The dangers of the Hollywood mum trap
I’m a little fired up today. And here’s why…
Yesterday I read an article at the dentist in No Idea (Sorry New Idea)
where a Hollywood Actress who’s now a new mum,
was sharing her tips on how she got back into shape after giving birth.
Now I’m happy for her, but here’s my problem with this advice.
New mums read articles like this and get disappointed
with the progress they are making, compared to the
Hollywood star.
Forget Hollywood.
Hollywood is the last place you should look
for any health and fitness advice.
Just think…
When movie stars give birth, they’ve already assembled
a small army of helpers.
There’s a fulltime nanny, chef, driver, personal assistant,
trainer and nutritionist just to name a few.
Imagine having all of that at your disposal?
Imagine not having to wake up 4 times a night
to feed the baby.
Having all your healthy meals prepared for you
by a chef.
Or…
Getting a relaxing massage every 2 days.
Or…
Working out with a full 8 hours sleep under your belt.
Under those conditions with all that help anyone
could look amazing.
See, over the years I’ve met plenty of mums who are frustrated
with their weight loss progress after having a baby.
In most cases they’ve been unknowingly been following poor
advice, which happens all the time.
At Pram Fitness, the mums follow proven advice.
The mums only do exercises and workouts, that are
proven to get results.
And nutrition wise…
I keep it simple, tasty and easy to follow.
In the 30-Day Nutrition Plan I give out to new mums when
they join Pram Fitness, they experience weight loss, anywhere
from 2kg, to 5kg in the first 30-days.
We currently have an offer for you to come along and try
Pram Fitness with our intro offer of 14 Days for $14,
it’s an absolute bargain and a no brainer in terms of giving it a go…
To join our special intro offer CLICK HERE
Have a great day,
Karen
Our top tips to help you burn your baby weight away…
Now that the weather is starting to warm up, if getting in shape for Summer is something that is on your mind check out our top 10 tips to help you along the way with a tried and tested action plan…
Get your head in the right space
It’s important to think about where you want to end up, to have a clear focus of what you ultimately want to achieve.
How will getting to this point make you feel?
Have you ever looked this way before?
How long have you wanted to achieve these results?
Are you really prepared to put in the work that will be required to get to your goal?
Often when I come across temptations, I ask myself “will eating this help me achieve my goal?” The answer was generally No so that gave me the drive not to eat it.
Tell the fork to fork off
How many times have you sat down to eat and eaten until you are completely stuffed! Think about your last bowl of pasta or even the last meal that you just couldn’t get enough of.
This is a little tip I tell my clients to help them listen to their body and to know when they are full and it’s so simple…
Eat your meal, enjoy it, savor it and appreciate the nutrients that you are putting into your body. Then once you have finished, stop and wait.
Wait for 5, maybe 10 minutes and the food you have just eaten will have started being processed by your body, I guarantee you that your mind will be telling you that you are full and you don’t need any more food.
Give it a go, I can almost promise you that it works every time and as an extra hot little tip, don’t snack on your kids leftovers. Some mums I chat to say that eating their kids food can actually mean a whole extra meal in their day and is one of the big reasons they don’t achieve their goals.
You need to be a strong mumma!
Muscles do one of two things, they either shrink or grow…
Now before I continue, ladies don’t freak out. When I say your muscles will grow, I don’t mean you will look like Arnold Schwarzenegger when your muscles grow – quite the opposite actually.
Any woman that does strength training will tell you exactly how hard it is to gain any kind of muscle. The female bodybuilders out there have to (ironically) work their butt off for their physique.
Females are NOT hormonally set up to gain a huge amount of muscle, so mums don’t worry!
Ok, now that I’ve cleared that up, how do your muscles shrink or grow?
Hold onto your hat, here is the bad news…
From the age of approximately 30 years, when you don’t strength train, your muscles start to waste away – it’s as simple as that.
I have a saying with my women clients: “If you don’t use it, you lose it”
What is even worse is that muscles can waste away at a rate of up to 0.5kg per year – arghhhh!
When you strengthen your muscles, your body turns into a fat burning machine.
When I talk about strength training this could mean anything from body weight exercises or weight training – basically any kind of movement where your muscles are put under load.
Don’t be a carb-hater!
With the rising popularity of diets like Atkins and Paleo (that’s been made popular by Paleo Pete) it’s not surprising that people are confused.
I have heard it all from my clients in the past, “Carbs are bad! Carbs are making me fat! I’m going to cut out all carbs, I don’t eat carbs after 3pm” and the list goes on… BUT do you actually know that your body needs carbs to function!
