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Twitter can be scary, but not at a party with your friends all over the world! Fit2B is throwing a twitter party today at 9:30pmET (6:30 p.m. PDT) and it will be 30 fast minutes of fun and prizes and silly questions about the core! All you do is get on twitter at the right time, follow me @fit2bmama and my twitter-pro assistant Dee @disneyinatweet and then search for #fit2b and/or #nomorecrunches and we’ll be there!!!

winners! winners! winners!

No party is complete with games and prizes, and we had a ton! My own children “helped” select the winners by calling out random numbers between 1-41 (since we got 41 comments on this blog) I simply went down this list of prizes, wrote down the numbers they called out, and lined them up with names! I’m announcing them on twitter and facebook today 5/2/13 and you have a week to claim your prizes with the creators.

MomBodFitness has graciously donated a FitSplint! WINNER: COMMENT #31 – TINA T.

I’m contributing some Isagenix goodies (chocolates & greens) that I love for cleansing my inner core and herbal detoxifying. WINNER: COMMENT #10 – LORI M.

Fit2B on Your Skin will be giving a sample of our NEW tummy formula for the skin that puckers when a diastasis heals. WINNER: COMMENT #30 – KIM F.

Natural Kiss is donating an all-natural herbal 4 oz. bug repellant… I chose this item. I hate bugs. WINNER: COMMENT #7 – MELINDA

Book Giveaway from Author, Lanaya Gore – Title: “Laying Down the Rails for Children: A Habit-Training Companion.” If you are a homeschooler and love Charlotte Mason, you’ll love Lanaya! WINNER: COMMENT #41 – KATIE K.

Herbal deodorant from Blessed in Homemaking! I use this and it’s awesome!!! WINNER: COMMENT #20 – BREANNA

Fit2B is also giving away ONE ultimate homemakers bundle that includes 2 months free to Fit2B! WINNER: COMMENT #2 – KRISTIN

AND ONE MORE!!! Author, Carey Jane Clark is giving away your choice of a digital or print copy of her novel, After the Snow Falls. WINNER: COMMENT #3 – LANAYA

Thank you everyone for making our first twitter party a huge success! You can still see some of it by going HERE to see all the hype!

Thank you for reading the Fit2Blog today! What are your thoughts about what you read? Please leave a reply or a question, and be sure you’re taking advantage of our amazing TummySafe™ workouts!

Twice in the past week, I’ve been contacted by women who want to join Fit2B Studio’s online Tummy Safe™ video library, but they’re concerned about “the yoga part.” One wrote:

“Hi- I found your site this morning through Wise Woman Builds Her Home. I am a homeschool mom of 6 also in the Pacific Northwest (greater Seattle area). I am a writer for [a really BIG homeschooling magazine - name removed to protect identity]. I am working on an article about Physical Education that will come out in [an upcoming] issue…  I would like to include your site, but I want to be sure that it meets the reader’s needs, especially since so many Christians shy away from yoga because of the connections with Eastern Religions. I personally do not have an issue with yoga as long as there is no eastern meditation.”

It’s a sticky issue, and you can read one other blog I wrote about why I do think Yoga can be powerful worship of my Creator, but I wanted to get more personal with these ladies and try to sum up once again why I think it’s okay to do yoga moves as a Christian. I realize Pastor Mark of Mars Hill takes a strong stance against yoga (and you can read his “you’re going to hell if you do yoga” article here if you have the stomach for it) but I hope you’ll read all the other links in this blog, too, and not just categorize this site as a hippie, pagan, karmamojowoowoopoopoo site because I utilize yoga in a few of my workouts. Here’s what I wrote to “N.”

Dear N- 

Thank you for your interest in Fit2B Studio’s workouts. Many of our members are homeschooling parents (as am I) … [then I addressed some other questions she had before going all "yoga is okay" on her] Now I’m going to copy some info that I recently sent to another blogger with a similar concern…

First, in the interest of full disclosure, I want to be clear that my workouts do contain a few yoga poses. I normally use the english translations of the words, but I strongly believe in taking our thoughts captive for Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the Holy Yoga movement, but they are an organization that certifies instructors to teach yoga moves while leading people to Jesus. While I am not “holy yoga certified” my work resonates with theirs, and I have audited one of their courses. They spend more time in God’s word than in anatomy! 

