by Krystal Morgan-White, NSCA-CSCS Personal Trainer

About 85% of women will become pregnant at some point in their lifetime. Exercise is an important aspect of growing a healthy baby inside you as well as for the mother's well-being. Most doctors recommend exercise throughout pregnancy if the mom is cleared to do so. There are many benefits of working out throughout pregnancy. There are also some do’s and don’ts to follow. If done right, keeping an active lifestyle throughout the duration of the pregnancy will lead to easier delivery and quicker recovery. As always, consult with a doctor before beginning or changing a fitness routine during pregnancy.

by Krystal Morgan, MBA, NSCA-CSCS Personal Trainer

Have you ever driven down the road for a while, when suddenly you realize you just went ten miles, and you don’t remember getting that far, almost like you blacked out for a few minutes? Have you ever done this during exercise? You mindlessly do a set of bicep curls until your trainer tells you to stop or it starts to burn a little bit. Performing resistance training in this manner is not near as effective when you engage your focus on the muscle group you are trying to target. This is called the “mind muscle connection,” and it is very important when your goal is hypertrophy (increased muscle size).

by Krystal Morgan

Most people these days don’t get enough sleep. We are so busy with work, kids, sports, extra-curricular activities, and keeping the house in order. Sleep is usually the one thing that gets minimized. So we drink more coffee or energy drinks to get through the day, but is that helping us reach our goals? Living in a sleep deficit is not only bad for your brain; it’s bad if you are trying to lose weight.