Tanya Rowenhorst, PT, DPT

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United States
Orange City, IA
Tanya Rowenhorst, PT, DPT

I help active moms achieve their lifestyle goals - pregnancy, postpartum,& beyond! My FREE ebook👇🏼

Refine PT offers various services for whole health - body, mind AND spirit. I believe that each person was created with a good body, and when we take care of what we've been given, we are then able to live life to the fullest!

08/28/2025

The hardest part about pregnancy & postpartum for me was NOT the back pain or diastasis. It wasn’t the lack of sleep or newborn needs.

It was my mind and my view of my body.

I wish I could say I loved being pregnant. I’ve been ashamed to admit that, mentally + emotionally, it was really hard for me. It was hard to see my body changing, to see what was “leftover” early postpartum. I had been a slave to the scale and trying to control my body before I had babies.

I beat my body up, trying to keep weight off, ending up with injury and pain. I pushed too hard early postpartum, delaying my healing time. I had all sorts of negative thoughts, hating my body for being slow to lose the postpartum weight, unlike others that I knew.

Now I wish I could give that girl a hug and some words of encouragement b/c the attack on her mind and heart was severe. Satan stole a lot of the joy out of my pregnancies, making me so focused on my changing body. While this was hard to admit b/c I know pregnancy is such a gift and babies are true miracles, I know other women are struggling with the same thing.
All you can see is the “baby bump” leftover from pregnancy.
You’re frustrated with your slow postpartum healing and the pounds that seem to stick.
Or perhaps you are past the baby years and experiencing the effects of middle age and changing hormones.

I honestly hate talking about weight b/c it’s NOT something I want you to dwell on. I want you to live FREE! Yet, becoming at home in our bodies and seeing them as GOOD is difficult.

While I can’t promise you easy weight loss in Refine Fitness, I can promise you this: You’ll have an encouraging leader who wants to see you set FREE. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to lose weight and improve our health, I want you to do so while still honoring and respecting the GOOD body you’ve been given. I want to show you how you can live FREE, even on a health journey. You don’t have to be chained to the scale, and you can move in FREEDOM wherever you are - pregnancy, postpartum, or into middle age.

I’ve learned a better way, and I’d love to walk with you and help you, too. Join us - doors close tonight at midnight!
XO, Tanya💓

08/27/2025

Here is the BIGGEST misconception when it comes to fitness:
More is better.
Less isn’t worth your time.

Maybe you grew up an athlete like me, with two-hour practices every day!
You might have gotten into fitness in college or early adulthood & had the time to work out daily for an hour+.
You may have trained for a marathon, gotten into CrossFit, or used exercise to control your weight by working out for hours every day.

Many of us develop these hardcore, sometimes obsessive habits before having kids, only to find it impossible to return to that level of intensity once we no longer have the time. We try to be what we once were, but it leaves us frustrated.

We can’t handle the thought of doing less. It feels pointless b/c we’ve trained our brains to believe that unless we can do it ALL, it simply isn’t worth it.

But there’s the lie.

You actually don’t need an hour+ workout to make gains or “get in shape.” You don’t need to train hardcore every single day. (PS: Using exercise to control or lose weight only puts you in bo***ge.)

What you ACTUALLY need is:
+ A good plan
+ That you can fit in the pockets of your busy life
+ That you can be consistent in any season
+ & will help you reach your goals.

All or None simply does not work. We need to break up with the lie that working out has to look like it did before, or it doesn’t count. The TRUTH is that ANY amount of time you put in IS worth it, & change happens slowly over time through the process of OVERLOAD.

It’s why I created Refine Fitness! It’s the PERFECT program bc you’ll get it done in just 15 min/day! (You can always make these workouts longer)

You might think, “Tanya, that’s not enough to make a difference.” But when you show up, you’re developing a habit of CONSISTENCY & creating a SMALL win. You can ALWAYS grow the habit later, but too often, we start TOO BIG & can only keep it up for a week. Then we end up overwhelmed & quit. Instead, let’s do something that we can be consistent with REGARDLESS of the seasons. Anytime you “overload the system,” you WILL see gains!

