Every New Mom CAN Find Time to Exercise!

By Kate Horney

New moms have a lot to think about: when to feed the baby, what to do if they cry… and how to get rid of those extra pounds packed on during pregnancy.

There is a TON of conflicting information out there about how to lose baby weight. If you’re not an expert, it’s really difficult to know where to start, especially when you’re sleep-deprived, overwhelmed, and already have so much on your plate!

If you don’t know where to start (or if sifting through fat loss programs makes your head spin), you’re not alone. Getting back your pre-baby body doesn’t have to be complicated.

 

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The first step is finding the right workouts. (Read more about how to lose your baby weight.) But even after finding the right workout, it can be hard to find the TIME you need to fit that workout in…can you relate?  

If you’re struggling with figuring out how to fit exercise into your everyday life with a newborn, here are some easy ways to start.

7 Ways Every New Mom CAN Find Time to Exercise

1. Set An Alarm: I know that it’s tempting to snooze as late as possible-especially if your baby has been up all night. But setting your alarm with enough time to get a quick 20 minute workout in before you start your day is a great way to ensure you work out before the day gets away from you. For many moms, if you wait until the afternoon or evening there are just too many activities and commitments that come up. Find a workout that you love that can be done at home in the morning before everyone wakes up. It’s a great way to start your day.

2. Do it at Home: “Getting slim without the gym” has been my favorite motto since becoming a mom. As you know, there are some days when getting out of the house to exercise is simply not an option. The good news is that you can still get fit in the comfort of your home. Don’t despair if you feel like you don’t have time to get to the gym. Remember, our goal is to do SOMETHING. And you can get a fabulous fat burning workout in the comfort of your own home. Hold your baby and do squats and stationary lunges (no weights needed!) for your lower body, then lift your baby overhead (get ready for some giggles) to strengthen your arms and shoulders, or lay on your back and do “baby chest presses.” And during those precious 30-minute nap times, grab some dumbbells and get in some at home postpartum workouts using our Beyond Baby program!

3. Just Do Something: What do you do when you are so busy you barely have time to scarf down a meal, let alone get a workout in? When I was in newborn mom mode, “just do something” was my motto. It comes down to either doing something or nothing…it’s your choice. It’s ok if you can’t commit to a full workout today. In fact, with a new baby, some days finding 30 minutes in a row might be impossible. That’s ok! I suggest breaking up the time into 10-minute increments and then work your way up to 20 or 30-minute sessions as you can. The key is to do SOMETHING!

4. Take a 5 Minute Walk: Go for a walk with your baby in a front carrier or sling or put your baby in the stroller and go for a walk. When your baby is at least 6 months old, you can put him in a jogging stroller and even try some sprints! Click here to read the proper way to push a stroller. Just remember to keep the pace slow and relaxing. Moderate intensity aerobic exercise raises cortisol and can lead to muscle loss just as readily as fat loss. Moderate intensity aerobics burns calories, but provides little hormonal advantage, so I tell my clients to practice high intensity workouts combined with low intensity, leisurely walking for best results. Leisurely walking is done slowly at a relaxed pace, allowing you to easily carry on a conversation (a speed of 3.5 or less on a typical treadmill). Adding 2-3 intense weight training workouts per week to your leisurely walking is a great plan for burning the baby fat.

 

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5. Burn it at Bedtime: I’ve talked with hundreds of moms who swear by online workouts done when they put their little one down to bed. Join a program like Beyond Baby or find workouts that can be done in comfort of your own home. As soon as you tuck your baby in, commit to doing a quick 20 minute workout before you crash on the couch and enjoy that precious post-bedtime hour with Netflix and your slippers.

6. Embrace the Endorphins: No matter what time of day it is, the truth is, many days you might not feel like exercising…but once you get started, you’ll be amazed at how your energy, motivation, and mood improves. Beyond helping you burn the baby fat, exercise provides additional hormonal benefits to a new mom. In addition to lowering stress hormones and stimulating fat burning hormones like HGH, exercise releases endorphins that will help ease the postpartum blues that almost every new mom encounters. Not only does it help with depression, but I also found just 10 minutes of exercise helped me sleep better, and is a huge help in relieving stress (as wonderful as it is, having a new baby in the house is stressful). Even if you don’t have the time or energy to get back into a full training schedule, you can take advantage of those feel good hormones by squeezing in short 10 to 20 minute walks as soon (and as often) as possible.

7. Find Some Accountability: Having social support, whether through friends, or family, or awesome women in an online community (BeyondFit Life Club), is key to staying accountable. We are social creatures by nature, and we feel good when we have someone who listens and can relate to what we’re going through. Consider getting involved with mommy and baby fitness classes (you can workout and bond with your baby at the same time) or join a group workout if you belong to a gym. Group training allows us not just to get a great workout, but to develop and foster friendships-many of which reach beyond the walls of the gym. If you don’t have a local group, connect with moms in a similar situation as you online. If you need a friend, I’ll keep you accountable! 🙂 The key is to establish a built-in support system and to make sure you have someone to help you on your journey.


Dear New Mom,

I’ve been in your shoes (or should I say slippers…. there were days when I lived in my PJs!) I get it, you want your kids to have a Mom who looks and feels her best. The trouble with postpartum fat-loss is that you just don’t have time to be messing around. You can’t sit down long enough to research diet and exercise plans, and you won’t waste energy on prepping for a plan which won’t deliver. You have just a few more pressing things on your mind, right?

 

You’re in the right place. I’ll reveal how busy Moms like you CAN burn fat and get your body back – in less than 3 hours per week. I did it. Now it’s your turn. Click to learn more about Beyond Baby

 

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