January 26, 2018
23 Comments

Help! How’s A Mom Supposed to Workout?!

Man, I knew it would be hard to find time as a working Mom to workout, but gollygeewhiz it’s so hard to find the time to do anything in that category. When I was still on maternity leave I could go during Lola’s morning nap to a local workout class that designed for new Moms and that felt so good to accomplish that on those days I went. Now, it’s so hard to wake up before Lola in the morning to workout because she sleeps so well at night but if she hears any little noise in her last few hours of sleep, she’s up for the day. And since I work during the day (Todd is on Daddy Day Care duty) that’s not really an option either. And then after work it’s dinner, cleanup, and trying to spend as much time as I can before Lola goes to bed where I then either collapse exhausted onto the couch for an hour or continue to finish up any other items on my to-do list that still need to be done. It still seems like night is the better option with an afternoon workout possible on the weekends but even then, what should I do??

Maybe a youtube video thing? I’ve got the whole yoga mat/weights/birth ball set up so sometimes I’ve done circuit training on my mat. I definitely would like to work on my postpartum belly a bit. I just feel like there’s an air pocket there and I’m not sure how to get it to suck back in. I’ve heard that’s a pelvic floor issue so crunches won’t really help and you have to work different muscles to get it to tighten back up. Anyone have any luck with exercises to help with that??

As dumb as it sounds, I’ve thought about getting a new workout outfit to help motivate me. For some reason having a workout outfit I like has actually worked in the past to get me to do it more. It’s kind of a  “fake-it-til-you-make-it” sort of a thing, like if I feel like I look like a put-together workerouter then my body will follow along and want to work out. Maybe some new leggings that show a little leg (or a lot of leg) or have a little more pattern? What about some blush sneakers (these are pretty sweet too)?? I can also always wear those out in general so if my plan fails they would still be useful. Also, are nursing sports bras necessary? Or only if you are out at a mommy and me workout class? I just have the old regular sports bras but I figure they can always be pulled up if needed. Either way, I definitely want this gym bag—it’s perfect!!

There’s always the warm weather option coming up too. We did a 20 minute walk almost every day after dinner before it got cold so I’m sure we will start that again and maybe that will help inspire me. Although it will be a few more months before it’s light again at that time. Maybe I’ll get Lola a baby tracksuit and do one of those “use the Baby as the weight” type of workouts in the den—maybe she’d like it too??

Anyways, if you guys know of an awesome post-partum youtube workout video or tips for getting in quick Mommy workouts, let me know! I definitely have to figure something out!!

xo. Laura

23 thoughts on “Help! How’s A Mom Supposed to Workout?!

  1. Laura

    BBG has a postpartum workout series, and each workout is under 30 min. I haven’t done this, but am currently pregnant and hope to try it out after this baby is born.

    With my first, I wore my workout gear after I got home and would workout while dinner cooked, or make myself do it after bedtime. Sometimes I’d have to pause it and then jump back in, but I figured that was better than doing nothing! If my daughter could take a bottle, I’d have her dad give it for bedtime, I’d workout, then I’d take over bedtime so we both got to put our daughter down.

    Reply
  2. Emily

    I just had a baby 8 weeks ago and have a few thoughts! I work full time and my husband and I do workouts when the other one is taking/picking up our daughter from daycare, but I imagine it’s much harder if she’s there all day.

    A good friend is loving the Stroller Strides workouts that they have in almost every major city. She says it’s a great workout, only $50 a month, inside during cold/bad weather and the babies love it. When the babies don’t love it, you don’t have to be embarrassed about crying because everyone else there is in the same boat.

    Also, think about seeing a postnatal PT, if you haven’t! It seems like most new moms need them and so few know about them. I bet the ab issue might be related to separation that isn’t easily diagnosed. The one I see told me the best way to find one is here: http://www.womenshealthapta.org/pt-locator/ I’ve learned they can help with chronic issues I had no idea were related to birth or pelvic floor

    Reply
  3. Tily

    I am using an app called Fit30. It’s mostly HIIT training that you can do at home in about 15 minutes.. That with the walking with the stroller are my only sources of exercise. It’s not enough.. But i do feel and look better since i started. And you can find 15 minutes in the day to do it… So the no excuse works for me 🙂

    Reply
  4. Severina

    Do you have a dvr? There’s a show on PBS called “Classical Stretch by Essentrics” that is only 23 minutes long, and each episode is a full body workout. I started doing it in 2009 after I had a crazy appendectomy and my abs shut off (major back pain!) It helped a lot with reactivating my abs and strengthened my back (which also helped when lifting babies/toddlers out of cribs as a nanny) so I wouldn’t throw my back out! If you don’t have TV, they stream videos on Essentrics.com for $15/month, with the videos varying in intensity 🙂 Hope you feel better soon!

    Reply
  5. Caitlin

    I really love the home work outs Dana Landgren posts on Insta! They seem deceptively simple but they REALLY work and are actually soooo achievable. Do check them out! Xx

    Reply
  6. Lucia

    I’m not a mom, but I have recently discovered a great new at-home workout! It’s called YogaGlo – it’s a website, app, etc. You pay a monthly subscription (like Netflix), where your subscription gives you access to all of the yoga videos on their site. It’s great because you can search for classes by type of yoga (yoga for relaxation, yoga for cardio, meditation, etc.), by length of the class (I think they have classes spanning 5 minutes – 120 minutes), or by the body part you want to focus on (abs, arms, etc). I believe they have a free trial if you want to give it a shot! I’ve been loving how convenient it is, especially when you can tailor it to your schedule by selecting a class length that fits your available time.