It is true that if you read the pages of popular trashy gossip magazines you will read that Hollywood stars can easily whip themselves into red carpet shape by simply eliminating carbs.
So should we get rid of carbs from our diet altogether? The simple answer is NO but it does depend what type of carb you are eating.
The truth is, you can have your carbs and eat them too—you just have to know how to choose them.
The trick is to avoid processed simple carbs like sugar and white pasta, and to be very careful of foods pretending to be “healthy,” like cereals that are full of sugar and granola bars.
A quick trick is to look at the label and avoid anything that has more grams of sugar than fiber or protein. Instead, fill your plate with a variety of whole, unprocessed starches which will provide nutrients vital to brain health.
I am a huge fan of sweet potato, quinoa and brown rice as my main source of carbs to add to my meals.
Argh… These scales must be broken!
Have you ever jumped on the scales after being really good with your nutrition for a week and then thought; “WTF, these scales must be broken”.
You wonder how you could possibly weigh the same or (shock bloody horror) higher when you have been eating all the right foods and exercising.
Here is a big tip, make sure you read on…
The scales are the worst measure of success. That’s right, throw them out, get rid of them otherwise they will do your head in.
I feel programs like The Biggest Loser show us completely unrealistic weight changes, sometimes with the contestants losing up to 12kg in a WEEK. Now I don’t know about you, but when I see extreme, fast weight loss like that on TV I instantly feel like the next thing I will see is a heart attack.
Your weight as a woman is heavily dependent on fluid, muscle, fat and hormones which is exactly why the scales aren’t always helpful.
To keep things extremely simple in this area I always ask my clients how they feel in their favorite jeans. While it’s not a super accurate measure it’s a “feelings based measure” and something that I know every woman can relate to.
I have a pair of jeans that I’ve had for at least 5 years, they are my favorite and I know that when I put them on and they fit me like a glove I am feeling good. If I’m struggling to do them up, perhaps I’ve been indulging a bit much and I need to get myself back on track.
It doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep it simple and do what is going to work for you.
Ditch the diet cycle
Ok, lets be honest who has had these thoughts before?
1: Your not happy with your body and you want to lose weight. Simple I’ll go on a diet…
2: You deprive yourself for what seems to be forever, you eat minimal food and limited calories to get fast results.
3: You hit your “goal weight”
4: Woohoo! You then go crazy, you eat every food you have been starving yourself of during those 8 weeks or so. You start drinking wine with your dinner, you snack on a bag of chips, you eat all the bread in the house and you binge on chocolate.
5: You eat it all and feel terrible because you have lost control, you have broken your plan and now your body can’t handle these foods.
6: Your bowel movements become irregular and now you feel even heavier than before.
7: Starting tomorrow you will get “back on your diet” and the horrendous cycle continues…
So you’re sitting there thinking – yep I’ve done this before, but what I want you to see is that it’s a vicious cycle that doesn’t get you anywhere.
Now the question needs to be asked; what are you going to do about it?
My advice to all of my clients is not to think about food with a “deprive” mentality. At the end of the day we are all human and we are all going to eat things that aren’t that good for us. It’s going to happen so I coach my clients to embrace it.
There is nothing wrong with having a treat as an occasional food. If chocolate is your weakness, don’t say to yourself – no more, ever! Instead tell yourself that you will have some chocolate at some point in the week but it will be a small amount and you will know in your mind that it is a treat and you should feel good about eating it.
Think about kids, the second we tell them that they can’t have something, what do they do? They want it more than ever, tantrums, hissy fits, I think you get my point.
Don’t deprive yourself, don’t diet, just keep everything in moderation. Eat the foods you love and enjoy – just remember, you need to make this conditional when you are really trying to get to your goal. For example; if you love to have a glass of wine, then make it one night a week, as opposed to five. See what I mean? Remember to compensate with your activity and don’t feel guilty about the glass of wine.
Just effing do it
Procrastination gets you no-where, I always say “Imagine how good you will feel in just a few weeks if you start today”
Believe me when I say I know it’s not easy. You are generally sleep deprived, your kids have sapped all of your energy and you don’t have a lot left in your tank, but if you get started the more you do it, the easier it will become.
You need to be honest with yourself and work out the reasons why you need to do this, how is it going to make you feel and what positive impacts will there be for your family?
If you work out your WHY, it will make it so much more achievable to stick to your plan.
Don’t be the one to hold yourself back from achieving the body and the life that you have always wanted – you are the one that can make it happen, starting today!
