C-Section Saturday: 2 Month Check Up

Ok Y'all, I know it isn't Saturday, but I am going in to get my final check up and get cleared to start training again! It is FINALLY HERE!!!! 
If you would like to read more about C-Section Saturdays you can read all of the posts here. Be sure to check back often!

C-Section Saturday: 2 Weeks Post-OP

Welcome to the Farr Fitness' C-Section Saturdays. 

As I have mentioned before I will be using Saturdays to discuss, teach, and learn about C-Section recovery for athletes. Be prepared, some of the information that we discuss will be graphic, but I assure you that I will do my best to cover each topic with the grace of the true southern lady that I am. With that being said lets jump in! 

This is my first week talking about my recovery. I will post a full birth story for each of my boys at some point, I am just not ready to do that quite yet. 

Henry was born on a Thursday evening and I went home just two days later on Saturday afternoon. I will tell you that unless you have a strong (and I do mean STRONG) support system, this is not the way to do it. I am fortunate enough to have my entire gym family, my awesome in-laws, and my incredible husband here to help and it was still really hard. I actually had to have my husband help me stand in the shower so that I could get the hospital smell off of me. 

In the first two days you can expect to be very sore. Pretty much every single movement is going to hurt. They will probably send you home with an army of pain killers, but if you are like me and you are focused on breast feeding, you will probably cut the number that you take in half. This greatly helped my son to not be so drowsy and to feed better. It sucks for mama, but is better for baby in the long run. If you choose to do this be prepared for the pain so that it doesn't sneak up on you. If  you want to read about how I managed all those pills that they gave me you can read about my solution here. 

The first week I managed to go up and down the stairs unassisted, but I always let someone else carry Henry, just in case. With my first son being nine and a half pounds I had to have help picking him up each time he needed to nurse because I couldn't bend over the crib. This time we got smart and used a Rock and Play that is just about the same height as our bed. This made night time feedings much easier. Eating was challenging because the doctors had me on iron which makes everything taste like metal. I recommend whatever sounds good, eat it. Just this week, and make sure you don't beat yourself up about it.    

The second week my sister-in-law came to town and we managed to go to a local fair. We walked for about an hour and half total. My family rode the rides and I pushed our brand new double stroller around. In retrospect, this was a bit ambitious and I was REALLY SORE the next day. We also had Henry's two week check up and I was nowhere near ready to drive yet (speed bumps and pot holes are killer for about a month!) so my husband had to drive us. At this point I was getting better at going up and down the stairs so I started carrying Henry with me (11 pound step-ups anyone?!?) rather than having to make someone else do it. Clothes don't sit quite right yet and they rub my incision pretty badly so I am wearing loosely fitting clothing and leggings that come up over my incision. As C-section mama nursing isn't always easy because lifting your kid can just plain hurt, so clip down nursing bras are my best friend. I like this one for everyday use, this one for night time, and this one for training. 

All in all the first two weeks weren't terrible. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't want to repeat them for fun or anything, but it is absolutely doable.  

2 weeks
Weight- 219 pounds
Waist (narrowest point)- 43 inches
Navel- 45 inches
Hips- 47 inches
Thigh- 27 inches
Neck -15 inches
Bicep- 12.75 inches
Forearm- 10 inches
Wrist- 7 inches

I will admit that seeing this is hard for me. But I don't have to stay here. Yes I had major abdominal surgery so I need to train smart and safe. I have four more weeks until I am allowed to start that, so for now training smart and safe means taking control of my nutrition, eating right, and staying moving. The real question isn't if I can do it, it is how badly do I want it.

Psalm 139;19 says that "God knit me together in my mother's womb". Isn't it amazing to be a part of the miracle of birth? Isn't it amazing what God made our bodies to do? Your body will look different. Your body will feel different. But your body is incredible and don't you let anyone tell you otherwise.

