Getting in shape is a hard enough task. With all the challenges of everyday life and the information to gather up, maybe the word “task” is an understatement.
Believe it or not getting in shape can be made harder- much harder.
Women who have had a child face a huge uphill climb when trying to not just get in shape but get their body back to what it was before they had the baby. All bodies change as they age, but women definitely have the raw end of the deal when it comes to getting their bodies to respond and react to fitness, especially after they have given birth.
Studies show that the more children a woman births, the more their bodies are altered and affected. This however does not mean it is harder for them to get back in shape. After a few kids their body is “learned” and they have a better understanding of what they can and cannot do.
Women go through a lot when carrying a child, more than what a man could ever imagine. The different food cravings, emotional ups and downs, and lack of sleep. The lifestyle that comes along with carrying a child for most women is the exact opposite of what needs to be done to get or stay in shape. But that is ok, because believe it or not there is more important things in life than looking good, and carrying a baby is one of them.
When it comes to post-birth fitness, things need to be worked into slowly. The body is still very fragile from birth, especially the core area. Most cravings for certain foods have subsided so developing a healthy eating plan is more than likely possible, but if a woman is breast feeding that needs to be held into account as well. So, having a calorie deficient meal plan needs to be planned out properly because the baby needs to get all the nutrients it needs, and too little of calories for mommy means a hard time to produce milk for the baby.
Weight lifting is ok right after birth, but should not be the primary focus. Doing a good mixture of cardio and resistance training is important. The mom’s body is burning calories like crazy because of the process of producing milk, but once again caution needs to be taken so milk production is sufficient for the baby (unless the mom is doing formula). Working into a routine of 3 days a week to start will do wonders because it is more than what you were doing for the past few months and the body is in a different state and more ready for a workout, but always ease into it.
Core work is important too but also needs to be done with caution because those muscle are extremely weak. Plans are a good core movement to perform after having a baby for the first few weeks or even months.
The following is some good tips to follow if you find yourself a new mom or a mom to another child and you are looking at how to get back into shape:
- Don't start dieting too soon. Your body needs time to recover from labor and delivery.
- Be realistic about weight loss.
- Embrace exercise.
- Lose weight slowly.
- Eat up – and take your time!
- Be choosy about foods and drinks.
