Ugh. I know. Sometimes the last thing a new mom wants to do is pull on her yoga pants (that are probably a bit tight because of the baby weight) and hit the gym. Believe me, I can sympathize.
I gained around 50 lbs. with my pregnancy, and I was anxious to get it off ASAP. I remember being disappointed when my doctor told me I couldn’t do anything but light walking for exercise for 6 weeks after giving birth. So I walked. I walked and I walked and I walked – lightly. I was slowly losing weight but I discovered something more important happening. I felt FANTASTIC when I was walking. Everyone knows the stresses of a new baby can make you feel like you don’t have much control in your life. I found that exercising-even just light walking-gave me back that feeling of control. My focus on losing weight suddenly faded away and I was able to relax and just enjoy my daily exercise.
When I was able to do more strenuous exercising, I worked hard to make time during the day just for me to work out, and it paid off. Not only did I end up losing more than just my baby weight, I became a much happier, much calmer, and more organized new mom. Exercising is now just a part of my daily life, and if I skip it, I feel like something is missing.
Not sure how to get started? Here’s what worked for me:
· Take your baby for a daily walk. Like I said before, it’s all you’re allowed to do the first 6 weeks.
· Once you’re ready to do more, schedule a light workout while the baby naps, because the dishes are less important. I started with a post-natal yoga video while Will slept in the bouncer next to me.
· Join a Mommy/Baby Yoga or Exercise class. Since I’m not into group workouts I never did, but I have mom friends who did and really enjoyed them.
· Find a workout facility that offers drop-in child care. Once you find the right one, you’ll be hooked. I still take Will to our local rec center at least once a week. You’ll get an uninterrupted workout, plus your little one gets to socialize with other babies.
As everyone says, start slow. If you find yourself dreading your workout, stop immediately and find a new one. Before you know it, you’ll be in the market for a smaller pair of yoga pants. J