Killer Cardio 5K Plan

Ok y'all, we are just ONE WEEK OUT from the start of my postpartum fitness program. It is 15 weeks long and starts off fairly slowly. But I will warn you then it gets... ambitious.

Morgan's Post Baby Killer Cardio 5K Plan

A lot of people will ask why these movements and why these numbers? I created it based off of my personal goals for when I start strength training again. I can't use any weights until 6 months postpartum. This plan goes right up to the date that I can start back up.

I want my squat to be excellent when I get back to it.
I hate burpees, so I need to do more of them.
Running WODS have always been my nemesis, so I'm going to tackle that monster now.

I figure I am at my lowest physically right now, so NOW is the time to work hard.

I can only get better from here.

As with anything else, you should contact your doctor before you start up any new fitness routine post surgery. Wait to train until your doctor clears you. Be smart and take care of your body. I used this C-Section Recovery plan for the first six weeks of my recovery, I highly recommend it!

Are you going to be training with me? Let me know how you like the plan!

Spring 2016 Fitness Day Competition

We had our spring Spring Fitness Competition this last Saturday. It was a blast and we had SO MUCH FUN. Here is a link to the pictures from the event.

Thank you to everyone that came out early to set up!

Congrats to Ella and Rachel for winning in their categories.

We will be having our next fitness day in July. Feel free to invite friends, family, neighbors... anyone is welcome to participate. We scale for all ability levels. Please keep a lookout on the facebook page for that event's information. That page is also where we post any weather related closures, policy changes, and class adjustments.

C-Section Survival and Recovery Guide: The Pills

Welcome to the Farr Fitness' C-Section Saturdays.

As I have mentioned before I will be using Saturdays to discuss, teach, and learn about C-Section recovery for athletes. Be prepared, some of the information that we discuss will be graphic, but I assure you that I will do my best to cover each topic with the grace of the true southern lady that I am. With that being said lets jump in! 

One of the first things that you will have to deal with when you get home from the hospital is the barrage of pills that you will have to take for the next several weeks.

When I left the hospital I had prescriptions for:
Motrin (every 8 hours)
Percocet (every 4 hours)
Prenatal Vitamins (every 24 hours)
Iron supplements (every 12 hours)
Stool softeners (every 12 hours)
Fiber supplements (every 6 hours)

My pill schedule had pills at 4 am, 8am, noon, 4pm,  8pm, and midnight.

That is a LOT!

With my rowdy 17 month old, a newborn, and a full time gym ministry let me tell you it was hard to keep it all straight. I ended up using one of these 7 day pill organizer (4 time slots for each day) and an additional two (single time) 7 day organizers.

We took my handy label maker and got to work. The first of the single day organizers I labeled 8 am. I left this pill organizer beside my sink in the bathroom as most mornings I was finishing up my make-up at 8 am. The second of the single day organizers I labeled as Noon and left downstairs in our kitchen (where my son couldn't reach it!) since most days I tried to eat lunch at the kitchen table with my son and my husband. The organizer with 4 time slots was labeled with the remaining times. Since I was released from the hospital on a Sunday,  I refilled my pill organizers each Sunday.

This system worked well for me and I would strongly encourage any new C-section mama to look in to this system or a similar one for your recovery at home. The last thing you want is to forget to take your pain meds or have your iron not be where it should.

C-Section Saturday: Introduction

C-Section Saturday

Welcome to the very first of Farr Fitness' C-Section Saturdays. We will be using Saturdays to discuss, teach, and learn about C-Section recovery for athletes. Morgan has now had two C-sections, one emergent the other was mandatory. As such, this is a topic that is near and dear to our hearts. 

How do you recover from a C-section as an athlete?

Each week will cover:
-information about the science of C-sections
-tips for healing
-must have items
-nutrition
-Morgan's recovery process, plan, and results

Morgan will be posting pictures and information about her recovery, periodically, in an effort to help other women see and understand what "normal" looks like post C-section.

We look forward to sharing this journey with you!

