Believe it or not, I once looked like this:
Okay, not true. You were right to not believe it. BUT I was in really good shape, and, prior to becoming pregnant, my body looked the best it ever had.
And then, Little Pants came along. So now I look like this:
That one unfortunately is true. Nothing like a gazillion months of pregnancy, a c-section, and a failed attempt at breastfeeding to leave one looking soft and saggy. But it's time for that to change!
My first goal for my new direction is to get my pre-baby body back (or better!). However, the reality is that as a mom (or just a human), creating and sticking to a workout plan is hard. Really. Freaking. Hard. But I have a few tips that have helped me in the past that I want to share - because it IS possible to workout and stay healthy, no matter what your lifestyle.
1. Get up a little earlier.
Unless you're a fitness model or some other individual who gets paid to workout and look hot, it's hard to find the time. The only thing that's helped me solve this problem is setting my alarm a little earlier. I like to workout first thing in the morning, so I try to get up before the baby and that gives me a little bit of time to squeeze in my workout uninterrupted. But if you're one of those people who can barely walk in the morning, much less workout, you can still take advantage of this tip! Use your morning time to complete some other task that would take up time later in your day, and then take the time you freed to fit in a workout in the afternoon or evening.
2. Be realistic about the time you have.
Look, we all have a lot to do. And, unless you live at Hogwarts and have a time turner, you're stuck with only 24 hours to do it all. So be realistic - do you have an hour to workout five times a week? If so, great! If not, that's fine! Just maximize the time you have available. I can usually only spare 30-45 minutes to workout (translation: I can't make myself get up any earlier than that - see Tip #1), so I workout at home most days because it saves me the time traveling to and from the gym. Work with what you have, whether it's 15 minutes or two hours and whether it's seven times a week or only two, and maximize that time by pre-planning workouts, choosing your location wisely, and prepping your needed clothes and equipment in advance.
3. Set a goal you can get excited about.
Do you think people who run long distances for fun are insane? Then don't set a goal to run a marathon! Did you buy an amazing too-small dress that you know you'll look incredible in? Then work towards fitting into that dress! Set a goal that's relevant for you. For me, right now, the big goal is to get back down and even slightly below my pre-baby weight. The point is to choose something that YOU care about!
4. Break your goal into baby steps.
If you DO want to run a marathon, but you can barely run two miles right now, break your big goal into baby steps. These "mini-goals" will keep you motivated, and help you feel like you're making progress as you work towards your big goal. So if the marathon is your goal, Non-Runner, plan to start with a 5K, then a 10K, then a half-marathon. Celebrate your victories at each baby step as you work towards your big goal!
5. Take advantage of every opportunity.
Even if you don't have time to do an actual workout, you can still fit in a little bit of exercise each day. My baby likes to scream his lungs out from about 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. every night unless he's being held and moving. So we do lunges and squats together - and I give myself bonus points because they're weighted lunges and squats (Little Pants is a chunky monkey these days!). Seize your opportunities, whether you take the stairs at work a few times, do some crunches during the commercial break of your favorite show, or do curls with the groceries as you carry them into your house (your spouse will love that one - Sexy Pants still makes fun of me for it).
6. Incorporate what you love.
Working out doesn't have to be miserable - in fact, it shouldn't be! Incorporate the things you love to make it fun and rewarding. Do you love being outside? Then start running or walking outdoors in the sunshine. Do you love your family? Make them work out with you (bonus: you can run off a bunch of your kid's energy!). Do you love wine? Well, I haven't figured out how to fit that one into a workout, but if someone else does, please let me know...
Bottom line: make working out work with your life. You'll be glad you did, because...
...your husband will thank you.
