Maria Schuba Fitness

Two kids under two.

I was tired. The toddler didn’t sleep well. My husband travelled a lot with work. No family in town. Potty training.

Trying to navigate life as a family of four was hard.

But yet I started exercising as soon as I could. I went to a bootcamp when my daughter was 6 weeks old. We ran. We did burpees. We did it all.

I was praised for getting out when she was so little. It was like a badge of honour.

“You hardly look like you’ve had a baby!”

“Damn, girl, you look amazing. How did you lose the baby weight?”

It’s like we’re in a race to lose the “baby weight” after the baby is born.

Why is that we aim to look like we didn’t have a baby, as soon as possible?

We start counting the calories. We start doing the home workouts. We join the bootcamps.

What if... instead... we just let our bodies be postpartum? What if we trusted that our bodies needed some time to heal? What if we waited to get back into that crazy fitness regime? What if we focused on conserving our energy to care for our new baby, and for ourselves? What if we said yes to the help, and rested?

I wish someone told me to wait. I wish someone told me that the fitness classes will be there...later. I wish someone would have told me that I would have the rest of my life to get that sweat on.

I wish someone would have told me to Rest. Recover. Rehab. Retrain.

Creating a baby changes your body forever. You don’t need to “get your body back”, cause your body never left. 😉

Let’s start changing the conversation around women’s bodies, during pregnancy and afterwards.

Because we have a whole other world to welcome, to manage, to figure out, and to love. ❤️❤️

Wanting to move your body before the elusive 6 week mark postpartum?

I know. I wanted it too. But even though your head and your heart might be saying yes!! Your body might just not be ready yet.

However, there are many things you can do to start in those first weeks.

✅Focus on your core connection breath.

Inhale. Relax your belly and pelvic floor. Fill your whole core canister with air. Can you feel your ribs moving out? Do your chest and belly extend as you inhale? Are you relaxing your pelvic floor?

Now exhale. A slight lift in the pelvic floor. And try to bring your belly button up and in.

✅Glute work!
Bridges, clam shells, heel slides can all be done. But take it easy. Take it slow. Keep the reps and sets low. A few minutes a day, a few times a week.

If you’ve been around here a while, you know I am a HUGE fan of walking. The fresh air. The movement. The sunshine. The quiet. HOWEVER, it’s a good idea to start this off slow too. And by slow I mean, start with 5-10 minutes. Build from there. An hour long walk at 3 weeks postpartum may not be the best for you when your body hasn’t healed completely.

I spent a heck of a lot of time walking my hallways to get my challenging first born to sleep. Looking back, that was probably enough walking for my body to handle.

You will get back to doing what you love.

But slow is fast when it comes to postpartum healing.

Take the time to rest and rehab first.

And build slowly from there.

Pregnancy sometimes may seem like an eternity. Especially when your body isn’t feeling like you think it should be.

If you’re feeling down about extra aches and pains and the fact that you need to slow down a bit, I see you. It sucks when you can’t do what you think you should be able to do... or maybe what you did last pregnancy. I know you want to get that workout in. I know you want that awesome feeling after a good sweat. But you also know that the lunges just hurt too much for a DAY afterwards... and laying on your back just does not feel good.

There ARE other things you can do. OR... you can also dial it back. Take more rest in your workout. Modify. Vary the positions. Find the positions that work for you. Break out the ol’ resistance band for some good core work.

I know it sucks. But try to remember you are creating a little human. And sometimes, right now, rest is best.

You got this mama. 😘

(Throwback to 2007!)

Why do you train? Is it because you’ve got your eye on a goal race? Maybe a PR? So you can get back to playing soccer? Hike that trail that’s been on your list for years?

All awesome reasons to strength train. To workout.

But you know what else is a great reason?

So you can run a field holding one child with one arm while holding the other kids hand.

So you can wrangle a screaming toddler when they don’t want to leave the zoo 🙋‍♀️

So you can play baseball with the family at the next reunion.

So you can carry the groceries in on one trip.

So you can get on the floor and play with your kids. Or better yet.., with your grand kids.

Whatever your reason is? It’s a fantastic reason to keep moving. It’s a great reason to train for life.

