yoga

Rachel Welch on the 'That's Total Momsens'e podcast with Kanika Chadda Gupta
  • Chase Jennings
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017: Rachel Welch — Yoga and Fitness for Your Pre and Post-Baby Body
017: Rachel Welch — Yoga and Fitness for Your Pre and Post-Baby Body 1024 512 Chase Jennings

Derived from the Sanskrit word “yuji,” meaning yoke or union, yoga is an ancient practice that brings together mind and body and spirit.

It incorporates breathing exercises, meditation and poses designed to encourage relaxation and reduce stress.

Practicing yoga is said to come with many benefits for both mental and physical health from reducing stress, inflammation and improves breathing, sleep, happiness, strength, flexibility, and mood. 

My guest today is Rachel Welch, who is a women’s health advocate and post natal fitness pioneer and expert. Her life-elevating fitness method empowers women with the knowledge and skills to understand, heal and embody motherhood from the inside-out. 

Revolution Motherhood™ Fitness Method merges Yoga, Soft Foam Rolling, PT, Pilates, Bootcamp and Breath into empowering, inspirational workouts.  Rachel brilliantly fuses education, alignment and strength training into progressively challenging sequences so that you start to see and feel results immediately.  Whether you are newly post baby, just beginning a workout routine, or have a strong fitness lifestyle, Rachel will maximize your workouts, tone your core, glutes, thighs and arms, and leave you feeling open, strong, balanced and confident.

Tune In:

Meet My Guest:

Press:

Show Notes:

  • 01:34 – Introduction (what is Yoga?)
  • 03:37 – What should pregnant women do to ensure a healthy and easy delivery?
  • 04:45 – Learning to adapt and change your practice
  • 05:17 – How Rachel began her journey
  • 09:40 – Postnatal recovery
  • 12:01 – The importance of physical therapists
  • 14:20 – Creating a mindful strength training practice
  • 17:50 – Recovery
  • 19:00 – Your body is a pressure chamber
  • 21:05 – Your pelvic floor 
  • 22:40 – Yoga triggers weight loss
  • 24:45 – Two of Rachel’s top ‘Mom Sense’ moments
  • 26:14 – Quote of the Day
  • 27:47 – Mom Haul

Mom Haul:

  • Kanika
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Meditation Clears the Clutter
Meditation Clears the Clutter 2000 1333 Kanika

A year ago, I came across an article on a Harvard medical study highlighting the biological benefits of meditation. Of course we all know the positive effects including reduced stress, anxiety, and overall clarity of the mind, but I was surprised to find that meditating can actually alter the brain. The study states, “it’s well-documented that the cortex shrinks as we get older — it’s harder to figure out and remember things. But in this one region of the prefrontal cortex, 50-year-old meditators had the same amount of grey matter as 25-year-olds.” During a second study, researchers found that the amygdala, “the fight or flight part of the brain which is important for anxiety, fear, and stress” is reduced in size. Here are three easy ways I incorporate meditation in my day to day.

  1. Surya Namaskars. During my stint working as an Anchor/Producer for CNN in India, I hired a private yoga teacher who was incredibly authentic and knowledgeable. He taught me how to do surya namaskars (sun salutations), which are a combination of 12 asanas (postures) including back bends, forward bends, and controlled breathing to help the body in a variety of ways. Surya namaskars can help you lose weight, strengthen your muscles and joints, promote better digestion, combat insomnia, keep anxiety levels at bay, and can even yield glowing, youthful skin. I start my day with 10-20 surya namaskars. Watch this video to learn how to maintain an ideal pace and good form.
  2. Guided meditations. Guided meditations are great when you feel like shutting off and simply following along. Headspace has an excellent UX and UI and features various meditations based on your mood, duration, and challenges you’d like to overcome. There are other such apps on iOS and Android and tons of YouTube videos out there. Give it a try!
  3. Breathing exercises. I do a series of my own breathing exercises when I pump. Since I’m free for 20 – 40 minutes, I feel this is a good use of my time. Celebrity physician Dr. Andrew Weil advocates the 4-7-8 rule where you breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and breathe out with a long exhale for 8 seconds. Sigh.

Meditation is exercise for the mind, and just like our physical health, we need our mental state to be in tip-top shape to truly feel healthy and happy.

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