Eat More Joy

https://msha.ke/dbvirtualstudio/

We work with busy parents who find it tough to make their health and exercise a priority!

All accessible from the comfort of your own home, get 1 on 1 training - 30 minute sessions and make a commitment to yourself for the next 90 days.

We have a few openings available!

Dan Jackson

@dbvirtualstudio • Milkshake Website Builder Let's Get to know each other!

The goal post-baby is to keep mama and baby both nourished😍

Getting back to exercise is an important piece of recovery
but not at the cost of compromising your health and the babies.

Scroll through the post to see my recommendations to get back to fitness while still breastfeeding!

I'd also like to add if you have a terrible night's sleep. Don't sweat it literally, take the day off and enjoy a stroll outside.

Santa came early this year 🎄

First Santa's Claude Parade.

Tis the season

Cortisol steal is when the body prioritizes the production of cortisol rather than making adequate estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

Our hormones need to be in delicate balance when we are trying to bring another human being into this world. Stress management and stress resilience are two factors that should definitely be a part of your motherhood journey.

Stress is complicated and getting to the main source of "your" stress is something that will take work and consistent effort.

Stress comes in many forms: physical stress, mental stress, emotional stress, or even food-related stress (like food allergies or intolerances)

Exercise could be a physical stressor for some women but it could also be a stress reliever for others.

It is important to distinguish where you are at in your life and how exercise and other lifestyle habits play a role.

Nervous system regulation.

A few years ago I joined a membership program all about learning to run my business (and my life ;) based on my cycles. My goal was to avoid burnout like I had hit many times in the past. To find more ease and flow in my business and most importantly through my body.

One major thing this taught me (and especially as women with menstrual cycles) was that if I can't honour my own body, the ebbs and flows of womanhood (hormones throughout my cycle), my energy and emotions then my business will always feel chaotic.

Body first then business. You can only ignore your body for so long before it stops working for you.

When I went through this membership program I wrote down 3 things I needed in order to get back into my body and honour my needs outside of business.
Outside of getting a quality night SLEEP these were my three:

Baking
Nature - walking or water
Creativity - drawing

When I feel disconnected with my body my nervous system is on overdrive so I try to get back to one of these three things. Often it is counter to what I want to do but once I actually jump in I feel much better.

What is one thing that helps you connect with your body and brings you back into flow?

Also, pics were taken with me new camera. club!

Getting back into a workout routine post baby and especially post c-section can be tough physically and mentally since your body likely feels different!

However it is important to start strengthening as soon as you get approval to do so to improve your recovery and reduce potential injuries later on.

Here are 3 modifications if you are newly back to your workout routine (8- 12 weeks Postpartum) after a C section:

1. Use a pillow over abdominals for extra support and comfort

2. Any exercises that are typically done lying face down should be done on all 4s until the area isn't as tender

3. Do your core/abdominal focused exercises first and avoid doing them in a circuit or at the end of the workout. You want to be fresh and focused when you start retraining your TVA and core.

Try 5 - 8 mins of focused work at the beginning.

Stay focused, safe moving and happy recovery!

*Before starting any workout routine it is important to get your primary cares approval and rule out diastasis recti

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Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) is a fancy name for peeing or not being able to control your urine during physical activity like exercise, laughing or sneezing.

If you've had any of the following you are at greater risk for experiencing stress urinary incontinence:
- multiple pregnancies
- va**nal delivery
- high infant birth weight
- large infant cranial circumference
- tearing of perineum

Learning to co-contract both your transverse abdominals (deepest layer of abdominals) and your pelvic floor (which are the muscles at the base of your pelvis + spine that literally help hold up your baby and other organs) has been shown to improve bladder control even in middle aged women - years after baby has been born.

Remember it takes time to see and feel change. It can take 6-8 weeks of consistent core and strength exercises to see measurable improvements!

I have 2 spots opening at the end of November for my 1- on-1 virtual training program. ⁠
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Whether you are thinking about becoming pregnant, are currently pregnant or postpartum and you are ready for a personalized approach to tap into your strength and re-connect to your body make sure you fill out the short application in my bio! ⁠

