Motherhood brings about a series of momentous changes in every woman’s life. Most days you find yourself just struggling to find the time to take a shower and brush your teeth let alone make the trek to the gym and get a workout in. But you can still manage to look like a million bucks while doing your duty of being a hands-on mother. Here are 6 ways a busy mom can keep fit.
1. Plan Your Workouts – Motherhood naturally teaches you to become a planner. It’s not easy keeping a tab of everything from your child’s food habits to his nap timings so you have to plan for them. Plan your workouts in a way that they create very little disruption for you in your established schedule. Try and squeeze in an hour of exercise while your child is asleep, at the park, or home with dad. If going to the gym sounds too daunting to you, try an at home workout.
2. Reach Out For Support – If you’re a new mom, you will always find yourself hard pressed for time. It’s just the way it is. Just when you think you’ve got yourself a moment’s rest, you have to rush to tend to your wailing baby. Your sleep has taken a toll and you’re exhausted trying to manage everything. Working out is probably the last thing that’s on your mind. In a situation like this, try not to be so hard on yourself. Ask your husband, a close friend, or a family member for their help and support whenever you need it. Let them look after the baby while you go for a revitalizing run to burn off some steam.
3. Keep It Movin’ – You’d be surprised when you think about the number of tasks you do while sitting. While watching your favorite show on TV with your little one, try and get up in between the commercials to do small chores like washing dishes or getting a glass of water from the kitchen. Don’t plop yourself on a bench at the park while your kid enjoys his game of soccer. Instead, take a stroll until they are finished or join in on the fun. The next time your hands reach out to the elevator button, try and remind yourself to take the stairs (unless you have a stroller with you, of course). Try using a baby carrier instead of a stroller and wearing your baby to help keep your baby close to you and help you get back in shape. Long story short, stay active all the time and as much as you can.
4. Stop Pointless Snacking – As your little one enjoys his favorite cheesy pretzels after school, you might want to stuff your face with these calorie laden snacks. Three words for you – don’t snack pointlessly! Keep a tab on the amount of calories that you take in a day and make sure those calories come from healthy sources like fruits, vegetables, nuts and meats. According to a WebMD article, a moderately active woman within the age group of 19-51 years requires about 2000 calories a day.
5. Make Exercise Fun – If you detest the idea of working out in a gym with 30 other sweaty beings breathing down your neck, you don’t have to force yourself to join a gym for the sake of getting your dream bod! There are many other (fun) ways you can achieve the same. Next time you go shopping for your little one’s outfits, take a detour to the video section and buy yourself a fun, dance workout DVD. Or search for some on YouTube If you are more the peaceful kinds, yoga can be your fitness mantra. Design your workout regimen based on your personal choice, not on the speed with which it helps you shed those extra pounds. Anything that keeps you active is good for you.
6. Set A Goal – It’s always easier to work towards something when you have the end result in mind. Put up a motivation board with your target weight, pre-pregnancy photos, and inspirational quotes in your room. Look at it every day for 10 minutes and record your weekly progress on it. At the end of each month, monitor your performance and growth; what worked and what didn’t. Doing this simple activity will make your workout plan much more streamlined and fruitful.
And remember, don’t be so hard on yourself. It took you 9 months to gain your pregnancy weight and it will take around that same amount of time to return to normal. Enjoy the ride!
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