Frequently Asked Questions

  • Belles & Bellies is designed for you if you are pregnant and looking to do the following:

    -gain/maintain strength & muscle mass

    -develop a good aerobic foundation

    -maintain mobility throughout your pregnancy

    -strengthen your core

    -train your pelvic floor to contract & relax appropriately

    -gain confidence as you prepare your body for labor

    This program is unique because each workout is designed in a way that can be adjusted depending on your current strength & activity level (you’ll take the Smart Belles Fitness quiz to determine what level you are prior to you starting the program!)

    All exercises have options for Level 1, 2 or 3 so that you can perform it whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced level trainee. All content is evidence based and designed to fit into your busy lifestyle! It’s effective, efficient, and safe, designed specifically with you, the pregnant mama, in mind.

  • Yes! Everyone can benefit from exercise during pregnancy. Research shows that women who regularly participate in exercise experience the following:

    -decreased risk of gestational diabetes

    -decreased postpartum recovery time

    -decreased risk and severity of low back pain

    -decreased excessive weight gain during pregnancy

    -helps prevent postpartum weight retention

    -increased lean muscle mass

    -increased sense of well being

    -increases sleep quality

    -decreased pregnancy-related bone loss

    -decreased risk of cesarean birth

    -decreased risk of urinary incontinence

    It’s never too late to start!

  • The workouts and lifestyle tips included will be beneficial for you even if you haven’t been active up to this point. Be sure to check with your medical professional before you begin a new exercise program to make sure that’s safe for you. If your medical professional gives you approval, I’d recommend starting with perform Level 1 on all exercises prescribed, which implies you will do less sets and lift less weight in general. I also walk you through how to read the program and log your results, so if you’ve never done something like that before, don’t fear! It’s all laid out clearly for you in the welcome packet and supporting course videos.

  • Belles & Bellies has workouts that are changed every 4 weeks (monthly cycles). The programming begins at week 5 (this is the earliest most women find out they’re expecting) and continues through week 40, so no matter when you find out you’re expecting, there is a spot for you to jump right in.

    The reason workouts are repeated for 4 weeks is because you need enough time to learn and master the movements while also providing variation in the amount of weight you lift to allow you to safely and appropriately train your body and make progress.

  • In general, performing strength training 2-4 days per week is what we recommend. In addition, performing active recovery as well as moderate (& in some cases high) intensity cardio sessions are recommended. These can be blended to support your current schedule, ability level and preferences.

    You’ll find 2 strength training days programmed every week in Belles & Bellies, and if you end up wanting to lift more days per week, say 3 or 4, you’ll just repeat them throughout the week. Keep in mind, these will change each month of your pregnancy. Warm-ups & cool-downs are included as well.

    You’ll also receive 2 specific non-traditional cardio workouts to perform during each monthly cycle, but there are guidelines and recommendations included if you prefer traditional cardio work as well.

    For each level of trainee, you’ll receive specific recommendations in the welcome packet on how many strength training sessions, moderate intensity cardio sessions, high intensity cardio sessions, and low intensity/active recovery sessions to perform each week. As always, you pick what works for you and your schedule!

  • Here is the list of equipment you’ll need for Belles & Bellies.

  • 100% of pregnant women experience some level of diastasis recti by the 3rd trimester. You will learn through this program how to determine if the way you are performing an exercise deems it ‘safe’ or ‘unsafe’. You can also lay the groundwork for your core and postpartum recovery if you are aware of the exercises you are performing and doing them safely while you are pregnant.

    Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that needs to be able to contract and relax as you breathe in and out. This applies at rest and during exercise. In Belles & Bellies, you’ll learn how to perform the CPF (core pelvic floor) breath so that you can train your pelvic floor to contract and relax at the appropriate times.

  • In the Belles & Bellies Nutrition guide, you’ll find information on how many extra calories you need to consume each trimester, a rough estimate to measure the amount of food you’re eating using parts of your hand. There are tips to combat morning sickness, food aversions, how to handle those pregnancy cravings, manage fatigue & changing energy levels, and more.

    You’ll receive 7 nutrition tips that are pregnancy-specific, foods to consider purchasing organically because of the heavy pesticide usage vs. those that aren’t treated with heavy pesticides and are safer to buy non organically. You’ll find 10 protein sources that are recommended to avoid while pregnant, recommendations on caffeine, alcohol, tobacco and sugar consumption, as well as an extensive list of healthy protein, fat, and carbohydrate sources for pregnant women.

    You’ll also find common symptoms that women experience in each trimester, how to combat the unpleasant ones, and make the most of the positive ones. To name just few: forgetfulness, fatigue, mood swings, cravings, energy level changes, anxiety & excitement for birth, bathroom breaks, fluid retention, heartburn, fatigue and sleep disruptions. Tips on sleep, stress, and common activities you may want to avoid will also be included.

    In the Belles & Bellies Supplement guide, you’ll find information on common supplements pregnant women take, and why you might consider taking them yourself. You’ll find commonly used pregnancy supplements, and supplements to avoid during pregnancy. Each supplement is listed with a short description as to its current evidence-based benefits and why you might consider taking or avoiding it.

    The information included in this section is not intended as medical advice, but is a compilation of evidence-based supplementation guidelines from current research. If you have any questions, consult your medical care provider.

  • If you purchase Belles & Bellies, you will get lifetime access to the program and all the PDF’s, videos, and coursework. If you have multiple children, you’ll get to use the resources more than once, which is great!

  • Yes. You’ll join the page here

  • Kelsey has been coaching, training, and teaching since 2012. She has experience coaching in sports performance as well as 1:1 personal training style settings and is well versed in fitness assessments, program design, and coaching women to become stronger and change their behaviors to improve their health and lifestyle. She currently specializes in coaching pregnant and postpartum women. She has also been involved in the design of several gyms, including her own garage gym!

    She has a master’s degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in human movement from California State University Fullerton, and multiple certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). She is Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT). Additionally, she is certified as a Pre and Post Natal Coach (CPPC) through Girls Gone Strong. She has taught college level courses for over 7 years on evidence-based nutrition, movement, and program design topics in the Kinesiology program at Biola University.