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Finding Gratitude in Awkward Times

I’m writing this on the week of Thanksgiving, 2020, in the USA.

This time period will undoubtedly be noted in World History as “Dark Ages 2.” We are undergoing a global pandemic that has killed hundreds of thousands of people in America. Because of the pandemic, people are separated from each other. Businesses are closing right and left. People are struggling to make ends meet. Kids are at home trying to take their classes. We have undergone four years of a treacherous presidency that has escaped all bounds of any semblance of decency, ethics, or regard for the ideals we hold dear in America. There is civil unrest in America, due to hundreds of years of suppressed voices and unfairly taken lives.

And yet. Here I sit, gazing up at the Autumn sky and feeling deep gratitude.

This is gratitude in practice, and this is why for all of my life, great gratitude instructors have taught us that it’s the practice of gratitude, not being happy in the good times, that will bring peace to our hearts.

I am grateful for our time at home. My kids are at home with me. They are managing their youth interrupted with grace. I am grateful that I live in my favorite city, even as I am watching the struggles increase in keeping our city alive. We are known as a city of live events and activities, which has proven increasingly difficult.

I am grateful for innovation. It is often in times like these that we become most creating out of necessity.

I am grateful that I have been able to continue to teach, to lead, and to develop my methods this year, culminating in the ABC Method Certificate course, my favorite project ever.

I am grateful for so many things that my heart is overwhelmed.

I am grateful for you. Thank you for staying in it for your own wellbeing this year. And if there is anything I can do to help you in your personal recovery, please reach out. I wouldn’t be a teacher without students.

 

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You are only as strong as you are Long

I’m famous for saying “you are only as strong as you are long!”

In other words, all that strength training won’t make you feel strong and empowered unless you can use those muscles without getting hurt!

And being short in the muscles creates a whole chain of events, from soft tissue strain to muscular-skeletal shifts that impact everything.

You know how I am about alignment, and what I find more often than not is that certain areas of the body have been shortened, and that is what is affecting alignment.

Got one of those foam roller thingies?

Let’s pull that out and roll out the tight spots.

It won’t be comfortable, but it will be worth it.

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Congratulations New ABC Method Instructors

Congratulations to our newest ABC Method Instructors!

These trainers and instructors spent the last 2 weeks studying with me (and on their own) so that they can go out into the world and continue teaching the method!

What’s so great about these trainings is that I am getting a variety of teachers. Some are in group fitness. Some are trainers. Some teach designed formats. But The ABC Method is a fitness integration system, so a lot of our work is learning to integrate The ABC’s into what they already teach.

This helps people start, continue, recover, and get what they want out of their trainings!

We love to see people succeed.

If you work with women who have ever been pregnant, or anyone who struggles in the core department (that covers a lot of ground!), you need to be on our next graduating class!

Check out the website and register for our next training. Better yet, if you work with a group of trainers or instructors, schedule a private certification class with Carrie!

Imagine what we can do.

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Flatten my Postpartum Belly Turns 2!

Happy birthday, Flatten my Postpartum Belly!

See the book and your reading or listening options Here!

I remember pouring my guts into that book in 2018. It was a tough and special time for me, getting all that information out of my head, onto little notes, into an outline, and finally into a book.

I get excited every time I see someone reading it, and with every note I get from around the world.

Do you have a Flatten my Postpartum Belly story?

Please share! Many more years with this book (and it will be going through revisions soon!)

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Black Friday Sale!

I love a good sale!

With the year that we’ve had, there is no reason to wait until the end of November to offer savings.

Enjoy 25% off The Diastasis Recti Recovery System anytime in the month of November.

Go direct with this link: https://www.udemy.com/course/diastasis-recti-recovery-system/?couponCode=BLACKFRIDAY  

or enter BLACKFRIDAY at the checkout!

The Diastasis Recti Recovery System is a fully moduled course that includes:

  • self diagnostics
  • recovery tools
  • next steps
  • journals
  • q&a / classroom for discussion

Start Today!

Remember, too, that you can combine the DRRS with a full fitness and nutrition plan for just a few dollars more! Use the contact form to find out what package Carrie recommends!

 

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A Tight Psoas

What can a tight psoas do? Well, in short, it can throw your entire alignment out of whack and affect the entire body chain. That’s why that little muscle makes a big difference!

Tight psoas can cause:

(image credit Cleveland Clinic)
psoas
  • back pain
  • tight hips
  • core instability and dysfunction
  • mobility trouble in hips and thighs
  • anterior pelvic tilt

As you can see, the psoas wraps from the lower back to the thigh bone. When it is short, it pulls the pelvis forward and pulls on the lower back. You can see how this could be trouble!

First of all, it’s important to keep your psoas strong, with leg lifts and varying leg exercises, but it’s just as important to keep it flexible!

Here’s a quick video I made to help you with some basic psoas stretches.

I hope that helps! You know what they say. A short psoas makes a so’ass!

 

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Belly Fat or Diastasis Recti?

Is it just fat, or Diastasis Recti, or Both?

I get asked that all the time, so let me give you a little guidance on telling the difference.

Diastasis Recti is the division of the rectus abdominis down the vertical center. It is an injury and requires injury intervention for recovery.