For the next two days only, doors are open to enroll in the membership! Comment “ME” for the info!

08/26/2025

Think I’ve always been a “healthy person?” Think again!

I’ve shared my struggle with overexercise/restricted eating in college, but after college, my habits looked like:
+ Watching TV every night
+ Drinking Diet Coke every afternoon
+ Fast food 1x/wk
+ Diet & processed foods
+ A rarely used gym membership

I may have looked ‘fine’ on the outside. But my energy was always low. I was constantly relying on caffeine to get me through the day. I was so all-or-none that if I couldn’t fit my workout in my allotted time of the day, I wouldn’t get it done.

The other day, I was relaying some of this to my kids, & they were shocked! They couldn’t imagine me grabbing Taco John’s drive-through once a week or drinking a Diet Coke.

Did I have a massive life change overnight? No, of course not.
Instead, I changed my habits VERY SLOWLY over TIME (like years!).

I stopped eating fast food and now make almost all our meals from home with whole foods.
I move almost every day, not because I HAVE to, but because I WANT to.
I haven’t touched soda since I became pregnant with my first baby.
I stopped watching TV.
I slowly dealt w/ the behaviors & mindsets that kept me from living in freedom with food, my body, exercise, and time.

Cut to the chase: I didn’t take on all of these things & change them in a month. One change slowly led to another change, which led to another, & over time, my life changed. Now I don’t even think about most of these because they’re simply habits - they are a part of my daily lifestyle!

If you’ve struggled to be consistent w/ building healthier habits, this is your opportunity to join a group of like-minded women! I will show you how to stay consistent with new habits year-round, so you’ll not only get stronger but also feel empowered to do the things you LOVE, with no need to start over in 2 months! Comment 💪 for the info!

08/25/2025

It might be launch day for our healthy habits challenge, but it’s also first day of school for my five. ❤️ The oldest left early so I was not on top of things enough to get a pic of them all together, 🤪 but she kindly let me grab one before she took off. This year we have a Junior, 8th grader, 6th grader, 4th grader, and 2nd grader!

And a couple throw backs bc I was feeling sentimental with my oldest halfway through high school. Kindergarten (😘) and then a couple other back to schools, including the first year all five were in school.

It’s cliche to say time goes so fast. But it just does. There’s no other way to word it. Enjoying this stage and all the joys that come with it. God is faithful and so kind. Every year they get older, I think, is an even greater challenge to trust. He is working for their good, in all things. ❤️

08/21/2025

While I love summer for its laid-back attitude and care-free vibe, I’m getting itchy for routine, schedules, and a little reinforcement of things that I know I need to live well.

I live by a grace-filled mentality when it comes to health and fitness. I will never shame myself for eating chocolate, and I’ll never work out as punishment because I put food in my body. I’m not striving for a six-pack or trying to burn X amount of calories each day.

I’ve lived that way, and it only led to chains. I refuse to ever go back there again.

I may not be the size I once was, but most days I live with thankfulness for the good body I’ve been given. I find JOY in movement, and I see food as fuel, a gift, and at times celebration and delight!

But I also know that there are certain habits that help me feel good, give me energy, and truly help me live out my God-given purpose of serving the people God’s placed in front of me. When I don’t feel awesome, I don’t feel like serving. I feel like sitting, taking a nap, and I’m more prone to negative thoughts.

Certain habits not only help me live well, they make serving feel more joyful! I know JOY is not found in our circumstances but in our attitude, and yet I think we all would agree that when we are well-rested, well-fueled, when we’ve had some time to breathe, when we feel strong - we are better apt to serve with a joyful heart!

And that’s why we are doing a healthy habits challenge in September-October in Refine Fitness. Over the next couple of months, we’re focusing on SMALL changes that will make a BIG impact over time to help you feel better and live well. It’s not a quick-fix program.

It’s not a lose 15 # in 21 days. But it IS designed for longevity - habits that will actually stay and get better over time, until you have healthy routines that you no longer even think about - you just do them b/c they have become a part of who you are!

