Coach Sydney

The human body during pregnancy is absolutely insane. The 2 photos show the trends for my resting heart rate and heart rate variability over the last 10 months.

Often we’re faced with a story that the end of pregnancy comes with a huge uphill battle, but data actually tells a different story. Often our bodies become so much stronger on their own through proper healing. This is with no exercise and, honestly, most days with less than 2k steps.

Not only did it grow a whole human, but it’s also taking its own steps to allow me to come back strong.

Looking into the future, I get to continue my fitness journey knowing my body is strong and looking out for me.

The gym looks a little different now.

It’s got more lullabies than pump up music and has a few more interruptions to replace a pacifier.

It’s a little more chaotic and definitely more rushed to get some reps in, but my new workout partner is definitely the cutest one I’ve ever had.

Annual PSA: be kind in the gym this week.

There will be a lot of people walking into a gym for the first time ever. It can be incredibly intimidating to start a journey on a path you’ve never been on before.

New Year’s resolutions bring beginners into the gym, and instead of eye rolls or side-glances, let’s offer patience, space, and encouragement. The gym should feel safe for growth — not judgment.

Because the people who feel welcomed are the ones who keep showing up.
And we were all new once. 🤍

You don’t need January 1st.
You don’t need a ton of fancy workout equipment.

You need today and a set of dumbbells to get the below workout done.

Waiting for the “perfect time” keeps more people stuck than lack of motivation ever will.
Strength isn’t built on resolutions — it’s built on reps, consistency, and showing up, even when the calendar says December.

Every workout you do now makes January easier.
Every lift is a vote for the version of you that doesn’t rely on fresh starts.

Start messy. Start tired. Start now.
Your future self doesn’t care what month it is — just that you began. 💪

✨ Pregnancy ≠ a free-for-all ✨

This food journal isn’t about restriction — it’s about awareness.

During pregnancy, cravings can be loud. And while social media loves the idea that you should eat whatever, whenever, that mindset doesn’t always serve you or your baby long-term.

Not every craving needs to be acted on.
Sometimes it’s information — not instruction.

Choosing balanced meals, honoring hunger and fullness, and pausing before every impulse helps:
🤍 stabilize blood sugar
🤍 support healthy weight gain
🤍 build habits that carry into postpartum
🤍 nourish baby with intention

You can respect cravings without letting them run the show.
That’s not diet culture — that’s care.

If you’re pregnant and want support navigating cravings without guilt or extremes, you’re not alone. 💛

Got my 1-hour GTT results back and seeing that normal score hit different today. Pregnant fitness can feel like such a balancing act — slowing down when your body needs it, modifying workouts, walking instead of running, and trusting that movement still matters even when it looks totally different. 🤰🏽💪

Some days you wonder if you’re doing “enough.”
Some days you wonder if it’s even working. Some days the cravings win.

But this result was the reminder I didn’t know I needed:
the small, consistent choices add up.
The walks. The strength sessions. The stretches. The effort to fuel well (even on days you just want carbs and a nap).

Pregnancy isn’t about PRs — it’s about supporting your body so it can support your baby. And today felt like a little win that says, “Hey, you’re doing a good job.” 💗✨

Celebrating this one and keeping the momentum going, one modified workout at a time. 🩷💪🤰

Aim for discipline, not motivation.

Motivation is just a feeling.
Discipline is a habit.
Discipline is the key to success.

99% of the success I have experienced has been directly correlated with my ability to act despite how I feel.

That’s why when people say, “How do you stay motivated?”
The answer is, “I don’t.”

I don’t rely on my feelings to get the job done. If anything, I can only count on my feelings to delay the job from getting done.

Feelings are fleeting and often illogical. Relying on a sensation to accomplish anything will leave you inconsistent and ultimately deter you from success.

The key is to build your “Get s**t done when I feel like s**t” muscle. Because that’s the truth, every ounce of your being will want to avoid or excuse… but you do it anyway.

Things I tell myself to build the GSD muscle…

“If you’re going to do it eventually, you may as well do it now.”
“I don’t need to feel good to stick with the plan.”
“If I do what’s hard now, the later will be easy.”

When it comes to the postpartum discussion, it's important to recognize how important pelvic floor recovery is for each new mother. Don't be in a rush to get out of the postpartum period... treat your birth like an injury and give yourself ample time to phase out of that injury. If you are like me and want to learn more about the science of exercise and pregnancy, I've created a microlearning course for $49 with lots of details: https://bit.ly/486GXfl

The holidays can be a tough time to stay on track as far as nutrition and exercise are considered. It's easy to "take a break" for the month and start again in January. There's a reason over 50% of resolutions are centered around heath improvements, but what if we didn't have to feel guilty all month about food? The truth is one meal (or 2) isn't going to make or break your fitness plan. You may see the number on the scale go up, but this is more than likely due to water retention than actual fat creation. What's far more detrimental to overall diet and health are the choices we make throughout the month - an extra holiday cookie every day, extra drinks at the company happy hours, the chocolate themed beverages within arm's reach, etc. Building a plan ahead of time for what you are and are not willing to consume those extra calories on can be the difference between a couple days water weight and an extra 10lbs that sticks after the new year. The holidays don't have to be about sacrificing everything, but finding what's most important to you.

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This week in my newsletter I got to talk about one of my most common trip ups as it comes to nutrition: sugar. The cool part about nutrition is how closely it’s related to psychology, understanding why we make the choices we make and how biology plays a huge role in it. Often we assume when we give into a craving it’s because we lack the willpower to resist, but it’s more often caused by a dopamine high similar to that of an addiction. Your body is sending signals and your brain believes them. The key to overcoming isn’t a stronger will, but to find a way to replace the dopamine with a healthier alternative: i.e. exercise, indulging in a hobby, socializing, and plenty more. When that craving hits, instead of eating, do one of these. The longer you build that replacement habit when a sugar craving comes, the more likely you are to eventually stop thinking about sugar altogether.

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