5 minute booty burn

July 25, 2017 in fitness

I love getting a little workout in during naptime on the days I'm not teaching barre, even if it's only working one are of my body, it's better than nothing. so here's a fun glute workout that I've been loving.

Remember to keep your core tight, and squeeze your glutes everytime you lift. If done right, you'll feel this in your glutes, hamstrings, inner thighs, thighs, and even abs!

Do 10 of each (lifts, pulses, squeezes).

let me know if you try it!

bra: here (on sale!)

leggings: here (use code MORGANSUA50 for 20% off at carbon38!)

Mom Style | Postpartum Confessions

July 01, 2016 in fitness, favorite products, motherhood, style

I gained 37 pounds during pregnancy. Which, I understand, is not a ton, but it was 37 pounds that my body was not used to. I felt huge. I felt tired. I felt slow. And most of all, I felt ugly. And then the stretch marks came because of that extra weight (plus my uterus apparently is suuuuper forward. I was huge. And had a 6lb baby), and I was devastated. All over my belly, my inner thighs, hips, boobs, you name it. I honestly thought I would never be happy with my body ever again. I looked up pictures online of women's bellies with stretch marks postpartum and cried thinking of what mine would look like. Then I looked up pictures of women with stretch marks that had six packs and felt even more discouraged because I have too much of a sweet tooth to ever look like that. So I thought my bikini wearing days were over.

mama+me sweat sesh: naptime edition w| Blanqi

April 15, 2016 in favorite products, fitness, style

First of all, my outfit is from Blanqi. They have the best maternity and post partum leggings and tees around.

AND if you click here you can get 20% off your order (praise hands emoji)!

Recently, I've been utilizing Ever's nap time and the millions of bounces I have to do to rock her to sleep, to get a mini workout in. No, it's not going to burn a thousand calories, but it will definitely build some muscle. Try it!

In a second position (heels in, toes out, legs wide), I plié (lower down) and lift. That usually doesn't put her to sleep, so I pulse it down. These tiny pulses trigger the small muscle fibers in your quadriceps, giving a long lean look instead of a bulky.

I also pulse and rock at the same time.

Staying in a low plie, pulse to the left straightening the right leg,  and then pulse to the right straightening the left leg. Repeat. — Staying in a low plie, pulse to the left straightening the right leg, and then pulse to the right straightening the left leg. Repeat.

Most of the time, she falls asleep after this one, but sometimes I move on to some different moves because my thighs can't handle it anymore.

Like, calf raises in first position (heels together, toes out), parallel (feet parallel, hip distance), and toes in heels out.

I'll also try out some lunges.

Lunge and lift. Then pulse it down in a lunge.

If she's still not asleep at this point, I go back to my plie pulses and rocks in second position (which you can also do in first position, but second has a greater range of motion).

And she's out.

mama + me sweat sesh

March 23, 2016 in favorite products, fitness

It's no surprise that new moms have a hard time getting to the gym. You have to find a babysitter, have enough stored milk if you're nursing, be struck by anxiety every second you're gone, etc etc etc. So I put my thinking cap on and came up with a few workout you can do at home using your baby. The good news: the bigger your baby, the better your workout! 12 pounds gets real heavy real fast. As always, listen to your body. If something hurts, don't do it, or check your form.

10 minute mama + me sweat sesh

1. Plank to Down Dog

Starting from a plank position, kiss your babe on the forehead, then draw your hips up into a downward dog and kiss your babe on the belly. Reapeat 15X, tightening the core the entire time.

2. V-Ups

Sitting on your sacrum, the spot between the sit bones and tailbone, lean back far enough to feel gravity forcing your abs to engage, toes on the floor. Then, lift the toes and torso at the same time. Repeat 20X.

For stronger babies, you can hold their hands to give yourself a bigger range of motion.

3. The Russian Twist

Staying on the sacrum, abs engaged, twist left and tap your baby's toes on the floor, then do the same to the right. Right and left is one rep, do 20 reps total.

For an extra challenge, try lifting your toes off the floor and balancing.

4. Plie Squat

Starting in a wide second position, heels in toes out, lower into a squat, keeping your knees tracking over your toes, tailbone tucked, chest high, and hips right between your knees.

Then, straighten and raise your babe above your head.

5. Standing Twists

Staying in a nice low plie, core engaged, twist your baby to the right and left.

6. Inner Thigh Lifts

Laying down on your side, one leg extended, the other crossed in front. Flex the extended leg's foot then lift and lower.

Hold at the highest point the pulse up. Repeat each step 20X.

7. Tabletop Glutes

Starting on your hands and knees, toes pointed, lift and lower the leg straight to the back. Here you can experiment with pulses, tiny circle, extending and bending while flexing the hamstring, and so on. Also try bringing a bent knee directly to the side (think dog peeing on a fire hydrant) and repeating the same exercise.

8. The Pushup: Tricep version

On your knees or on your toes, make sure you're keeping the correct pushup form. Lower, keeping the biceps close into your sides, elbows going straight back, kiss your baby, and lift.

9. Stretch it out

Whatever feels good, make sure to stretch out the muscles you worked to avoid a bulky look (unless that's what you're going for).

My outfit: Beyond Yoga

Ever's outfit: June Park