A perspective that I (Madeline) can't give, but she (Lauren- a sweet Greenville blogger mama) can....
Motherhood and Exercise
Hey guys! I’m so excited to be guest posting on Madeline Moves today. My name is Lauren, and I blog over at Love Lola where I talked about fashion, motherhood, and lifestyle. Since Madeline shares about exercise on her blog, I thought I’d take some time to give my experience with exercise, from the perspective of motherhood.
I started running in middle school, and would run regularly, 3-5x/week, up until I got pregnant
with my daughter. I remember running on the treadmill at 23 weeks pregnant and thinking to
myself, ‘OK, this is the last time for a while.” It was getting more and more uncomfortable for me (although many people run through their entire pregnancy!), so I took that as my body’s
message to slow it down. I walked regularly until she was born.
After having my daughter, I took the assigned 6-8 weeks off of working out. Once I was given
the clear to be active again, I slowly started easing back into an exercise routine. With the
demands of a newborn, and with eventually starting work back, I quickly realized this was going to be much more difficult than before. Over the past 2 years, I’ve learned a bit about how to make exercise work with the busy lifestyle of a working parent, and while I’m still figuring it out, I thought I’d share a bit with you guys today!
1 | Rise and shine. The easiest way to get my workout in is to get up before the kiddos. I’m not
a morning person at all, so this one is really tough for me, but every time I do it, I’m so glad I did and my day goes mu ch smoother. Getting up before the baby does puts me up about 6 am, but I love the quiet time to myself. With my husband still home and not headed to work yet, I welcome the alone time of working out without a stroller or toddler hanging on me.
Which brings me to my next point...
2 | Get a running stroller. On mornings where I hit snooze one too many times, I’ll hit the park
or our neighborhood with the stroller in tow. Piper loves riding in the stroller. As she’s gotten
older she’ll start to request it, “walk, walk.” Plus, when you run pushing a stroller, it’s basically
like doubling the mileage, right!?
3 | Start an ‘at home’ workout regimen. Another way I love to get my workout in is during nap
time. There are so many great programs out there that you can do right at home, without
heading to a gym or going for a run. I personally have loved Kayla Itsine’s BBG (bikini body
guide). She had me at 28 minute workout... Still time to do some cleaning and maybe take a cat nap before nap time is up!
4 | Incorporate yoga. I taught yoga all through college, and I love to incorporate it into my
workout routine now. If I’m not in the mood for something intense, I’ll hop on my mat for a yoga workout in the morning before Piper’s up, during nap time, or after she’s gone to bed. There are great free yoga workouts on Youtube, too!
5 | Grab a buddy. Getting up early, sticking to a gym regimen, or going for a walk is a huge
discipline (for me anyway!). I’d much rather sleep in or watch tv on the couch. To stay motivated and accountable, I highly recommend finding a workout buddy. Just meeting another mom at the park or the gym can be a huge motivator to help you stick to your routine. Plus, they get the challenges of squeezing it into your schedule and can be a great encouragement.
6 | Join a gym with a childcare. I love that the YMCA has free childcare for members. If I
need to, I can go workout during the day and know that Piper is being well taken care of. Plus,
my little social butterfly loves it just as much as I do.
My biggest recommendation is always to find something you love. For me that’s yoga, a circuit
workout, or the high I feel after a power walk or run. If you find a form of exercise you love, you’ll be so much more likely to stick to your routine as life and days get crazier and crazier. As hard as it is to get a workout in 3-5 days/week, I know it helps make me a better mom, and I love that I am teaching my daughter the importance of exercise and taking care of your body.
What tips and tricks have worked for keeping you motivated and sticking to your workout!? I’d love to hear! If you like reading about motherhood, fashion, or family adventures, I’d love to hang out with you!
Hop on over to my blog Love Lola...I hope to see you there!
Blog: http://www.lovelolablog.com | Instagram: instagram.com/lovelolablog