**nalbirthrecovery

If you need to hear this ♥️

I never got back to where I thought I should be after my first pregnancy because I skipped foundational steps, I was impatient and felt burnt out.
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Set realistic expectations.⁠
Take small imperfect actions. ⁠
Progress over anything else.
Learn to connect with your new body and routine.
Don't forget to enjoy all the newborn snuggles🤱🥰
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Do you eat the candy or let your daughter eat it?⁠
UMM, YES!⁠
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I mean, you can't be surrounded by that much candy and not try out a few pieces, right?
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As a nutrition coach and as a mom, it can be a hard pill to swallow. Knowing all the health implications of these "Halloween candies" but also ensuring they get to experience special moments and enjoy life along the way. ⁠
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This was Aelia's first "real" Halloween and the first time she understood that candy is addictive and delicious. ⁠(Well, I was telling her it was addictive lol not sure if she understood)
I wrote a post last year about candy and how it isn't just the sugar you want to worry about. This was prior to her being old enough to eat it. (In the comment section I have added last years post/review about what "other ingredients" to watch out for other than sugar if you missed it ;)⁠
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Nonetheless here we are with a happy little girl and bags full of candy so I've decided to put a few tricks into play now that we have gone through our first real Halloween. ⁠
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1. Have healthier treat options on hand - I know it feels like a bit of a waste to not use Halloween candy as a treat/snack but really it is about the experience, not just about eating candy!⁠
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2. Out of sight - out of mind. Put the bag somewhere they can't see it. ⁠
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3. Vegetables or Fruit + Protein before treats. You can apply this to mealtime or snack time. Anytime! Food combining and getting enough nutrients is just as important for littles as it is for adults.⁠
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4. Limit the treats to "x" amount per week or day and slowly decrease - before you know it they will forget about it right?⁠
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Do any of you have any other tricks up your sleeve ;)?⁠
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Bringing us back to a few weeks ago

Shay only 20 something days old.
Sunshine - Vitamin D. All the animals and jumpy things for a 2 year old to enjoy.

I love fall.. especially the sunny fall days, the festivals, the apples and pumpkins and halloween.

Trying to soak up all the moments with these little ones before I know it they'll be asking to go out on a dates!

Just lying in bed with a fussy baby and thought I'd share my journey back to my body 0-5 weeks postpartum after C Section.

By no means is this what I'm telling you to do, I'm just sharing what I've been doing.

Reminder: it can take longer for "most" C section mamas to recover vs va**nal birth mama

👉 Resting and cuddling and feeding the babe
👉 Prioritizing Sleep as much as I can with whats going on.
👉 Walking. I've managed to go from short distances to longer ones and ones holding baby in carrier
👉 Focus on your Posture! I'll do a post just on this another day
👉 Breathe work (belly breathing)
👉 TVA and pelvic floor activation
👉Prepare mind to not be scared of body and join for her C section scar massage and recovery program
👉Oh ya, lots of water!

Post partum is messy and beautiful and hard. No one journey is the same. There are so many little things you can do to get back to fitness and in your body again.

Happy Thanksgiving (Canada) ❤

"Perfection only exists in babies and pastries" Gayle Wray

Friday night feels 😴😴

Just like that. Welcome to the world our sweet sweet boy.

Shay Elliott Jackson ❤ Born Sept 16th @ a whopping 7.5lbs.

Can't wait for your big sister to meet you and give you all the kisses and snuggles.




you'll be an amazing father two times over.

36 & 36 🥳

👉 36 years old today and 36 weeks pregnant all on the same day.

Anyone know the relevance of #36?

It's been nice getting to spend time with my family out in the country for this bday.

If there are three things I took away from this year it would be:

1. Having gratitude for the things you already have is the foundation to happiness and growth

2. Believe in yourself even when it feels tough

3. Time exists so that we don't have to do everything at once...and what a relief that is. Focus on your top priorities and let the universe handle the things out of your control.

Looking forward to getting this baby boy out into the world (a little scared for how tired we will be) and seeing where life takes us.

Stress + emotional regulation.

Today was one of those days where everything at once hits you and you are flooded with every feeling possible.

Instead of writing off my entire day I dealt with it as best as I could with the situation I was in. It was messy and then I finally got to the other side of it.

My body was in a state of fight or flight. I couldn't make good decisions. My logical brain turned off. I was just surviving.

In order to get myself back to a regulated state I had to feel through it, honour it and then tell myself it was going to be ok. Take a few breathes.
I then refrained from catastrophizing further or working myself up again. Hugged my daughter and talked to her about sadness, and then moved on.

Learning to self regulate my stress + emotions is one of the hardest but most rewarding things I've learned as a mom. It isn't always pretty but it is raw and honest + keeps the energy flowing better.

I have a Blog all about regulating emotions on my website if you are interested in diving in deeper ❤💜

That's all

Hugs and kisses from my favourite little girl 👉

For every gentle hug and kiss comes a not so gentle head butt😬

For now, I'll take what I can get 😉❤

Pic

Now up on Youtube!!

Short 12-minute workout video for mamas in the second or third trimester.

This video is perfect for moms who are finding it a little more difficult to move on one leg (ie. lunges or when the leg moves away from the body)

Click the link in my bio to check it out on Youtube & don't forget to subscribe!

