Fitness Tips for New Moms

Lisa Newman is a fitness expert from Hermosa Beach, California. She is a beautiful mother of two boys. Lisa has been an ACE (American Council on Exercise) certified fitness instroctor since 1995. She has taught fitness classes around the Los Angeles area for over fifteen years and has a great following. Lisa gathered her top tips to share them with new moms because she says a happy mom makes the best mom. It is very important to note that the tips shared below are not temporary solutions. They are meant to make it easy for you to change your lifestyle, so that fitness will be part of your life. You can find more fitness tips in my book, The Chic Mom’s Guide to Feeling Fabulous. It is available at www.amazon.com.

1) Give yourself time. Your body needs time to heal, and you need time to get a schedule down with your little one. Lisa says this took about five months for her.

2) Do something active every day. Once you have your life somewhat back (meaning your baby is sleeping for more than five hours at a time), try and do something active every day. A workout doesn’t have to be going to the gym for an hour.

3) Wear your baby! Lisa says she used the Baby Bjorn carrier with her son from the first month he was born. She wore him everywhere and she was able to be close to him and burn more calories at the same time.

4) Join a Mommy and Me stroller-walking or jogging group. You get to stay fit while sharing stories with other moms.

5) Lisa suggests weighing yourself every day. It might sound scary, but it really keeps you in check if you start gaining too much weight. It’s normal for weight to fluctuate a little, and sometimes you won’t like the number on the scale. But you may surprise yourslef. Use the scale as a tool, and not as an end-all to how you feel.

6) Dance with your baby. Put some music on and boogie. Your baby will love it, and it gets you moving.

7) Buy a yoga mat and a yoga video. Your baby will love watching you stretch for fifteen minutes.