As a woman who has turned into a fulltime mother, it might be common that you wake up one day, take a look at yourself in the mirror, and see nothing more than a flaccid body with a muffin top on it.
However, that does not have to be your case for the rest of your life, as you can be an amazing mommy, as well as have an incredibly gorgeous looking body. In this article we present you with the best mommy fitness advice from nutrition and fitness professionals, in order for you to gradually build your way up to that body you used to have before motherhood, or better yet, the one you always wish you had before.
Go At Your Own Pace
Even if at times you feel the urge to compare yourself to fellow fitness moms, take into consideration your life circumstances, as well as your body being totally different from others.
It is better to build up a routine and a workout schedule that suits you best, therefore when the old habit of comparing yourself with others arises, remember the old saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side.” The only person qualified to compete with is yourself, and as long as you make progress in your own mind and body, it is no use wasting time and energy focusing on the progress of others.
Prioritize Fitness
In order to stay committed and fully involved in the process, you have to make physical activity and clean eating a priority. It is way easier to make ongoing excuses in order not to do something unless you really do care about your progress.
What Is Your Fuel?
Everything starts with a “why”, that is why it is important to clarify your reasons behind going through this transformation. A powerful reason might be “What is going to help me get back on track every time life hard knocks me?” Your reasons need to be so intrinsically hammered within you that you will be motivated to remain constant and disciplined, even though at times you may not see any improvement.
Make Your Children Part of It
Instead of having a babysitter to take care of your children, why not allow them to exercise with you? This is the part where you can get as creative as you want and include them in your routines whether using them as weights or taking a walk with them.
The best way to do it is to have fun, so that you not only motivate yourself, but also your children to have a great relationship with physical activity and being active every day.
Just Keep Going
Do not worry if you are not able to make it through a particular day, as many days you will feel exhausted, sick, or would want to take a break, because of the punches that life might be throwing your way.
Consistency means the ability to get back where you are and keep on pushing until the series of habits you are implementing become fully integrated in your lifestyle. You need to make it clear that you are here for the long run and as long as you are able to get back up after the fall you are doing it great.
Do Not Do It All by Yourself
Things get so much easier when you find your tribe. What is more, finding a supportive community helps you to not feel alone and be held accountable for the journey you are on.
It is also great to be able to count on a friend, your partner, or even your whole family to support you. Finding a community that is supportive is the best you can do to feel understood and reinforced once the self-motivation fuel starts to run out.
You Do Not Have To Do It All In One Sit
Sometimes it is impossible to make room for a daily hour of exercise. In cases like this it is best to break that whole hour down into 30, 15, or 10 minute chunks, so each time you have a little opportunity to not be interrupted by external demands, you can go to your exercise space at home or at the gym and squeeze as much as you can in that time, and little by little add up time until the daily hour gets completed.
Get Your Family Involved
It is essential to build up trust and collaboration within the family members, so each time you think of preparing your food completely different from your children and partner, they would want to be involved, therefore, exposing them to your new lifestyle. This is especially so for kids, as it will expose them to a wide variety of healthy choices at an early age and will give them the capacity to be more flexible each time new food gets on their plate.
If Mama Is Not Happy, Then Nobody Is Happy?
The main reason you might want to put your self-care and happiness first, is for you to be able to live life to its fullest and have that pounded into your children’s psyche as a result. Remember that they see you as a role model who will guide them through their own life’s until they become independent.
Make It Simple
Make it as easy as it can be for yourself, especially in the early stages of the process. That simplification might start with taking what you’re going to wear out of the equation and having your sports clothes ready the night before.
You might even sleep with your sports clothes on if necessary. You need to try to make getting up and exercise easy for yourself, so that you are able to tackle the issue of getting up earlier than usual in order to exercise a habit.
Lastly, trying to balance your own life, in addition to your children’s life’s can sometimes be really challenging, however, if you plan and prioritize correctly you will make it through. So do not despair, take a deep breath, and start planning.