However yoga isn’t my focus. I pull from many schools of movement to help my members make a healthy start, including pilates, weight lifting, physical therapy moves, even a little tai chi. Quite a few of my members are christians, but not all. I do not practice any mind-emptying in my videos, nor do I subscribe to hinduism. The way I look at it, a move is a move is a move. Yoga happens to have actually named many movements with better terms than western cultures. Sitting cross legged or “criss cross applesauce” or “indian style” or “potted palm”… It’s all the same position. But I like “Potted Palm.”

I also love the symbolism behind the lotus pose, because the lotus represents holiness the way it blooms in mud but doesn’t let a piece of dirt stick to it. We don’t stop sitting cross legged because the yogis gave it a different name. We don’t stop doing lunges because the Indus call them warrior poses. And we don’t stop doing kegels because Sanskrit calls it mula bandha (which means “root lock” which is much different than a kegel and much nicer around little ears… [If we stop doingIn short, if you are at all uncomfortable with yoga, even just the movements, or if you feel your readers might raise a stink, this may not work…. I’m anything BUT new age [although I did cloth diaper, and I recycle, respect the earth, and listen to Enya and other flutey hippie music]. And the yoga doesn’t get big promotion or attention. 

Giving gifts of fitness is awkward sometimes, and you have to be careful how you present your present, if you know what I mean. Just last week, I “tipped” the guy who dropped off and installed my new-to-me washer and dryer with 3 free months on Fit2B Studio to give his wife. He looked a little nervous about the idea, telling me that she currently weighs 200 lbs, and her boyfriend before him had told her she’d be prettier if she worked out more. We had a good laugh at the Ex’s foible, and I assured him there are better ways to gift healthy-focused items.

To help you see the contrast between “good” and “bad” ways to present gifts such as fitness memberships or workout videos or treadmills, I polled the members in our private member forum:

Good Way: “I know you’ve expressed an interest in getting healthier and more fit. Would this help you?” -Fit2B Studio member, Susie M.

Good Way: “‘I know you’re really into fitness and health stuff, so I thought this might be up you ally!” -Fit2B Studio member, Katie M.

Bad Way: “Here, fatty, thought you could use this. You’ve put on a few pounds, so here ya go.” -Fit2B Studio member, Mary C.

Good Way: “I know you’ve been looking into resources for getting healthier, and I want to support you however I can. Here is an online membership that I pre-paid for you. I’ve been in your shoes, and I remember how hard it was to get my body back as a mom. I think it’s great to take time for yourself to feel healthier, and I love your motivation to do that!” -okay that one is me

Bad Way: “Are you really going to eat that? Oh hey, let’s get a gym membership.”  -Fit2B Studio member, Alecia H.

Yes, people say those terrible things. But you could also spend just $10 to $99 for a month or a year of fitness for a loved one in your life and say one of those nicer things. Most people WANT to take care of themselves and move everyday. They just feel defeated when people poke at them with well-intended or “joking” comments about their weight. If you’re still looking for a last minute gift, just purchase a membership for yourself and then make your username and password with your giftee’s name in mind. Wrap up the info they’ll need in a pretty box and SAY something NICE! Click HERE for more membership info!

Thank you for reading the Fit2Blog today! What are your thoughts about what you read? Please leave a reply or a question, and be sure you’re taking advantage of our amazing TummySafe™ workouts!

It all started with one member’s post in our private facebook forum when she wrote, “My husband and I are going to start F2B90 starting Nov 1st. A Fit2B 90-day challenge. Complete with before and after photos, weights, and measurements.” Thirty-seven comments later, almost 10 other gals had jumped on board, and now they’ve banded together to blog, share pictures, support each other’s progress. It’s a little odd to watch my members creating their own community, but it’s exactly what I’ve always dreamed of: Moms from all over the world opening up to each other as they endeavor to not only flatten their abs and lose some weight but – most importantly – become stronger mothers and members of their neighborhoods.

