This week’s Addicted to Fitness kicks off with a brand new announcement! I encourage you all to keep emailing me to schedule a free fitness consultation and follow-up, but I also want to let you know that you can train with Elemental Training Tampa from anywhere. Contact me at elementaltampa@gmail.com to learn how you can participate in our online training program.
I start off this week’s training recap discussing the fitness contract I drew up for myself and my clients. Staying accountable to the goals you set for yourself is one of the many steps to achieving them. I believe signing a physical contract that you can see on a regular basis can help you be more accountable. My personal fitness contract stated that I will take at least one jiu-jitsu class a week. If you’re interested in using the fitness contract to reach your own goals, click here to download a .pdf version.
Free fitness contract; download by clicking link above
Shannon is closing in on the big day, which means the type & amount of exercise she’s capable of doing is becoming more limited. Instead of morning rides on the Peloton cycle, she’s made it a goal to walk approximately 30 mins every morning. This benefits both her, the baby and our a 4 legged child Jaz.
She also discusses her recent experience assisting in prenatal yoga classes in her training recap. Shannon is coming to the end of her yoga teacher training program, and has noticed that most fitness professionals are over-cautious when working with pregnant women. In her current state, she knows that pregnant women love and appreciate a little extra hands on attention.
We stay on the subject of pregnancy for our main discussion on this episode. Shannon bravely admits that she’s worried about the anxiety symptoms associated with the postpartum period. We did a little research to find out why the baby blues occur and discovered that a large contributing factor is a massive shift in hormones.
After her yoga teacher training program, we’ll technically have 2 yogis in our household
From what we read, postpartum symptoms are at their highest 5 days after childbirth and are significantly influenced by a lack of estrogen and the presence of the enzyme monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A). This enzyme can prevent the brain’s utilization of “feel good” hormones like dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin.
A recent clinical trial demonstrated that a supplement containing blueberry extract and the amino acids tryptophan & tyrosine had prevented “any depressed mood” in a group of women during their postpartum period (study link). Shannon’s already a fan of blueberries, so we researched the top 10 foods that contain tryptophan and tyrosine. You’ll have to listen to the episode to hear the entirety of both lists, but below is a couple of Shannon’s favorites.
Foods High in Tryptophan – egg white powder, spinach, soy protein isolate & spirulina (link to entire list).
Foods High in Tyrosine – cottage cheese, salmon, turkey & spirulina (link to entire list).
We hope that this episode helps people understand a little more about what happens to women after childbirth. I also want to reiterate that we BARELY scratched the surface of a very complex issue. If you want or need more information about postpartum depression, PLEASE consult a medical professional.
If you’re looking for feedback about your current fitness plan, you can reach out to me via email and/or social media (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter). We’d also really appreciate it if you left us a rating & review in iTunes.
I say it at the end of each episode, and I’ll say it now, you’re feedback help us get better. Thanks for listening and stay healthy this week peeps!
Links to this week’s episode
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nick-burch-702220833/how-nutrition-affects
Website: http://addictedtofitness.libsyn.com/how-nutrition-affects-postpartum-depression
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