The hustle and bustle of motherhood often leaves no time for health and fitness! The key to changing this is seamlessly working your "me time" into the baby's schedule. Babies from three months on can fall into a pretty tight daily schedule with anywhere from 2-5 naps per day. Moms need to make sure they are keeping just as strict a schedule as the baby to insure they are putting personal care at the top of the priority list.
Getting A Workout In
Baby's first nap is often the best time for mom to do her at-home workout! New moms will generally have the most energy in the late morning and are more likely to get it done sooner in the day than if they put it off until later.
First thing's first: get up before baby and dress in your workout gear. That way you can get to work once the little one is deep into naptime.
The No-Equipment Workout
- March in place for 1 min
- 10 standard push-ups (drop onto knees if needed)
- 15 alternating lunges*
- 20 Mountain Climbers
- 25-sec wall sit
- 30-sec plank
*Per leg
Repeat 4 rounds
Make sure to eat or drink some protein after your workout, change, and go get that energized baby!
Making Meals
The afternoon nap is the perfect time to not only make a healthy dinner for you and your family, but to also make some great meals for when you're in a pinch! Preheat the oven while baby is eating and jump right in once he falls asleep.
Tips for Meal-Prep
- Up your portions for dinner by two, cook all of it and Tupperware the rest!
- Rinse and drain fresh greens like spinach, kale, and sprouts. Set aside to let dry, use some as a dinner salad and the rest as an afternoon snack.
- Pick quick and easy healthy carbs for dinner like sweet potatoes, beans, and brown rice that can be prepared in many different ways.
- Use the "hand measurement" for easy portion control: Fist=1/2 Cup, Palm=3-4oz, Fingertip=Teaspoon, Thumb=Tablespoon, Closed Fist= 1 Cup.
New moms shouldn't put their well-being aside, because when mom isn't happy, no one is!