Even though I’m commenting and liking on their posts, and I’m designing some motivational emails for them, I feel like I’m sitting back and watching all of them support each other, offer encouragement, and now they’ve even created their own Fit2B blogging link up! You can read their posts at these sites…

My Simple American Life … she’s got some great screen shots of my older videos. Ack! LOL

 Becky Jesse’s Blog… a shy mama who gets brave and shares real numbers for the first time

House Full of Munchkins … a working mom of 7 kids! I’ve only got two and need a padded room!

 This Mama’s Madness… whose #1 rule for the 90-day challenge is to “Be real.” I can handle that!

The Vitamin-C complex … who is also the artist behind our very own Fit2B Molly comic

However, I think that what really mobilized this self-made group was an early post one Day #1 by a mama who wrote, “Well, day one of the challenge is done. Definitely didn’t go quite as planned. My Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer today. I am so very thankful that it is early stage and will hopefully be easily treated. So, that changed our plans a bit on the exercise front for the day. Lots of tears, and some laughter as we talked about they new chapter in our lives. My husband and I both weighed in – me at 144 and him at 199. We did the All Ab II workout together and my goal is to do at least one video daily. I’m excited to try some of the calming ones as we move through the treatment path with my Mom.” And then another mom responded to her…

“I almost didn’t exercise today and was in a mopey mood, but I saw what other people did today and that gave me the push to go out. To be honest … it was your post. I was like “well heck I’m being depressed for nothing. If she can workout on a day like this, then I totally can!”

My comment to all that: “Finding time to take care of your health on the day of your mom’s diagnosis is giving cancer a punch in the gut. Exercise fights cancer. You are fighting with your mother, standing beside her, each time you make her little girl take care of the body she labored to birth all those years ago. You honored her today and you claimed health and healing for your whole family. And if you can do it today – today of all days – you can do it ANY day, girl! YOU ROCK!!!!”

Of course, the feedback I’m getting is so precious, too! I’m learning which workouts need more notes on the pages, and which ones need to be refilmed, and which ones are the favorites. This comment made my day: “Did Chair yoga today and drank 6 glasses of water! “beginning” pic coming soon… Loved what Beth Learn said in the video…”don’t feel bad if you are not where you think you should be, you are doing more than you were 10 minutes ago!” So grateful to this lady for all her help and encouragement!”

Awwww *blush* Okay, anyway if you’re a member who wants in on the action, just go to THIS LINK and request to join. Sorry, members only! If you want to sample a workout, sign up for my newsletter over on the right

Thank you for reading the Fit2Blog today! What are your thoughts about what you read? Please leave a reply or a question, and be sure you’re taking advantage of our amazing TummySafe™ workouts!

 Like many of us, Teresa is a mom whose goal is to keep her body strong and her abs flat the healthy, diastasis-aware way. However, not only is Teresa one of my founding members, but she also has such a unique and vibrant approach to her everyday fitness. Almost every day, she shares a picture on facebook of her daily lunch walk, and so I asked her to write about why she does it.

Taking pictures during her lunch time walks keeps Fit2B Mom Teresa motivated to stay in shape

Thank you for reading the Fit2Blog today! What are your thoughts about what you read? Please leave a reply or a question, and be sure you’re taking advantage of our amazing TummySafe™ workouts!

My parents are in their 70′s now, and nothing is more precious to me than seeing my daddy – who has neuropathy – work his way down onto the floor to play blocks with my boy. They were my biggest fans when I started this business, handing out cards to total strangers on the street and bragging about their daughter, yet even though I had filmed many of the workouts with my parents’ setbacks in mind, it took a while for them to get past their excitement over just seeing me on the “big screen.” Now they have an area set aside where they can do “Bethy Dolly’s videos.”

My parents, Bonnie & Joe. Love you, Mommy & Daddy!

I thought of them when I created the poem for this image. It’s based loosely on the one about wearing purple with a red hat. I thought of them when I was filming the chair workouts and the meditative blends of pilates and yoga that are part of almost 60 workout videos that we now host. I thought of them when I first chose a slider with “old” people on it, because even though my parents have setbacks (i.e. neuropathy, diastasis, hearing loss, etc.) fitness should be accessible to them.

