It is time for another installment of “One Fit Mommy”! As I surf around the blogosphere, I come across fit moms (and dads too!) who inspire me to fitness. From there, I hunt them down and force them to tell me their secrets, which I then share with you! 🙂
Today’s fit mommy is Kate who blogs over at Beyond Fit Physiques. Kate is a busy mom of one who runs her own personal training program. I just love Kate’s energy (check out her sprint video!) and her approach to health and fitness. She also gives us a great brownie smoothie recipe, which is delicious!!!
Read on for more about Kate and why she is definitely ”One Fit Mommy”!
Q: Have you always been fit? What inspired you to live a fit lifestyle?
I have always been relatively “thin” but haven’t always been fit. (the politically incorrect term for my previous condition would be “skinny fat” for sure). I exercised like a mad woman and ate what I thought was healthy, but it took me quite a few years to finally realize that weight loss simply doesn’t change your shape. I was inspired to live a more fit lifestyle- replacing WEIGHT loss with FAT loss when my husband left for his first deployment to Afghanistan.
I thought it would be fun to work on changing my shape rather than just changing the number on the scale and… the rest is history! Now as a busy mom I have a whole new inspiration as I want to not only look good but I want to feel great and have the energy I need to keep up with my little boy!
Q: What advice do you have for moms who claim they don’t have time for exercise?
A baby is a reason, not an excuse! Yes, we’re super busy taking care of our children! But we can’t use that as an excuse to stop taking care of ourselves. You can get results with workouts as short as 1 minute- and we ALL have at least 1 minute. (WORKOUT)
Q: How have your workouts changed since having a baby?
Now that I’m a busy mom, I simply don’t have time to spend hours in the gym like I used to. Some days I barely have time for a shower! I like quick and efficient workouts… something I can do from home while Jackson naps. Working out from home saves me time (and the hassle of dragging a baby to the gym). In fact, I haven’t had a gym membership for 8 months and I don’t miss it one bit! “Getting slim without the gym” is my new fit mom motto.
Q: Are you more of a cardio mommy or strength training mommy?
Personally, I’m a strength training mommy. I used to be a cardio queen but when I switched my focus from cardio to weight training and saw how powerful muscle building can be. If you focus only on cardio, you won’t build muscle. And if you don’t build new muscle, you can’t transform your body (aka give yourself a new shape). With strength training I have a whole new motivation. And I do add my “cardio” in via sprints, blitzes and the BURN method of training.
Q: What is your least favorite exercise?
I have a love hate/relationships with burpees! 😉 Here’s a vid of me doing burpees while 8 months pregnant:
Q: Do you have any mental tricks that you use when you just don’t feel like working out?
One of my favorite mottos is “When in doubt, go workout.” In fact, I even had these printed on our Boot Camp shirts. You can always find an excuse NOT to complete your workout… when I catch myself tempted to put it off for another time or another day, I remind myself of how much better I feel after I’m done and that usually does the trick!
Q: What is your go-to snack food?
I am in love with protein shakes. They’re super quick & easy and provided you don’t have any dairy intolerances, whey proteins are naturally high in BCAAs that are easy to digest. I use protein shakes post workout to immediately supply my muscles with high quality protein, which directly correlates to an increase in physical performance and enhanced body composition.
I also love a mid-afternoon (that’s my “munchie” time) shake with some extra cocoa powder to kill cravings & enjoy a sweet treat guilt free. One of my favorite shakes is my “Brownie Batter” shake- everyone who has ever tried it has fallen in love….
- Super THICK: Brownie Batter Protein Shake
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Bake Time: ZERO!
Ingredients:
- 1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder
- 1-2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk
- Stevia to taste (optional chocolate stevia)
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 TBSP SF FF butterscotch pudding mix
- Ice to desired consistency
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Thank you Kate for being an inspiration to moms and women everywhere! For more about Kate, be sure to follow her blog as well as on Facebook, twitter, and instagram!