Staying Active With Baby
Let me go on the record here by saying I am NOT a fitness expert by any means. I do not know the names of all the exercises I do or what you should do to target certain areas. I also am not the person that wakes up excited to workout. I really have to push myself to make it happen and even more so now with a toddler. I would love to be a fitness enthusiast, but I am truly just a fitness wannabe all the way.
Enthusiast or wannabe, we all know exercise is good for us and it is something I try to do a few times a week. That used to mean heading outside for a quick run no matter the time of day or swinging by the gym for a class. But after having a baby all of a sudden workouts had to become very planned and scheduled. Miles is great and prioritizes my workouts if I'm wanting to go to the gym, but that's just not always possible with our schedules so sometimes you have to make it work on your own!
I have definitely gone through rough seasons over the last 16 months when workouts were pretty nonexistent because "I didn't have time". Lack of time is usually the biggest struggle when it comes to being active, but I'm here to tell you how to make it happen even with a tight schedule!
Here are a few things I have done to stay active as a new mom (but you can also do no matter your season)! The great part of these workouts is they are all pretty quick, but all very satisfying!
- Walks/runs with baby! This is by far the easiest because most babies love going for a stroll so it gets you out of the house, keeps baby happy, and gets you fit all in one. Win win win! I use this jogging stroller and have loved it and so does Anniston! We use a jogging stroller because we like to run and go on trails, but if you're looking for a good power walk on the sidewalk then your normal stroller should be just fine!
- Online workouts! When Anniston was napping multiple times a day I would usually do a workout dvd or online workout. Now that she is down to one nap I sometimes switch it up and workout during nap time OR while she is playing! Let's be honest, nap time is a sacred time and sometimes you have to get stuff done around the house or just sit for a second! One of my favorite websites is Tone It Up because it's a great fitness community with a lot of free workouts available! You can also choose workouts based on what area you are wanting to target AND how long you are wanting to workout!
- Quick workout programs! I LOVE a good workout program because it keeps me accountable when I have a schedule. I told you about my couch to 10k training and my half marathon training plans that I followed, but a quick and easy program I have followed in the past is Kayla Itsine's BBG program! I really like these workouts because the entire workout is 28 minutes long. HOLLA. This is something you can easily fit in during nap time if your babe doesn't do well with you working out during play time haha. This now has an app I have been wanting to get, but I printed out the plan when I bought it years ago which is also an option! These workouts are tough, but SO good! I highly recommend them!
There are SO many great options out there. I try and switch up my workouts, but if I'm really not feeling anything then we definitely just go out for a walk in the stroller. If you're new to working out, going out for a quick power walk is a great place to start! If you're wanting to do more and target your whole body, then jump in with the Tone It Up girls or Kayla Itsine's or your own fitness regimen! Just DO something! It's not only good for you, but it models how important being healthy is to our little ones. It's not always fun or easy, but you'll never regret it! Now if I could just get on the whole "healthy eating" kick, but that's another plan for another day. :)
