Exercise After Baby: What Moms Really Want

This post came about after several conversations that I had with my client Simi. During our prenatal strength sessions, we’d often chat about not just her goals during pregnancy, but what they’d be after having her daughter. During one conversation we discussed the varying messages in media and society. On one hand you have the people assuming the ultimate goal is the “snapback”. On the other end of the spectrum was the “all bodies are beautiful” “you’ve just created life” camp. In between sets of TRX rows, we concluded that both perspectives are valid, and that the gray area in between is probably the sweet spot. Weight loss is a valid postpartum fitness goal if that’s important to you, but it would be nice if society understood that your body has been through a lot and “bouncing back” without work (after taking time to recover) is not the case for most.

Fast forward to us talking nine months postpartum, and Simi shares, “I remind myself that my being healthy and active (and thus more happy and energetic) is great for me AND my baby! Some weeks I slip (and allow plenty of grace for that!) but overall the scheduling helps keep me in a good rhythm.” This is from someone that was SUPER committed during pregnancy, sometimes getting 5-6 workouts in per week. But her for the stage of motherhood she is in now, motivation for exercise now is to be “happy and energetic”.

Simi’s perspective is not uncommon. With every client I work with, I ask them their top goals. The most common responses:

• Feel good about my body

• Feel energized

• Reduce pain/prevent injury

• Build Strength/build core strength

Is that to say weight loss isn’t important? Absolutely not. It just means that for new moms there are other priorities and these are the priorities that society, pop culture, and fitness professionals should recognize. It also means that we can appreciate what our body has done, but still want more for it…again, that gray area.

Simi admits her view did change after having her daughter, "My biggest view change is how quickly I want to get back into my pre-pregnancy shape. While this is absolutely a goal for me, I now realize that achieving it as quickly as I originally wanted would require more sacrifice and time commitment than I am willing to give. Time with my daughter and husband together, time with just my husband, indulging in good food and some wine (even though I maintain a healthy diet overall!), spending time with the few family members we can right now, and mental health days are all things I’m prioritizing in addition to exercise. The balance just means slower results, which is okay for me!"

Let’s keep having this conversation. Let’s make that gray area (of what moms really want) more acceptable and known.

Ready for more tips? Download 5 Tips for a Stronger Core After Pregnancy.

Quiz: How Important is Fitness to You During the Holidays?

Schedule irregularity, emotions/stress at a high level, guilt about nutritional choices, priority shifts...the holidays can derail your fitness. The truth is that for most of us, the period from the end of November to January looks different than your life right now.

And before you even continue reading, I'd like you to ask yourself...how important is your fitness during the 5-6 weeks of the holiday season? Seriously, would you say:

• VERY IMPORTANT

• MODERATELY IMPORTANT

• NOT IMPORTANT AT ALL

Once you have your answer, skip to the appropriate section for my suggestions. This is a no judgment zone, do what works for you.

VERY IMPORTANT

This is usually the choice if you've been making progress, you feel better when you exercise, you don't want to disrupt your routine or feel like you have to "get back on track". And in that case, it absolutely makes sense to create a plan so that you can enjoy the holidays while keeping up with exercise. Here are my suggestions:

• Make physical activity part of your tradition. Plan a pre-dinner walk or jog, go ice skating, do a 12 days of fitness challenge or turkey trot (virtual 5K).

• Be an early riser! Even if you don't normally workout in the mornings, commit to AM workouts. There will be less chance of something getting in the way and it will give you time to enjoy the evenings with your family.

• Pick a focus. If you're seeing a lot of progress in one area of fitness, let that be your priority and give yourself some grace in the other areas. Example: make strength training a priority and maybe bike a little less or vice versa.

• Commit: schedule and pay ahead of time for any classes, training or activities you'd like to stick with. Example: Purchase ice skating tickets, schedule with your personal trainer, put workouts in your calendar.

MODERATELY IMPORTANT

This is usually the choice if you've been pretty consistent with fitness and based on past experience know that a little less consistency during the holidays won't break you. You're the type of person that can get back on track pretty quickly. You probably like to balance fitness and indulging a bit. Here are my suggestions:

• Plan to be flexible. Rather than planning workouts for specific days of the week, plan ahead for the type of workouts you like to complete. Example: 2 strength workouts within the week. That way you can fit them in when you have time and not feel guilty if you miss a "Monday workout".

• Choose less intense workouts. If you tend to feel a little more laid back about fitness during the holiday you're probably less likely to want to go all out. Aim for shorter duration and less sweaty.

• Be OK with maintenance. Give yourself some grace that you might not see any gains and that's OK. Your goal is to maintain and not self-sabotage.

NOT IMPORTANT

This is usually the choice if A) you're not consistent now so why start during the holidays B) trying to fit in exercise feels stressful C) You've been working so hard, you're OK with giving yourself a break...you're also confident that you can get back on track quickly. Here are my suggestions:

• Choose a new activity or workout. Make it as a treat or form of self care. Get completely out of your normal routine and make it something you'll look forward to. Set something up just once per week.

• Keep moving. Although formal workouts might not be your thing during the holidays, aim to get in lots of walking, dancing or activities like hiking, skiing or sledding with your family.

• Don't completely rule it out. There may be days that you do feel like a good workout. Don't decide on weeks of inactivity because that's just not healthy. Have a go-to workout on hand for days you have the time.

