Are you a strong woman seeking to move well, look your own kind of best, eat well to fuel your body and your baby in preparation for pregnancy, through gestation and whilst raising children? Do you believe in peaceful parenting and making the world a better place through a cruelty free lifestyle? Then The Mumma Movement is for you! The Mumma Movement is about education and empowerment. There you will find prenatal and postpartum wellness, fitness and nutrition support and advice, from founder Ariel Blyth. We spoke to Ariel to learn more about her wonderful business.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
I was inspired to start up both CrossFit Croydon and The Mumma Movement as from a young age I realised there was a growing disconnect between people, their bodies and the food they were consuming. After overcoming a lengthy battle with an eating disorder myself, I saw that there was a significant lack of information available to people regarding sustainable healthy eating and a sustainable exercise regimen. In the days of ever increasing pressure to look a certain way, for fitness professionals to deliver results faster by whatever means possible, I wanted to create a space and online presence that was encouraging, holistic in nature and about helping people become the best version of themselves. The mission of The Mumma Movement was to connect with all mothers; empowering them to prioritise the wellbeing of their families, from conception, through birth and beyond.
I wanted to create a space and online presence that was encouraging, holistic in nature and about helping people become the best version of themselves.
The Launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
I started out as a personal trainer with an Exercise Science BA in hand. My mission was to improve the functionality of the people I was working with as well as improving their knowledge of a healthy lifestyle including sustainable nutrition. I found that my reach was effective but limited in this setting. In 2011 I was introduced to CrossFit by my husband-to-be and instantly enjoyed the group camaraderie and holistic lifestyle that CrossFit promotes. We established CrossFit Croydon in 2014 and I began The Mumma Movement in 2016 after the birth of my third child; initially as a way of sharing my experiences with birth and motherhood, later to educate and empower pregnant mothers by offering doula services. I proudly practice what I preach and love helping women.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
Recently CrossFit Croydon has moved into a bigger and better equipped facility, allowing us to provide a more holistic and even better CrossFit Experience. The biggest breakthrough for The Mumma Movement has been the ability to bring my passions and expertise into one online space. I subscribe to the power of mantras and found that “I am worthy” is a great one!
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Balancing work and family is always a work in progress. CrossFit Croydon was designed as a family-friendly training space, which allows me to take my youngest two to work with me and work around school drop-offs and kids activities. When I am not at work I am able to blog/program/write while the kids play outside, and if one partner has an important class, the other will take over child care. When I teach yoga, my hubby takes the kids out and usually brings me back a coffee. When I am at a birth, he takes over everything including ensuring my mental health is intact. When he competes or is away for work, I take over and it’s great to be in such an understanding and supportive partnership. We work best when we prioritise 15 minutes of quality time with each child daily, have a plan, give each other space to train and/or self care, and eat local, organic, vegan food.