My Fitness Journey: Denise Jolly

Hey y’all,

My name is Denise and I am here to tell you about my fitness journey. To be honest, when Morgan first asked me to share my story with y’all I was convinced that she had sent the text to the wrong person.  After I picked my jaw up off of the floor and I realized she was serious, I went into full on panic mode. After a good dose of panic, I then went into straight up let the enemy get the best of you mode. For me that looks like:

“I still have so far to go.”

“I can’t do it”

“No one’s going to look at you and think you’ve accomplished anything.”

“You’re the fattest one in the gym.”

The list goes on and on. After a little bit,  I took a step back, and talked to the One who has all the answers. And just like that, after a silent and still calm that only comes from Him, I heard “You are more than enough, you gave this struggle to me, so write your story to glorify the kingdom”.

So here we go.

To say the word fitness journey, would be like saying a flight from Australia to Canada is a short trip. I’ve been the chubby chick my whole life. At times I’ve been okay with that, even tried to “OWN IT”. Like people tell you to. But 97% of the time I wasn’t really happy in my own skin. Most of my life has been spent struggling to be healthy, and until the age of 32 I never realized I was on the wrong track. I say wrong because I was doing it for everyone but myself, and without a purpose. So I don’t lose you here, I think it best to describe my journey/struggle/ reality in phases.

Phase 1 or “I’m fat, and I don’t know how to deal with it”

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve always been on the heavier side. Standing 6 feet tall, and with the bone structure of a linebacker, I would look fun-house-mirror-crazy at a size 2 or even a size 8. I was also always the girl who developed faster than her peers as well, so that didn’t help things much. Thankfully, in school I played all kinds of sports so that helped to control my weight. When I quit sports and joined the choir my weight REALLY packed on. Add that to the fact that I wasn’t truly taught healthy eating habits until my weight was already a pretty serious issue and you have a recipe for trouble.

Phase 2 or “ You’re  fat, now let’s all try to fix you!”

After the initial high school weight gain, I pretty much maintained my size. Then came college, the-sit-on-your-behind-for-hours-straight college which resulted in less of the freshman 15 and more of the freshman 80. This is when the family interventions, doctors, and random people giving you diet pills and tips started. It really hit me when I realized that I could only shop at 2 stores, and then the depression hit which brought on even more weight gain. Thankfully then something amazing happened. God brought me the love of my life. I got to do everything that everyone said would never happen for a “big girl”. When it came to love, God gave me an awesome guy that loved me just the way I was!

You still with me?

Good!

I promise we are getting to the point.

Phase 3 “Girl you’ve got to do better!”

So there I was, happily married, traveling the country with my amazing soldier and the weight just kept packing on. To be completely honest at this point I had given up on ever being able to buy my clothing anywhere besides Lane Bryant. When we had our first and second miscarriages I took that pain (you know the hideous hurt and anger that comes with that) and decided I was going to lose the weight. The doctor told me that the reason I couldn’t carry a baby was because of my weight, added motivation. Then a third miscarriage and I gained all the weight back. I do have to say that during this time my husband was my rock. As I cried in his arms he said to me ”Baby you are wonderful, nothing you say do, or how you look will make me love you any less.”  And that got through to me. He loved me no matter what. I had to love me too. So once again I committed to being healthy. For me that looked like two-a-days at the gym and chicken and rice all the time.

At this point we lost our fourth baby and I was at my mental and spiritual lowest. I prayed and recommitted my life to God. Then He blessed us with two beautiful boys. Our family was complete, and my heart was whole but I was at a standstill with my weight and my body.Doctor after doctor couldn’t explain to me why I could gain and lose 30 pounds in a month with no diet changes. When God sent us to Fort Bragg I found an amazing doctor that just wouldn’t give up on me. She fought for me, and taught me to fight for me. It turns out that I was mere months away from stomach cancer because of long standing years of horrible acid reflux. I had a special surgery to correct the issue and then God sent me my squat loving, laugh at pain, deep-in-the-heart-of-Texas strength and conditioning coach, Morgan.

