The Athlete Mom Project | Pregnancy Workouts, Postpartum Exercises, Meal Plans, Diastasis Recti, Back Pain, and Mindset Tips

Chandler Sommerfeldt | Strength and Conditioning Coach, Postpartum and Precision Nutrition Certified and Active Life Professional Candidate
  • 5.0 (2)
  • FITNESS

Are you an active mom who wants to keep exercising during pregnancy, recover fully postpartum, and move your body without pain — but feels overwhelmed by conflicting advice, limited time, and a body that doesn’t feel the same anymore? The Athlete Mom Project is a podcast for moms who want to stay strong, pain-free, and confident in their bodies through pregnancy, postpartum, and real life — without burnout or compromise. Hosted by Chandler Sommerfeldt, a movement and nutrition coach, endurance athlete, and mom, this podcast breaks down how to exercise during pregnancy, return to movement postpartum, and train sustainably as a busy mom using evidence-based principles, pain science, and real-life experience. You’ll learn about pregnancy workouts, postpartum exercises, and strength training that supports motherhood instead of competing with it. Episodes cover core exercises during pregnancy, first trimester exercises, heart rate zones, losing strength during pregnancy, and how to safely continue running while pregnant. Postpartum topics include running after baby, exercise after a C-section, pelvic floor exercises postpartum, diastasis recti, and how to heal your core after pregnancy without fear or confusion. The Athlete Mom Project also addresses common pain points like back pain, knee pain, and hip pain, explains why pain does not always equal damage, and explores the difference between mobility versus stretching so you can move with confidence instead of avoidance. You’ll find guidance on quick workouts for busy moms, sustainable strength training, and realistic routines that fit into real life. Nutrition and mindset are central to the conversation. We talk about what to eat before workouts, how to eat for long runs, meal plans for moms, hormone health, recovery, and the mindset shifts needed to rebuild trust in your body, understand capacity and bandwidth, and create long-term, pain-free movement. If you believe movement is medicine, that your body is adaptable, and that motherhood shouldn’t mean giving up your athletic identity, you’re in the right place. Welcome to The Athlete Mom Project — where strong, capable, pain-free moms are built for life.

  1. 1H AGO

    #56 - Lindsey Vonn, Injury, and Identity: Why Your Mind Shapes What Your Body Can Do

    Watching the 2026 Olympics hit different—especially if you’re an athlete mom navigating injury, postpartum changes, or that “my body feels unfamiliar” season.   In this episode I break down Lindsey Vonn’s 2026 comeback, the pre-Olympic ACL rupture, and the downhill crash that led to a complex tibia fracture and multiple surgeries.   But this isn’t a recap for gossip—it’s a masterclass on identity, pain, nervous system safety, and returning to sport.   You’ll learn: Why “pain is a choice” doesn’t mean “pain isn’t real” (and what it actually means) The Pain Rules (how to know what’s safe vs what’s too much) Capacity vs Load: why rehab and performance use the same principles How identity shapes pain perception, fear, avoidance, and what your body believes is possible What to do if you’re an athlete mom coming back from injury, pregnancy, or chronic pain   If you’ve ever thought “I’m broken,” “this is just my body now,” or “I’ll never be the same,” this one will shift something.   🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast If this episode helped you, please rate, review, and share it with a mom who’s trying to lift while raising kids. If you want to READ what you just listened to so that you can have a lasting framework for navigating pain, injury, and motherhood --> FULL ARTICLE HERE --   🔗 Resources & Links 🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast If this episode helped you, please rate, review, and share it with a mom who’s trying to lift while raising kids. 🔗 Resources & Links 🫁 Start The Capacity Project A 6-week program designed to improve stress tolerance, recovery, sleep, and performance through breath and nervous system training. This is where you "build your base." 👉 [ Learn More Here ] 🏔️ Join the Athlete Mom Project Course Training that fits motherhood — without burnout, all-or-nothing, or sacrificing family life. 👉 [ Learn More Here ] 📲 Learn More About Coaching Programs 👉 Inquire About Coaching Programs Here 💪🏻 Connect with me on Instagram 👉 [@withchanyoucan]