I hope you enjoyed these tips and can incorporate some or all of these steps into your life today!
If you are wanting to come along and try out Pram Fitness, check out our free pass offer, we look forward to meeting you soon!
The Pram Fitness 5-Step Return To Fitness Plan
As a new or even not so new mum, we understand that finding the time and energy to live a healthy lifestyle isn’t easy. Here specialist post natal fitness trainer, Karen Robertson will guide you through the most effective ways to tone up and safely drop your baby weight in 5 easy steps.
It’s very natural and common to have put on some extra weight during pregnancy, however we know that once your baby has safely arrived you are going to want to get rid of any excess baby weight you have gained. It might seem like an impossible task, you are sleep deprived, coping with a new way of life and getting used to being a mum. With all of this in mind we have come up with our most common sense tips that won’t get in the way of your new routine to help you get started back on your health and fitness journey.
STEP 1: You really “are what you eat”
Get rid of all temptations: It’s true that if it’s not there, you can’t eat it. Even the most disciplined mum with cave to the temptation of a packet of Tim Tams in a sleep deprived moment of weakness so we say just don’t have it there in the first place. Get rid of all biscuits, cakes and crisps and crackers form the kitchen and fill your fridge with healthy snacks that will fill you up and give you the energy you need to get through your demanding day as a mum.
Good food choices to have around the house include Greek Yogurt, nuts, fresh fruit (especially apples and bananas) which are both good sources of antioxidants and fibre.
Keep a food diary: It might sound like a bit of a chore but it is a great way to keep yourself honest about what you are really putting into your body. You don’t have to do it forever, just a few days or a week to ensure you are keeping yourself on track.
Step 2: Get outside and go for a walk
Walking is the easiest way to get back into exercise after giving birth. Once you have clearance from your doctor we recommend starting with light stroll. Remember your body is recovering from birth and you now have to get used to maneuvering a pram.
Start with an easy walk around the block. Eventually you can work your way up to a power walk. But a gentle walk can still do wonders for you and your body, especially in the beginning.
Remember, walking doesn’t have to be boring. Rather than meet your mum friends at a café for coffee and cake, why not ask them if they would like to meet up to walk and talk. Walking is a fantastic way to get some fresh air, socialize with your friends and enjoy different scenery in your area.
Step 3: Learn to breath deeply
Learning this breathing technique can help you switch on your deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. This is an important first step in rebuilding the pelvic floor muscles for mums that may experience incontinence after giving birth.
Here’s how to tone and strengthen your abs safely.
Step 1: Start sitting on a chair with one hand placed on your upper abdomen (just above your belly button but under your rib cage).
Step 2: Breathe in slowly and deeply so that you feel your tummy rise under your hand and your rib cage expand. Fill your lungs with air and then hold the air there for an extra second or two.
Breathe out slowly, you should feel a gentle rise and fall of your belly under your hand as you are breathing. Remember you want to fill your lungs with air right to the very bottom, not just in the upper chest area.
Just a minute or two of diaphragmatic breathing when starting out is great. Then try to build on this up to five minutes at a time if you can.
We know this really might not sound like you are doing much but trust me when I say, you will notice a difference if you start to incorporate this simple exercise into your day.
Step 4: Breastfeeding to lose weight
Breastfeeding can be a beautiful time for both mum and baby. It can also help with initial weight loss as breastfeeding stimulates the shrinking of the uterus which in turn helps to flatten your tummy.
As well as helping you burn calories, breastfeeding also produces the hormone oxytocin. This hormone stimulates the muscles of the uterus to work and therefore helps to tone your tummy muscles so that they achieve their pre-pregnancy state. This is why you may feel light contractions from time to time as you breast feed for several days or weeks after your baby is born. It’s nature’s way of helping you get your tummy flat again, and is a bonus of breast feeding.
Don’t worry if you find your weight loss plateaus while you are still breast feeding. Many Mums find that they cannot shed the remaining 2-3 kilo’s during this time. This is quite normal and experts claim this is the body’s way of aiding milk production. Enjoy this time with your baby and plan to lose those few remaining kilo’s after you have stopped breastfeeding.
Step 5: Find out when you can start working out
Before you get back into any kind of exercise routine after giving birth, check if your body is ready for it. To do this you can have a chat with your doctor at your post-natal check up which is usually around the 6 week mark. Keep in mind, so many changes occur during your pregnancy if you jump back into strenuous exercise you can be in danger of injuring yourself. So please, please, please forget about doing any kind of stomach crunches, they may well do you more harm than good.
