If you exercised during pregnancy, you will now feel the benefits of your prenatal workouts. Your muscles are toned, you are able to lose weight more quickly, and you can recover faster after birth. However, some form of exercise after pregnancy is necessary to keep fit and stay healthy. Aerobics, swimming, walking or yoga can help prevent post partum depression or mood swings. Exercise after pregnancy can be beneficial for you and your baby.

Benefits of Exercise

There are many benefits to be gained with regular exercise after pregnancy. Aside from promoting weight loss and helping prevent post partum depression, exercise will improve your cardiovascular health and boost your energy level. It will also help condition your abdominal muscles and restore overall muscle strength.

Breastfeeding and Exercise

As long as you stick to moderate physical activity, exercise should not have any adverse effect on your breast milk. Some studies, however, seem to indicate that high intensity workouts may cause lactic acid to accumulate in breast milk. This could produce a sour taste in the milk. If you breastfeed your baby, avoid strenuous physical exercise. You can also discard the milk produced in the half-hour after your workout.

You will also feel more comfortable if you nurse your baby before working out. Wear a supportive bra while exercising. Keep hydrated by drinking lots of fluids.

When to Start

If you had a normal delivery without complications, you should be able to start your exercise program a few days after giving birth or as soon as you feel ready. Even women who had a C-section are encouraged to begin walking as soon as possible. Start by walking slowly for 15-20 minutes every day, but not to the point where you feel fatigue. Gradually increase by 5 minutes each session until you can walk without getting tired for 30 minutes.

Women who had a caesarian operation should delay abdominal exercises for at least 4-6 weeks after giving birth and must avoid lifting heavy objects.

To be on the safe side, always consult your doctor or health care provider before starting your exercise after pregnancy. Stop exercising if you feel fatigue, pain, or experience bright red vaginal bleeding.

Exercises to Try

When you are feel ready to exercise, start with a daily walk or a few laps in the pool. You will eventually want to focus on core strength, cardio, and strength training. Exercises after pregnancy to develop core strength include pelvic tilts, leg slide, bridge, Kegel and back extensions.

To work on your cardiovascular fitness, remember to start slow and easy. Avoid high impact exercises such as running or aerobics when you are just starting out. Walking, swimming and working out on an elliptical trainer are excellent forms of exercise after pregnancy. As you get stronger, you may even consider adding a stroller to your walking or jogging routine and take baby along with you when you exercise.

When you start to exercise after pregnancy, always let your energy levels guide you in your workout. Back off if you feel tired, or increase the intensity when you feel stronger. Interval training can help you burn more calories and shed unwanted baby fat faster.

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Every busy Mom needs a little motivation to lose weight and get fit every now and then.  The key is knowing what motivates you and what doesn’t. You have to have a reason…a purpose for losing weight and getting fit.

I am motivated to lose weight and get fit because I don’t want to be unhealthy. I want to look good and feel good. When you are healthy, you greatly decrease your chances of getting a serious disease.  And for some silly reason, I just don’t want to be that one who runs into an old high school friend and they *gasp* because I look totally different than what they remembered!

I have noticed that motivation takes on a snowball effect. When I’m not feeling very motivated I’ll start off doing something small – like go for a walk. Once I’m out walking, I start to feel more motivated and then I end up jogging. Start small and you will get more motivation as you go.

We are all motivated by different things. If you are lacking motivation then you must look within and find the reason why. Purpose drives motivation to lose weight and get fit.  So what’s your purpose? Once we know what motivates us to lose weight and get fit then we must have willpower to keep going!

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I know many-a-busy Moms (myself included) who feel they don’t have time to workout especially after a long day of work and being away from the kids all day. But, no more excuses! Why not get a workout AND spend time with the kids?

Here are five ways to include the kids in your workout routine:

Jogarama/Walkarama

I received a jogging stroller at my baby shower and I LOVE it. Since summer is here there is no better time than now to get one of these if you don’t already have one. 

Also, thanks to a comment by StrollerFittin’ I learned about Stroller Fit! This is great idea. Unfortunately, there are no classes near me.   

Squats, Lifts, and Dips

Using your baby/toddler as a weight. Hold her while you do squats, leg lifts, and dips.  The weight of your child will really make those muscles burn!

Playarama

This is my sons favorite! Just play with your preschooler. Get on the floor and wrestle.  It’s fun and you can work up a sweat!

Jump, Jump

Jumping up and down is a great workout.  If you have a trampoline – even better. If you don’t – that’s okay.  Just jump around in place. Make it a game to see who can jump the highest!

Hop Scotch, Jump Rope, and Tag

These games are great fun and you can work up a sweat if too – if you work at it.

These are some of the things I do when I can’t get a ‘real’ workout in. If you have some ideas to mix working out with your kids please put them in the comments below. I’d love to have more ideas!

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Hey busy fit Moms! If you haven’t been serious about losing weight, getting fit, and living healthy NOW is the time to turn it around! You have what it takes within you to lose weight, eat healthy, exercise, AND maintain it.

It’s called WILLPOWER.

Dictionary. com defines willpower as the control of one’s impulses and actions; self-control. This let’s us know that we can have control over our impulses and actions!

It is a powerful thing when we know that we control how much we eat, what we eat, and how much we exercise. Willpower is very much tied into being disciplined. Discipline is defined as an activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill. It is something that is practiced and with time if you continue doing what you are practicing you will become skilled.

We need to GET TOUGH with ourselves! Don’t be a wimp!

Once we decide that we want to get fit all we have to do is lay out a plan and STICK to it. If we use our willpower to practice a discipline we will soon master it.

Action Item:
Identify one area on your weight-loss journey that you need more discipline in and use your willpower to master that area!

What area do you need more discipline in? Share your struggle area in the comment section below. Let us know what you will do this week to master that area!

photo credit: Novecentino

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If I am going to lose weight and keep it off one thing I know I must do is change my eating habits. This was proven to me when I started the South Beach Diet last fall. I lost 10 pounds in two weeks just by changing what I ate – sweeet!

After doing a little bit of research I found some natural fat burning foods. These foods are said to contain special properties that give you energy and help your body melt away unhealthy pounds – AND they give your body the extra metabolic kick that it needs to shave off weight quickly. Now who doesn’t like the sound of that?

If you eat the right foods you can consume 1,500-1,800 calories per day and still lose weight without endangering your health. Read more

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Since I’m feeling really out of shape and unhealthy (and I NEED to do something about it) the first thing I have to do is develop a game plan – something that is realistic and that I can stick to.

Last fall, I started the South Beach Diet and I lost 10 pounds in two weeks just by changing what I ate and walking three times a week. Then in came the cold and snowy Michigan winter and out went my eating habits and exercise routine. Ugh!

I know, poor excuse! Read more

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