Momtastic – Staying Fit & Healthy – Nuria Sainz

The purpose of my blog has been to share my journey as a parent, and to celebrate motherhood! Not just me, but mommies all around me as well! And with that in mind, I am starting a new section called MOMTASTIC 🙂!  I will be interviewing inspirational mommas who are wearing multiple hats, and managing it all with panache!

My Mommy for March is someone who didn’t even let pregnancy stop her from her workout routines – Nuria Sainz. After all, she had excellent care and advise from her personal trainer – Herself. A mom to 8-month-old, Ádam, Nuria, who is originally from Spain, has been in Qatar for the last three years. Sports has been her passion from the time she has been a little girl, and over the last 8 years, she has changed so many lives with her services as a personal trainer.

Name
Nuria Sainz

Explain yourself in about 10 words.
Hardworking, adventuress, sportswoman, genuine, stubborn, optimist, committed, mom, easygoing and ethusiastic

Tell us about your business.
I am a personal trainer. My clients here are mostly women, though I used to train men and kids back in my country. Depending on the clients need, sometimes 3 days per week is enough, sometimes even 5 days per week is needed. Of course when the client’s goal is to lose weight, then the eating habits become important too! I personally don’t like diets (unless there is a disorder, or illnesses that has to be treated – in which case i my client to a nutritionist). I believe in smart choices when it comes to eating, and living a healthy lifestyle. It is really important to create an active lifestyle that our children can see and make the most of it! And as a personal trainer, I focus on exercise, as well as healthy eating.

How did you get interested in personal training?
I have been practicing sports my whole life. I was a gymnast from when I was a little girl, till about 17 years of age. After becoming an adult, I wanted to try out other sporting activities, most of which I enjoyed thoroughly. In fact I loved sports so much that I majored in Sports Science.
I became a personal trainer about 8 years ago. Sports is my life (as you can tell by now), and I love helping others attain their health and fitness goals. On a personal front, once I had my baby, my focus shifted to triathlon training.

What is the best part about working with other men/women and helping them get fit?
I absolutely love my job! When you see people improving their health, getting fitter, feeling better about themselves, and in turn increasing their quality of life, and knowing that you had something to do with that! It is amazing and very rewarding.

How do you find the time to juggle motherhood and your work?
I consider myself lucky in this regard – as many a times, I can actually take my boy with me. A few of my clients have nannies, and they are willing to watch my son while I work. Occasionally I take him to the gym with me, and at other times, he stays with the nanny at home. It helps that I don’t have strict work times, and that I can work at times I am comfortable. There are also times that clients change things last-minute – postpone a session for example – and I try to accommodate it. But this mean they understand that my baby will come to the session too. I try to be as flexible as I can so that both my son and I, and my client is happy :). I must add though that I find it easier to juggle motherhood and work easier in Qatar than in my home country.

Any advice for pregnant moms women?
My advice is always not to stop doing the things you like just because you are pregnant! I was training, travelling, and dancing throughout my entire pregnancy :D. Pregnancy is not a sickness!
And it is very important to exercise; our bodies are made to move. Exercising during pregnancy is good for the mom and for the baby in so many ways: more oxygen supply for the baby, better blood circulation for the mom. It also helps regulate such as cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels, which can make pregnancy even more difficult if not taken care of. Exercising regularly will also help to maintain strong bones and muscle mass and ensure that your metabolism doesn’t slow down. I could go on and on about the benefits… but the one that moms like the most is that it will help you to lose the weight after delivery much faster 😀 . But of course, it is vital that you have a professional trainer with you.
      If you have been dancing and jogging before your pregnancy, you can continue with that. I was jogging until 7 months pregnant! The idea is to not exert yourself too much. Ideally don’t start a heavy workout – which you have not done before while you are pregnant. Even if you are not the sporty kind, you can definitely stay active, walk, swim, or work with light weights. No heavy lifting – without supervision. But try and do a few exercises and stretches everyday.

What about moms who just had a baby?
After the delivery, you can start training as soon as you feel good. But obviously, it should be done under the watchful eyes and guidance of a professional trainer. After a C-section, ideally wait at least one month and get the okay from your doctor. If there are no complications, you should ideally be able to do pretty much all workouts by two months postpartum.
I am not really a fan of the postpartum belts, many people think that the belt will help reduce volume and that is far from being true. When you wear it you provide support for your back so you basically tell your CORE muscles that they can relax since something else is doing their job, so in the end it is doing the opposite to what you want it to do.  The only instance I would suggest using it is if you have twins (and that too not full day) – just some time to give your back some support. Or if you have to go for a wedding or a big event, then maybe. But just for the event.
The only way to get back into shape is to work out and eat smart. There are no shortcuts.

What is the one most important parenting rule you live by?
Listen to your gut. Each mom knows best what is better for their kids! Nobody knows your baby as well as you do; and there is no guide or book with rules that works for every baby. Just like every person is different, every baby is different too. Look at the guidelines, but adapt it to suit your child.

To get in touch with Nuria, contact her via her FB page 🙂