Ask your health practitioner to recommend a post natal exercise program that will concentrate on the exercising the muscles in the correct way. There are more and more exercise classes aimed at Mum’s where they can bring little one along. At Pram Fitness we welcome babies from 6 weeks old right up to school age. Our focus is on the mum, however we believe that by our mums exercising in front of their children from such a young age, they are showing them how important it is to lead a healthy and active lifestyle.
And finally…
Listen to your body and take things slowly. It will take a bit of time to return to your pre-pregnancy weight and your previous fitness level but if you do it correctly and ease yourself in you will have much more success at achieving your goals safely.
And remember, be patient, be consistent and listen to your body. I hope you have got a lot out of these tips. If you would like more information please visit: www.pramfitness.com.au
From, your trainer, Karen.
How a busy working mum got started with exercise and how you can too!
As a mum it can feel like you’re on the go 24/7 with no time to look after yourself.
I often speak to mums who are busy, tired and feel like they can barely keep their eyes open, let alone think about the idea of exercising. After all, how are you meant to find time to workout when you can’t even go to the toilet without being interrupted by your little one?
I had a chat with one of our Pram Fitness mum’s – Fiona, to find out about her experience with finding a way to fit exercise into her already busy life. Before becoming a mum, Fiona worked in a very busy and stressful legal job as a lawyer. She juggled working long hours with trying to have a social life, spending time with her husband, and of course her family. Then came along her first bundle of joy, a beautiful baby boy followed very quickly (within 7 months) she was pregnant again with number 2, her super cute little girl. When she thought she was busy before having a baby, having 2 in very close succession meant that she now had to be a ninja with her time management skills.
Between being a mother to 2 young kids, returning to the workplace, running errands, doctors appointments, cooking, cleaning etc… there was little time left to take care of herself, but somehow she found a way to fit it in. I asked Fiona to kindly share her best tips for how she manages to fit in exercise and take care of her own health and body as a priority.
Here are Fiona’s top tips for fitting in exercise…
1: Find something that works for you
When my second child was 4 months old, I felt totally blah, was not proud of the way I looked and I was exhausted. I knew that I had to do something to make me feel better about myself, get my health back on track, and give me more energy. I had been a member of a gym before having my babies, but putting a 4 month old in a creche was not appealing to me, for two reasons: 1) I was concerned that my 4 month old might get knocked about by the older kids, and 2) both of my children were so young (my eldest was only 20 months at the time) that I knew there would be separation anxiety and I probably wasn’t going to get a planned workout in a lot of the time.
Enter Pram Fitness… A couple of my friends from my Mother’s Group had trained with Karen from Pram Fitness and recommended her, so I emailed her to and asked if I could come along for a trial. And as they say, the rest is history! My youngest is now nearly 18 months, so I have been training for 14 months now and I love it!. My children love coming to class and playing with the other kids, they get some outdoor play time, I get to chat and have a laugh with other adults, and I get to workout with my kids right next to me. Win, Win I think.
2: Block out your time
Think about it like you are at work and you set a meeting in your calendar. Treat it as an appointment that you have to meet. If you have it blocked out the time, then you are more than likely to actually make it happen. My workdays are structured and busy, not that my days at home with two toddlers are not equally as demanding…
I am now back at work three days a week, so I can only get to Pram Fitness on Mondays and Tuesdays. I have made getting to those classes at 9:15am and 8:15am a priority on my “days off”. Nothing else is allowed to take priority-swimming lessons will not be booked at those times, I can’t do coffee at those times with friends…Make training a priority like you would treat a regular commitment.
3: Have a plan of what you are going to do
Blocking out time to work out is great but it’s also important to think about what you are going to do with your time. For me, I just have to get myself and my kids dressed and out the door (which I think is hard enough) and the trainer takes care of the plan. If you are going to workout on your own make sure you think about what you are going to do so you don’t waste your time. Maybe it’s going to the gym or using an app; whatever it is just make it work for you.
4: Don’t even worry about what your “Active Wear” looks like
To be honest, if I get myself out the door without being spectacularly doused in vomit or snot that has been so helpfully transferred from one of my lovely tots’ noses to my top, then it’s a good day. I do have a whole heap of workout clothes that I rotate because I train outdoors so they do get dirty easily.
Personally I love Bonds Activewear-it’s reasonably priced and fun-I love wearing 80s fluoro and and a mismatch of animal prints. It’s a style choice that I’m not sure is working, but I like it, I’m comfortable and I’m training, so who cares!