Belly fat is the expansion of fat cells, and can happen around the mid section as well. This is an issue of weight loss rather than injury correction.

The belly issue could be one or both!

The situation could be different depending on whether you are male or female. Women gain fat over the muscle on their abdomen, typically, so it is possible to have a layer of fat OVER the Diastasis Recti. Therefore, when you check for Diastasis, you may need to push into the fat wall to get to the muscle wall to detect what the problem actually is.

For men, most belly fat is gained under the muscle. This is why a lot of men are getting Diastasis; it is the fat pushing the muscles out and apart. In this case, the division of the rectus abdominis is apparent, but the recovery should include both injury correction and weight loss, or the problem will not resolve.

If you find that you need just injury recovery, consider using the book, the course, or some lessons from me to work on that. Nutritionally, you will want to keep healthy foods in your body for optimal recovery.

If you find that you need weight loss, consider a nutrition plan to address behavior, habits, food choice, portions, and nutritional valuable foods. Physical fitness helps as well.

If you are recovering from both, consider a full package, including The Diastasis Recti Recovery System, a full nutrition package, and a same fitness plan. I can put a package like that together for you; just let me know a little about you so I can optimize the package for you.

Taking care of your body is a balance between vitality, wellness, nutrition, physical movement, flexibility, and core stability. It feels like a lot, but that’s why I take care of the issues on your behalf and can help you find what you need to succeed.

To see how others are doing, check out the success stories!

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New Dates Announced for the ABC Method Certificate Course

I wanted to make sure you know there are NEW dates announced to certify in The ABC Method! Check out the new dates HERE and register! You don’t want to be left out of this awesome opportunity to learn how to serve women (and Men!) with Diastasis Recti.

Also, did you hear that we are now approved for 1.2 CEU’s with ACE, NASM, and AFAA?? That means you can earn a ton of credit while getting all the tools you need to amplify your impact with your clients.

You get not only time directly with me, but time with the group, time to study and work, time for your assessment one on one with me, AND ongoing support with me and others that have certified.

This is the BEST value I have EVER offered in my professional career, and I feel so blessed to be a piece of the puzzle for the teachers that impact the world.

I hope to see you there. You can register TODAY. We will cut off registration 24 hours before the start of the course.

 

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Thoughts on Leadership in Wellness

Do you consider yourself a Leader?

I was listening to a podcast by Brene Brown today (“Dare to Lead” on Spotify), and she was talking about leaders being in all spaces. It got me thinking about what a leader truly is and what they truly do.

Most people in a leadership position would be surprised if you told them they were a leader. I think of how my daughters look at me when I state an expectation. The look in their eyes is “YES. WE ARE WITH YOU.”

I think of people who maybe shouldn’t be leaders, but people look to them anyway, and don’t even realize that they are magnifying someone’s agenda. We are very adaptable to cultures, and it’s amazing how fast we adapt. (see this video study)

So…. I would imagine that you are a leader of sorts. Maybe it’s your family. Maybe it’s your workplace. Maybe it’s your friend group. Maybe this JUST occurred to you.

Would you CHOOSE how to lead? What kinds of choices would you choose if you knew your choices influenced the culture of your household or business? Would you choose differently?

I think about the words I use, the image I set, the habits I have, and the integrity I show ALL the time. It’s not a drag. It’s not a problem. It’s who I am. I would rather be an influence for GOOD than an influence for …. well….. whatever.

What would happen if your influence for good could change lives? Change families? Change health as we know it? What if it just started with you deciding to be the change? What then?

I’m looking for leaders who want to make a positive impact on their world, even if their world is just their families. I think the ripple effect is generational. Would you accept that?

Contact me for opportunities to make a change for yourself that could change your family and circle of influence. I would love to chat about your possibilities.

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Should I Run?

 A question I get asked often is “Should I be running?”

This includes pregnant women, postpartum women, and those struggling with core and pelvic floor issues.

I always ask people to take in consideration how they feel during and after a run, and I ask them to consider any medical advice they have received.

And then I ask “Can you maintain The ABC’s when you leave the ground?”

If you’re not sure if you do or if you can, make sure you go through the process first, keeping things low impact for the first few weeks while you go through the book or the online course.

Then, around the time you take the exit protocol process, you will be able to see and feel how your body responds to leaving the ground. Part of the overall process is being able to tell whether a certain movement is working with your body or against it.

I always tell people that pain shouldn’t be part of the equation.

A lot of people with core trouble and Diastasis Recti have swelling or a “distended” feeling after running, which is a sign that core engagement is still an issue in running.

Many also have trouble with pain in the pelvis, a sign that the pelvic floor needs strengthening before going to the next level. Urination while running is common but not normal. If this is happening, there is a level of dysfunction in the pelvic floor. I recommend not only working through one of my methods, but seeing a qualified physical therapist in pelvic floor for help.

The answer to “should I run?” is a very personal one, and one I don’t force on people.

I would say that your own body will be an excellent guide for this. I would also say that no one takes off running and it’s “easy.” It’s a process.

If you do feel ready for the next step and you want to either start running or go back to running, contact me about the fall running group. We will be working with a third party, as I am not a running coach. I can help with the ABC’s, and the method by Idalis Velasquez can help with the form of running and cross training.

See you on the track!