Author : Dr Jennifer Frank University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Appleton, Wisconsin
2010-03-15
Postpartum Fitness : Working off the baby weight
Weight
gain is an inevitable part of pregnancy. Getting rid of the extra
weight (especially if you gained more than the recommended 25-35 lbs)
can be difficult. The demands of taking care of a new baby, increased
caloric needs if you are breastfeeding, and the overwhelming fatigue new
mothers experience all can make weight loss efforts difficult. There
are a lot of resources available that can help you in your goal to lose
weight and regain your fitness.
Get moving
This
is the very best thing you can do to feel healthier and lose the baby
weight. This is also daunting to most new moms. First of all, you are
probably exhausted from the pregnancy, delivery, and demands of your new
little person. You also may have let your exercise routine lapse during
your pregnancy. Getting motivated to exercise is challenging under the
best of circumstances and these are not the best of circumstances.
Here are some ways to get started:
1. Go for a walk.
This is a gimme one but is relatively easy to do and as a bonus, you can bring baby with you. Your gym or local YMCA may even have stroller based exercise classes. Walking is great for burning calories (faster walking = more calories burned), helps to "reset" your pelvic muscles and bones, and provides an opportunity to clear your head, listen to music, or talk with a friend.2. Take advantage of the internet.
You must have internet access if you are reading this. Go surfing for exercises that you enjoy doing. One of my favorite sites is Yoga Journal's website which has free 20 minute videos that allow you to practice yoga in the privacy of your own home. Prevention magazine also has free workouts as do many other websites.3. Check out the library (and check out from the library).
I get easily bored with exercise DVDs. After doing them for a couple of times, I am ready to move on. So, it could get quite pricey if I tried to maintain my own home fitness DVD library. I explore DVDs on websites like Amazon and read the reviews. I then request those titles from my local library. Voila! I have a chance to test-drive the DVD first and figure out if it's worth the money to own it. You could also start your own lending library among your friends and exchange exercise DVDs.4. Jumping rope isn't just for grade school.
I got this idea from my husband who is in excellent shape. Jumping rope for 20 minutes (or, honestly, even 2 minutes) is a great cardiovascular workout. A jump rope is light, portable and can be done practically anywhere.5. Dance, dance, dance.
Okay, my particular favorite dance tunes are I like to move it move it from the movie Madagascar and Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus' You get the best of both worlds. This may be because kids' songs are all that are played in our house. Whatever gets your groove on, turn it up, grab that little one and get movin'. |
| Photo by Andy Newson |
6. Video games can be the key to your fitness routine.
Most everyone has heard of the Nintendo Wii and this video game system can get you moving. (You can also just move the controller around so the system thinks you're moving, but this is not as effective at getting you back in shape). My current favorite is EA Active
which has a 30 day workout program to start with as well as a wide
variety of different exercise routines. Wii Fit is also a good
introductory, not too difficult game to try.
7. Take a class.
Exercise
classes can be a great way to get some adult time and to encourage you
to workout. It is easier to cancel an exercise appointment with
yourself than with a class. There are even postpartum classes that will
allow you to meet other moms.
These are some initial ideas to get you started. I would encourage other readers to comment on what has worked well for them.
Other tips can be found at About.com postpartum fitness tips.