Are you ready for a change? I’d love to have you with me as we journey together! (drop a 🎉 for the info!)

Have questions? Comment below, I’d be happy to answer!

08/19/2025

SEVEN ways I sneak in movement as a busy working mom:

👟 10-15 min walks at breakpoints during my day (in between patients, over lunch, etc).

🏐 During kids’ practices. We live out of town, so sometimes it’s easier not to run back and forth. When that’s the case, I just take along my shoes and go for a walk or head to the gym.

✏️With my kids after school - It’s really easy for after-school time to become screen time, so this year, I’m taking a proactive approach. My kids are allowed 30 min of screen time & a snack; then I want them to go play. If this goes well, I can get my workout in while they play, but sometimes I’ll plan for us to go for a walk or bike ride together, play in the backyard, or jump on the trampoline, and we get in movement together!

💛 Planned walk with a friend or my husband to catch up in the evening/weekend - one of my very favorites when it works!

👱🏼‍♂️ Coordinate with my husband to work out for 30 minutes after work. I think so often, as moms, we think we need to figure it out ourselves. But what if you’d get your spouse involved & say, “This is really important for me to feel well. Could I have 30 minutes kid-free to workout when you’re home?” My hubby knows that if I feel well, it benefits the whole family - so much so that if I’m having a bad day, he encourages me to go b/c he knows I’ll come back feeling better.

⏳Downtime in between events - when there’s not enough time to really accomplish anything! Have 30 mins in between picking up kids and starting dinner? Or 30 mins before a kiddo’s piano lesson? Instead of scrolling, why don’t you move?

🏡Around the house, the yard, the block - steps add up when you’re intentional about them! When I’m intentional, I get in way more steps! It could happen picking up the house, going for a stroll around the block after dinner, or doing some sprints in my backyard for 5-10 mins. The good news - this can all be done with kids - have them join and make it fun!

We’ve got a free workout and weightlifting guide you can get started on today! Be flexible, find pockets of time that work for you, and give it a try! Comment 👏🏼, and we’ll send the resource your way!

08/12/2025

If I could go back to my 16-year-old self, I’d tell her👇🏼

When you’re 40, it won’t matter how much playing time you got or what your PR was in a race. Work hard. Go all out. But don’t make it about you. Encourage your teammates. Be for the TEAM. And remember that your identity isn’t found in your performance. None of this actually matters in the end.

If I could go back to my 21-year-old self, I’d tell her:
Your life will turn out NOTHING like you expect it to…so stop wishing for the next step. Stop worrying about the future. God has those details planned already, and your worry will not change a thing. Stop taking yourself so seriously and thinking it all depends on you.

If I could return to my 25-year-old self, I’d tell her:
I know right now you’re stressed out with all the things…the baby’s schedule, jaundice, how much milk she got today, whether you’re ever going to feel normal again, whether there’s enough money for a full maternity leave, and if you can swing going part-time at work… it’ll all be ok. This baby will thrive. She’ll be attached (even if, yes, you have her on a schedule), God will work out the finances, and you’re going to feel someday like you again - maybe not you before babies, but a better you - less selfish, less perfectionist, more content.

And if I could go back to my 30-year-old self, I’d tell her:
I know life is overwhelming right now as you raise a bunch of babies. It’s heavy. It’s ok if you take a break and stay home. God has your future, so follow in obedience and trust Him. These kids will seriously grow up in the blink of an eye. So breathe in these moments—even the chaos is a gift. You’ll never regret the time you took for your family if that’s where He leads.

At 42, I’m not even close to having anything figured out. At times this past year, I still have felt the earth shifting again, not sure where God is taking me or what He’s up to. The difference - I have learned that He is faithful. He is trustworthy. So I don’t have to know the next step. I simply need to walk in obedience today.

Praying for the young women and moms worried over the next steps - He has you in His hands and won’t let you go. 🤍

08/07/2025

Feeling heaviness or pressure “down there”? It might not be what you think.
Think it’s prolapse? It could actually be pelvic floor tightness.