5: Workout with the kids at home
I very rarely get any alone time, actually I can’t remember the last time I was at home without two kids hanging off me and demanding my attention every second of the day. (That’s why work is actually a bit of a break for me…) Sometimes, when I’m not planning on going to a Pram Fitness class I take the kids outside with some toys and food. I keep them entertained by interacting with them (chatting, singing songs etc) while I am doing simple circuits that Karen gave to me, like this:
10 x Squats (usually holding a baby and a toddler grabbing one of my legs)
10 x Pushups
10 x Walking Lunges
5 x Burpees and
1 Min Plank
I would keep rolling through this circuit for as long as I can keep the kids happy but even if it’s a complete disaster and we have meltdowns. I think that fitting something in is better than doing nothing.
6: Play with your kids at the playground
When my kids are happily playing at the park I often have a look around to see what there is that I can make use of. Some of my best hot tips are doing things like tricep dips off a park bench, step ups or squats. Just be creative, run around with your kids, have fun and act like a big kid yourself.
6: Walk instead of drive
Luckily here in Australia, even when it’s Winter and cold, it doesn’t really stop us from doing anything. I try to be mindful to not jump in the car when it’s possible to get around with the pram. Trust me, pushing two kids in the pram is no easy task. That in itself if a workout so I try to incorporate walking where I can.
7: Be honest about “not having time”
People who fit in regular exercise don’t find time, they make time. If we are really honest with ourselves most of us do waste time scrolling through Facebook, dreaming of a new kitchen and pinning on Pinterest, checking emails and even cleaning takes up a huge chunk of time. Don’t get me wrong, while I know cleaning needs to be done, to me a quick clean and fitting in a workout is much more important than everything around the house being absolutely spick and span. So if I’ve wasted 20mins on Facebook, I’d much prefer to use that time to do a quick workout.
8: Don’t be hard on yourself, raising children is hard!
The thing is, life happens and having kids means that you can never have a rigid plan that you will be able to stick to. Flexibility is key, and rolling with the punches.. I’ve just missed my last 2 training sessions because my whole household is full of sickness with the winter germs going around.
There are days when my planned workout doesn’t happen and I’m ok with that. It just means that if I have an opportunity to fit it in somewhere else I will. Don’t stress and don’t compare yourself to any mum that is making fitness with kids look easy on Instagram – they just have really good filters, or have an au pair hanging in the background that has been told to stay out of the shot☺
9: Create your own support team
Juggling the demands of being a busy working mum can often feel overwhelming, always remember that you’re not alone. Pretty much every other mum around you is in the same boat. Find a mum friend that lives nearby and share the responsibility of looking after each others’ kids so that you can workout.
Sometimes just having someone to talk to makes all the difference when you are feeling tired and lacking energy – says Fiona. Make sure you ask for help when you need it and don’t say no if someone offers to help!
10: Make it worth while
When you think about it, spending time with your family is always the most important thing. Working part-time in a busy job means less time with my family. One of the things that always runs through my head when I am working out is “Make it worthwhile” says Fiona. I have such limited time to exercise so when I do I am going to make it count.
Fitting in fitness into a busy schedule with 2 young kids is hard and for most people exercise is often the first thing to go. But with a little bit of planning I promise you it’s do-able. The great thing I have learnt from training with Pram Fitness is that thinking about my health is not just something that is optional anymore. Being a fit, healthy and strong mum is not only great for me, it means I am being a great role model for my children and if they grow up understanding how important it is it live an active lifestyle then I am happy!
A big thankyou to Fiona, one of our very special Pram Fitness mummies for sharing her top ten tips with us. As a busy working mum we thought she was the perfect person to share her experience and let you know there is light at the end of the tunnel – you just have to want to make it happen.
If you would like to know more about Pram Fitness please check out or website: www.pramfitness.com.au
When can I safely return to exercise after having a baby?
Congratulations, you’ve given birth to your beautiful baby, survived the first few weeks and you’re now starting to think about getting back into exercise – awesome!
As a specialised post-natal fitness trainer, believe me, when I say I know there is a lot of conflicting information out there in regard to when exactly you should start exercising after giving birth so I am going to do my best to help you know what might be the right course of action for you.
Unfortunately, there is no (one size fits all) answer to this question, but I can give you general guidelines that you can follow along with the advice of your GP and health practitioner to help you safely ease back into the swing of exercising.