Between diet, exercise, and figuring out the acid reflux I was at a crossroads.

I could take the gifts and answers I’ve been given and literally run with it, or I could walk away and be miserable.

I refocused my life on being a  better spiritual, emotional, and fit version of me. I have found peace in deadlifts, tire pulls, and squats. I was blessed with a sister in Christ who will challenge me and call me out when I am being a cry baby. I found a place where I could be honest about my struggle. But most importantly I found truth, love and fellowship in the gym.

Seven months post lifesaving surgery, I’m down 87 pounds of body fat. It wasn’t easy. While I can deadlift 175 pounds, front squat 115 pounds, box jump 16 inches after starting on just a 1.5 inch platform. I know what it’s like to puke because you wouldn’t give up on your conditioning. I still have a long way to go, each day presents its own struggles. I have bad eating days, bad gym days, just plain bad days. But I made a promise to myself, my family, and my coaches. I seek them out when I want to improve, when I need encouragement and motivation.

I leave you with this:

Please don’t ever give up on yourself. Instead, fight! Fight for who you want to be, who you should be. Fight for who Christ wants you to be. Find a Christ like family who will love you at your best and worst. A great community and God’s love will help you to march through your journey, even if it takes you 33 years to get there.

2016 Fort Bragg MWR Bench Press Competition

Congratulations to our intern coaches, Anna and Rachel for tackling their very first physical competition. 

Not only did they tackle it, but the dominated as well. 

Anna took home first place in her weight category and Rachel took home second place in her weight category.

We at Farr Fitness are SO proud of both of you.

Way to set the bar high ladies! 

Breathing Under the Barbell

Breathe in.

Memorial for Unborn Children

I walked up to the rack; put my hands on the rough bar. 

Breathe out. 

“Stand it up.” I say to myself, just like every squat day.

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

I get under the bar and situate my shoulders, feet, and hands. The anticipation of lifting heavy makes my heart pound.

Breathe in. 

I stand the bar up. It is heavy, but somehow not as difficult as the burden I am carrying inside. 

Breathe out.

I back out of the rack loving the heavy weight, the struggle that I know is coming. 

Breathe in.

Down and up, rep one. Breathe. Down and up, rep two.Breathe. Down and up, rep three. Breathe. Down and up, rep four. Breathe. Down and up, rep five. 

Breathe out. 

Set one is finished and my abdomen aches from trying to hold the bar stable. I stretch backwards and breathe slowly, remembering why I am so tender. Just two days short days ago, I had a miscarriage. My husband was gone to Captain's Career Course with the Army. I was left alone with nothing but the memory of the doctor saying, “I’m so sorry for your loss”. 

I spent the next two days in bed. 

I didn’t shower, change clothes, or eat.

I couldn’t cry and I knew I was supposed to. 

I felt hollow, like I would never move again.

Then back-squat day rolled around, my favorite day of the week. Still, no tears, but the thought of training made me optimistic. That is normal, everyday, and consistent.  I decided that I would just go watch and be around my friends while they trained. “After all,” I reasoned, “the doctor said it was important to be around friends and family during this difficult time.” And if it couldn’t be my husband, who was more family than the people I sweat it out with every single day?

As I walked in to the gym, my heart began to calm. The tension I had been carrying in my neck and shoulders eased. There is a peace in the gym, you know exactly what to expect.

My friends were surprised I was there. They were even more surprised when I put on my lifting shoes and started to warm up. I could tell they were concerned that I was lifting, but didn’t want to question me. 

They couldn’t understand how much I needed that bar.

For two days I couldn’t imagine how I was ever going to breathe again. How I could I with this tank sitting on my chest and this knot in my stomach eating me alive? I couldn’t cry, I couldn’t make sense of anything. The bar is always the same, you go in and you lift it. Training was the only thing I could think of that would make me feel better. 

So I went for it.

