I interviewed Tamra James Stocum
I first met Tamra James Stocum in her Arcata Pilates class (Humboldt County CA) and I remember thinking she was the perfect mix of goofy and disciplined as a teacher, a rare combination! She had a quality that made you feel at ease and then she kicked your ass ;).
Tamra is quietly qualified up to the eyeballs as a graduate in Kinesiology & Exercise Science from Cal Poly Humboldt. She came to Humboldt for school and received a scholarship to play soccer (football ;) at Cal Poly while studying Biomechanics and Kinesiology.
I found out later she had taken over a building in downtown Arcata and made it into a beautiful Pilates & barre studio called Movewell. It has since become my go to for Pilates in Humboldt County CA and I started teaching Reformer and Barre at the studio in November 22.
When I met Tamra after the pandemic she had THE cutest baby girl (called Marigold) with her and being someone who coaches women for a living I’m always interested as to how women manage careers, marriage and stay fit and healthy with having a new baby to take care of. Running a studio is damn hard work! So, I went ahead and asked…
You recently became a mum. I love the way you’re so real with it all and post the daily struggles as well as the best bits! What have been the biggest changes to your life since having Goldie?
When I became a mom I was shocked how much my life changed. The biggest change of all is becoming a full time care giver. Nothing is about me, per say, it’s all about ‘we’ and whatever choices I make effect my whole family.
What did you do to stay fit during pregnancy?
I did Pilates, yoga, and weight training.
Post partum did you have a structured fitness routine or goals you were trying to achieve or did you wing it?
I totally winged it. I fully embraced being soft and mushy for awhile LOL. I started doing gentle Pilates about 2/3 months in and kept increasing intensity as I felt my body needed more. The no sleep with baby really rocked me for a couple months so I took it easy. Marigold is 16 months now and I am finally feeling like I want to increase the intensity in all ways in my workouts!
How did you handle the changes to your body over the course of pregnancy and afterwards?
I surrendered to the bigger picture. I knew I would be strong and toned in my body again. Everything is a phase and the phase will change. I embraced my mushy new mom body as much as possible. Of course there were times where I would see old pictures of myself and think ‘oh my gosh I was so skinny’ or ‘my butt was so much nicer!’ I let those emotions in and let them go (easier said than done of course).
You run a successful studio, you’re a mum and wife, you keep fit and healthy. What's your biggest tip for maintaining your health as a busy woman?
I prioritize myself. If I am not healthy, my family and my community won’t be healthy. I schedule workouts and lunch just like I schedule clients. I schedule self care regularly, I eat the highest quality of foods, and I drink a lot of water - I swear by total hydration.
How do you find time for yourself? / what do you do with your downtime?
I had a mentor once say ‘if you don’t take care of yourself, no one will’ and that is very true. We have to take care of ourselves first.
In my downtime I spend with my family. We love to go on hikes with our dogs, go to the beach, and hang out with friends. Since the winter has been cold and rainy up here we have been making a lot of food and reading books as a family.
If you could go back to the moments just before you knew you were pregnant what ( if anything) would you do differently?
Hmmmm I am not sure anything, thankfully ! I started taking prenatal vitamins, working out consistently, and eating for wellness in January of 2021 because we knew we wanted to have a baby that year!
Do you have any nutrition secrets that keep you going?
I am an O blood type and crave meat. I know it’s not for everyone but I need it. I have bone broth every morning and it fuels me for the day. I also think drinking adequate water is key to feeling nourished. I drink at least 60 oz a day, probably more!
What advice would you give to a new mum just about to have a baby if they asked?
My advice would be that each moment will pass and everything is a phase. Some days / weeks can feel so overwhelming as a new mom. Now that I am a little over a year in I can see that it’s all short moments and phases that they grow through. Another piece of advice I can offer is be gentle with yourself. It’s so easy to have ‘Mom guilt’ and feel like you’re not doing enough. Your baby picked you for a reason and they are SO in love with you. Don’t beat yourself up over the small things (that can seem really big at times!).
What is the most magical thing about being a mum?
Watching the world through a child’s eyes is an amazing gift. I get to witness her everyday experience the world with a fresh new perspective. She makes the mundane magic. The other day she was trying to put her socks on by herself and I thought it was the most incredible thing ever!
Tamra holds accreditation with BASI Pilates Training and a 200 hour Yoga Teaching Training. She opened Movewell in August of 2019 to offer a wide variety of physical fitness choices to the Humboldt area and beyond.
She has an online movement platform called Movewell on Demand she runs with Pilates teacher Sonja Lyth. If you’d like to try it out you can get two weeks totally free!
Find Tamra
If you liked this please share it far and wide and if you’re ever in Humboldt County CA come to Movewell, you can book me for Reformer Pilates, yoga and barre 121s on going.
