Good Monday morning!! I recently asked one of my good friends to tell me more about her journey with Pregnancy and Post-Partum Coaching. I wanted to learn more about what she does and who can benefit from this type of coaching, so I could share it with you.

I'm excited to welcome Gina Montanez to my blog! Check her out and please reach out to her if you have any questions or would like more information.

I mean, did you know that peeing yourself while running, jumping, sneezing, isn't NORMAL?! It's not, at all. Read on to find out more about it and how to get help so you can STOP peeing yourself! 

Q: WHAT IS PREGNANCY AND POSTPARTUM COACHING?
A: Coaching athletes through their pregnancy and their pursuit of athleticism through motherhood. 80% of women will become pregnant at some point in their lives. Because the change in the fitness industry and sports like CrossFit coming about and changing the idea of what women can and cannot do, or should and should not do, it's important to have fitness professionals to guide them and have up-to-date information to provide these athletes during their pregnancy. This information can help them make informed decisions on their fitness goals.

Postpartum coaching helps athletes get back to what they love in a healthy and mindful manner. It is aimed towards health, healing, acceptance of the current season – not getting pre-baby body back – to eventually return to doing what they love most, be it running, lifting, CrossFitting, etc.

Q: HOW DID YOU GET INTO IT?
A: When I started my fitness journey, I thought I was on my own. Nobody talked about peeing yourself when you coughed, laughed, jumped, etc. My coaches were men and I started my fitness journey in my mid-30s, having 4 kids; I didn't think they could relate. I was suffering from stress incontinence and thought it was just what happened after kids & I had to live with it, that I had to use a pad when I had to jump. 

I kept getting the same questions that as an athlete I had asked myself. I mainly coach women’s only classes (beginner/intermediate) and fundamental 101 classes (true beginners).  When I started coaching, I got approached by numerous athletes and didn't have any answers. I just kept repeating the same bland statements that were said to me. I started looking for information online and stumbled upon Brianna Battles. After learning more about her personal story, I discovered her program for coaches. After reading through what it covered, it seemed like a good idea. She was the only one who actually made sense to me, provided useful information that I could understand and could apply to myself and share with others. 

Q: WHO BENEFITS?
A: I think everybody benefits, women and coaches alike. Even if you have an athlete that has never had a baby, we can all learn how to move better. If you’re pregnant and want to keep moving, this is for you. If you just had a baby and want to get back to doing what you love, this is for you. If you suffer from stress incontinence, pelvic pain, pelvic organ prolapse, diastasis recti, lower back pain, this is for you. If you had a baby 2-3-5-10 years ago, this is for you. Coaches are the first line of defense. Athletes trust us and we need to provide them with more than generic answers. 

My scope of practice is limited to what I see as a CrossFit coach and personal trainer, but now I have the necessary knowledge and can provide useful information to any athlete that has a concern or question. If it's out of my scope of practice, I am building a network of professionals that I trust and can refer them to. 

Q: WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT TRAINING PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM WOMEN?
A: Pregnant athletes that have been working out since before the baby or are competitors, runners, marathoners, CrossFit athletes etc. have a hard time listening to the voice in their head that says: “slow down.” When you are pregnant, you should learn to listen to that voice. Balance risk vs reward. Honor your body in the season it is in. They have to learn to move a different way and think more about being intentional in how they manage pressure in their bodies. In most cases, pregnancy is a 9 month commitment. Postpartum is forever.

For postpartum athletes, it's a bit trickier. Most of the time, you will be cleared by your doctor to workout 6 weeks after having the baby. It took 9 months to grow the baby, plus the trauma of having the baby either by C-section or VBAC. 6 weeks really isn't enough time to jump right back to what you were doing pre-baby. Letting the body heal and slowly building up to their previous intensity levels will help them get back to doing what they love.

Q: IS INCONTINENCE COMMON?
A: Incontinence happens to women who have had kids and those who have not. It happens to girls as young as 11 years old. It happens to grannies, to athletes who run, lift weights, jump and it has been labeled as “normal.” If you cough or laugh too hard and pee a little bit, it’s “ok,” “you get used to it, you live with it, just wear a pad.” The truth is, it's not normal, but it's common.
 
