor until a thick dough forms

Add the walnuts and cacao powder plus the pecans into the food processor with the dates and blend

At the same time add the maple syrup and almond butter to a pan and warm gently until combined and liquid

Pour the date mix into a large mixing bowl and add the rolled oats

Pour over the maple syrup and almond butter mix

Stir together until well combined (if still a bit dry add a...

We LOVE a smoothie bowl - such a delicious snack, dessert or even summer time breakfast.

Super quick to make and really healthy and tasty!

I normally hide lots of other things in the smoothie bowls to get some additional nutrition into my and the kid’s diet but you can really throw anything you like in.

Some great additions that don’t affect the taste or consistency too much are:

Freeze dried Acai

Flaxseeds

Spinach

But today we kept it simple and used:

INGREDIENTS

3/4 Cup Frozen Mango

3/4 Cup Frozen Raspberries (more for the topping)

400ml Coconut Yoghurt

TOPPINGS

Frozen Raspberries

Pumpkin Seeds

Pecan Nuts

Coconut Chips (unsweetened)

METHOD

Blend for about 45 seconds

Spread the smoothie between bowls

Top with toppings of choice

If it’s too hard add in a little coconut water to loosen the berries

Serve and eat immediately

Enjoy!!