    Reply
  7. Margaret

    I have the hardest time finding a sports bra that I like, let alone trying to find a nursing one! I had a baby 7 months ago and so far have been good without one. If after (or during) working out baby really wants to eat, I just pull my boob out the top and it works fine.

    Reply
  8. Celeste

    I am no expert so take this with a grain of salt, but I was perusing IG the other day and came across a feed called @purefitpurefood. She talked about postpartum PT and a condition called diastasis recti. Perhaps this is something to look into. Good luck and let us all know why you figure out! ❤️❤️❤️

    Reply
    1. thebandwifeblog Post author

      Yes! I have been checked for that before and they didn’t think I had it but sometimes I think it’s hard to feel from the outside? I should have someone check it again!

      Laura

      Reply
  9. Erin

    My kid is nearly 12 now so this isn’t post-partum advice, just exercise advice in general: As someone who just really doesn’t like going to the gym, I swear by YouTube fitness channels. You can honestly find anything on YouTube from Barre workouts to kpop dance workouts (my favorites!). On days when I’m tired or I just really don’t have too much time, I look up walking workouts on YouTube. Seriously! It sounds so simple, but those 15-20 minutes of walking in the house really make a difference! (And it makes me giddy because I imagine these are workouts that my grandma would have done in the 90s!)

    Check out Jessica Smith TV on YouTube. She is wonderful and sometimes her dog Peanut is in the background!

    Reply
  10. Julie

    I felt this way after having my son, and it took me a while to finally make time for a workout…however, I ended up doing it AFTER he went to bed at night, which meant that I was up later working out (like, until 10:30pm sometimes). I could never figure out another time to do it. The Sweat App got me motivated and I was able to stick with that for about 5 months until I got pregnant again LOL! Now I just commit to walk an hour every day over my lunch break (I work full time as well). It isn’t easy, but I found that making time for exercise helped me so much mentally and physically. Especially mentally. Although I had lost my baby weight, I had a gut too that didn’t go away until I started using Sweat regularly. Then I felt so good about myself! Good luck, Mama! Always remember not to be too hard on yourself though. You are doing the best you can, and that’s all you can do! She won’t be this small forever and the older they get, the more time you have for yourself.

    Reply
  11. april

    I grabbed a BOB jogging stroller and hit the cool neighborhoods and our local bike path. Whether I walked, ran, or did intervals it was great to get outside and breath some fresh air and my son loved being able to look at everything too! And yes to something new and exciting to wear or even a cool new water bottle or BOB stroller (you can sometimes find these used for a great price). Also, I never worked out and nursed at the same time, so I’d just wear a regular sports bra and then change out when I got back. You can check out Moms Run This Town on Facebook and see if they have a chapter in Nashville. It’s a great group of ladies from all areas of life setting up fun running dates (and you don’t have to be a marathoner 🙂 )

    Reply
  12. Christina

    As much as I hate the name, the Bikini Body Guide is fantastic for simple, at-home workouts with minimal equipment, builds a ton of strength, very leaning/toning, and works ALL the muscles you never knew you had. It’s amazing how even the “legs” and “arms” days work the abs in amazing ways. PLUS workouts are 28 minutes, or you can do a half work-out in 14 and still get super-sore 🙂 I recommend starting with the basic guide.

    Reply
  13. Megan

    Welcome to the works of trying to balance a kid, job, marriage, your SELF… it’s really hard work and nothing is ever really in balance. Be kind to yourself, work out when you can, and lay on the couch and relax when you need to.
    …coming from a working mom of two who never works out, but goes on lots of walks and tries to do push ups and stretches when playing on the floor with mini humans.

    Reply
  14. Emily

    See this :
    https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/08/07/541204499/flattening-the-mummy-tummy-with-1-exercise-10-minutes-a-day

    Mutu and Dia Method are both for dealing with post preg belly. It sounds like the muscles can still be stretched even if you don’t have diastisis.

    I’ve been doing the Dia Method (I’m 5 weeks post partum), and it seems good — things definitely aren’t back to where they were but they’re better than I was expecting. There also some good education on what exercises you should be avoiding so you don’t bow out your stomach muscles too much. It’s $30 for three months of access, and there are several workout videos of about 25 minutes where she’s constantly reminding you to do little ab isolations throughout. They aren’t super intense, but they can be done quietly (no jump roping or throwing weights!).

    I’ve also subscribed to Ballet Beautiful’s streaming site for the last few years. There’s a large library of videos from about 5 minutes to 30, and you can let their algorithm combine them into workouts for you (“custom workout”) or just string together videos you like. There are both cardio and toning. She’s had a couple kids in the last few years so there are post natal videos in the library as well. In a world of free YouTube videos it can feel silly to pay, but I find I go down an internet rabbit hole and waste so much time looking for the best workout that it’s worth it for me to just have a go-to.

    Reply
  15. Christy

    Fitnessblender.com changed my LIFE when it comes to home workouts. Free, the most intentional trustworthy husband/wife duo who run the site, and the best part is the workouts are customizable! Just go to the homepage, and you can select what kind of workout, the time, what body parts to hit, equipment or not, etc

    Reply
  16. Jennyfigs

    I just want to thank you for this. As a mom myself, I have been falling into the comparison trap. So easy on the internet. I love your blog but as a busy (and broke) mom working at a nonprofit and trying to find balance, I find myself feeling like everyone else has it figured out. I love your asthetic and today I appreciate your vulnerability! I learned a lot in the comments too. Thanks!

    Reply
    1. thebandwifeblog Post author

      Definitely don’t have it all figured out! Hope you find something that is helpful for you, every Mom deserves to do things that make then feel good, whatever that is!

      Laura

      Reply

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