    38 min

  2. 1D AGO

    #55 - Wood Snake → Fire Horse: Why February Feels So Heavy (and What to Do About It)

    Have you felt emotionally heavy, disconnected, unmotivated, or like your life is destabilizing lately — and you can’t even explain why? In this episode of The Athlete Mom Project, I’m sharing what’s been happening in my own body (I’m 25 weeks pregnant and I cried for four days straight 🙃) and what I’m hearing from so many athlete moms in weekly check-ins: “My soul feels heavy.” We’re talking about the transition from the Year of the Wood Snake to the Year of the Fire Horse, the Solar Eclipse in Aquarius as a “new timeline” portal, and why this season can feel like ego death, identity shifts, nervous system friction, and burnout — especially for high-achieving moms who like to control outcomes. But we’re also grounding this in real coaching + physiology: ✅ Load vs Capacity (why pain happens when load exceeds capacity) ✅ Why identity expansion can feel like anxiety ✅ How to regulate your nervous system when everything feels like it’s accelerating ✅ 5 grounding tools you can do this week (surrender, breath, strength training, decluttering, and identity journaling) I also share a powerful metaphor from a Substack post about imaginal cells — the “imaginal soup” phase where the old self dissolves and something new is forming (even when it feels like chaos). Here is the full article if you want to read it: Navigating A Crumbling World: Lessons From The Chrysalis Referenced reading / resources: Moon Omens: Solar Eclipse in Aquarius 2026: A New Timeline (link) Moon Omens: Lunar New Year 2026: Year of the Fire Horse (link) Daniel Gould (Substack): Navigating a Crumbling World: Lessons from the Chrysalis (link) If you’re an athlete mom navigating burnout, motivation dips, pregnancy/postpartum identity shifts, or you’re trying to build strength and endurance without breaking your nervous system — this one will land. 🎧 Listen now, and then choose one grounding tool to practice today. 🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast If this episode helped you, please rate, review, and share it with a mom who’s trying to lift while raising kids. 🔗 Resources & Links 🫁 Start The Capacity Project A 6-week program designed to improve stress tolerance, recovery, sleep, and performance through breath and nervous system training. This is where you "build your base." 👉 [ Learn More Here ] 🏔️ Join the Athlete Mom Project Course Training that fits motherhood — without burnout, all-or-nothing, or sacrificing family life. 👉 [ Learn More Here ] 📲 Learn More About Coaching Programs 👉 Inquire About Coaching Programs Here 💪🏻 Connect with me on Instagram 👉 [@withchanyoucan]

    40 min

  3. FEB 10

    #54 - Why Lifting Weights Through Motherhood Changes How You Live, Not Just How You Look

    The episode's theme - capacity over burnout: Strength training, nervous system health, and motherhood If you’re an athlete mom trying to juggle strength training, endurance performance, weight loss, and motherhood, this episode will change how you think about fitness—and yourself. In this deeply honest conversation, Chandler sits down with longtime client Lauren to unpack their 15-month coaching journey and the mindset shift that changed everything. What began as a goal to lose weight and improve endurance performance evolved into something far more sustainable: nervous system regulation, strength training for moms, food freedom, and living in alignment with capacity—not burnout. Lauren shares how under-eating and overtraining fueled anxiety, exhaustion, and chronic stress—and how learning to fuel properly, lift weights, rest without guilt, and choose the right training season helped her feel stronger, calmer, and more present as a mom, partner, and entrepreneur. In this episode, we explore: Why trying to lose weight and improve endurance at the same time often backfires for moms How strength training can regulate the nervous system and reduce burnout The difference between pushing through vs. building capacity Why rest, food, and recovery are productivity tools, not weaknesses How releasing external validation leads to more confidence, energy, and joy If you’re an athlete mom who feels tired, stuck, or caught between ambition and burnout, this episode will feel like a deep exhale—and a permission slip to do things differently. 🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast If this episode helped you, please rate, review, and share it with a mom who’s trying to lift while raising kids. 🔗 Resources & Links 📖 Read the full breakdown of this Podcast episode on my Substack 👉 [Read it Here] 🏔️ Join the Athlete Mom Project Course Training that fits motherhood — without burnout, all-or-nothing, or sacrificing family life. 👉 [ Learn More Here ] 📲 Learn More About Coaching Programs 👉 Inquire About Coaching Programs Here 💪🏻 Connect with me on Instagram 👉 [@withchanyoucan]

    1h 17m

  4. FEB 9

    #53 - You want to be a present mom, a great partner, and have a successful career - is that possible?

