WELL BODY: Babies vs Fitness Routine - How To Do Both
By Rebecca A
Having babies, toddlers and preschoolers are a great excuse for many of us to drop exercise from our self-care checklist. Having three young kids under the age of 4 years old myself, I know all about it. My routine would be sporadic, consisting of the rare run here or there, the odd power walk, an occasional huff and puff up the Great Wall, with youngest child strapped to my back. They say hindsight is a beautiful thing, but here is what being a mom of three kids who were all under the age of 3.5 years has taught me.
You are living in a constant state of exhaustion. How anyone is supposed to exercise when feeling like that, I don’t know. Sleep is important – do whatever you have to do to get lots of it. When I took a good B vitamin supplement I had way more energy. Even now, if I stop taking my vitamin B, my energy levels slump through the floor and I’m a hot mess.
Find a friend to workout with. Moms with babies love other moms with babies; hanging out with other moms help us to feel like an adult again. Push the prams together, stop for a play on the oldies exercise equipment in the park. Just ‘move’.
Working out at home is actually quite easy and fun with non-crawling babies and kids over the age of 3. There are some great online workouts on Youku you can watch for free, and if you require accountability to stay focused (like I do), then find an online WeChat support group. I’m involved in one that does the 21 Day Fix programme and watching all these Real Women, with Real Challenges, and Real Families, is so inspirational it keeps me pressing play every day.
Go Kirsten! You've got this!
It’s almost impossible to workout at home with a toddler. They climb on you, get between your legs, crawl under your planks, and collide with your push-ups. Also, they only take one nap a day, and that nap feels too precious to spend exercising (when you could be watching Marie Kondo or reading a book). So don’t be hard on yourself if you aren’t exercising for a few months. Get the pram out and go for a short walk instead, or don't. That's okay too. This time shall pass.
Do what you can. Give your baby independent floor time when they are little and they get used to it. So you can put your baby down for 20 minutes and do as much of the workout as you can before they cry. If they are in a fussy stage, then look online for workouts that include a baby in it. Don't beat yourself up for not exercising, and it is hard to get started and find a routine that works. Instead, begin saying simple mantra such as 'I move my body every day' and then go for a walk, or do 10 minutes of yoga from Youku. Baby steps are good.
Mommy and Me fitness classes. Beijing has a couple of different Mommy and Me fitness classes including Pilates, where babies and toddlers are welcome. This is a great option for socialising and getting back into fitness.
Find an evening yoga class. So that after baby goes to sleep, you can go out while someone else watches the baby for a couple of hours. LOL. Who am I kidding? Remember the first point? Get as much sleep as possible.
Get an ayi. If you are lucky enough to have an Ayi who watches your baby, then find out where the Fit Mama’s are exercising during the day and get along to a class.
Start your own group fitness class. If you can’t find a fitness class or something that suits you, decide what you want and try and make it happen. There are many instructors in Beijing who will happily put on a class for you in your neighbourhood with a group of friends.
As you exercise more, you will also sleep better, and your mental health will also improve. It’s tough to get back into a fitness routine after having a baby, but if you can commit and make the effort, it’s well worth it.
For more details on the 21 Day Fix WeChat support group where you can connect with other real women, facing real challenges, message WellWomen (follow our account, tap ‘view’, then tap the keyboard) with the words 21 Day Fix or WeChat: Hannah_Northcott.
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