Before I give you any of my advice, I would, of course, say that as a starting point you should consult with your doctor, gynaecologist, midwife or physiotherapist to get their opinion as to when you might be safe to return to exercise as it is always important to get a professional opinion. With that said we are going to explore this topic so that you can see what might be the best option for you.
First of all, we want to you remember that whether you had a vaginal birth or a c-section, you body has been through a major trauma. You have spent the last 9 months creating a human being and getting that little bundle of joy out of your body is no easy feat.
As a very basic rule, I always suggest that if you have had a vaginal birth you will need to wait at least 6 weeks before you ease back into light (low impact) exercise. If you had a c-section or a more complicated birth I recommend you wait at least 12 weeks before you return to light (low impact) exercise. At the 6 or 12 week point (depending on your birth) is the point I recommend getting a check up with your doctor and getting medical clearance to start exercising so you know you are ready to get moving.
Once you are ready to start exercising and have medical clearance to do so, here are my top tips to help keep you safe on your journey back to fitness:
1. Start back slowly
It took around 40 weeks for you to make your baby and it’s going to take time for your body to return to normal. Be patient and only do movements that don’t cause you any pain.
2. Low impact first
If you find that any jumping, running or high impact exercises are causing you problems with continence, you should take the exercises back to low impact movements and continue to work on strengthening your pelvic floor muscle before you start adding impact. The pelvic floor muscle is like any other muscle in the body, It needs to be worked to be strengthened so make sure this is something you remind yourself to do every day.
3. Abdominal separation
It’s very common for women to experience a condition called Diastasis Recti, which is a separation of the abdominal muscles. Your health care practitioner or GP can check this for you when you attend your 6-week post-birth checkup. If you find that you do have this condition you might also need to work with a specialist post-natal physiotherapist that will be able to help you with exercises that will activate your deep core muscles and bring the separation back together. At Pram Fitness, we never do any exercises such as sit-ups as these can be potentially harmful to any mum that has separation of the abdominal wall. Instead, we focus on movements such as plank, regressed plank (on knees) and horse stance to rehabilitate the core in a safe way.
4. Loose Ligaments and Joints
Your body produced relaxine during your pregnancy to help prepare you for birth. Relaxin is a hormone that is designed to soften your ligaments and joints during pregnancy and childbirth, and can stay in your body for up to 6 months post birth. This means that your joints can be a little unstable and can also cause instability in your pelvis. Just keep in mind that for the first 6 months post birth you don’t want to do any movements that are too aggressive or dynamic to avoid causing yourself an injury.
5. Go for a walk
You don’t need to be a member of a gym to start a fitness routine, walking is a great place to start. After what your body has been through, don’t discount walking as a good way to get back into cardio exercise. So rather than meet your mum friends for coffee in a café, meet them outdoors for a walk first. It’s a great way to get your body moving safely, catch up with your friends and get some fresh air for you and your baby.
6. Drink plenty of water
Once you start to ease yourself back into your routine, make sure you stay well hydrated. This is especially important if you are breastfeeding as being well hydrated will help to keep you milk supply levels up. I suggest filling up a 1 Litre bottle and carrying it in your pram at all times, this way you will know how much water you are drinking. As a minimum, try to at least get through the 1L bottle twice in a day.
7. Get some direction
If you find you want to start exercising but you really don’t know what you can or should do, find a specialist post-natal fitness group or trainer that will be able to guide you through the process safely. The great thing about joining a mums and bubs fitness group is that you can workout with your baby near you, meet like-minded mums in your area and get support from women going through the same thing as you. If personal training is what you are looking for this is also a great option as you can get a tailored program that is designed to progress you through your rehabilitation post birth and push you when you are ready to be given some extra intensity.
8. Rest and Recovery
The most important thing is that you listen to your body. If you have a day where you are not feeling like you can physically push yourself through a workout then perhaps just go for a walk instead. Your body needs time to rest and repair after what it has been through and being sleep deprived and adjusting to a new way of life is a big task in itself. Be kind to yourself and make your new routine happen when you are ready.
I hope these ideas and tip have helped you know when you can ease back into your own routine after having a baby. If you find you are wanting to train with an organised group that specialises in helping new mums get back into shape after giving birth you can always check out the Pram Fitness Timetable. We are always looking to pop new locations onto the timetable so if you have a mother’s group of at least 6 mums that are keen to get started and we aren’t already in your area, send us an enquiry and we can let you know if it’s possible to get one started near you.
www.pramfitness.com.au | hello@pramfitness.com.au
Thanks for reading, I hope you have a great day!
– Karen, Post-Natal Fitness Specialist