Being a new mom is an up at dawn, all day long, middle of the night job! Your baby’s needs can leave you feeling tired and overwhelmed. When you read about exercise, you wonder how you’re supposed to find the time for working out. Here are a few ideas to get you moving in the right direction:
1. Make it fun. Swing baby around throughout the day. Run up and down the stairs over and over again. Your bouncing baby will love her new roller coaster. Get out of the house and walk. Take in the beauty around you.
2. Seize the moment. Feel busy now with baby? Fast forward the tape 5 years…you’ll be dropping your baby off at kindergarten with two more kids in the backseat. Ah then, you’ll be really busy! Life doesn’t slow down. A better time will not exist in the future. Now is the time to get in the fabulous habit of exercise.
3. Involve a friend. If you’re meeting a friend for lunch, insist on taking a walk after your meal together. Look for ways to be active with others. Meet weekly with another mom to workout, either with the kids or take turns watching the kids while the other mom exercises for 20 minutes.
4. Plan for it. On Sundays, take your calendar out and schedule in your exercise times for the week. Exercise DVD during baby’s Monday morning nap. Walk 45 minutes with baby on Wednesday after lunch. Put it in your calendar and stick to it. You wouldn’t miss a doctor’s appointment, so don’t miss these critical appointments for your health.
5. Set small goals and reach them. If the thought of finding time for a 45 minute workout gets you depressed, start with fitting 10 minutes of exercise into your day, 5 days a week. Once you establish that as your normal routine, you can extend your workout time to 20 minutes on some days, or have a few 10 minute sessions during the day.
As your baby grows up into a little child, give him the gift of a fit, healthy mom. If you exercise, your children will someday too. If you want them to be healthy in the future, it’s time for you to set the example and start fitting time in for exercise today.
Today’s Action Step: Which of these ideas will you use to fit exercise into your schedule?