This is a picture is of the Rockwall trail back in 2005! Rain, snow, sunshine, a bear and everything in between. 5 days of mud and we rolled right into the Banff Springs hotel for a wedding. 😬🤣

ALWAYS on my list of training goals.... to get stronger for hiking.

I’m accepting applications now for online personal training and online coaching. Message me if you’d like more info!

Find something fun to do. Do it with friends.

Exercise doesn’t always have to suck. 😉

Your workouts don’t have to be in your basement or in the gym. You don’t have to follow a plan every time. It doesn’t need to be an hour long. You don’t have to be sore. You don’t have to sweat every time. You don’t have to put on workout clothes for it to count. And it doesn’t need to suck.

If you want to keep moving in the future, you need to move your body now.

👊🏼

Are you pregnant, postpartum, or moving through the menopause transition?

Working with a qualified fitness coach can make a real difference.

I design safe, effective programs that adapt to how you’re feeling, your stage of life, and your goals.

If you’re pregnant:
We’ll focus on helping you stay strong, mobile, and comfortable. I’ll guide you through movements that ease common discomforts like back or pelvic pain, and we’ll also prepare your body for labour and recovery.

If you’re postpartum:
This season comes with unique physical and emotional changes. Together, we’ll rebuild your strength and confidence with exercises that support core and pelvic floor recovery, and address issues like diastasis recti or prolapse.

If you’re in perimenopause or menopause:
Hormonal changes can affect everything from energy to body composition. I’ll help you use strength training and mobility work to support bone density, muscle mass, and overall well-being. You don’t have to navigate all these changes alone — there are ways to move that can help.

No matter what stage you’re in — pregnancy, postpartum, or menopause — we’ll create a plan that meets you where you are and helps you move forward with strength and confidence.

Applications are now open for Remote Coaching. Let’s get started.

“Being in perimenopause really hit me hard and my once active lifestyle turned to pain and inactivity. My body just couldn’t perform the way it did before. Maria listened to my issues and helped me to trouble shoot my new reality in a safe, injury free way.

She designed a fitness program that made it possible to do resistance training without injury and taught me to strengthen my pelvic floor. She also made certain the program she designed fit my current abilities and available times during the week. If any movements did not feel right she would adjust or replace the movement with a different one that worked better for me.

I downloaded the workout app to my tablet and I was able to sink it up with my fitness tracker. All the exercises are demonstrated on the app, where you can also track your reps, weights and progress. I also had the option of doing the workouts at my own pace, or using a timed style workout. It was all really easy to follow, and I could do the workouts at my home or at a gym.

Maria met me at my current fitness level and boosted me up from there, celebrating all my achievements, big or small. I am so grateful for her time, thoughtfulness and guidance during a difficult time of life. I would encourage any woman to seek her services!”

- Jennifer W.

Remote coaching applications open now!

Today, I got to walk my dog.

Went at Rosie pace 🐶. Sat on the bench and enjoyed some sunshine and the sound of the birds.

Mobility: The ability to move or be moved freely or easily.

✨✨✨
Mobility is not guaranteed.
✨✨✨

And it’s something we take for granted until we have issues.

Pretty eye opening for me these past couple years. How quickly it can be taken away. And how much it means to me to be able to move without pain.

Perspective can be a game changer.

So today, I got to walk my dog. ❤️

Struggling with what to do for exercise in peri-menopause?

Here’s what you need to know.

✨Most importantly, find something you enjoy to do and you can do somewhat consistently.

The recommended amount of weekly exercise is at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity (or 75 min of intense physical activity) and 2 strength training sessions.

And for the coles notes version, move your body once in a while and LIFT WEIGHTS!

Cardio should be included to keep your heart healthy.

Power training. Speed and strength. Train so that you can catch yourself before you fall.

Mobility work may help with those new body aches and can help with functional movement.

Balance exercises can help you stay on your feet into the future.

Sounds like a lot right?

It doesn’t have to be everything, every day.

And also, if you can’t get in the recommended weekly exercise, something is better than nothing.

Just get er done.

Custom remote coaching applications open now!