Through the P&PA course, I was presented with medical and professional interviews on: 1) the fundamentals of anatomy/physiology; 2) how our bodies work; 3) the relationship between our pelvic floor and core; 4) what are the dysfunctions of the pelvic floor; 5) strategies to help minimize/prevent incontinence and how to apply them; 6) what is my scope of practice; and, 7) providing a safe place for anybody/everybody to share their experiences and not be made fun of, belittled or dismissed.

Q. HOW CAN PEOPLE GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU?
A: I coach out of CrossFit Cafe in Virginia Beach off of Birdneck Road. I also have a small gym set up at my home and do home visits. My contact information: Gina Montanez, cellphone 787-300-1380, email: gmv01@msn.com, find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourchicagina/ or Instagram: gina_maria01

Q: ANYTHING COMING UP?
Next month, there will be a Pelvic Floor and Core Workshop at my gym hosted by yours truly and an amazing Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist with more than 25 years experience. It will be a 2 hour workshop with an educational aspect and practical aspect. March 28th 9-11am. Stay tuned!


Gina, thank you for sharing your story with us. Again, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to Gina. She provided a lot of good information and if any of it sounds like you, reach out! 

I hope y'all have an awesome week! 

With love and wellness,
Whitney

I ended 2019 not very happy with my eating habits or how I felt in my clothes. I hadn't been eating the way I wanted and truthfully, I went on a bit of a sugar/carb craze. On the tail of our latest miscarriage, I wasn't surprised with how I was feeling. 

I wanted to do something different, but I didn't know what or how I wanted to eat. Truthfully, I didn't want to give up the sugar. Shocker. 

So at the beginning of the year, after months of Nick telling me about carnivore and watching him eat that way, I decided to try it out. Strictly eating from the animal kingdom only. No veggies. No fruit. No sugars. 

It was an adjustment, and truthfully, I didn't think I would be able to do it. I mean, how could I give up eating veggies and fruit? And almond butter! Gah - my favorite! 

I knew it worked for Nick. I'd seen his results. But I was hesitant about it. I thought it would be different for a woman...for me, really. I mean, I've never NOT eaten fruits and veggies.

But then I was scrolling Instagram and a friend of mine was talking about eating carnivore and how it was working for her. So I reached out to ask her some questions about it and realized that if I never tried it out, I would never know how or if it worked for me.

You see, I'd been feeling heavy for awhile. Not weight-wise, mind you, just not feeling light on my feet anymore. And my stomach hurt often. I wasn't sleeping well. I didn't have a whole lot of energy to do anything outside of what was required of me. And I felt as if my workouts were suffering because I was sore and tired all the time. I knew I needed a change. 

So I decided to give eating carnivore a try for one month. I could do anything for one month. Right? 

Well to start with, we're now into February and I'm still eating carnivore. That should tell you something right there. 

From the get go, I didn't think I was going to like it because I'm big into variety. But I've surprised myself. I 100% love it. I've noticed a lot of changes, but the first one is that I feel better. Generally, overall, I just feel better. 

My stomach doesn't hurt the way it used to, unless I overdo it with the dairy. Oh, and dairy. I used to not be able to tolerate it at all. I would bloat and get gassy and break-out. I previously cut it out 100%. But eating carnivore has changed that. I am able to tolerate it now, as long as I don't eat it every meal, every day. That was another huge surprise. 

I'm sleeping better. I am fuller longer. I don't have to snack all the time like I used to before. I don't get hangry or have the ups and downs like I used to before. I also don't have to eat as much as I used to in order to feel satiated and satisfied. I have more steady energy. I'm breathing better at the gym. I'm leaner and can tell my body composition has changed. And most importantly, my performance hasn't suffered at the gym like I thought it was going to! I'm able to better maintain through and during workouts now! 

I've always believed diet is a HUGE part of your life and how you feel. And yes, sometimes I can be extremely hard headed in how long it takes me to try something. But I'm so happy I tried carnivore! I needed this change. 

A typical day for me is usually a protein shake with water before I workout, then scrambled eggs with cheese post-workout. Usually, for lunch, I have 3 burgers or pulled chicken or pork. And for dinner, we have steak, or salmon and shrimp, or breakfast for dinner (eggs, bacon, sausage), or what we call "good" burgers. They're just thicker cut burgers than we normally get. Surprisingly, I haven't gotten bored and I love eating :) 

And no, I'm not saying it's for you. But if you've never tried it, how do you know if it is or isn't? 

