Each month, we are celebrating a member of FIT4MOM West Sacramento/Natomas for her commitment to a healthy lifestyle and dedication to FIT4MOM.

This month, I decided to share more about me as I celebrate my birthday!

Tell us about who is in your family!

I am wife to Dan of 13 years in August and mom to Maddi who is 9 and Paxton who is 4-1/2.

Dan and I are high school sweethearts and have been together since June 2005. He was finishing his junior year and I was at the end of my sophomore year. We met through a mutual friend who was on the track team with me. It wasn't until a few years later that we realized we had first met in junior high in band class (Dan played trumpet and I played clarinet). He had just moved to Point Loma in the middle of 8th grade and I thought he was this cute, mysterious guy at the back of the classroom. He thought I was the obnoxious girl who was always challenging the older clarinet players for 1st chair. We continued to date through college while Dan was at University of Redlands and I was at Cal Poly Pomona. We got married August 21, 2009 on the cliffs of San Diego.

Maddison Rhian Orr was born May 6, 2013 at 9 lbs 0 oz in Riverside, CA. Paxton Elizabeth Orr was born September 1, 2017 at 8 lbs 13 oz at South Sac Kaiser in Sacramento, CA

Each month, we are celebrating a member of FIT4MOM West Sacramento/Natomas for her commitment to a healthy lifestyle and dedication to FIT4MOM.

This month, we are spotlighting our amazing Natomas instructor and new mama to two! Meet our Mom of the Month for May 2022: Kensey Merritt.

Tell us about who is in your family!

Married to a loving and supportive husband, Bobby. We have a 3 year old (almost 4 year old) daughter named Iva, and a 7 week old son named Syr. Oh, and of course the big sister named Adeline who is going to be 6 years this year (our fur daughter).

Where is your hometown?

Sacramento

What was your career before having babies?

I was previously an Analytical Biochemist.

How did you find FIT4MOM?

I met Kate Trigg at Natomas Regional Park and she told me about FIT4MOM.

How long have you been a member of FIT4MOM West Sacramento/Natomas and what has it done for you?

Since February 2021. FIT4MOM is honestly a Godsend. After having Iva, I was a bit hesitant to start working out again, thinking that I wouldn’t be able to commit to a work out regimen. When I found FIT4MOM, I immediately fell in love with the classes and the Village. I loved that every workout was at my own pace and there wasn’t competition between other moms working out. FIT4MOM has given me the confidence to start working out again, but also the excitement to attend class and see my daughter excited to play with all the kiddos afterwards.

Each month, we are celebrating a member of FIT4MOM West Sacramento/Natomas for her commitment to a healthy lifestyle and dedication to FIT4MOM.

This month, we are spotlighting new mama to two! Meet our Mom of the Month for April 2022: Elise Soviar.

Tell us about who is in your family!

Jeff (dad), Elise (mom), Jude (2), Lennon (4 months)

Where is your hometown?

Ridgecrest, CA (where that really big earthquake was a few years ago)

What is your career?

Journalist - Dayside Executive Producer at KCRA

How did you find FIT4MOM?

A Facebook ad popped up during maternity leave, it turns out my first class was the kickoff for Natomas

How long have you been a member of FIT4MOM West Sacramento/Natomas and what has it done for you?

Almost two years! I could not be more thankful for this group. I was fairly new to the area and hadn’t made any friends, becoming a new mom (add the kickoff of the pandemic) I felt really lonely. This group flipped that upside down and made me feel so loved, supported and understood!

What is your favorite class exercise?

Each month, we are celebrating a member of FIT4MOM West Sacramento/Natomas for her commitment to a healthy lifestyle and dedication to FIT4MOM.

This month, we are spotlighting one o four Run Club+ mamas! Meet our Mom of the Month for March 2022: Erica Bedir.

Tell us about who is in your family!

Husband Kadir, 5 year old son Rafi, 12 week old Golden Retriever Doxy

Where is your hometown?

Davis, CA

What is your career?

4th grade Teacher

How did you find FIT4MOM?

I first heard about Fit4Mom in a new parent group in Davis. Later I did a few Stroller Strides classes with FIT4MOM Sacramento. I found out about FIT4MOM West Sac/Natomas from my dad! Haha! He is Haley’s husband Dan’s boss.

How long have you been a member of FIT4MOM West Sacramento/Natomas and what has it done for you?

I’ve been an on/off member since 2019. I started Run Club in 2020 as a way to practice self-care through a really isolating and stressful time. I feel really lucky to be able to do something for myself and to send and receive motivation through the club. I also have really gotten in shape and feel so much healthier!

Each month, we are celebrating a member of FIT4MOM West Sacramento/Natomas for her commitment to a healthy lifestyle and dedication to FIT4MOM.

This month, we are spotlighting an amazing mama to two sweet boys! Meet our Mom of the Month for February 2022: Liz Vaage.

Tell us about who is in your family!

I have been married to my husband Michael for 8 years, but together for 18!! We have two beautiful boys who keep us on our toes, Ben (2.5) and Max (5 months).

