Member Highlight:

Allison is worthy of the spotlight. She is a mom, wife, and all around super hero woman. She is here to give all you moms and moms to be her first hand experience of doing Lagree at Mantra Fitness before, during, and after pregnancy. 

When did you start working out at Mantra Fitness? What drew you to the studio?
I started working out at Mantra in Tampawhen it opened four years ago. I had done
traditional mat and reformer pilates for years but was looking for something different and more challenging, which I have definitely found at Mantra!

How long into working out did you get pregnant? Is this your first pregnancy?
I’ve had two Mantra babies: a two and a half year old and seven month old! I got
pregnant with my first baby about two years after I started at Mantra and then again last year. I worked out at Mantra throughout both pregnancies.

What benefits did you notice in your body from doing lagree? Better sleep? Easy labor? Less bloating? Etc.
I think exercising in general helped with my nausea. I also felt really strong during both
of my pregnancies and always felt in control of my body and my balance. In fact, my
legs and arms got stronger as my pregnancies progressed because of the additional
bodyweight I was supporting during my workouts. I think lagree contributed to an easier
pregnancy and recovery.

How was the Megaformer helpful in exercising while pregnant? What was your favorite exercise?
The ability to modify exercises on the reformer and the low impact workout made it
possible for me to continue to exercise throughout my pregnancies. My favorite
exercises while pregnant were wheelbarrow and spider kicks (and bear was the death
of me!).

What was it like bouncing back postpartum? 
Pregnancy isn’t easy and my body has definitely changed. I’m not sure if I’ve “bounced
back” and maybe I’ll never get back to my pre-pregnancy self, but I’m ok with that. I will
always look for ways to get stronger and hope that my dedication to exercise and health reflects positively on my children.

How did the ladies of Mantra Fitness help in your journey?
The instructors are knowledgeable and supportive and helped me come up with
different modifications throughout my pregnancies. It’s easy to get frustrated with
yourself when you can no longer do certain exercises but the environment at Mantra was so encouraging that I did not feel out of place even at 9 months pregnant!

Tips for future moms that helped you during your pregnancy.
Don’t feel like you need to keep up with the class or even with your pre-pregnancy self. Your body changes every single day and its ok to modify exercises or miss a class when you’re tired. Do what feels best for you. I’ve made the mistake of rushing back
into exercise too soon after having a baby, so my advice would be to take it easy – the
exercise or class will always be there when you are ready.