News from 2014 | Joanna Helcké

The Last Minute Mum Strategy!

15 Dec 14 - To the outside world you might appear disorganised using this strategy but in reality you will be incredibly efficient. Give it a go!

Brain, brawn and the power of exercise

15 Dec 14 - In the New Year all attention seems to be focused on physical fitness but what about a healthy mind? They go hand in hand and as such, should be given equal priority.

Christmas Cinnamon Stars... healthy and yummy

12 Dec 14 - Cinnamon always evokes festive feelings for me. I wanted to create some Christmassy biscuits that are full of goodness rather than rammed with rubbish! This is the result!

The Monday Mama Hangover

8 Dec 14 - Weekend family life can be so full on that it sometimes feels like a case of TGI Monday...

Warm Christmassy Fruit Salad

8 Dec 14 - The perfect pud for this time of year... and not a guilty thought in mind!

Introducing forum expert Louise Cox, relationships coach

2 Dec 14

How to make yourself feel a bad mum!

2 Dec 14 - Another one of my mummy hiccups...

Introducing forum expert Cath Pilling - clinical aromatherapist

24 Nov 14 - Cath specialises in aromatherapy and skincare for both during and after pregnancy. Find out a little about Cath and then ask her your questions!

Ideal World Versus Real Mama World

24 Nov 14 - I know quite a few perfectionist mothers (you know who you are) and I will readily admit that I tend that way too. but over the years I've come to the conclusion that compromises can be good for your health and wellbeing.

Back pain and getting yourself posture perfect

24 Nov 14 - Posture is inextricably intertwined with back pain. Get your posture right and you will, at the very least, reduce back pain.

A big round of applause for the new nutritional superstar…curly kale

20 Nov 14 - once considered only fit for animal feed – curly kale – has received so much “superfood” attention recently that it has hit the big time. Find out why and what to do with it here...

Got a stubborn child? By Naomi Richards

17 Nov 14 - Leading children's coach, Naomi Richards, takes a close look at how to approach the thorny problem of stubborn children.

I had a "mama meltdown"!

17 Nov 14 - Judging by the response I had when I sent this blog out as a short newsletter, I'm not the only mum to have the odd "Mama Meltdown". The good thing is that with a few measures in place we can all avoid most of them!

Rosetta Cake

13 Nov 14 - If you love the fragrant mix of almonds and raspberries then this is for you! The base is delectably crumbly and the coconut oil makes it wickedly short, whilst the topping oozes luxury!

Rights at work for mums-to-be and new mums - by Louise Haward

10 Nov 14 - Employment lawyer and forum expert, Louise Haward, takes a close look at the thorny issue of rights at work for mothers and mums-to-be

Mum-to-be of the Month - Jane!

6 Nov 14 - This November the lovely Jane Taylor is Mum to be of the Month. She has honestly been a complete star , turning up every week without fail and with a big smile!

Mum of the Month - Beate!

4 Nov 14 - And here's to celebrating my fantastic November mum of the month! read Beate's fab story here :)

Eat (well), Accept, Love

3 Nov 14 - Nutritional life coach, Rochelle, of Eat Smile Live, takes us on her own journey of self acceptance and appreciation in a society where external pressures lead us down the blind alleys of food restriction and excessive exercising.

Self-love hot chocolate

3 Nov 14 - In a bid to conform to notions of "perfection" we frequently, if not routinely, deprive ourselves of the many culinary pleasures in life. Rochelle's fragrant, warming hot chocolate is all about nurturing and loving yourself.

The 7 day food diary challenge - pregnancy and postnatal

3 Nov 14 - How did you do in your 7 day food diary challenge? Here's what I learnt and here are my thoughts.

CrossFit: the good the bad and the ugly

3 Nov 14 - I loved Crossfit until it made me wee... on being "postnatal" for ever...

Create 5 healthy meals out of 1 yummy soup

29 Oct 14 - Time saving, healthy, and delicious - 5 recipes from 1!

Smart savings for your little one

27 Oct 14 - Financial Advisor, Siobhan Record, takes a keen look at how to start saving for your little one's future the smart way.

Ben’s Bars – raw, delicious & nutritious!

17 Oct 14 - These are just so delicious, so natural and so healthy. Need I say more?

Mum of the Month - Jeanna!

14 Oct 14 - This month Jeanna is the mum of the month. Her story of how she is exercising, adjusting to motherhood, all whilst overcoming considerable hurdles is inspiring.