Where is your hometown?

I grew up in Petaluma, CA, but now I call West Sacramento home.

What is your career?

I am an HR analyst.

How did you find FIT4MOM?

In 2019, my husband and I moved to West Sacramento when I was 9 months pregnant (do not recommend!!!!), and I was eager to find a fitness or running group. I turned to the community Facebook groups and sooo many mamas recommended FIT4MOM! I figured I had to give it a try as soon as I was cleared to workout!

How long have you been a member of FIT4MOM West Sacramento/Natomas and what has it done for you?

I have been a member of FIT4MOM since the fall of 2019 when Ben was just 6 weeks old - in fact, I think I came out the actual day he turned 6 weeks. It has provided me with the best mama community I could have ever asked for! Being a new mom in a new neighborhood is super lonely. I am super lucky that I found this group early in my postpartum journey.

Each month, we are celebrating a member of FIT4MOM West Sacramento/Natomas for her commitment to a healthy lifestyle and dedication to FIT4MOM.

This month, we are spotlighting soon to be mama of two and our newest Stroller Strides instructor! Meet our Mom of the Month for January 2022: Beth Marquez.

Tell us about who is in your family!

Stephen is my amazing husband who not only is the best husband but he also is the one who cuts all the wood I need for my signs and projects. I couldn’t run BethyCrafter without him. Our son Maddox just turned 3 and brings us so much joy, laughter and fun. He loves to help us around the house and keeps us on our toes with his silly antics. We will soon be welcoming baby sister aka baby pizza as Maddox calls her in April as well.

Where is your hometown?

Sacramento, CA

What is your career?

Special Education ParaEducator/Owner and Creator of BethyCrafter

How did you find FIT4MOM?

Facebook

How long have you been a member of FIT4MOM West Sacramento/Natomas and what has it done for you?

I joined Fit4MOM West Sacramento/Natomas spring/summer of 2019. It helped me in so many ways. It has taught me to give myself grace as I was postpartum with my first babe. I gained some of the best friends a mama could ever ask for. I became a runner, which if you know me has never been something I would ever consider myself. My confidence as woman has grown leaps and bounds along with my confidence as a mother. Oh and least I forget my physical and mental health has become the best it’s been in years. FIT4MOM has been truly a lifeline in this crazy hood we call motherhood.

Exercise should make you feel stronger, stand taller, and connect you to your body. A great way to have a mental check-in with yourself & your inner core is with balance drills like this one - the Lat Pulldown & Knee Lift! You can do this with or without a band.

1. Start with your feet together, band in hands over your forehead, and band taunt.

2. Think about zipping your core together, with rib cage meeting in the center of your body. Now, pull your pelvic floor in and up. This is your contracted core position.

3. Lift your right knee.

4. Pull the band down to chest height with your hands going wide.

5. Hold this position as you take a breath in and out.

6. Release the hands back overhead slowly & the foot to the ground. Exhale and let the core fully release.

7. Repeat the core contraction and then, lift the left knee to repeat.

Did you know that all of our instructors specialize in pre and postnatal fitness? Making sure to provide the best workouts for mom and her body! Find out more about the programs we offer and join us for a free class!

So you're in your first trimester of pregnancy and you're trying to figure out if you should keep exercising, stop exercising or start exercising.

Check out our three tips for first trimester fitness focuses:

1. During the first trimester, you should be able to continue most of your normal, preferred activities at the duration and intensity as before becoming pregnant.

2. You should honor how you're feeling, and if anything starts to feel uncomfortable or brings concern, you'll want to find alternatives quickly - whether that be mode, impact, duration, or intensity.

3. Remember, the decade's past heart rate recommendations for exercising during pregnancy have been discarded. Please tune into your ratings of perceived exertion and use the talk test. You are encouraged to stay away from breathlessness, especially the first 12 weeks as the fetus is developing.

Looking for a workout that will help keep you safe during your first trimester of pregnancy? Find out more about the programs we offer

These days, quality jogging strollers are more accessible and can make running with your kids easy and enjoyable. Running with a stroller is different from running solo. If you’re not used to stroller-running, here are some tips to keep in mind:

STRIDE LENGTH

Running with a stroller may inadvertently shorten your normal stride length as you try to avoid kicking the stroller brake or undercarriage. Running at arms’ length distance will allow for a more natural stride. At least one hand should still lightly touch the handle to ensure that control of the stroller is maintained.

POSTURE

Remember to maintain proper posture: spine long, shoulders back and down. Your instinct may be to drop your head and shoulders down towards the stroller handle, but this can cause discomfort and injuries. A very slight hinge at the ankles will help propel you forward, but not so much so that you find yourself contracting or collapsing down and into the stroller handle. Your power should come from your lower body.

ARMS

Your arms shouldn’t just be along for the ride; they have work to do, too! Maintain an energetic arm swing to keep moving forward. If your stroller handle height is adjustable, position it about hip height to help maintain control.