If you are in need of a change, in need of a detox, let's chat. I can help you figure out what diet works best for you. What makes you feel alive. What makes you feel good. What makes you want to get up and move! 

You shouldn't feel tired or run down after eating. You shouldn't feel gassy or bloated or just downright terrible after eating. Just a little heads up, those are not normal feelings. 

Let's get you feeling better! Time for a change in 2020!! 

I hope y'all have a beautiful week! 

With love and wellness,
​Whitney

So as y'all know from last week, I was struggling with making a decision that has been hounding me for months. I haven't been okay with a lot of things that were happening in my life, but I just kept pushing them aside. I kept letting it get the best of me. 

It took some hard truths (thanks mom), but I finally realized I was only hurting myself. I was accepting things that I was not okay with. And all it was doing was stressing me out. It wasn't a good feeling. 

It was also a decision I knew I needed to make a long time ago. I just didn't want to accept it. I didn't want to make the change. I was scared to make the change. 

So here we are, beginning a new week, and I've made the decision. I've DECIDED. And I can tell you that I feel 100% better, lighter, happier. It really does make a difference when you finally make a decision, and especially when it turns out to be the right decision for you! 

Okay, so I know you're wondering what exactly my decision was. I guess I've been secretive long enough.

Here it is...

I gave my two week notice at CrossFit Cafe. February 20th will be my last day there. 

Oh...putting it in writing makes it real. Saying it out loud makes it real. 

CrossFit Cafe was home for me for awhile. It's where I started coaching and personal training. It's where I grew as a coach, continued learning, adding more to my repertoire. And as much as it hurts to make this change, it's what I need, both personally and professionally.

​It's time. It's been time. I'm ready to continue growing and expanding in my personal business. It truly is time for me to really focus on me and my business and my family. 

​So that's what the big news was. That's what the big change was. That's what I was scared of. 

Seems so small now, but it took a lot for me to finally pull the trigger and make the decision. I fretted over it for a long time. The back and forth, the what ifs, the doubt, the unknown. 

But here we are. I've made the decision. I feel better than I have in a long time. Truth of the matter is, I'm actually sleeping through the night. So it's been tormenting me for awhile now. 

So here's to new beginnings. Bigger and better things. Being BRAVE! 

I hope you have a beautiful week and that you are brave! That you make whatever decision you've been putting off.

With love and wellness,
​Whitney

I've felt stuck for awhile now. Stagnant. Like I've lost my purpose. 

Yes, even I lose my way sometimes. And I've been struggling to find my way back. Or find my new way. 

But the truth is that I don't think I need to find my way back. I'm pretty sure I know what needs to happen. But I'm scared. I'm scared of moving out of my comfort zone. I'm scared of what I'll find. Or won't find. 

This is hard for me to admit, because I'm a big believer in stepping outside of your comfort zone. I coach people to do this every day. And here I am, having an issue doing it myself.

Pot, meet kettle. 

I've wanted to make big changes in my life for months now. I keep talking about it. I keep saying I'm going to do it when... [fill in the blank with whatever excuse you want here]. And that's all they are...excuses. 

I'm afraid of making this big change because it's been such a staple in my life the past several years. What will happen when I pull the trigger? Will it be everything I hoped for? Will I fail? Or will it open up doors for me in a way that I didn't think it ever would? 

I've been here once before....when I left my government job. I was TERRIFIED of what would happen. How could I possibly be successful leaving my cushy government job? But somehow, it all worked out. And I'd like to say it all worked out for the best. I'm certainly happier now than when I was a government employee. 

So again...why am I scared now? I'm about 99% positive that it will result in the same thing. Doors will open for me. My stress level will go down. I won't feel this massive stagnation I have now. I'm not moving forward because I'm stuck. I'm stuck in a place I thought I needed and would always need.

So here I am...stuck, stagnant. In this "safe" place...or what I deem safe. And wondering when I'll find my bravery...to pull the trigger. To make the hard decision. 

And yes, I know I'm being vague. I'm not ready to admit what it is I need to do. Believe me, you'll know when I make it. 

But for now, I need your help. Yes, I need help too! Tell me how you break out of your funks...out of your stagnation...out of being stuck. Or do I need to man up and just do it? That's where I am, y'all. 

Okay - give me your suggestions! I'd love to hear them! 

Have a beautiful week! And thanks for always being there! 

With love and wellness,
​Whitney