I just didn’t see much out there on the shelves for gentle folk like my parents. They aren’t going to buy p90x or Jillian. The Wii kept telling my mom she was drunk whenever she lost her balance which DEEPLY offended the dear woman who has never tasted alcohol My dad can’t feel his feet and is a “Big Bear” so gyms won’t accept his membership. But they can do Fit2B Studio

Even though Fit2B caters to new moms with diastasis, we have attracted members of all ages and stages in six countries worldwide. We have proven that fitness doesn’t have to be expensive or hard or soreness-driven to yield benefits, and I’m most excited to see my father and mother taking advantage of what I’ve created here. Next project: putting all the knee-friendly workouts in one spot!

Thank you for reading the Fit2Blog today! What are your thoughts about what you read? Please leave a reply or a question, and be sure you’re taking advantage of our amazing TummySafe™ workouts!

What is Fit2B Studio? Well, sometimes I think it’s easier for me to say what it is NOT because there are so many cliches and turn-offs in the fitness industry that I am purposefully trying to not imitate. First of all, I am not out to deliberately make you sore, shred your gut, kill your muscles, or leave you in a helpless puddle of sweat. As I network more with physical therapists, chiropractors and other body work experts, I realize how much the mainstream “beat you up” fitness industry is keeping them in business. After getting a huge diastasis and needing knee surgery myself, I no longer believe in the “no pain, no gain” mantra. There are trainers who want to hurt you, and I’m not one of them.

Fit2B Studio is NOT about skin and using sexy images to sell. The only place you’ll see my tummy is on this blog about my diastasis, but I think this video depicts what my mother thought I was going to be when I announced at age 17 that I was going to get certified to teach aerobics. But this is NOT who I am. In case you are wondering, yes, group fitness instructors really did dress like this in the 80′s… Ack!

Fit2B Studio is NOT just about Yoga. When I say Yoga people instantly tend to think of pretzel poses where you’re all tied in knots. They also think of gurus and mystics sitting cross-legged on mountain tops, chanting and humming. I assure you, that is not Fit2B Studio either! We base many of our moves in basic Yoga poses, but Yoga isn’t our main emphasis. That’s why this pic is in our our sliders on the home page:

 Fit2B Studio is about real people with real issues. We exist to provide safe, gentle workouts that are incredibly effective for beginners and advanced “worker-outers.” Most of our members are moms in SIX countries worldwide. We specialize in diastasis-aware “tummy safe” fitness routines. Our members get access to all our workouts for $9.95/month. We are a part of the fledgling Diastasis Awareness Movement that connects victims and specialists all over the world! We are NOT your typical fitness site. We are so much more! Contact us today for more info!

Thank you for reading the Fit2Blog today! What are your thoughts about what you read? Please leave a reply or a question, and be sure you’re taking advantage of our amazing TummySafe™ workouts!

Finding a skincare line that is “fit to be” on your skin in a grocery aisle packed with lying labels requires a degree in chemistry these days. Nothing makes me slam a bottle back on the shelf faster than when I see a label that claims it has essential oils, yet none is found in the ingredient list and instead – INSTEAD – fragrance or parfum, meaning there are synthetics and possibly hidden preservatives!

We will unveil the beautiful labels at our party on July 6th!

To say that I have been eager for the opportunity to place my Fit2B brand on a truly “healthy” and “fit” product line that is safe for all skin types would be an understatement. Plus, I was told it was a no-brainer: fit body, inside and out, nourishing the body, mind and soul. Providing a creme that heals a baby’s sore bum. Providing a moisturizer that has totally cleared up my adult acne. Providing a women’s balance line that – just breathing it – tames my crazies.

Fit2B on Your Skin… Fit2B on Your Baby… Fit2B Balanced

Each of these three lines are made simple and clean with organic bases and certified pure essential oils. We have been testing them on ourselves and our friends (with their permission and valuable feedback) for months, and we are beyond pleased with the results and very excited to unveil all TEN products at a party to be held in Portland, Ore. on Friday, July 6th.

Click here to learn a little more and RSVP

Fit2B on Your Skin has five facial care products. Fit2B on Your Baby has three baby care products including hair/body wash, diaper ointment and lotion. Fit2B Balanced contains two specialty products – a body mist and lotion – with essential oils guaranteed to calm, relax and stabilize mood and menstrual cycle side effects.

