Congratulations! You are now a mother to a healthy baby. You have done one of the most beautiful things that any woman could ever do in this world: you created life. You brought a human being into this world. You carried a person around for 9 months in your belly and that couldn’t have been easy. And it sure as hell wasn’t easy for you to push that person out of you. But now, you’re a parent. And the work is only beginning for you.
But of course, not all of your time and energy is going to be dedicated to your baby. You still have to make sure that you are looking after yourself. And part of looking after yourself means having to look after your figure. You have to make sure that you are staying trim around the waist – not necessarily because you want to look good, that’s just a plus. But any excess body fat on your body puts you at risk for heart disease if you leave it unignored.
However, you don’t want to be diving into an intense workout routine either. You’ve just gone through a very difficult pregnancy and you are going to want to take it easy. Yes, you want to keep yourself active and mobile but you don’t want to be overdoing it either. So what should you be doing?
Well, that’s what this article is going to help you out with. If you want to get fitter after your pregnancy but you’re unsure of how to go about it, then this article is definitely for you. First of all, you want to be eating healthy – both for yourself and for your baby. You still want to stay away from alcohol and junk food. You want to take in as many fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats as much as possible. And to go along with a healthy diet, you need a very mild but effective exercise routine to help get you back in shape. Here are a few safe exercises that you can do to get fitter.
1. Leg Lifts
For this exercise, you are going to want to lay down on your back. As you take a breath in, you are going to want to tighten your core muscles including your abdomen, butt muscles, and lower back. As you are bracing your core, you will want to lift your straight legs up in the air. Float them up for as high as you can and then descend until just before your feet touch the ground. That is one rep. Perform 3 sets of 12 reps.
2. Planks
A plank is another great core exercise that you can use to work for multiple muscle groups at a single time. You can get into a plank by lying down with a face-down position. And then, as you engage your core muscles, raise your butt off the floor so that your thighs, abs, and chin are off the ground using only your forearms and toes as support.
Make sure that your body stays as stiff as a plank; ideally, you would be able to draw a straight line from your heels to the back of your head. You can make this exercise a little bit more difficult by going to your hands and assuming the top of a pushup position. This can add a little more spice to your core and elbows. Try to hold the plank for a full minute and then rest for a full minute as well. Perform 3 sets.
3. Reverse Crunches
A reverse crunch is a nice way to work out your front abdomen without putting too much strain on your lower back. You start this exercise by lying down on your back. And then you will want to raise your knees close to your chest and maintain that position throughout the entire movement. Place your hands behind your head and try to lift your chin upward and forward. Try to make your elbows touch your knees and then bring your head back to the ground. Perform this exercise for 3 sets of 12 reps.
4. Superman
The Superman pose is another static core exercise that works for multiple core muscle groups at a time. Rest your body on the floor with both your stomach and your toes facing down. And then engage your core as you stretch your arms and legs away from your torso with your head gazing forward the whole time. Try to pull your arms and your legs as far away from your torso as possible. Try to hold this pose for 30 seconds and then repeat for 3 sets after 30 seconds of rest.
These are only a few exercises that can help you get back into shape. Ask your doctor and physical therapists for some more ideas.
