Phit-N-Phat...Making Fitness and Weightloss a Lifestyle

Waiting for the Perfect Day to Start My Diet

Are you a new mom? Is the weight not falling off like all your friends promised it would? Maybe you feel bad because it has been months since the baby was born and you still can't get into your old habits.

Or, are you the kind of person who has a CHAOTIC life? Do you sit around thinking I'll get serious about losing weight when things settle down. The same advice goes for you so read on!

Another fabulous post from one of my clients came through our message boards last night. She has a six month old and life has changed DRAMATICALLY to say the least. In her writing she made a comment to her family who wants to change their lifestyle.

I was just talking to my brother about my mom. We were discussing how she and my stepfather are thinking they'll get healthy after they get through their move, but their life is always hectic. I told my brother that they have to learn to work with the lifestyle they have instead of waiting for it to change again.

Since having the baby (she was 6 months last week!) I am having to make changes and adjust to what life is like now.  I'm not going to lie...it has been tough going back to work full time along with all the new things I have to do as a mom.  I wasn't so hardcore about keeping the habits I had before, so now I'm having to re-create good habits.  It's coming together and this "new normal" is feeling better for me each day.

New Moms! This is why you need to give yourself plenty of time to work off baby weight. MOST people are not going to get a good bit off the first six months. You run ragged. Little to no sleep, all your pre-baby duties stay with you along with doubling your household load, rarely time to eat so you store fat like a crazy person, AND some of you go back to work. Going back to work can give you a little break. BUT it also steals time away from the "duties" of cleaning bottles, etc., so when you get home you feel GUILTY if you workout and eat a clean meal.

Staying home would seem easier BUT you are ON for the baby ALL THE TIME. No adult conversations, no shopping because it's a hassle, and you never realize how much a kid cries until you are with it all the time. LOL. You don't go to the gym because those people look too crazy to keep your child and when you finally get some help at night, you want a minute of peace; not the Firm Girls staring at you.

Don't feel guilty for adjusting to life first. You need to and the day will come, in about six months, when you get a better routine. Until then, make good choices and go for walks when you can. When and if the energy picks up, you add in your strength.

It would be easy for me to say jump back in with both feet but you need the NEW lifestyle. It's like the old...you make better choices everyday. It might mean running your stairs five times every couple of hours at home for a leg workout. Subway to replace the pizza your husband picks up on the way home. Good and better choices are EVERYWHERE so look for them. Don't feel guilty for not being the workout Diva you were as a single girl. :)

As my client put it; you can't wait for things to change and be perfect. YOU have to adjust to your lifestyle. Some people lead a naturally chaotic lifestyle "thinking" one day it will magically settle down so they can focus on themselves. That day never comes and they wake up 15 years later wondering why they haven't lost the baby weight.

Advice on Staying In Shape to Have a Baby

A reader recently wrote to me...

Hi I am an avid follower of Phit-N-Phat. I truly enjoy reading your blog. My question for you is this...if you could give advice to a woman embarking on pregnancy and wanted to keep in shape and not blow up like a balloon (keep healthy weight gain) what would the advice/blog be? I am a active adult women with two prior pregnancies (two active children now) and would like to have a 3rd. I lost 30 pounds last year however, I am not at my goal weight (still want to loose about 15 pounds) and want to get it off quick after. So Im looking at how many calories would be good and any other advice you may have =)Thanks from a big fan!

I typically take 10 times your current bodyweight as the amount you eat on days you exercise less than 45 min. If you train for more than 45 min. bump it to 11 or 12. Keep the foods as healthy as possible like fruits, veggies, lean proteins, healthy fats, and unprocessed carbs.

 

The key is to train your body for a baby. For a healthy pregnancy you need to train your taste buds, cravings, heart, and muscles to cope with nine months. The healthier those nine months are the easier it is to lose the weight. We all gain weight and you are going to gain what you gain. It's the kind of fat and type of habits you develop that make all the difference in the world.

 

Think of it this way: burgers and fries are harder to burn off because once the baby comes you still want burger and fries. Fruits and veggies burn off fast post-baby because you are conditioned to eat foods that give healthy energy.

 

The first four months are HARD. No one wants to go into diet mode when they are sleep deprived and stressed out. You will continue the habits you establish while pregnant. If Blizzards and cheeseburgers are your habit then they will be when the baby arrives. If healthy foods and an occassional treat is the norm, weight will come off so much easier.

 

Start baby Bootcamp before baby is made!!! If you need help with a menu or easy plan to follow with kids, try my Treadmill Bootcamp. It's loaded with great routines that combine strength and cardio for a busy mom. It also has a good, solid menu that builds healthy habits.

 

Hope that helps.