Luxmama sweating it out at HealthyLux by MammaFit

Ever since I’ve recovered from the birth of my first baby in 2011, I have been looking for a place where I can seriously burn some calories AND take my baby in Luxembourg.

Easier said than done.

Now finally – after I had my second I found what I have been looking for all along!

At the swanky Ellipse gym in Kirchberg, Alice Cappato recently set up HealthyLux, an organisation offering private and group fitness classes to…mamas-to-be and mamas with babies – right up Luxmama’s alley!

Where was Alice 3 years ago when I was desperately seeking pregnancy exercise (other than pilates/yoga) and fat burning opportunities accommodating baby during adverse weather condititions?

I immediately knew I had to take these classes for a test drive…

Location:

Sweating it out in style is what happens at Ellipse gym. You will not feel nearly half as glamorous crunching away in your own living room. The lavish interior will make you forget last night’s cluster feeding sessions (or 9 trips to the loo if you’re pregnant) and you will be transported from your “mombie” (mom zombie) world to a style extravaganza.

Before each class, all “mombies” meet in the foyer downstairs and if weather permits the group proceeds to the park. However on a normal Luxembourg weather day you will head inside which is not a bad option at all as you will see…

The class room is open and spacious, a place where you can breathe.  Not like the usual Luxembourg smelly gym rooms crammed in a stuffy basement.

Pregnancy workout

The workouts offered during all pregnancy stages helps to activate blood circulation and draining of liquids.  The class focuses on breathing during delivery, mobility of the pelvis and pelvic floor muscles.  Classes are offered twice a week in the mornings.

Stroller workout

No one in the gym blinked an eye when we walked in with our strollers, babies sleeping soundly or curiously peeking out to see what mommy had up her sleeve this time.

We began with stretching and worked our way up to various strength building exercises like squats, lunges and leg raises all mostly while pushing the strollers and utilising the ample space.  Of course, as with any postnatal specific exercise, the class focus on areas that undergo changes during pregnancy – like our lovely pelvic floors.

The babies were thoroughly entertained and particularly enjoyed when we were squat-rotating around them, clapping hands to their delight!

It is important to know that the class offers flexibility whether you’re a new mom just easing yourself into the getting-back-into-shape journey, or if you’re like me, ready for something more butt-melting. Alice offers alternatives for level 1 or 2 mamas and constantly verifies your posture to ensure maximum safety.

We also used props like resistance bands to perform some upper body training, which is probably the reason why my arms are numb today…

As we all know, babies become fractious after a while, which was easily remedied when we advanced to the floor stage on our exercise mats and Alice popped on some classical music putting them at ease right away.

Planks, push-ups, sit-ups with baby. Name it, we did it. The babies that wanted to participate enjoyed themselves, while others were free to roam and explore the squeaky clean room while mama was focused on flattening her abs.

And yes, you can do sit-ups with 2 babies on your lap.

SPECIAL Mum&Baby Healthy Fit & Beauty

Every now and again Alice offers something special and out of the ordinary. And today we had just that! During the floor work, mamas had the opportunity to leave one by one for a relaxing short massage performed in-house in the Ellipse spa, just what the doctor ordered on a rainy Thursday morning!

Us mamas were then spoiled even further when we stayed for a coffee after class, “chillaxing” and chatting away in the plush lounge area.  I chose a coffee with Reishi promising many health benefits and we all indulged in Alice’s home baked bio carrot, nut & OJ muffins, made from kamut flour.

My little Amelie of course thought the muffins were especially for her and sat there like a princess nodding to the conversation.

What a great end to a fabulous workout! I can not wait to try out the baby carrier workout soon! Please comment to the post if you would like to join me..

Bottom line

As much as we all love “coo cooing” day in and day out over baby – some days can lend themselves on the mundane side.

This can be easily remedied by a weekly serotonin boost at one of HealthyLux’s classes. And if you can have that at Luxmama’s exclusive 10% discount by quoting HLLM2014 – there simply isn’t any reason why you should stay at home alone.

You can sign up here:  www.healthylux.com or here www.mammafit.lu or contact Alice at contact@healthylux.com.

A trial class goes for €15 which will be reimbursed if you enroll afterwards.  The best deal is to enroll for 10 classes which can be used during either 2 or 4 months.

Lastly:

1. Babies of all ages are welcome

2. Summer is around the corner (I keep telling myself) so best to get to work…

More about the Author

As mother of two darling babies, Certified IMPI Holistic Sleep Coach, Baby Planner and Happiest Baby Educator, Marise Hyman provides worldwide maternity coaching for expecting/future/new parents through Marise Hyman Maternity Coaching – setting them up for success, so they can sail into their new lives with confidence!

She is also the founder of the Luxmama Club & ParentPrep, an edgy non-profit organisation raising awareness for green, natural & holistic parenting alternatives, birth rights and postnatal mood disorders by offering a variety of inspiring social and educational events in Luxembourg