Feeding a toddler: Just when you had it all figured out…

14 Oct 14 - How to get a fussy toddler to try new foods... and avoiding the pitfalls.

Mum of the Month - Jeanna!

14 Oct 14 - This month Jeanna is the mum of the month. Her story of how she is exercising, adjusting to motherhood, all whilst overcoming considerable hurdles is inspiring.

What do you need to give yourself?

13 Oct 14 - Author Grace Marshall takes a close look at how we can look after ourselves and move forwards more positively and effecively by asking ourselves "what do we need?"

Autumn pick-me up Thai Chicken Soup

13 Oct 14 - Autumn has arrived, I'm looking out of my window at blustery rain whipping the trees.... time for a warming, sustaining soup!

Is the exercise YOU do safe?

6 Oct 14 - Top tips for judging if the pregnancy exercises and post natal exercise you are doing are right for baby and you

Tips for Dealing with Daylight Savings Time

6 Oct 14 - The painless way to get your baby to sleep through the night when the clocks change.... top tips by sleep expert Judy.

Fabulous back exercises to keep you strong and pain-free… …. in pregnancy and mummy-hood

3 Oct 14

Could HypnoBirthing® Help Me?

29 Sep 14 - Patti Good, the "happy mum" expert takes a look at the merits of hypnobirthing to help you decide if it's right for you.

What NOT to do for your pelvic floor

25 Sep 14 - We all know that we need to exercise our pelvic floor to keep it strong but do you know what exercises NOT to do to help protect your pelvic floor?

Hidden fruit American-style pancakes

15 Sep 14

‘Every day I’m shuffling!’

15 Sep 14

Cottage Pie with a twist of health!

10 Sep 14 - Full of goodness, a complete meal and truly delicious...

Mum- of -the-Month - Rina!

10 Sep 14 - Rina is my beautiful September mum-of-the-month cover girl. Read the story of her journey back to fitness here!

Mum-to-be of the Month - Natalie!

8 Sep 14

Have you got morning sickness like Kate Middleton?

8 Sep 14 - Many of us get morning sickness during pregnancy and a significant proprotion of mums-to-be get what is know as hyperemesis gravidarum - the extreme form of sickness that Kate Middleton, The Duchess of Cambridge is afflicted by. What can be done?

It's official: Joanna Helcke is an award winning pregnancy fitness expert!

2 Sep 14 - What a year 2014 is proving to be! First a silver website award, then my local classes were voted favourites on NetMums and then I won the Uk's most prestigious award in the fitness industry: the FitPro Award of Excellence in Fitness. What next?

Gingerbread men

1 Sep 14 - No bake, super-easy, gluten-free, dairy-free, no added sugar and just totally delicious! Tried and tested on my boys - a unanimous thumbs up!

Veg-packed pasta sauce

1 Sep 14 - A pasta sauce that's delicious and packed with vitamins A, C and E, fibre. Nom nom!

The post pregnancy tummy tightening recipe

13 Aug 14 - Back to basics with this step by step guide to dealing withe the "squidgy" mummy tummy.

Why does my pregnant tummy look funny when I get out of the bath?

13 Aug 14 - Have you had that weird experience of looking down at your tummy as you get out of bed or the bath and see it poking upwards in a really peculiar shape? Wonder why it does that? You're just about to find out....

Can I fix my post pregnancy tummy?

13 Aug 14 - Perhaps you are wondering if your tummy will ever look the same again, not that your little one has arrived. Find out....

the secret to getting the fitness and fat loss results you want

1 Aug 14 - Busting the myths surrounding fat loss around the legs, bums and tums areas, and looking at what really works.

Easy Homemade Granola

1 Aug 14 - This is honestly so quick and easy to make and the wonderful thing with making your own is that you have 100% control of the ingredients: natural, pure, wholesome!

Folic acid in pregnancy

31 Jul 14 - We all get told to take folic acid in pregnancy but what exactly for, why is it important and what foods will give you folic acid?

What are the benefits of exercise during the preconceptual period?

25 Jul 14 - Thinking of having a baby? Here are some top reasons for getting yourself fit before conception.

Fake food

22 Jul 14 - A trip around the supermarket yesterday left me thinking about all the processed, fake food that surrounds us, and how natural, unadulterated food can help keep us truly healthy.