Summer time vibes ☀️☀️

Fruit treatsicles for the fam!

Just add fruit and coconut water. Pop in the freezer

✅Added electrolytes for this pregnant mama too.

Easy Peasy Mediterranean Dinner Bowl

Base
✅Roasted sweet potatoes
✅Organic mix arugula, spinach & kale
✅ Olive oil and balsamic drizzled

Topped with
✅Grilled BBQd Chicken
✅Goat Feta
✅Olives
✅Hummus

Mix it all together. Serious deliciousness.

* inspired by

One of our familys favourite go tos. Easy, delicious, balanced, nutritious and always gf.

For me, this was a cold plunge ;)

Woke up early and hopped out of bed to head down to the water with the fam.

I've been struggling to feel energized in the morning these days... this was such a nice way to wake up + get those endorphins flowing + calm me and baby.

I'm usually the one sitting on the beach while my husband and daughter play in the water. Anyone else 🙋‍♀️🙋🏾‍♀️

Inspired by

Finally in my third trimester at 7 months feeling like I'm in my 8th or 9th 🤰🥴😴

✅ This could be coincidental but after I worked more intentionally on strengthening and relaxing my pelvic floor muscles and tva activation my pelvic pressure/pains have reduced. It could also be that relaxin (hormone that relaxes the ligaments in the pelvic and widens the cervix) isn't as prominent in my body at the moment

✅ Staying well rested, hydrated, Hypervolting and loading up on magnesium have helped reduce those lovely middle of the night calf cramps

😀 So happy public washrooms are open again!

I'll be sharing a few prenatal strength workouts with you this up coming week on my You Tube.. Good for all trimesters taking into consideration growing babe and the natural body changes that occur for mama.

That's all for now. Hope you all sre enjoying the patios, sun & outdoors🤘

Do you find your anxiety and nervous system go through cyclical periods where they are in over drive. Whether it be weekly, monthly or daily 😬

Naturally, you want to fight these feelings.

✅Work through the day punishing yourself if you don't get it all done
✅ Zone out but not really fill your cup
✅ Move through the day holding onto fear and the "nothing is good enough attitude".

When these feelings arise know that they are there as a lesson. They are telling you to pull back and release your self/inner critic. Release the pressure building up.

The best way I've found is to always go back to source. My family, nature, love, food, walking. Release the fears, whatever they happen to be. Not making enough money, not getting your to do list complete, not being in good enough shape ect ect.

It's not always easy to change the script but it is always helpful!

Summer drink!

Loving this option as a low sugar, refreshing and pregnant friendly drink. Caffeine free ;)

I'll do my best to search for something similar from a local coffee shop but in the meantime...

👉Iced Passion Tango Tea (not the lemonade version)
👉No pump syrup replace with Stevia if desire
👉Add a splash of coconut milk

From one minute to the next. From one emotion to another
Swipe 👈

Always keeping me on my toes.

Ain't that right parents?

"May you always be the one
who notices the little things
that make the light pour
through, and may they always
remind you: There is more to
life and there is more to you."

Morgan Harper Nichols

Happy Mother's Day ❤❤

To all the warrior mama's...
Keep going, keep being you, everything they need is already inside you. Nothing replaces a mothers love.

Missing my own mama. It has been 31 years since she died. Intuitively, I know she is watching over us and has passed on so many beautiful traits to carry forward.

Pic by

I've been meaning to write this all month as it is but somehow this month got away from me. Pregnant with a toddler, covid and running a new business, time has definitely been flying by.

Story👇
When Aelia was born two years ago I never considered a Caesaran as an option. I had prepped with my hypnobirthing class to zen out, breathe and focus on staying relaxed through the pains of labour that wasn't my reality 😉

After being induced on Thursday night. I started contractions at midnight. Tried to sleep through it as they weren't that "intense" yet and I needed the rest. By 630 am we headed to the hospital with contractions roughly 6 min apart. By 9 am my contractions were every 2 to 3 minutes and I was 3 cm dilated. My midwife was at another labour so I had random nurses and the doctor checking in on me. Doc told me my baby would be out by 1pm😬

As 1 pm got nearer and in lots of pain doctor came in and said I was still only 3 cm dilated. I was so defeated. Having so many close contractions and no movement. Plus my Midwife still hadn't arrived. I was getting really worried that I wouldn't have my delivery partner to support me. In desperation I asked for an epidural around 2pm as I didn't want to pass the window of opportunity. Finally by 4 pm I got that needle.

Needless to stay my midwife showed up around 5 pm and the long wait continued. It wasn't until 4 am the next morning I was told I had to have a C section. I was dilated to 8 cm at this point but she was receding and my cervix was swelling.

