Post pregnancy workout tips: Keeping a consistent workout schedule
Before I had my daughter, I worked out 3-4 times a week. I was very consistent and barely missed a week. I mainly did Vinyasa/flow yoga, power yoga and occasionally mixed in a strength training class or ran on the treadmill. I loved having a consistent work out routine but after having a baby, it’s been near impossible to even have a workout schedule much less a consistent one.
To be honest, it wasn’t hard for me to lose the baby weight. I gained pretty much the minimum amount that the doctor recommended for me. It was not on purpose but I was very conscious of what I ate during my pregnancy and did not gain the majority of my pregnancy weight until my third trimester. Breastfeeding led to pretty much losing all of my baby weight plus some. But after I stopped nursing was where the problems started. You don’t realize how much you eat while breastfeeding until you stop but you are still eating like you are! I quickly packed on weight during the first few months after I stopped nursing and then losing those pounds was very hard! Working out for me is less about losing weight and more about staying fit and healthy. I’m still working on my eating habits and like almost every woman out there, I’m not satisfied with my body and I would love to lose a couple more pounds but that’s another post for another day! Working out is not just great for the body but for the mind too and I think it’s so important that any woman no matter if you are a mom or not, that you spend the time each week working out and taking care of yourself.
I started working out again probably around 4 or 5 months after my daughter was born. It was nice to get back to the gym, not only to start exercising again, which I do enjoy, but also to get out and just have some time for myself. Being that I own my own business, I work so much more then I did when I worked a corporate job and my schedule varies every day. Plus being a mom is a full time job that you can’t just up and leave whenever you want! I can’t fit in 4 workouts a week any more but I try to do what I can.
For those of you just getting back into it after your pregnancy, here are a few of my tips on how I keep up my work out schedule and try to stay fit in between all the craziness of my life.
1. Schedule your workouts: Keep your workout schedule in your google calendar, planner or whatever you use to keep your schedule organized. I’m serious! Write it down like you would any other meeting. Set your alarm!Once I get my alert on my phone that says “get ready for the gym” and then “go to the gym NOW” I know I have to leave my desk or whatever else I’m doing and just go. You wouldn’t back out of a meeting last minute would you? So don’t treat your workouts any different. Schedule it out the beginning of the week so you know when you’ll have time to work out. I prefer to work out during the day but some days I just have too many meetings or I know I’ll need to be at the office all day so I schedule my workouts for the evening. I actually prefer to take classes most of the time so I check the gym schedule every week and then plan my workouts around what classes they offer and when I have time to fit it in.
2. Tell your spouse/partner about your workout schedule: Every week I tell my husband the nights that I’m going out with my girlfriends or if I have a late afternoon meeting and need him home to be with Layla. I also do that if I want to schedule an evening workout. My husband also does the same thing and always makes sure I know his workout schedule as well. This not only helps in that you’ll never be scrambling for childcare but it keeps you accountable, as my husband will remind me that I requested the time to workout that evening so then I feel guilty if I miss it. And I’m not saying my husband makes me feel guilty, he totally doesn’t. It’s all on me and that I committed to the schedule and asked him to make sure not to make any plans or canceled our dinner plans and then if I end up skipping the work out I would feel awful! This goes for anyone that can help you out, not necessarily your spouse but someone that knows how important your workouts are to you and that can help you with childcare if necessary.
3. Get out and workout with your kids! My daughter spends so much time outdoors. Our nanny takes her out during the day and they spend all day playing outside so when they get home late afternoon, she ends up napping for 2-3 hours a day! She loves being out and nothing makes me happier than seeing her happy so we are always taking her out. One of our favorite places to take her is a park that has a playground for kids and also a great area to run and do outdoor exercises. My husband and I often walk to the playground with her – which is a workout in itself whether if you are pushing the stroller or carrying Layla, as the walk is mainly up hill. Once there one of us will play with her while the other gets a work out in. My husband took my photos here for this post because this is exactly what we were doing that day! My daughter not only thinks it’s the best thing ever as she gets to play on the playground but when she sees us running and doing dips or lunges, she often wants to join in too!
Just a quick note about my cute workout gear. Loving these YOGASMOGA tank and leggings. The material is so soft and comfortable but really holds you in. It may be more of a yoga focused brand which I love because I tend to do yoga more than any other workout but I love that it’s perfect for a cardio workout as well. The styles are all pretty classic, some with a little twist that make it unique but nothing too crazy. It’s perfect for a girl that wants cute workout gear but doesn’t want to completely stand out. Price wise it’s definitely on the higher side but as someone who usually shops at Lululemon, it’s pretty standard pricing. Since I own similar pieces from both brands I can tell you that they are pretty comparable in cut and quality. Size wise, if you already shop at Lululemon, stick with the same size. I’m a size 4 in both brands. Both the leggings and the tank are great that they stay in place no matter if you are in a yoga pose or if you are running and doing other cardio. That’s the thing that I hate most is adjusting my clothing when I work out so I appreciate a brand that makes sure nothing rides up or shifts around. I’m really glad I discovered this brand so that I can branch out from my usual yoga brands. I have a few pieces but will be adding more soon!
Hope you enjoyed this post, I know it’s a bit different than what I usually do but let me know if there is anything else you’d like me to cover for any other post pregnancy topics!
Tiffany is the founder and editor of I am Style-ish, a Fashion, Motherhood and Lifestyle Blog based in Seattle. Follow along my daily adventures on instagram @tiffanyish and where I share daily Amazon deals on www.amazon.com/shop/tiffanyish
