exercise

You’re Back, Baby – 4 Tips to Getting Your Pre-Baby Body Back Post-Partum

May 15, 2019 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

You don’t have to resign yourself to gazing longingly at your pre-pregnancy jeans, remembering the good times when you could wear them comfortably—you can absolutely get that pre-baby body back! It may look and function a little differently this time around, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go after it. Give yourself room to be “new and improved,” and check out these 4 tips to help you on your way back to your pre-baby body.

1. Exercise

Exercise is key after having a baby (once approved by your doctor). It is essential as much for your mind as for your body. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which boost your mood and help to ward off post-partum depression while you get yourself back in shape. If you aren’t sure where to start with exercise, or what your body can handle, don’t be afraid to sign up for some personal training sessions with a professional who specializes in post-pregnancy training and can help you find the appropriate routine. You can also look for “Mommy and Me” fitness groups in your area that incorporate baby into your exercise routine.

2. Self-Care

Exercise forms part of the broader concept of self-care. It is easy to forget about yourself, and focus solely on the needs of your new baby and your family. If you want to return to that pre-baby body, you need to make sure that your mind is in the right place so that you can make good decisions about food, exercise, and sleep. If you didn’t practice self-care before, here are some ideas for how to do so now. Many gyms will help with your self- care by watching your child for 2 hours when they are as little as 3 months old.

3. Nutrition

Most pregnant women are aware of what foods are off-limits while they are pregnant, but few pay the same attention to their diet once the baby is born. The most important thing you can do to get your pre-baby body back is to pay attention to what you eat. Your nutritional intake can affect not only your body but also your mental health and your sleep. There is no doubt you will be pressed for time and distracted, so keep a few different healthy snacks on hand and in the diaper bag for those hungry moments when you don’t have time to make a meal. If you divide your snacks up into portions in advance, you won’t have to worry about overeating.

4. Sleep

There is no way around it, sleep is incredibly challenging during your baby’s first year. That being said, getting adequate sleep is a huge factor in weight loss. When you don’t sleep, your body craves sugar and carbohydrates and tells you it is too tired to exercise. Your metabolism also becomes groggy and does not process food the way it usually would, causing it to allow fat to hang around in your body longer than it normally would. Combat these adverse side effects by taking every opportunity to sleep. When baby naps, put aside that desire to do something “productive” and grab some precious shut-eye.

You do not need to initiate yourself into the world of motherhood by purchasing a new, larger wardrobe. You can get your pre-baby body back! Don’t be afraid to invest in the health of your own body through a little self-care and exercise. Set yourself up for nutritional success by keeping healthy snacks on hand, and take advantage of every opportunity you can to get some sleep.

Top 5 Ideas to Stay Active with Kids

January 12, 2015 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Living in a family with kids means they are always your center of attention. But should prioritizing kids come at the cost of your health and general well being? Not at all. As you will learn in this article, it is perfectly possible to take care of your growing kids without neglecting your physical (and psychological) well being. After all, the whole family suffers if your well being, physical or otherwise, is undetermined.

Typically, having a family with kid’s means you always find yourself overwhelmed with chores: taking kids to school, attending their school events and meetings, taking care of housework – all of this on top of your own work. Thankfully, with some smart planning, and lots of determination, you can make sure that your desire to live an active lifestyle isn’t compromised.

Follow the 6 tips mentioned below to start your journey towards a healthy and active lifestyle.

Transform your daily chores into exercise: One of the key reasons that prevents so many people from taking care of their physical fitness is lack of time. Having kid’s means you simply aren’t getting the time to follow through on a structured exercise regimen. The good news is that calories aren’t burnt only on a treadmill. Indeed, non-exercise activities are a bigger determinant of healthy lifestyle than time spent in gym. This means you can take small steps like going on a walk with your kid in the stroller, standing up and moving about ever so often, taking stairs instead of the lift on your way to work etc can help a lot.

Condensed workout: Your workout doesn’t have to last 60 minutes. Lot of evidence is emerging that shorter, but more intense, workout are in fact better in maintaining peak fitness. Go for a High intensity interval training for 15 minutes if you cannot find time for a full hour workout in your daily schedule.