Fitpro broke the rules: from Fitness professional of the Year to Award for Excellence in Fitness

21 Jul 14 - The theme of this year's FitproLive event was "Breaking the Rules" and they really took that to heart. With a new venue, 2500 participants and a suprise result at the awards, quite a few rules were dispensed with!

The five golden rules of fertility and exercise

16 Jul 14 - I tend to always talk to you about exercise during or after pregnancy but the fact of the matter is that most of us end up having baby #2 or #3 or even #4! Not only that but as we get older the odds can be against us when it comes to conceiving.

hi ho, hi ho, off to Fitpro I go! Joanna Helcke's heading off to take part in the finals of Fitness Professional of the Year 2014!

16 Jul 14 - Eeeeeeek! Two more sleeps until I face the music and dance! Well perhaps not quite that but face the judges and do my best to WIN!

My July Mum-to-be of the Month and "cover girl" is Helen!

14 Jul 14 - My July mum-to-be star is Helen who followed my online pregnancy Pilates programme throughout pregnancy. And there's a little surprise in this story, so read on....

Chocaholic Beetroot Fudge Brownies

11 Jul 14 - If you are a true chocaholic - and by that I mean that not a day of your life goes by without consuming dark, dark 85% cocoa solids chocolate - then this chocolate beetroot fudge brownie recipe is for you!

Mum of the month - Laura is my Zest4lifeUK amazing "cover girl"!

11 Jul 14 - I am fed up with celebrity mums being paraded as the ultimate examples of motherhood: women who can "do it all" etc. etc etc! Here, I want to get real and show you all the wonderful REAL MAMAS who do my fitness because they are the amazing ones!

One week to go 'til Fitness Professional of the Year 2014!

10 Jul 14 - That's it! I have only got 1 week left until the BIG DAY, the day when I stand up in front of a panel of judges at Fitpro Live in the Excel in London. Exciting times!

Cinnamon Rolls

30 Jun 14 - These cinnamon rolls - based on my friend Rochelle's spelt scones recipe - work a treat... and are a treat! They're very easy to make, look pretty impressive and taste totally yummy!

Getting ready for the Fitness Professional of the Year Finals!

27 Jun 14 - Reality has struck! I'm one of four finalists at the 2014 Fitness Professional of the Year Awards... and the competition looks tough! So what have I been up to?

Almond butter chocolate chip cookies

27 Jun 14 - This week proved to be an "interesting" one on the experimental baking front. My banana cake turned into banana cookies. More work needed on that front, so instead, I'm giving you the recipe that DID work: almond butter chocolate chip cookies

Koko Crunches

19 Jun 14 - this recipe is designed to be a good for you alternative to the classic Bounty Bar. I mean I love coconut and I also love chocolate but the problem with Bounty Bars is – well, where shall I start? Refined sugar (lots of), chocolate that’s barely got any c

Will Joanna Helcke be Fitness Professional of the Year 2014?

19 Jun 14 - Two rounds done... one to go! Joanna Helcke is officially through to the finals of Fitness Professional of the Year 2014! Quote from Jo: "Whoop whoop!l"

Help! How can I get my children to eat fruit and vegetables?

13 Jun 14 - Did you have a baby who used to eat every vegetable under the sun? Has s/he started turning her nose up at fruit and veg? Find out why and what you can do about it wiht the help of forum experts Dr Emma Haycraft & Dr Gemma Witcomb

Mum of the month - Pip!

12 Jun 14 - Pip has lost 4 and a half stone since having her fourth daughter. She also got married recently. I caught up with Pip recently to hear her tell her story.

Caroline’s Delight (Chocolate orange fudge cake)

9 Jun 14 - I am absolutely thrilled with this cake of mine: the combination of cacao and orange is truly sumptious and to think that it's got so much goodness in it too!

Mum-to-Be of the month - Laura!

6 Jun 14 - With all you wonderful mums-to-be who do my fitness it's high time you found yourselves in the limelight! This June, high flying lawyer, Laura, is mum-to-be of the month!

Unexpected Item in the Bagging Area!

5 Jun 14 - Emma Kingscott is on the Forum next week to help you navigate the winding road that we follow through our lives; tell her about the speed-bumps that are slowing you down, the dead-end you may have arrived at or the roundabout you can’t find the exit from!

Pelvic Pain in Pregnancy

4 Jun 14 - Pelvic psin in pregnancy can be a debilitating condition and can get progressively worse over the months. Find out why you might be getting pelvic pain and how best to manage it and ease the discomfort.

