Are you struggling with losing weight after just having a baby? Do you feel like you have no time to get anything done, let alone work out!? It’s important that you know you are not alone in this feeling. There are many women just like you who are feeling this. Every day as a new mom, it just seems so hard to get back in shape. There is laundry to do, diapers to change, clothes to fold, sleep to catch up on, people to visit… and the list goes on. How do you fit in a workout on top of that?
Here are a few ideas that can get you started in the right direction in case you have no time to get to a gym or any gym classes.
- Go for a walk/jog/run with the stroller. No, you do not need to get a jogging stroller, but it would be a good investment. But even just walking with a regular stroller Do this once a day for 1 mile, 5-6 times a week. This is a great place to start if you are on maternity leave or staying home, this is the first step.
- Do Yoga. We are in a really lucky time in technology where we can basically stream anything that we want to on our computers, TVs and phones. You can find 10-15 workout videos on YouTube – Pop Sugar is a great resource. However, I say yoga specifically because it still requires lot of strength but it can be done while the baby sleeps and is quiet and powerful enough that it won’t wake a sleeping baby.
- Baby Carriers. Do all chores with the baby strapped into a carrier. The baby adds about 8-20 pounds onto you (depending on the size of your baby) and as you are vacuuming, washing dishes, putting laundry in the wash or folding it, putting dishes away, carrying items back and forth up the stairs – these are all things you are doing anyway but now with almost 10 more pounds added. This can build strength in legs, arms and core.
- Get a Fitbit. Being able to hold yourself accountable is huge. If now one else is there but a baby that doesn’t talk yet, who is going to tell you to get up off the couch and start moving? Fitbit will! They will tell you when you get up and walk and when you have been sitting for too long. Being able to see how many steps you have taken in a day can help you set a goal and get yourself up and moving.
- Join a Mom Group. Join a group for moms on Facebook or Instagram and make some friends. They know what you are going through, they can help hold you accountable for doing workouts at home or not.
- Purchase Handheld Weights. Anything that you are doing, carry around a weight. If you are sitting and breastfeeding, the other hand should be doing curls. You can use them to do weighted squats when the baby is sleeping or while they are sitting in their high chair.
- Pick a Time. Pick a time that you are willing to dedicate to working out today. Don’t pick an unrealistic time like early in the morning. That is setting yourself up for failure. Pick possibly before dinner or when the baby is napping every day. This way you will be able to stick to your goal.
- Chair Exercises. Using the chair from your dining room table, you can use this for tricep dips, push ups, squats, standing hip extensions and more.
- Pick a Diet You Will Stick to. It is easy to find diets, but it’s not so easy to stick to the ones that require specific things to make and eat. Make sure when picking your diet, you know it will be doable and that you will be encouraged to stick to it. Try to get the hubby to do it with you so that way you are holding each other accountable.
- Believe in yourself. It is so important to believe that you can do this. Have faith, set a plan, make connections and stick to it!
Diet Plan for Weight Loss
