Lea-Anne Ellison (pictured above), the Los Angeles fitness enthusiast who triggered outrage last September when she posted photos of herself on Facebook lifting heavy weights just two weeks before her due date, has once again hit back at her ‘haters’.
The 35-year-old mother of three, who gave birth to her youngest son four months ago, is back in the gym and says she, and little Skyler, are doing ‘great’.
‘I started back at CrossFit three weeks after my son was born,’ she tells MailOnline. ‘I did not go very hard as my body was still healing but I was so happy to be back to my program.’
No mommy tummy here! LA native Lea-Ann Ellison hits back at critics of her exercise regime and displays her post-baby body a mere four months after the birth to little Skyler, pictured
The trim blonde proudly reveals her post-baby body in a new series of photos with son Skyler, and there’s not a hint of a mommy tummy to be seen.
‘I know, for me, that keeping strong and fit during pregnancy, and eating a diet full of fresh organic food has been key to my success in gaining my figure back,’ she remarks. ‘And no sugar! Sugar will keep a mommy tummy on a lady forever!’
According to MuscleTech.com, CrossFit entails ‘an aggressive yet well-rounded pursuit of general, overall fitness in the ten recognized domains, as opposed to the bodybuilding ideology of pursuing perfect muscle symmetry, size and cuts.’
While many supported her decision to maintain her strenuous fitness regime, others were horrified.
‘She is very selfish for endangering a life for her own personal gains and achievements. This is not a proud picture to post,’ one respondent posted, as others labeled the photos ‘sickening’ and ‘worrying’.
Andrea Nitz, a personal trainer at CrossFit Brand X, in Ramona, California has published an article for the The Crossfit Journal, addressing the question of whether the regime is safe for expectant mothers.
‘As many studies have shown, it’s not bad for our babies. It is actually very good for the kid,’ Ms Nitz writes.
She goes on to speak from personal experience, writing: ‘I have seen for myself that babies born to CrossFitting moms have a number of similar traits that make for a smoother transition to life outside the womb.’
And she may be right, if Ms Ellison’s photos of her healthy-looking, bouncing baby boy are anything to go by.
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists however, warns against undertaking strenuous exercise during pregnancy, saying: ‘It has been reported that pregnant women whose occupations require repetitive, strenuous, physical work (e.g. lifting) have a tendency to deliver earlier and have small-for-gestational-age infant.’
Most medical guidelines fall somewhere in between on their advice. The Mayo Clinic warns that although a woman’s ‘tolerance to strenuous exercise will decrease’ as the pregnancy progresses, it’s perfectly safe in most cases.
‘Regular exercise can help you stay in shape, better cope with the physical changes of pregnancy and build stamina for the challenges ahead’
In fact, according to a study last year from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one in four women in the U.S. are obese when they become pregnant, and the ill effects of this can be far more potentially dangerous to an unborn child.
Complications for an obese expectant mother may include high blood pressure, gestational diabetes and potential extra difficulties during labor and birth.
‘Regular exercise can help you stay in shape, better cope with the physical changes of pregnancy and build stamina for the challenges ahead,’ the Mayo Clinic states.
For Ms Ellinson, it’s been a rewarding journey and she’s thrilled to have picked up many fans and new friends along the way.
‘I receive fan mail every day from women saying thank you for leading the way. It has been very wonderful to see such a positive result of such an unexpected popularity,’ she concludes.
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