Most often, when women feel vaginal heaviness, pressure, or even low back, pelvic, or hip pain, they assume it’s prolapse - and sometimes they’re right. But here’s the tricky part: those same symptoms can also come from a tight, overactive pelvic floor. Or sometimes, both.

If you’re constantly contracting your pelvic floor all day long, it’s pretty exhausted by the end of the day, and will mimic symptoms of prolapse - heaviness, pressure, and pain!

Here’s why this matters:
If your symptoms are from weakness (often the case with prolapse), you need to strengthen the pelvic floor.
If they’re from tightness, strengthening will make things worse!

That is why you need to see a pelvic health specialist! It would be super easy to misdiagnose your symptoms as prolapse, but only a trained professional can help you decipher what is actually the ROOT cause of your symptoms.

Unsure which one you’re dealing with? Send me a DM and let’s talk about it. You can also schedule an appointment, both virtually or in person! Let’s figure this out together, Comment “ME” to get started!

07/31/2025

Stop falling for these extremes if you are trying to make a change in your health:
Thinking you have to wake up at 5 am every day
Fast until noon
Eat only in a very small window
Count every macro or calorie
Workout for an hour+
Think your workout has to always be hard cardio or HIIT
Take 10+ supplements

Here’s what you need👇🏼
Start with something small
Be consistent

That’s it.

The problem with the list above is that many of us feel compelled to change, so we take on too much and end up falling for extremes. This can make us feel really accomplished at first, but so often, we end up falling off the wagon because it’s simply too much all at once. We want big, fast results, but the problem is that big, fast results always come with consequences—typically, it’s impossible to keep up when real life hits.

But what if you dedicated yourself to making small changes that would last a lifetime? What if you stopped falling for the extremes and did something that would actually work?

That’s what we do in my courses and membership! We focus on making small foundational changes that are too easy not to do, but will also add up to significant change over time.

If you’re done with the hamster wheel of extremes -> failure (PS: You’re not a failure! Nothing is wrong with you! It’s the method that’s the problem), join a community of women just like you!

I’d love to help you strengthen your core, heal your weak pelvic floor, and get back to being an active participant in the life you love! Here’s how:
1. Grab my free resource on the Pelvic Core (comment Link, and I’ll send it to you!)
2. Work with me 1:1 in the clinic or through a virtual consult
3. Take Pelvic Core (my online course) and do it on your own time from the comfort of your own home!
4. Join Refine Fitness for daily workouts, form + instruction tips, and women’s health-focused exercises!

What are you waiting for? Comment “ME” if you want more info!

07/21/2025

Disclaimer: This is not a foolproof list, nor is it the only 4 things that will work. You can do all the right things and still tear, and you can do NONE of these things and potentially not tear!
BUT, these are some things I see repeatedly, time and time again, that DO help decrease your chances of tearing

1. Pelvic floor stretching & breath work 35 weeks on – I teach this to ALL my OB patients! We work on pelvic floor stretching & relaxation, proper breathing, & perineal mobilization, which helps prepare the pelvic floor to lengthen/relax with pushing & helps prepare the perineal tissue to stretch instead of tear.
2. A weak epidural or no epidural – In general, epidurals typically make pushing more challenging – it’s harder to know WHEN and HOW to push effectively. I see more patients who have no epidural give birth without tearing vs. those who have one.
3. Ability to move during L&D and try different positions is key and often overlooked in many hospital births. Pushing on your back is associated w/ the HIGHEST rates of perineal trauma, forceps/suction delivery, nerve damage. When women are given the opportunity to move during birth or try different positions, this helps open up the pelvis, decreasing the chances of perineal trauma. In my L&D prep, we go through various positions and talk through the pros/cons of each. Many of these CAN be achieved even WITH an epidural.
4. Environment – Research shows that a mom feels safe when her environment is dark, calm, and quiet, and when there are fewer interruptions, interventions, and checks. When she can listen to her body’s natural intuition vs. being told when to push or what position to be in, it can lend itself to the fetal ejection reflex. This spontaneous bearing down is often associated with a very short delivery phase and less tearing.