World Cup Livingroom workout!

4 Jun 14 - The Super Mama Accumulator can be done in your livingroom instead of sitting glued to the box watching the world cup - it's short and sharp and will make you feel very "worthy" as you watch the world cup teams sweat it out!

Chocolate peppermint Pearls

27 May 14 - I rather like those mint chocolates that we sometimes get offered at the end of meals. What I'm not so keen on is the sugary, gloopy filling in them. I like the flavour but not what they're made of. This version is healthy!

Implementing a sleep routine when leaving your baby with others

22 May 14 - Want to head out for the evening but not quite sure how it's going to work out with getting someone else to put your little one to bed? Judy Clark of BabyWinkz tells you how.

Pregnancy exercise: can you include kettlebell training?

19 May 14 - We hear a lot these days about the marvels of training with kettlebells. I love them... but are they safe to use for your pregnancy exercise?

New mum postnatal exercise: can you include kettlebell training?

19 May 14 - Heard about the wonders of kettlebells as a fitness and fatloss tool? Find out if and when they are safe to use postnatally, and why.

Squidgy Brownies

16 May 14 - I adore chocolate fudge brownies. The only problem is that the reason why they are usually gooey is because they are loaded with butter and sugar. Not here!

Back Pain and the Power of Exercise

2 May 14 - Most of us will, at some point in our lives find ourselves afflicted by back pain. I'm giving you here a short video with my top backache-proofing exercises for pregnancy, for motherhood, for us all really...

The journey is always easier without the baggage...

2 May 14 - Patti Good is "the happy mum" expert and you can find out exactly what this means right here. After all, we all want to be happy mums, don't we!

Melting "marzipan" morsels

28 Apr 14 - You know those Lindor chocolates? Yes, those ones with the soft, oozing centres. Well, they're yummy but not exactly great for you, so here's a recipe that is just as rich and satisfying without the "this is not very good for me" feeling.

Introducing Breastfeeding Advisor, Geraldine Miskin

24 Apr 14 - Breastfeeding advisor, Geraldine Miskin, has joined the team of forum experts. Geraldine will be on the forum ready to offer help and advice the week of 28th April.

So, what’s so great about Pilates? (Or why the doctor sends you to Pilates when you have back pain)

23 Apr 14 - Go to see your GP with back pain and the likelihood is that you will be packed off with some anti-inflammatories and a vague suggestion to do Pilates... but why the Pilates?

Welcome to my world Theo Paphitis!

20 Apr 14 - Hi Theo! This message is for you from me, Jo Helcke, pregnancy and postnatal fitness expert and chocolate afficionado!

Rochelle-inspired Fig and Orange Truffles

10 Apr 14 - These fig and orange truffles are a totally scrumptious Easter treat that you can nosh on with a clean conscience!

Introducing life coach for children and author, Naomi Richards...

30 Mar 14

How To Do The Perfect Squat

30 Mar 14 - If you know me then you'll also know that squats are probably my favourite exercise..... BUT..... I spend my life correcting everyone. Here is my step by step guiding to perfecting your squats

All Veg "Lasagne"

24 Mar 14

A quick pregnancy fitness quiz

18 Mar 14 - Test whether or not you are getting your pregnancy fitness right with this fun and informative quiz!

A quick new mum fitness quiz

18 Mar 14 - Check out whether or not you are getting your new mum fitness right with this fun quiz!

Totally divine chocolate and coconut cake

17 Mar 14 - I've been messing around with baking quite a bit recently. I've decided to cut out dairy as much as possible and this is one of my dairy-free creations!

Rochelle's mummy fitness diary

12 Mar 14 - Rochelle's now 7 weeks post-pregnancy and really getting back into her fitness. Follow her story here!

Why eggs are an egg-ceptional superfood… and five egg-cellent recipes!

10 Mar 14

Totally guilt-free chocolate, almond and prune torte

10 Mar 14

Sweet potato chocolate chip cookies

10 Mar 14 - nothing but good stuff in these curiously addictive cookies!

Easy Green Breakfast Smoothie

4 Mar 14 - This smoothie is tasty and will give you a perfectly balanced start to the day

Chocolate banana spelt pancakes

3 Mar 14 - Over the years I have enjoyed messing around with pancake recipes, trying to come up with nutritious options for the family. Here's a new take on pancakes, combining chocolate and banana - a marriage made in heaven - with that ancient grain, spelt.