After set one, a dear friend looks at me with sad eyes and suggests I go down in weight or stop all together, “It has only been a couple of days” she says gently. 

I know she means well and I understand what she is saying. Everyone said it. It would be ok if I was an emotional mess for a while. It would be ok if I need time off of work, or training, or anything else for that matter. I had suffered a horrible loss, it is ok to stop and cry…. 

So I consider it. I could stop, put the bar down, get back in bed and hide. This pain can’t last forever, right? People have miscarriages every single day. It would be fine, appropriate, and normal even, to go home and just hide from the world. Her eyes said everything, “Who works out two days after a miscarriage?”

But she can’t understand. Lying in bed and resting wasn’t enough for me, the burden is just too much. I felt like the sadness would swallow me whole. I was struggling to get a handle on it. 

I couldn’t stop my body from losing our child. 

I couldn’t pull myself out of the weird state of shock I was in.

I couldn’t cry like I was supposed to.

I couldn’t make it so that my husband could come home from career course. 

I could not control anything else in my life…

but I can lift this weight.  

I knew it as soon as I walked in the gym. When my eyes fell on the rack, I could breathe again. “Big breath,” my husband/coach always says, right before a heavy set.  Under a barbell is the only place I knew for sure, I would breathe again. All the pain, all the disappointment, it melts away when you are under the bar. You mind zeroes in and all you can think about is the pounds on your back. 

Inside the rack there is freedom, freedom to be strong on the outside even if you don’t feel that way inside.

With tears rolling down my face, I smiled for the first time in two days. “I’ve got it” I said and walked back into the rack and back under the barbell.

Morgan says,

"Two years ago today God saw fit to call home our first child before we got a chance to meet him. It was very hard and very painful and the gym was my sanctuary, my church. It was where I could focus everything I had on coming back together after being torn apart. The gym was where I remembered God's strength. 

We named our baby Nathan which means gift from God because the experience of losing him helped my husband and I to realize how short our time on Earth is and how much we have to do for the kingdom of God. It helped us to draw closer together and to learn to fight together not to fight each other. Every year on this date I do a back squat workout even though last year I was only two months post c-section and this year I am eight months pregnant. February 24th will always be a hard day, it will always be painful but I workout to remember to breathe.

Whatever you are going through, whatever is happening in your life, God loves you. He is always there, waiting for you to invite him. If you need help, or you want to know more about God's strength please don't hesitate to contact us here at Farr Fitness. Strength and conditioning is great, but nothing is better than the love of Jesus Christ.  

New Year, Old Gimmicks

It is the start of the new year and you know what that means... resolutions. Can I just say as a gym owner I REALLY dislike this time of year. It isn't because of all the new people in the gym. I love the new people and I am glad that people are wanting to take an active role in their health and fitness.

What I dislike is all the scams being peddled to people.


I have seen a lot of advertisements recently on social media for pills, powders, and potions to help people get rid of the unwanted pounds. Let me tell you a little secret....

THEY ONLY WORK WHILE YOU TAKE THEM.

As soon as you stop your special fiber drink, your weight-loss shake, and whatever else they have you buying you will add the weight right back on.

Do you know why?

You can't shortcut fitness. It takes work, a lot of work. If you don't believe me, ask my friend Rachel. She lost 50 pounds in 2015 and didn't have to spend a dime to do it. She lost the weight by making good nutrition choices and working out regularly. She had accountability partners and set goals. No one handed her a packet of anything and said, "drink this every morning!" Instead we worked on eating protein, good fats, and limiting carbs. If you are wanting to get fit this year, please don't buy a bunch of crap that you don't need. Don't be fooled by empty promises.

The only way to get fit is to change your dietary habits and get your body moving. Want to know more about how to do that? Check out our workouts that can be done at home and our 14 days of dinner recipes that are healthy and delicious. Need more help than that? Feel free to email us at FarrFunctionalFitness@gmail.com and we would be happy to help you achieve your fitness goals, no gimmicks, nothing to buy.