    🫁 Join the Capacity Project A 6-week program designed to improve stress tolerance, recovery, sleep, and performance through breath and nervous system training. This is where you "build your base." 👉 [ Learn More Here ] If you feel like you’re doing everything “right” but you’re still exhausted, sore, wired, or stuck in a constant go-go-go loop… this episode is for you. In today’s Athlete Mom Project Podcast, I’m breaking down outcome attachment—the sneaky way high-achieving, Type A moms grip tighter to weight loss, performance goals, business growth, or “getting back to who I was”… and accidentally keep their nervous system in a low-grade state of threat. We’ll talk about why more discipline isn’t the answer, how urgency creates burnout (even when you love your goals), and the shift that changed everything for me: letting go of urgency without letting go of ambition. You’ll learn how outcome attachment shows up in training, nutrition, pregnancy/postpartum, and motherhood—and why your body can’t adapt, recover, or feel safe when you’re constantly asking “Is this working?” and “Am I doing enough?” I also share 3 powerful questions to help you detach without quitting, rest without guilt, and rebuild trust in your body—so you can make progress from a place of safety, consistency, and capacity, not pressure. If this resonates, you’ll love The Capacity Project—my 6-week program that rebuilds your foundation through breath, nervous system regulation, and intentional movement so you can train, live, and mother with more peace (and better results). Link below. 🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast If this episode helped you, please rate, review, and share it with a mom who’s trying to lift while raising kids. 🔗 Resources & Links 📖 Read the full breakdown of this Podcast episode on my Substack 👉 [Read it Here] 🏔️ Join the Athlete Mom Project Course Training that fits motherhood — without burnout, all-or-nothing, or sacrificing family life. 👉 [ Learn More Here ] 📲 Learn More About Coaching Programs 👉 Inquire About Coaching Programs Here 💪🏻 Connect with me on Instagram 👉 [@withchanyoucan]

    44 min

  5. FEB 5

    #52 - Why You’re Still Anxious and Stressed Even If You Exercise and Eat Well

    🫁 Join the Capacity Project A 6-week program designed to improve stress tolerance, recovery, sleep, and performance through breath and nervous system training. This is where you "build your base." 👉 [ Learn More Here ] You exercise, eat well, and try to take care of yourself—so why do you still feel anxious, exhausted, and constantly “on edge”? In this episode, we break down why so many active moms struggle with stress, poor sleep, burnout, stubborn fatigue, and slow recovery even when they’re doing everything right. The problem usually isn’t motivation or discipline. It’s capacity—and how you breathe. Breathing patterns directly affect your nervous system, stress response, recovery, and energy. Many moms unknowingly breathe too fast, too shallow, or through the mouth, keeping the body stuck in survival mode and making stress feel constant. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why exercise alone doesn’t fix anxiety or burnout How stress blocks recovery, sleep, and fat loss Why breath is one of the fastest tools to calm the nervous system How breathing mechanics affect tension, movement, and pain The role carbon dioxide tolerance plays in stress and endurance Breath isn’t a recovery add-on—it’s the foundation of resilience, energy, and sustainable performance. 🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast If this episode helped you, please rate, review, and share it with a mom who’s trying to lift while raising kids. 🔗 Resources & Links 📖 Read the full breakdown of this Podcast episode on my Substack 👉 [Read it Here] 🏔️ Join the Athlete Mom Project Course Training that fits motherhood — without burnout, all-or-nothing, or sacrificing family life. 👉 [ Learn More Here ] 📲 Learn More About Coaching Programs 👉 Inquire About Coaching Programs Here 💪🏻 Connect with me on Instagram 👉 [@withchanyoucan]

    33 min

  6. JAN 16

    #51 - How to Train Through Pregnancy, Postpartum, Injury, and Pain (Without Stopping Your Life)