My husband, very much against a C section and now in disblief ( backstort: he suffered from juvenile arthritis and was worried this would greatly impact her immune function) so we asked the doctor to perform Vaginal Seeding which she was eager to do. Where by they use a cotton gauze to transfer the va**nal fluids to the mouth, eyes and skin of the baby. As if to replicate the baby passing through the bacteria of the va**na. Some studies have shown it to be beneficial to enhance and strengthen the babies gut microbiome and immune system.

I was beyond tired and just wanted to meet this beauty. In surgery I was shacking uncontrollably, swollen and exhausted.

The recovery for me was intense. I was in alot of pain. Peeing myself, scared to go to the bathroom as the contractions and pains were really something else. My abdominals have never felt so weak...laughing even hurt!

On the bright side, I was lucky enough to have breast fed her up to 2 years. She picked it up so quickly, almost like she knew exactly what to do out of the womb. I was amazed.

Either way you put it, pregnancy and labour is hard, life changing, emotional and a god damn phenomenon. Whether you have a c- section or va**nal birth you are a rockstar!

If there is one thing this pandemic has taught me 👇
❤ Sometimes you plan and other times you just wing it!

Do you notice how much easier you can breathe and enjoy the moment when you stop controlling every second of your day? When you don't wait until the perfect time to do something? When you just proceed with curiosity and openness?

It is a work in a progress for me as it truly is my nature to "control" but "winging it" sometimes is one thing that keeps my nervous system and stress response at bay.

When it comes to movement..

Do you have to have the perfect plan and set up to start exercising or moving?

I truly believe you don't. Just start. Whether it is 10 minutes a day with your little one running around or it is a 30 minute walk.

Just start and make adjustments from there and when you consistently do this one thing...add to it!

Just a little reminder that we all start as newbies, we all have to start somewhere. Just get started even if you have to wing it❤❤🥳

Equipment from .ca

STRESS & FOOD (how you eat is critical)⁠
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When you are experiencing stress or you are in a state of prolonged fight or flight response your body starts to eat away at resources (nutrients) needed to thrive, feel good and give us energy. ⁠
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Eating a variety of foods that contain key nutrients can be helpful to get your body back into an optimal state. ⁠
However, not only is eating key foods important but the absorption of what you are eating is really critical. ⁠
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Your gut is what assimilates the food into a form the body can absorb. So improving your digestion and gut health is key to proper absorption and combating stress. ⁠
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Key nutrients like Magnesium, B Vitamins, Omega 3 Fats & Vitamin C all play a role in combating stress, boosting and supporting our nervous system. ⁠
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To help with the absorption of those nutrients here are some tips:⁠
✅ avoid rushing and inhaling your food - take some deep breathes and really chew your food⁠
✅ support your digestion by staying hydrated throughout the day ⁠
✅ add in a digestive enzyme with HCL ⁠
✅ add in a probiotic each morning ⁠
If digestive tract is impaired adding supplements in this form can help👇
✅ Topical supplementation can improve absorption like Topical magnesium or Epsom salt baths
✅ Liposomal supplements like Liposomal vitamin C enhance bioavailability by 400% as they bypass some parts of the tricky digestive tract.

* always consult your primary health care provider

Client highlight & story *⁠
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This particular client and I started working together last fall on her nutrition and lifestyle. She felt like she was at a dead-end because for the last year she was trying to lose weight but didn't have any success.⁠
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Her situation wasn't straightforward due to the fact she was on different medications for anxiety and birth control for the past few years. She was attending University where drinks, partying, and being social are all a part of the experience and hard to avoid.⁠
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That said, there were many fundamental concepts that we started with in order to properly set her up for success. ⁠
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One thing that is widely overlooked but so critical for your health journey is staying the course despite obstacles or things not going "as anticipated". This is where most people will unfortunately give up⁠
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At one point in her journey, the lack of results on the scale started to reduce her motivation and discouragement was rising up. With some deeper goal setting and emotional digging, she discovered some key areas to address and was able to get back on course which I am very proud of her for. ⁠
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She spent a few months healing her gut & balancing her meals (and blood sugar). In addition to her going off birth control (ensuring she was getting the nutrients lost from taking the pill for so many years & speaking with her doctor) she was hitting the ground running!!⁠
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Once all the fundamentals were engrained in her day-to-day life we were able to take it a step further and support her liver function through eating & living an anti-inflammatory diet/lifestyle⁠
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She messaged me a month after working together and told me she actually was at a total of 20 lbs lost so far and more importantly she could fit into her old clothes again.⁠
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Never lose sight of your goals & your health - they are within your reach. Just keep your mind and heart open. ⁠
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