Just a quick testimony from ME about these products: They’ve cleared up my face. If you know me, you know what that means. I was never able to go out without coverup. I don’t need it anymore. The charcoal non-foaming cleanser totally purifies my skin while the moisturizer has healed my scars, and it does NOT make me break out! I have been using these products for over 6 months, and I am addicted to my skin regime now, whereas before I used to dread doing anything to my skin. Plus, it relaxes and refreshes me to breathe these natural scents!

Thank you for reading the Fit2Blog today! What are your thoughts about what you read? Please leave a reply or a question, and be sure you’re taking advantage of our amazing TummySafe™ workouts!

Kara in Texas writes… “So I did my 3rd workout of yours this morning, and I haven’t felt sore or anything.  Am I doing it wrong?  I’m really excited to try this, thank you for getting back to me!” Bethany wrote back… Hi Kara, My hope is that you won’t be sore much at all while your progress through this initial phase. Soreness is a terrible thing for a mother, because we have so much to do every day. I want to get my members away from thinking that soreness is a sign of a good workout. Signs of a healthy, wholesome workout include:

I said how tired we are, right? I already said that… See? I am NOT complaining. I’ve got mommy-brain, too! I love my life as a mom. I also kind of like a little soreness here and there after a good hard workout, but sometimes I think I know my limits, and I push, and I’m tired, and I’ve hurt myself… not because my alignment was wrong, but because the energy simply wasn’t there to support my “normal” level of exertion.

Tired muscles are prone to more soreness, and tired muscles are more easily injured. Moms are often so tired, that feeling exhausted is their new normal. So my goal is never to make a mom sore, but make a mom strong. I do my very best to keep things simple and safe, yet progressive.

You will move forward. You will feel it. You will get stronger, but it will be the kind of strong that empowers you to go from a dead sleep to fully awake and catching puke at 2:27 a.m. It will be the kind of strong that lets you pack your kid on a hike. It will be the kind of strong that doesn’t leave you limping but LAUGHING with joy at this wonderful, beautiful life you have been given. It’s the kind of strong that lets you jump on a trampoline without, eh, side effects. Try a gentle workout NOW that will only take 10 minutes and – while you MIGHT be a little sore because it directly targets a core muscle that RARELY gets used – I promise you’ll feel energized and amazed when you’re done!

Thank you for reading the Fit2Blog today! What are your thoughts about what you read? Please leave a reply or a question, and be sure you’re taking advantage of our amazing TummySafe™ workouts!

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Every personal trainer and fitness instructor worth their weight knows about “The Principle of Progression.” It means that you start with small motions and work up to bigger motions. It means you start with light weights and work up to heavier weights. It means that – as a fitness pro – you have to be willing to work with newbies, and it means that – as a client – you have to admit that you are a BEGINNER and a LEARNER…

…And that is NOT a popular notion that sells big in this “make everyone feel good about themselves” world. Think about it: A trainer offers an overweight client two programs, one of which is labeled, “Simple workouts designed to slowly improve your waistline.” The other is labeled “Killer workout to shred that waistline in 6 weeks or less!” If you are desperate to be the biggest loser, which one do you pick?

Here’s a better question: why is the client doing the picking?

I believe my clients are smart, but they are hiring ME to do what I have been trained to do BEST. The client doesn’t have a degree! The client hasn’t been trained and mentored for YEARS… and neither have a LOT of trainers and instructors out there! I know a few trainers who think that giving a client their best means giving them their HARDEST moves. They’ve taught their clients to pursue pain!

But I believe in playing safe, because each of my clients only has one body to ruin.

• Trainers and instructors should have the know-how and education to analyze their clients at a glance (After 6 years of caliper tests and hand-held bio-electrical impedence measurements and 16 years in the fitness industry, I can guesstimate a person’s body-fat percentage within 2% and whether they have a diastasis just by looking at them!)

• Trainers should NOT be training every client the same, yet the average open-all-day fitness center insists on very little real training for their online-certified supplement peddlers! True story, and I’m working on getting one trainer I know personally to write what happened to her on a blog on here.

