Today I was in spin class with my mom.  Our spin instructor is a certified personal trainer and can be intimidating until you get to know her.  She’s competed in body building and is one tough lady. 

Well as usual, she was yelling at us, “PUSH!  PEDAL!  GIVE ME ALL YOU’VE GOT!  LET’S GET MOVING PEOPLE!”  And the thought struck me, this is the kind of yelling that is good.  Believe me, when I walked into spin this morning, I did not feel like working out.  It’s that time of the month and I just feel like eating chocolate!  But as our instructor yelled at us, I obeyed.  I pedaled.  I pushed.  I sweat and gave it everything I had.  Imagine if she had yelled, “JUST QUIT!  YOU’RE TIRED, GIVE UP!”  I probably would have done that instead. 

What thoughts are shouting in your head?  “Give up, you’ll never lose your baby weight!” or “Hang in there mom and keep pushing.  You can do it!”

Well listen up mom while I yell in your ear, “You are awesome!  You’re reading this blog and you care about your health.  You can lose weight for yourself and your family!” 

It’s every mother’s question:  how can I find time to exercise?  Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing: 

Make it fun. Swing baby around throughout the day. Run up and down the stairs over and over again. Your bouncing baby will love her new roller coaster. Get out of the house and walk to the park. Take in the beauty around you.

Seize the moment. Feel busy now with baby? Fast forward the tape 5 years…you’ll be dropping your baby off at kindergarten with two more kids in the backseat. Ah then, you’ll be really busy! Life doesn’t slow down. A better time will not exist in the future. Now is the time to get in the fabulous habit of exercise.

Involve a friend. If you’re meeting a friend for lunch, insist on taking a walk after your meal together. Look for ways to be active with others. Meet weekly with another mom to workout, either with the kids or take turns watching the kids while the other mom exercises for 20 minutes.

Plan for it. On Sundays, take your calendar out and schedule in your exercise times for the week. Exercise DVD during baby’s Monday morning nap. Walk 45 minutes with baby on Wednesday after lunch. Put it in your calendar and stick to it. You wouldn’t miss a doctor’s appointment, so don’t miss these critical appointments for your health.

Set small weight loss goals and reach them. If the thought of finding time for a 45 minute workout gets you depressed, start with fitting 10 minutes of exercise into your day, 5 days a week. Once you establish that as your normal routine, you can extend your workout time to 20 minutes on some days, or have a few 10 minute sessions during the day. 

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Want to lose more weight while walking moms?  Try the following:

1.  Pump up the speed. Start the first few minutes at a comfortable pace. Then step it up, like how fast you would walk if you were 15 minutes late for an appointment. Step it up again and walk as fast as you can. When you can’t sustain that speed any longer, drop it down to a slower pace, and then ramp back up again.

2.  Practice good posture. Stand up straight with your eyes forward, not looking down. Keep your chin up to reduce strain on your neck and back. Suck in your stomach with your shoulders slightly back. Bend your arms at the elbow 90 degrees. Keep your elbows close to your body (not out like wings) and pump your arms up and down as you walk. You don’t have to pump your arms high in the air; this doesn’t do much for you except attract attention.

3.  Add circuit training. Walk for 5 minutes and then do 1 minute of something different: jumping jacks, squats, push-ups, sit-ups, or tricep dips on a park bench. There are lots of possibilities! If you feel self conscious about doing these things in public, then run for 1 minute. After your 1 minute push, return to walking for 5 minutes, then push again for 1 minute.

4.  Make it a race. Walk a particular route and time yourself. Next time you do the same walk, try to beat your time by 30 seconds. Keep doing this until you shave minutes off your original time. When you reach a certain goal, reward yourself with a new workout shirt, movie, or manicure.

5.  Do your route backwards. Sometimes you just need a fresh perspective for some inspiration. Walk the opposite direction than you normally do and take in the different scenery. You’ll also hit the hills at different times if the terrain is sloped.

Today’s Action Step: What is one thing you will do to take your walking to the next level?

I watch the physical development of my one year old.  From the commando crawl, to crawling on fours, to pulling up, to teetering and standing.  One day I tried to imitate her for a few moments.  It didn’t take long to be out of breath, crawling on all fours is hard work! 

Hot Exercise Tip for Moms: Imitate your baby if he is moving.  Crawl when he crawls.  Wave your arms when he waves his.  Roll over when he does.  Not only will you both have a blast, you’ll find yourself much more active all day long, a great step towards weight loss after baby.

Two words have radically helped me to lose my baby weight:  spin class.  My mom and I have attended a spin class together twice a week for the past 3 years!  This appointment has gotten me out of bed and on to a bike.  I could never do it so consistently on my own.  I have to pick up my mom so I show up.  If we flake out, we have to call our instructor and she gives us the third degree about missing.  The accountability keeps us going. 

Hot Tip for Moms:  Get accountable.  Pick a class and stick to it.  Have a partner to pick up or who’s coming to get you.  Get an instructor on board.  Make appointments for fitness in your calendar like you would a dentist or doctor’s appointment.  It’s just as or even more important for your health!