    Training during pregnancy, postpartum, injury, or chronic pain doesn’t mean stopping — it means understanding how your body actually adapts. In this episode, movement and nutrition coach Chandler Sommerfeldt breaks down how to train safely and effectively through pregnancy, postpartum, injury, and pain using the same science-based framework professionals use in injury rehab and performance training. This episode challenges the fear-based advice many women receive — like “do less,” “rest until it goes away,” or “just wait it out” — and explains why those recommendations often keep people stuck in pain longer. You’ll learn: The difference between pain and injury (and why confusing the two keeps you fearful) The 4 pain rules that allow you to keep training safely Why pregnancy and postpartum follow injury-based training principles How reactive vs degenerative tendinopathy show up during pregnancy and postpartum Why doing nothing often makes tendon pain and joint pain worse How Heavy Slow Resistance (HSR) and intelligent loading rebuild tissue resilience The role of the nervous system, breath, and stress in chronic pain How to train below threshold to increase capacity over time Why capacity vs load is the real issue behind most pregnancy and postpartum pain How fear, beliefs, and environment influence pain perception Why choosing the right community and provider matters for healing This episode is especially helpful if you are: Pregnant and unsure how to keep exercising safely Postpartum and dealing with lingering pain or fear of movement Experiencing pelvic pain, SPD pain, knee pain, Achilles pain, or tendon pain Returning to training after injury or surgery Living with chronic pain and tired of being told to “just rest” An athlete mom who wants to train without compromising your body or your life Chandler also shares her personal experiences with SPD pain during pregnancy, multiple knee surgeries, and chronic pain — and how learning to regulate the nervous system and train within capacity completely changed her relationship with movement. This is not about pushing through pain. It’s about understanding your body, rebuilding trust, and training intelligently through every season of life. 🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast If this episode helped you, please rate, review, and share it with a mom who’s trying to lift while raising kids. 🔗 Resources & Links 📖 Read the full breakdown of this Podcast episode on my Substack 👉 [Read it Here] 🏔️ Join the Athlete Mom Project Course Training that fits motherhood — without burnout, all-or-nothing, or sacrificing family life. 👉 [ Learn More Here ] 📲 Learn More About Coaching Programs 👉 Inquire About Coaching Programs Here 💪🏻 Connect with me on Instagram 👉 [@withchanyoucan]

    54 min

  7. JAN 7

    #50 - Kids Strength Training: When to Start, What’s Safe, and How to Lift With Your Kids

    Your kid is already strength training. They climb. They jump. They carry heavy things. They explore their body in space every single day. So the real question isn’t should kids get strong? It’s how do we introduce strength training safely, progressively, and without turning movement into a chore? In this episode, I cover: 🧠 What the science actually says about kids lifting weights Why the idea that lifting stunts growth is a myth How poor coaching and excessive load—not strength training itself—create injury risk Why properly supervised, age-appropriate resistance training is not only safe, but beneficial 🧒 When kids should start strength training (age-by-age) Ages 3–5: play-based strength (crawling, climbing, jumping, carrying) Ages 6–8: introducing structure if maturity allows Ages 7–12: technique-first strength training Teens: progressive loading with proper recovery and coaching 🏋️‍♀️ Kids strength training dosage made simple How many days per week kids should lift How long sessions should be Sets, reps, and effort guidelines Why “pretty reps” beat fatigue every time 🦴 Bone development, impact, and long-term health Why adolescence is a critical window for bone density How strength training + jumping, landing, and sprinting support lifelong skeletal health Why movement should never disappear as kids get older 👶 How I train with my 3-year-old (real life) Obstacle courses Short interval “missions” Carries, hangs, jumps, and imagination-based play How curiosity—not forcing—builds confidence 👩‍👧 Training with kids without losing yourself Creating “together time” and “my time” Setting clear boundaries for safety Micro-dosing kid involvement so you can still train Why modeling self-care matters more than perfect workouts ❤️ The bigger picture If you don’t teach your kids that their body is capable, someone else will teach them that their body is a problem. This episode is about raising kids who believe: movement is normal strength is normal effort is normal boundaries are normal 🔗 Resources & Links 📖 Read the full breakdown on Substack (with visuals + dosage charts): Kids Strength Training: When to Start, What’s Safe, and How to Lift With Your Kids 👉 [Read it Here] 🏔️ Join the Athlete Mom Project Course Training that fits motherhood — without burnout, all-or-nothing, or sacrificing family life. 👉 [ Learn More Here ] 📲 Learn More About Coaching Programs 👉 Inquire About Coaching Programs Here 💪🏻 Connect with me on Instagram 👉 [@withchanyoucan] 🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast If this episode helped you, please rate, review, and share it with a mom who’s trying to lift while raising kids.