• Instructors should NOT be forced to teach canned classes where one routine is used for every fitness level in a class for full that one wrong move would result in a black eye! A seasoned instructor can see one person struggling and adapt the whole class without them even realizing it!

The Dirty Story: When I was working for a club – that shall remain nameless because I am scared of the power in the story I am about to tell – I had the chance to start teaching canned “body” classes. I would need to buy the choreography and the music myself and have myself filmed in my bra top doing the moves perfectly, and then that video would be send off for review. If whatever stranger watced my video deemed my body and my parroted moves worthy, then I would be eligible to teach said moves for THREE months before learning the next routine – which didn’t have to be videotaped. I was told I would make up to $10 more per hour! Being the poor college student I was, I started the training… Until a notion I was learning in my UNIVERSITY level fitness courses stopped me cold: The Principle of Progression. Where was it in the choreography? If I couldn’t deviate…  if I couldn’t slow the class down to bring one person in the group up to speed for fear of being thrown off by one beat… if a certain exercise wouldn’t work for the pregnant woman in the back… if the research changed and suddenly I found myself teaching something that no longer aligned with modern facts… If they forced me to teach a “controversial” move… what would I do???

I was told that I would be eventually be “let go” if I didn’t go along with this new group style of teaching. I was told that if I did choose to “buy into” the program … and every instructor has to make an investment in these programs, which sometimes the clubs reimburse a little bit… that if I deviated from the choreography one bit and was reported, I would be demoted and dropped to a lower level of payment and not given choice class selection.

I chose to not buy in. I chose to not sell out. I chose to be my own girl, my own instructor. My classes were smaller, and eventually I was “downsized due to class size.” I was fine with that. Those programs kept the instructors in a constant stress and tizzy trying to keep up. Meanwhile, instead of trying to keep up with a corporate brand’s notion of what would work for a mass of 50 people crammed into one room, I finished my degree and learned how to dissect muscle tissue, read statistics, talk with researchers, manage a fitness club, and THINK FOR MYSELF!

I used to do this move all the time! I now know that it tears at the connective tissue of the abs!

I just had a long conversation with a few trainer gals on linked in who did “buy in,” and a couple of them couldn’t – literally COULD not, did not have the ability to – open their minds to the concept of no crunches and no planks because … well, I’ll let you read it if you care to join the group and follow this link. Notice the people she works for and the brochure she attaches, claiming that it is safe for pregnant women. Notice how I state precisely why three of the exercises in that brochure are NOT safe, and how open the original poster is… but then see who jumps into the fray and what they say!!! I admit I got a wee bit testy at one point… I’m not sure if it’s good that they let me have the final word…

But what is sad and scary about all this, is that garbage like this doesn’t just happen face-to-face in athletic clubs and fitness centers where clients and members are trained by lazy people who have run out of ideas and are willing to take orders from a corporation! It also happens everyday on supermarket shelves selling exercise videos and equipment, and the average Joe or Joe-Mama inevitably picks the workout regime that promises the most gain…even if it brings the most pain. All because the half-naked models on the cover (who were photo-shopped) offered to tear them to pieces with the subtle promise that those rippling, lean muscles are attainable within weeks!?!?

We are NOT about pain here. We want you to say “oooooh, I feel that” not “OWWWW, I tore something and won’t be able to walk right for a week!” Our workouts are relaxing and build upon each other. You’ll start learning about yoga in a chair! You’ll be a real beginner as you discover a few muscles that don’t get talked about in big group fitness classes (unless you’re in one of mine!)

Our members are directed through specific pathways of progression that allow them to track their progress and see how they’re advancing. We start small and slow, and that means we aren’t as sexy in the selling department because we aren’t showing our six-pack and bouncing around, yelling at you in our bra-excuse for a sports top. Because BECAUSE because…

true fitness is NOT about what you see on the outside after six weeks of connective tissue-shredding workouts you don’t care to EVER repeat! True fitness – the kind that starts on the inside and outside all at once and then meets in the middle – leaves you excited to exercise again because it was enjoyable and soothing and fun!

Thank you for reading the Fit2Blog today! What are your thoughts about what you read? Please leave a reply or a question, and be sure you’re taking advantage of our amazing TummySafe™ workouts!