Five Mom Fitness Workouts

Five Mom-friendly Fitness Workouts

Once your baby is born you are filled with so much joy from the event. Unfortunately, this blessed event also comes with a few extras – weight gain and flaccid muscles for a major start. Here are five workouts moms can do inside and outside the house to get their pre-baby shape back (and front, lol).

When you first bring your baby home, the trick is how to get sleep and tend to your baby at the same time. The last thing you are thinking about is weight loss and this is a good thing. Adjust and bond at this time. After the first few months when baby begins to settle into a routine, you’ll have more time to think about your body. If you breastfeed, you probably know most of the good news. Breastfeeding causes the uterus to contract and return to its normal shape a lot faster that for mothers who do not and you are burning more calories by making the breastmilk.

New moms say they don’t have time to think about fitness even after baby learns to sleep. When the baby sleeps, they clean up and get a shower, possibly a nap. However, baby has changed his or her schedule after a couple of months and changing yours will benefit you and baby.

Now that baby is on a schedule, are you ready to lose that baby weight? Here are five ideas to use when baby is sleep or awake to get some exercise every day.

1. Go for a walk. Everyone needs fresh air. For a newborn, use a Snuggly to carry him if he is awake. You can talk to him while you walk. If baby is asleep or on the edge of sleep, bundle him up in a stroller and hit the pavement. Jog strollers allow more ambitious moms who would rather run to do so along with baby and stay safe. It’s important to have the breaks on your stroller if you decide to jog.

2. Do some baby weightlifting. Who needs barbells when you have a new baby in the house? If baby is awake, use him to strengthen those muscles. Place baby on your abdomen when doing crunches. Use him as your weight for bicep curls, military presses (carefully), and chest presses. Don’t forget to also do Kegel exercises & strengthen the pelvic floor to help get those out-of-position muscles back in shape.

3. Put in a DVD. The great thing about DVDs is that they can be stopped and started with the touch of a button. Starting slow with your workouts will ensure you stay with them. Try a twenty-minute program if that is all you have time for. As baby sleeps longer, increase the length of your workout. As baby gets older they will also love to be in their bouncy chairs and watch as mom shimmies around the living room.

4. Choose a gym with child care. Some women enjoy taking fitness classes. Getting out with others makes you feel like a real person again. A gym that has child care allows you to exercise without worrying that baby will wake up and interrupt. Or just hit your gym and get some time to yourself on the treadmill and the weight room.

5. Try water aerobics. You and your baby can take a water class. Babies live in water for nine months so they are used to it. Keep them in the water with you as you kick, twist and jog off the pounds. You might not sweat, but working the body in the water is a incredible workout.

Welcome to motherhood and trying to find balance. The beauty of our kids is they are ever changing. In turn so will our workouts and our schedules. Never boring at least