In December we welcomed our third baby. This week I go back to work. Yes, THIRD baby. When the heck am I supposed to find time to shower—let alone work out? Really. When?! I broke apart a typical day in the life of me (and presumably any other working mom), and I can either not sleep (which is already non-existent), or I can go to the gym after work and not get to see my kids. Like, ever.
A typical day for me is waking up at 6:30 am. I shower, get ready for work, and then wake up my daughter at 7:15 so she can get ready for school. We’re out the door by 7:45 to drop her at school. I then make my hour commute to work. I work until 5, and by the time I get home, its 6:30pm. I make dinner, give baths, read books, and try and catch up on life with my husband. I do the dishes, pack lunches, laundry, blog…the list goes on. By then, it’s usually between 11pm and midnight. Do you see any time in there to get my body back to pre-baby (ok, pre-3-babies-ago) shape?
No, I don’t think so.
Now, I know I’m being a little dramatic. Other moms do it. I know they do. I know it is possible, but for ME right NOW, I just don’t have enough actual TIME. Of course, not every day is like this, and I can certainly get in good workouts on the weekends and some days during the week, but I started to wonder what I could do in the time I do have, so I asked my friend, who is a Certified Personal Trainer, what tips he would give to moms like me for maintaining a healthy lifestyle post-baby. After all, we mothers should cut ourselves some slack. Our bodies did an amazing thing. I’m proud of my body and slightly squishy skin and in no way want to discredit what it went through to bring my 3 sweet babies into this world. It’s truly amazing. BUT, I do want to get my body in better shape. I want to be healthy for my kids. I want to look good for my husband. But mostly, I want to be healthy for myself.
Move
It’s as simple as that. Move. If you can sneak away for an hour to the gym—AMAZING. If you can take your kid(s) to the park for a walk or some Stroller Workouts–GREAT. If you park your car at the back parking spot at the grocery store and take a longer walk to the entrance—FINE. Just move. Try and take a walk during your lunch break or one with your family after dinner. Just move.
Eat
Yes, eat. Eating small amounts of food more often is much better than eating larger amounts of food less frequently. Start your day off with a good, healthy breakfast, and make sure to have plenty of healthy snacks on hand. Planning your meals and prepping snacks is very helpful in ensuring you keep this up. Oh, and cut out the junk. That is my least favorite part of my dear trainer’s advice. I don’t mind working out or eating healthfully, but in the last couple of years, I have developed a mean sweet tooth. A few sweets (in moderation of course) are staying. Period. The End. I’ll be sure to walk a few more steps to cancel my piece of chocolate out. That counts, right?
Drink Water—Lots of It
Recommended consumption is eight 8 oz. glasses a day. Add lemon or cucumber to spice it up a bit. I also found that drinking water out of your favorite glass helps you drink more. I drink mine out of a 24 oz. Mason jar. I try to drink 4 of them every day.
Sleep—At Least 8 Hours
This is a really hard one for me. I feel like there is so much to do before I go to bed, but I will definitely try and get better at this.
Lead by Example
This really isn’t a tip; it’s more about awareness. My daughter watches everything I do. I want her to see her mom lead a healthy life. I want her to see me make good choices with food. I want her to feel proud of her body and know how to get the most out of it by nourishing it and taking care of it.
Some really good advice, thanks! I only have one kiddo and I’ve been thinking “What am I doing wrong?” because trying to find gym time is insane. Great tips to remember!