Strong as a Mother
Sunday, October 30, 2022 at 2:00 pm
This month, JOURNEYIFIT, will host the first Strong as a Mother Seminar, to provide expecting mothers and a partner with a wealth of knowledge regarding all things pregnancy. We will cover everything you need to know about planning for a healthy pregnancy, including nutrition, exercise and other common questions.
The seminar will include special guests; Jemila Medley, Pelvic Floor Occupational Therapist and Contessa Fowler, Certified Birth Doula and Childbirth Educator. Kennis Lewis, JOURNEYFIT Fitness Director, will lead everyone through a workout that caters to pregnant women and Victoria Thomas, JOURNEYFIT Founder, will discuss a mother's nutritional needs as refuels with light refreshments.
This seminar will be the kick off to an 8-week program that caters to pregnant women that begins at JOURNEYFIT Richardson on Monday, October 31st. There is no cost to attend the seminar. Click the link below to join!
Jemila Medley
Jemila is a Pelvic Floor Occupational Therapist, Pre/Postnatal Corrective Exercise Specialist, and a Diastasis Recti Expert, serving Dallas, TX and surrounding areas. Jemila created Mommas in Motion, a holistic pelvic floor therapy practice, to better support and educate women during pregnancy and postpartum, after experiencing pelvic floor related issues and abdominal separation after the birth of her first son.
Long before Jemila founded Mommas in Motion, she was a professional Dancer for the NBA Philadelphia 76ers, a CCM singer/songwriter, fitness instructor, personal trainer, and danced professionally around the globe. All of these experiences led Jemila to using her gifts to change women’s lives throughout motherhood.
Jemila is now a mom of two young boys and a wife, who is dedicated to advocating and educating moms daily. At Mommas in Motion, Jemila provides evidence-based care & education in the treatment of pregnancy/postpartum related pelvic floor dysfunction, alongside pre/postnatal exercise.
Contessa Fowler
I’m Contessa, a certified birth doula and childbirth educator with Nourishing Birth Services. My aim is to support and empower you to nourish your birth through education, nutrition, and movement. My desire is to encourage you to lean into your innate ability, and to cultivate what’s needed in order to have the birth you desire. I believe with the right foundation and care team, you are more than capable of birthing your baby.
Kennis Lewis
Being an athlete, exercise has been a part of Kennis’s life since the age of 7. After he completed his final season of collegiate football, he took his interest in exercise to the next level. Kennis had the privilege of working with the head strength and conditioning coach at Mexico Highlands University. Kennis learned how to improve himself physically and work hands on with players while implementing the same information he was learning in the classroom. After he completed his time at MHU, he left with a BS in health and a minor in human performance, a newly discovered passion for training clients and priceless hands-on experience.
Kennis’ first client as a certified personal trainer became pregnant shortly after he began training her. Needless to say, this wasn’t in Kennis’ programming for his very first client. His limited knowledge of pregnancy and training pregnant women, led him to self-educate himself on everything there is to know about exercising while pregnant. That was 7 years ago and since then, he’s devoted endless hours to researching and improving the views and practices of exercising while pregnant. Over the years, he’s helped dozens of expecting mothers exercise safely during pregnancy, and ultimately, safe deliveries.
Victoria Thomas
For Victoria Thomas, fitness isn’t a hobby–it’s a way of life. The Dallas native played D1 volleyball at Rutgers University, moved on to the Legends Football League, then worked as a sports and entertainment lawyer. Through the years, she also worked as a personal trainer, helping family members and NFL athletes alike set and meet fitness goals.
In 2017, Thomas opened her own studio, JOURNEYFIT, and now operates four gyms across Texas.
Victoria has a niche for increasing awareness in a community of dire need of guidance on physical fitness and proper nutrition. Not only does she help her following attain their physical fitness goals but she also teaches her community to grow mentally focused and create a complete lifestyle change.
Over the growth of JOURNEYFIT Victoria has trained several moms that delivered safely and made these mommies feel powerful. Victoria’s mission is to debunk the myths behind taboo for moms that workout while pregnant. “Creating this program with my team is putting JOURNEYFIT in a league of its own. It is rare to find a maternity program that, educates and strengthens the mother. I have a special heart for all mothers as I was raised by a strong one. I want every woman to deliver and feel like a warrior.”
Strong as a Mother Workouts
The Program
The Strong as a Mother 8 week training program is carefully crafted to help expecting mothers boost their mood and energy levels, ease back and pelvic pain, help them sleep better and prepare their bodies for a safe delivery.
Program is a minimum of eight weeks with the possibility of continuing further.
Mothers will work in groups or pairs of no more than 4 per trainer.
Groups will created based on current physical abilities and/or term.
Mothers will have the opportunity to communicate amongst each other to create a supportive environment.
The trainer will have knowledge of each mothers capabilities and restrictions.
The program has an overall focus, but the movements will be tailored towards each individual.
There will be progression, as well as a change in exercises approaching due dates.
Nutrition and supplementation guidance will be paired with proper exercise and health care provider approval.