Well it’s quite obvious that in order to get back in shape and lose the baby weight, there will need to be some form of regular exercise in your life. We all start with the best intentions and say to ourselves, “Once the baby comes, I am going to walk every day and get to the gym three days per week, minimum. Because clearly, I am going to be home for a year so I will have the time.” Ummmmmm yeh…. No.
We veterans (with more than one babe under our belt) know from “been there, done that” ville that being home with a newborn is a whole new life of its own. Unless you are super disciplined, have a husband from God (who will take the screaming baby when you want to run away) and no laundry, cleaning and a perfect night’s sleep, exercise is definitely going to be a challenge.
So does that mean don’t do it?? No way! I’m not letting you off that easy!! Being a mom is hard work and you will quickly learn that the job itself doesn’t get any easier (actually, it just gets harder), but it’s you who will eventually get to the point where you need and MUST take time out for yourself. There will always be other “stuff” to do, but if mom is not happy and taken care of, the family unit feels it (just ask your other half).
This is where your creativity comes into play. What do you like to do? Are you an outdoors kind of person? Stroller fit classes, bootcamps, hiking, power walking?? I live in the Beaches and you can often see groups of moms walking along the boardwalk early in the a.m. before anyone else is awake. It’s your time dammit and so it should be!!
Or maybe you do like gym environments. Spinning, yoga, step, zumba or like me — I just pop my iPod in and tune the world out for an hour while I pump some iron. Most gyms have babysitting so as long as you’re ok with leaving your little one in the hands of another for an hour or so, the possibilities are endless!
Lastly, at some point you will become one of “those women” who must schedule life in a calendar. No need to wait until the babe is in school though. Why not start now? Schedule your workouts in PEN. Writing things down is very powerful and by marking it down with something permanent, it’s that little bit harder to scratch it out.
About The Author:
Samantha Montpetit-Huynh is the mother of two beautiful girls and the founder of Core Expectations – Toronto’s only full service wellness team that delivers personal training, abdominal rehabilitation and other support services to the homes and offices of pregnant women and new moms across the GTA.
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