Wellness & Fitness
How to make time for exercise when you’re a new mom
Monday, January 16, 2023
For new mothers, exercising is crucial for maintaining a healthy body, reducing the risk for chronic diseases and protecting mental health. POOL| POOL
Exercise is essential for maintaining a strong body and reducing the risk of developing chronic diseases. It also helps to protect mental health, especially for mothers who are just starting out.
Exercise can help regulate your body weight. It can also reduce the stress involved in caring for a newborn.
When she welcomed her second child, Mary Ng’ang’a was in dilemma about when and how to resume her routine workouts.
However, being a regular gym mom, the idea to just stay at home was too overwhelming for her fear of losing weight.
“Baby weight is not an embarrassment. It’s a sign of the blessing and miracle that comes with pregnancy. Some people possess good DNA. Some people can quickly lose baby weight and get back to the gym in a matter of weeks. Then, there are those who need to put extra effort to get back, and the journey might be something else,” says Mrs Ng’ang’a.
Marion Kathambi’s story was very different when she gave birth to her second child three-years ago. Marion Kathambi is a faithful visitor to the gym so she has no problems returning to work.
“My firstborn was a responsible seven-year-old girl. So I could just leave her with her sister, rush to the gym and come back as first as possible,” says Ms Katahmbi.
But jangling children and work can make life difficult if they aren’t well-planned.
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“Your days are busy from the moment you wake up. Between getting the children set for the day, running your household, and managing your career, you’ve got a lot on your plate. Finding time to work out in the middle of it all is the key point,” advises Ms Kathambi.
How can a mom who is busy find the time to exercise?
Joshua Ogara, a private trainer in fitness, says planning is the key to success.
“Exercise is a powerful way to help us feel better. You need to recognize that each stage of motherhood can be hectic. With the planning tips, you can be able to create an exercise plan that fits your lifestyle,” says Mr Ogara.
Make sure you have made arrangements for your children. Your fitness schedule may be changing because of them. You need to learn how to manage them during your workouts.
It is more difficult to make time for exercise when you have additional children. It all depends on the place you are doing your workouts, if it’s a child-friendly area, involving them is one way to solve the issue.
“Asking for help from a trusted person to watch over your children is another way to help you stick to your workout plan,” he says.
You can still talk with them during this time. This helps to ease some of the guilt moms feel when they think about whether or not to exercise.
Second, make sure to schedule an appointment for yourself. Women who have a hectic lifestyle need to make sure they schedule time for their exercise.
Do you ever dream of missing the presentation that you are waiting for or missing a client’s appointment? You should do the same for your daily calendar.
“Write your class times in your day planner, have your assistant block off your weekly workouts in your meeting book, or you can as well enter your workout windows in your Google Calendar” notes the coach.
This will help you organize and protect your exercise time, he says. It’s a simple trick, but it can go a long way toward helping yourself stay accountable.
It is important to prioritize your workout. There is nothing as easy as compromising your fitness goals when you don’t have a clear motivation to work out.
This can however be prevented by visualising the “why” that keeps you motivated.
“The ‘why’ fitness is important to you could be; to stay fit and avoid health problems, to feel good in your clothes and body, to stay strong and active so you can keep up with your kids as they grow or reclaim your body after having a baby. No matter what your motivation is, finding a way to keep it top of mind is critical.”
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To make it even more enjoyable, Mr Ogara suggests that a home gym is a great idea.
“Creating a gym at home can be as simple as purchasing a few main items, such as dumbbells, resistance bands, and an exercise ball, or even stationary exercise machines like the bicycle to help you work out seamlessly in the comfort of your home,” he adds.
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