One of the absolute last things on my mind is heading to the gym after a long day of changing nappies and getting up during the night. However, I keep on looking at my stomach and thinking to myself, 'All it would take is a little toning or a small diet.'. But after a busy day looking after an 8 month old, the luxury of planning my meals and having the time to stand there and cook them doesn't exist. So a quick packet of crisps or a slice of toast it is (and it always is!). So I've been having a think... how can us Mums fit a fitness regime around our very hectic lifestyles?Here are a few ideas that I've decided to explore that could help us feel like ourselves again, as well as feeling like ‘Mum’.An exercise routine that works around babys sleep routineWe’ve all been told by the midwife or doctor to ‘sleep when the baby sleeps’, but I've never been able to do that. And so I've been thinking.. maybe I can use those valuable few hours to start getting into shape again. I've just cottoned on to the fitness apps for your iPhone that you can get to help organize a realistic and manageable routine, and since I like spending a lot of time on my phone, I really like this idea!Getting the family involvedThis would probably work a lot more if Ethan was a bit older but I thought I'd include it for those of you that do have older children.. If the whole family could do with a slight rethink when it comes to diet and exercise, why not get all of them involved? Family activities can be lots more fun than going it alone. A brisk walk around the park on a Saturday morning together, or a few hours swimming on a Sunday will help burn calories and enable some quality time together. Dietary aids?Fat loss pills are something that should always be researched thoroughly so that you can ensure that you are taking the right ones for your lifestyle and body, without putting yourself at risk in any way. They’re getting more and more common now amongst men and women, and as long as used responsibly, can greatly increase your results. I've never tried them, so I'd be interested to hear the experiences from any of my readers that have.A good diet and enough sleepGetting to know what’s in our food and what things our family should (and shouldn’t) be eating is a good place to start, sites like www.nutrition.org.uk can help with this. Sleep, rest and relaxation are all also essential parts of any fitness regime. Getting enough sleep when having a young baby can seem like an impossible task at times, but we need to always try to make sure that we are getting enough rest so that our bodies have time to recover from any exercise that we do do. This will also help speed up recovery time and help to avoid any injuries.
No matter if we decide to diet, exercise or none of the above all that really matters is that we are happy and that our families are happy too.
I'd love to know if you've tried any of the above. Or if you have any of your own tips or advice for toning up post-pregnancy bodies.
