Tag Archives: Post-Pregnancy

5 Ways Moms Can Fit In A Workout

Motivation, , , , , , , , ,

1. Workout before the kids wake up

As if we aren’t already sleep deprived! But believe me, setting up a new routine to get a workout done first thing in the morning will work wonders for the rest of your day. You will be knocking it out first thing in the morning, eliminating any further procrastination on getting ANY workout done at all.  Once you have your workout completed, you won’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day! Your will be charged with energy, pride and ready to conquer your day!

2. Workout at home!

Why waste time going to the gym? You know you don’t have time to get ready to go to the gym, drive to the gym, wait for others to get off the gym equipment, drive back home, etc.

I used to be a “gym rat” (a frequent gym go-er) and after entering motherhood there was no way that I could possibly fit that back into my lifestyle, especially while nursing. So I turned to workout DVDs. I never had much faith in workout DVDs before, so I went for something intense just to make sure I’m spending money on something that works (Insanity). Now, I’m convinced. Workout DVDs are lifesavers and are now my preferred method to working out (as a mom of 3 kids). Sure, it may not seem as motivating as going to the gym would be, but the key to this is to find a workout buddy, group or coach online that is familiar with the program that you are doing. Commit to reporting online or by text daily. Being able to talk to others that you can relate to or that have had success with the program can be really motivating. Even just looking at transformation photos and articles on a regular basis can help push you to keep going with your workouts.

Overall, utilizing workout DVDs can save you so much time and frustration. Once you find the opportunity to workout, perhaps during an unexpected nap time, just head straight to your TV and pop in a workout DVD. You don’t even have to bother getting on your workout clothes. WHO CARES! Workout in your pajamas, dress, underwear! You won’t be in public, so wear what you would normally wear around the house and sneak in a quick workout without the hassle of getting ready.

3. Let the kids join you

If the kids won’t let you have any “me-time”, let them join you! It can be a fun, learning experience for them. As a parent, you are setting a good example for them. They will be more likely to adopt a healthier lifestyle if they see that it is a part of your routine.

I know, you probably think this is a crazy suggestion. But I’ve done this with all 3 of my kids! They’ve all been distractions, cheerleaders, workout buddies and coaches.

As toddlers, they would usually climb on top of me, crawl through my legs, etc. Rather than classifying them as a distraction, I took it on as an added workout challenge for my benefit. So if they climbed on top of me, that was added weights/resistance. If they climbed through my legs or ran around me in circles, I just had to be more focused in my movements and modify the moves to the space they provided me. Sometimes my kids would serve water to me when they thought I needed it or high-five me when they knew I did a tough exercise. They would surprise me sometimes too by copying the workout moves and ask me if I think they were doing a good job.

When my kids were babies, they watched me in their bouncer, swing, carseat, walker, jumparoo and while they were drinking a bottle. If I had the music from my workout program playing loud, they would usually fall asleep right away. If they cried and giving them a bottle wouldn’t work, I would pick them up and workout with them in my arms (while modifying the moves, of course). The movements would sometimes make them fall asleep too and so I would eventually be able to continue the rest of my workout as normal afterwards. If not, oh well… I tried. That’s better than not trying at all 🙂  The first few times may be difficult, but after some time they will get used to the routine and know that everyone and everything is okay.

4.  Have a dance party!

Who doesn’t love a dance party!? Turn up the music and have some fun with the kids! Get creative. Do some silly moves. Pick them up and spin around. Do the hokey pokey. Jump around. Not only will you be sweating after a few minutes, but you’ll create an awesome bond, create happy moments they’ll remember and earn your “cool mom” points!

5. Set up a moms workout group

Many moms get together for playdates, so why not get together for workout dates? Pitch in for a neighborhood sitter to watch the kids while you all have a workout party at home! I’ve seen many moms workout to DVDs at home together. Either take turns bringing out those DVDs that are just collecting dust or try out the latest workouts that others seem to be talking about.

Insanity Workout – Day 2

Insanity,

After An Insanity WorkoutOkay, this is not at all a pretty picture of me, but here is proof that I worked out today to Insanity.

Although I’ve worked out to Insanity before, my body is acting like it has never gone through this workout before. Being pregnant really does take a toll on woman’s body. One thing that really changed was the strength in my core. There is close to absolutely none at this point. So one thing that I hope Insanity will do for me is to strengthen my core by a lot. My lower back has been hurting a lot lately and I’m going to guess one reason is because my core muscles aren’t able to provide any support.

The drills were a killer and at about 19 minutes left on the clock, I was ready to give up. But, rather than quitting, I kept pushing and I lasted until the very end. I thought to myself, “Why am I going to quit now when I’ve just started? I want to see results and I’m going to get my results!” I think many times when it comes to achieving our goals, a lot of it has to do with our mind. When we feel like quitting, we don’t put up much of an argument and so we allow ourselves to give up so easily. But when we do remind ourselves of our goals and our original intent, then it’s easy to continue on.

Getting Fit Tip: Keep digging deep! Exercise is supposed to be uncomfortable and getting good results requires us to stay committed. The challenge itself will be very rewarding in the end, so stick to it! Take short breaks if you need to, but do stop only if you feel you may be injuring yourself.