After five vaginal births and working with hundreds of pregnant women, I’ve created a Labor + Delivery Checklist w/ all my insight! (drop a 🎉 for the link)
If you’d like help, consider my OB package— A 4-appt package (w/ savings) designed to help you have the BEST pregnancy, L&D and postpartum! Let’s PREVENT problems so you can enjoy this incredible life season.

07/18/2025

Because I know what it is to not live well, to settle. I’ve been there too. I’ve struggled postpartum. It was challenging to care for my kids and not be able to move or exercise as I wanted. It was hard to feel weak, or like I might hurt my back if I lifted something too heavy. Now, I don’t even think twice about it. I play volleyball and basketball with my kids, I waterski at the lake, and this weekend, I did heavy manual work cleaning up our landscaping & garden. I can still pick up and carry my 7-year-old and sprint around the bases during our family kickball game. If you want to live an active lifestyle with your family, I’d love to help. It’s not just about {not} p*eing your pants or having toned abs. Honestly, if that’s all this was about, I wouldn’t be doing it. Instead, it’s about my patient who wants to+ bath her kids without back pain after a night around the bonfire+ go to Yellowstone this summer without having to stop & p*e every hour. + play Spikeball with friends on a long weekend+ push her double stroller on a gorgeous summer day and not feel like her uterus is falling out.This is why pelvic PT matters. It’s not just about avoiding pantyliners & having a flat tummy in a swimsuit.If YOU want what these women have found, I’d love to work with you! Here’s how:+ 1-1 in my clinic here or virtually online.+ However, summer can be busy, and making appointments is hard! That’s why I developed two courses: Pelvic Core is for those struggling with pelvic floor weakness, prolapse, and urgency. Diastasis 101 is specifically for diastasis training. If you’re questioning which one you need, I can help you determine!+ Looking for a smaller commitment? Consider joining me in Refine Fitness - this is a great first step if you want to get stronger in 15-30 minute workouts, 3-4x/week.Comment 💪 below, and I’ll send you the info on this!You were made to THRIVE this summer; it’s not too late. Stop settling for 75%. You were made for 100 - healing awaits. 🩷

05/13/2025

Don’t let your bladder control your fun and plans this summer!
Many of you have your schedule dictated by where the nearest bathroom is located, which is especially a pain when you’re running around at kids’ activities, traveling, or on vacation. Worrying whether you’ll make it to the next bathroom location is taking up brain space and causing unnecessary anxiety when you should be having fun!

If you thought it was normal to go “just in case” you can’t find the nearest bathroom, you’re wrong! If you thought it was normal to always be thinking about where the next toilet location might be, it’s not! This is wasting up brain space and FUN when you should be focused on enjoying the people you’re with!

I’d love to free you up this summer! If you want a worry-free summer WITHOUT constantly going “just in case,” comment “TIPS” and we’ll send you our FREE toileting habits resource!

Address

618 8th St SE
Orange City, IA
51041

Website

https://refine-pt.com/

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Behind Refine PT

The word Refine comes from 1 Peter 1:6-8 - “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.”

Taken from the dictionary, REFINE means to remove impurities or unwanted elements, to cleanse, to purify; it means to improve (something) by making small changes.

Refine PT recognizes that health isn’t just six-pack abs or bulging biceps. It’s not about eating a perfectly clean diet, following a bunch of food rules, or even achieving a certain number on the scale. Health is wholeness - in body, mind, and spirit. Truly being well means that we can’t address one without the other, and if we are going to seek wellness for the creation (our bodies) we need to first seek the Creator, the Giver of life and all good things, including the body He’s given you. The posts you’ll see shared here at Refine PT are just an overflow of Truth from the Word combined with what it means to live truly well. I believe that when we are well in ALL aspects of our health, we are then able to cast off the things that bind, and live life to the fullest, as mom, daughters, and friends. We are able to love deeply, serve wholeheartedly, and dive into the passions that He’s given us, which makes His glory known!

If you have any questions about Refine PT, you can find more info on my website, send me a message here, or email me at tanya@refiningwellness.org. I look forward to connecting with you!