    44 min

  8. 12/20/2025

    #49 - Redefining Success for Athlete Moms: Nervous System Health + Sustainable Training

    If you’re an athlete mom who wants to stay consistent, reduce stress, and actually see results without burning yourself out, this episode is meant to feel like a deep exhale. In this episode of The Athlete Mom Project, we redefine what success really looks like for athlete moms — through the lens of nervous system health, sustainable training, and the minimal effective dose. Instead of pushing harder or doing more, this conversation explains why doing less — intentionally — often leads to better strength gains, more presence, and greater long-term momentum, especially during high-stress seasons like the holidays. In this episode, you’ll learn: why athlete moms often get stuck in grind mode and how it impacts cortisol, recovery, and adaptation how your nervous system influences fat loss, strength gains, emotional regulation, and consistency what success actually looks like for busy, high-achieving moms — and why perfection slows progress how to apply the minimal effective dose to fitness, nutrition, and motherhood how to train smarter when life is full, routines are disrupted, and stress is high why the balance of grind + grace creates sustainable results how to stay present with your kids while still honoring your athletic goals This episode blends science, mindset, and practical strategies designed specifically for moms who lift, run, train hard — or want to feel like athletes again — without sacrificing their mental health, relationships, or long-term health. Success isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing what matters — consistently, sustainably, and with intention. 🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast If this episode helped you, please rate, review, and share it with a mom who’s trying to lift while raising kids. 🔗 Resources & Links 📖 Read the full breakdown of this Podcast episode on my Substack 👉 [Read it Here] 🏔️ Join the Athlete Mom Project Course Training that fits motherhood — without burnout, all-or-nothing, or sacrificing family life. 👉 [ Learn More Here ] 📲 Learn More About Coaching Programs 👉 Inquire About Coaching Programs Here 💪🏻 Connect with me on Instagram 👉 [@withchanyoucan]

    34 min
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About

Are you an active mom who wants to keep exercising during pregnancy, recover fully postpartum, and move your body without pain — but feels overwhelmed by conflicting advice, limited time, and a body that doesn’t feel the same anymore? The Athlete Mom Project is a podcast for moms who want to stay strong, pain-free, and confident in their bodies through pregnancy, postpartum, and real life — without burnout or compromise. Hosted by Chandler Sommerfeldt, a movement and nutrition coach, endurance athlete, and mom, this podcast breaks down how to exercise during pregnancy, return to movement postpartum, and train sustainably as a busy mom using evidence-based principles, pain science, and real-life experience. You’ll learn about pregnancy workouts, postpartum exercises, and strength training that supports motherhood instead of competing with it. Episodes cover core exercises during pregnancy, first trimester exercises, heart rate zones, losing strength during pregnancy, and how to safely continue running while pregnant. Postpartum topics include running after baby, exercise after a C-section, pelvic floor exercises postpartum, diastasis recti, and how to heal your core after pregnancy without fear or confusion. The Athlete Mom Project also addresses common pain points like back pain, knee pain, and hip pain, explains why pain does not always equal damage, and explores the difference between mobility versus stretching so you can move with confidence instead of avoidance. You’ll find guidance on quick workouts for busy moms, sustainable strength training, and realistic routines that fit into real life. Nutrition and mindset are central to the conversation. We talk about what to eat before workouts, how to eat for long runs, meal plans for moms, hormone health, recovery, and the mindset shifts needed to rebuild trust in your body, understand capacity and bandwidth, and create long-term, pain-free movement. If you believe movement is medicine, that your body is adaptable, and that motherhood shouldn’t mean giving up your athletic identity, you’re in the right place. Welcome to The Athlete Mom Project — where strong, capable, pain-free moms are built for life.

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