• Have a plan to begin again in January. Book classes, activities or training sessions now so that you're all set when the holidays end! It’s not getting off track if it’s in the plan.

If you're looking for a workout that:

• You can keep on-hand to do when you feel like it

• Is flexible and can be done anytime

• Helps you commit to fitness during the holidays

Sign up for a one month Core, Function & Fitness training plan, which include 3 strength workouts and 2 core workouts. Free trial and cancel anytime! Prenatal plan available!

7 Best Ways to Balance Family and Fitness

Is there such a thing as balance when it comes to fitness and family?

Finding time for fitness has always been a non-negotiable for me. I need to exercise just as much as I need my daughter to understand the importance of exercise. It doesn’t mean it’s always easy, but it’s definitely doable if you want it to be. Here are some tips from me and Erin, who has 10 and 14-year-old boys.

1.Start early. Like with any habit, the more times it’s done the easier it becomes and the more accepted it is. At first, it may feel impossible to workout with a baby or toddler around, but don’t give up. Eventually, your kids will come to expect it and they’ll realize their efforts to demand your attention during that time will fail. If you’re starting when they are a bit older, make the transition easier by inviting them to participate or starting with shorter durations of time. If you’re starting young, try outdoor workouts first. Kids love being outdoors and will be distracted by the environment which means less work for you.

2.Find activities you can do together as a family. This serves several purposes: A) It allows you to burn calories and workout without mom guilt. B) It creates memories of time spent together. C) It helps the whole family relieve stress and improve health. D) It shows your family the importance of caring for your body through movement. E) An added bonus is finding new things to do as your kids get older (think going from pushing them in a jogging stroller while you run to mountain biking together on vacation). 

3.Have a plan B. Not everyone enjoys working out at home or alone, but if you have a family sometimes that’s the only way to stay consistent. This doesn’t mean it has to be your primary source of exercise, but having a go-to fitness routine when schedules change, kids get sick, or the day gets away from you is crucial.

Get off your phone! How often do you go to an activity for your kids or the park and just sit and scroll. That’s precious time! Make a plan to be active. Get comfortable with a quick workout during soccer practice or playground time. Your kids are moving, why shouldn’t you?

Be flexible. You might not get the room to yourself for home workouts...exercise anyway. Kids, pets, partners...let them watch, participate (or challenge you with distractions), but don’t let that be your reason not to workout.

Book the time on your calendar (and the family calendar if you have one) and honor it! Workouts shouldn’t be the first thing cancelled alllll of the time. Sure things will come up, but treat that time as though it is a lunch with a best friend or a critical work meeting with your most important client. If you have a consistent schedule, book for the same time each week for a month in advance. If not, aim to schedule your fitness on a weekly basis.

Ask for help. Exercise is essential for good health (this is a fact, not an opinion). Moms have a hard time asking for help. We think we need to justify ourselves. We think we need to manage it all. If we can get past that mindset we would be a lot healthier. Fitness is a great reason to ask for help. Let’s stop feeling guilty about it.

The truth is balance in any area of life may not truly exist, but priorities do. It’s fine if fitness isn’t in your top 3-5 priorities, but if it is, YOU CAN and will make it work. It’s true I may not have time for other things if I’m prioritizing exercise (tv, sitting down for lunch, cooking dinner every night), but I’m OK with that, because I feel like I am balancing fitness and family (most of the time!).

Erin has found success by choosing virtual strength sessions and the monthly membership program. Let me know if I can help you find your fitness while balancing your family!

Advice on Prenatal Exercise: 3 Tips to Achieve 40 Weeks of Workouts

I’ve collaborated with two mamas-to-be to provide you with their advice on exercise during pregnancy. I’ve worked with both Shannon and Jen for 40 weeks of prenatal workouts. So consider these 3 tips you approach exercise each trimester.

Tip 1 from Shannon: Consistency is key. Consistent exercise feels better physically, but just as important, consistency will help you overcome that guilty pressure of needing to “get back on track”. Even if you can’t do much, do something to stay consistent. This could be a 40 minute workout, it could be a 5 minute walk. Either way check that box and get it done.

Jen and Shannon

Tip 2 from Jen: Build a relationship with your trainer. This is a great point. Any fitness professional experienced in prenatal exercise will do their due diligence to ask you about your experience, complications, history, etc. You don’t want to have to catch every new instructor up, or worse, not have them understand your strengths and weaknesses. You’ll receive better workouts and your trainer will feel more confident challenging you if you’ve built a relationship. Jen adds, “I have a constant connection with Ashley so I am more aware of how hard to push myself and/or to know what to look out for! Ashley keeps me updated as to what to watch out for if certain pains pop up. This enables me to continue my training with confidence.

Tip 3 from Shannon: Be kind to yourself. “You never know what kind of day you are going to have. Energy flow fluctuates so much throughout different trimesters and can change daily. At a certain point, your body just grows and changes and things you used to be able to do, you just can’t do. I’ve also cut back slightly on how frequently I workout as I get closer to the end, which is okay. I’m still making the time as my body feels it can. I agree with Shannon. For some the hardest part of prenatal exercise is mental. You want to challenge yourself, but you don’t want to be rigid in your goals. With hormones shifting and your body physically changing, your mentally have to be flexible and try to be OK with adapting as needed.

If you’re pregnant and ready to get started, check out 5 Tips for a Stronger Core During Pregnancy.

Ashley Reid is an exercise physiologist with the only strength-based studio for moms and moms-to-be in Philadelphia.