After carrying a baby in your body for 9 months, after giving birth and going through those first few months of being a new mum your body will be completely different to what it used to be like. But do you know what? Your body is even stronger than you know! It carried a human for gods sake!
But after a few months of sleepless nights and constant nappy changes things start to calm down a little and you may want to begin working out again. If you are like me you will look at yourself in the mirror and think "this isn't me. I need to change this" I want to feel confident, I want to feel healthy and I want to feel strong.
Now to begin with the idea of exercise is going to be hard. It is going to be a huge struggle. You will need to take it slowly. For me? It was walking. Simple as that. Walking at the shops, walking down to the coffee shop, walking on the treadmill (no incline.) I then was able to build it up to a harder walk. Walking up hills, walking on an incline on the treadmill, walking quicker. It was so painstaking to take it slow, but it helps your body to take it a little easier when starting back into it.
When mums begin to think of exercise the first thing I usually hear is "I have a baby, I can't go to the gym!" Exercise doesn't have to be at the gym. Though some gyms do offer creche facilities. Putting baby in the pram and going for a walk around your neighbourhood is a perfect way of relieving anxieties and getting fresh air. Plus baby might sleep in pram! If the idea of walking isn't your scene, or maybe the weather doesn't permit you go, there are so many different options out there for exercise.
My first go to was Yoga YouTube videos. There are so many videos for beginners that you can choose from and the exercise can be done at home, in comfort of your own environment with baby close by or even joining in! I use several videos including:
Yoga with Adriene
Sarah Beth Yoga
Brett Larkin Yoga
Their range of videos are suitable for all abilities, and have various beginner videos. I have a YouTube playlist with the videos I use, which I will link at the bottom of this post.
There are other options to Yoga videos, too. There are workout videos on YouTube that you can follow with cardio based, no equipment needed, or HIIT based workouts. The world is your oyster as they say!
The other thing I have tried is joining a challenge. A week challenge, a month challenge, a 3 month challenge... whatever you feel you can achieve. It makes you feel committed to exercises. That you have to keep going in order to make it to the end of the challenge. There are challenges for pushups, sit ups, squats .... so many! (Stay tuned for a week challenge designed by me!)
Exercise Ideas:
Walking with pram
Shops- walking
Challenges
Gym with creche
Yoga videos on Youtube
Fitness videos on Youtube
Squats/ pushups/ sit ups while kettle is boiling or loading the dishes in dishwasher
Swimming
Bush walk
Sprint running in backyard
Home workouts
Group fitness groups
Wii Fitness
Treadmill
Fitness Programs (so many out there)
The thing I always here is "I can't keep motivated to exercise." This is an excuse. There are so many ways to keep yourself motivated. For me it is the idea that my baby will soon be crawling and moving, and I will have to keep up with him! Thats motivation enough to get myself fit. I also want to feel confident in my clothes.
Accountability: Whether it is an instagram page, or a friend you need to check in with regularly. Having accountability for the exercises means you are more likely to keep going with it.
Having clear goals: Having a clear goal you want to get, whether it is a certain weight, or a certain size clothing, or even to achieve a particular exercise (or distance with walking). If the goal is clear enough and achievable you are likely to keep going because you know where you are heading.
Setting time each week for exercise. Making a Calendar event each week means you are booked in for the time. This makes you more committed to the exercise. You are making a meeting with your fitness goal!
Before/After photos. Seeing progress can keep yourself motivated to keep going. By taking before and after photos after several weeks means you will feel empowered to keep going when you see small progress.
Documenting the exercises. It seems silly to say but by keeping a fitness journal or having an instagram page for instance where you document your journey keeps yourself motivated. It can be almost like the accountability of your exercises, but it means you can see when you have exercised, and the progress you've made. It can also show you common patterns you have with fitness and mental health etc.
Now I am not saying I am perfect and consistent with exercise. But the past few months I have been making an effort to become committed to my fitness journey. I have been trying to keep consistent with Yoga each day, and each day moving my body in some way. I have seen progress in my strength, my overall body weight and mental health.
If you want to see my progress with fitness keep an eye on my instagram page: @missmumof2
YouTube Playlist:
Spotify Mama Fitness playlist:
If you are from the Illawarra area- Also check out Mama Fitness Illawarra on facebook for regular walking groups and weekly fitness group.
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