Develop a social support network: This could be in the form of your relatives, or if that isn’t possible, then a support network of parents. Cultivate friendship with other parents and look after each other’s kids a few times a week – it will allow you some precious free time

Join yoga or dance classes: The time you spend in front of TV or surfing the web, or even the time you spend with your kid at home, can be better spent if both you and your kid can sign up at your neighborhood yoga, aerobics or dance classes together. This will ensure you not only get to spend quality time with your kid, but also take care of your fitness and inculcate a love for active lifestyle in your kid. A truly winsome proposition.

Plan outdoor or DIY activities with your kids: Nothing is quite as wholesome as a great family outing. Not only is it great for fun and entertainment, but also excellent for bonding and physical wellbeing. The outdoor activity could be anything – from a camping trip to a hiking or biking expedition. Similarly, do it yourself (DIY) projects are excellent both for you and your kid.

The internet is full of amazing websites and tutorials on DIY home improvement projects. Get your hands dirty with these projects and involve your kids in the same. Such projects challenge your mind, and bring out the creative best in you. CSA contact should be initiated if you find yourself in need of support for your kid’s needs and requirements.

Ruby Andrew’s author bio: Ruby Andrew, a visitor essayist and blogger by calling lives in Bristol, UK. Since for quite a while, she has an energy for composing and she could compose on any point. Her ranges of investment incorporates travel, Health, wellness, Automobile, Fashion, innovation and wedding. At present, she acts as a visitor blogger for CSA contact.

Trying Something New as a Family

March 17, 2014 by Painter Mommy 2 Comments

This is a guest post…

As a family, things can get boring when you eat the same foods and do the same things day in and day out. It is good to change things up a bit and try new things. Experiencing new things leads to children becoming more open minded.

There are literally hundreds of things that a family can consider as a new activity. With something new to try each weekend, children will have something to look forward to. This can be anything from trying a new waterpark to going to a different type of restaurant.

Try New Foods

Children and adults alike can be picky eaters. Most of the time when someone says they don’t like something, it’s because they’ve never tried it. Try a new restaurant that has ethnic food.

Italian is the easiest food to incorporate into something new. Flavors, spice levels and ingredients used vary from nationality to nationality. Consider exposing the family to Chinese, Asian, Mediterranean, Thai and other cultural delicacies.

If you are able, visit a family or tapas style establishment. This will allow you to order a few different items to share. Children can pick and choose what dishes to try and which ones to wait for another day to taste.

Ways to get children to try new foods:

Allow them to order their own meal
Ask for vegetables to be raw
Cook with them at home, letting them pick the ingredients
Go to a kid-friendly restaurant and let them see other kids eating the same foods
Attend a buffet-style restaurant where they can pick their own items

Incorporate Family Exercise Time into your Routines

Exercise is important. If it is done as a family, and mixed in with other activities it won’t seem like a chore. Make up a few different playlists to exercise to.

It is a good idea to go for a bike ride at least a couple times per week. Each family member can use their own iPod or music to bike to.

With an exercise routine, incorporate some of everyone’s favorite music. They will work harder when music that they like comes on. Equal calories can be burned by each member of the family using this tactic.

Make exercising out to be a game. The more fun it is, the more likely the children will be to get involved. Exercise games can also be used to get chores around the house done faster.

Discover New Activities

Consider taking the family on a treasure hunt. These are fun activities that get everyone’s minds thinking. You can view some options if you click here to see what you might be able to expect.

With a treasure hunt, some options are customizable. This helps a family to make the experience an absolute pleasure. It can be items geared toward children, movies, music or something local.

Other activities to consider include:

Painting classes
Horseback riding lessons
Sports
Crafting

Watch a Different Type of Movie or Television Program

If you do not watch television together as a family often, give it a try. Set a schedule based upon each member’s favorite shows. Watch them together rather than separately.

What this does is help families to understand each other’s likes and personalities better. Families are generally separated when it comes to television. Watching a variety of programs helps educate and stimulate the brain in different ways.

You may find that you like a television program that your children find entertaining and vice versa. This is an ideal way to create family bonding time. Hold a discussion following each program to get each other’s opinions.

Consider trying new things and add some diversity to your family’s lifestyle. There are educational opportunities in everything you do. Learn a new trade or skill together, play board games or just try a new food.

Family activities broaden the horizons of each member. For some, it is going outside of their comfort levels a bit. Most of the time, trying something new leads to a new hobby.

What happens when families partake in activities together is that it creates a tighter bond. You will learn something about each other. It is a time for each family member to express their personalities and interests to each other.