*Thank you to Rachel Pratt for these tips on staying fit in your mom life!
Are you a fit mom?
I believe there is not just one shape for being fit. Anyone can be fit and for me, it’s about a lifestyle change rather than a specific body shape or number on the scale. My goal is to move my body each day in some way and eat lots of whole foods (anything with a mother or comes from the ground). On the weekends I let myself have treats or eat out without feeling guilty. Life is about balance and listening to your body.
Here are 8 fit tips for mom life
Fit Tip 1: Abs
After my second c-section, it took longer for my abs to fully recover. In both recoveries, I was very careful to roll to my side before getting out of bed or up from laying on the floor. This will help take the strain off your abdominal muscles, which is especially important if you have diastasis recti.
When working out, an easy way to help engage your abs correctly is pulling your belly button to your spine. You want to engage your transverse abdominals in order to help heal diastasis recti or tone your abdominal muscles to be pulled in and flat. I stay away from crunches since having babies to avoid contracting them incorrectly and making my ab separation worse. I had a 2.5 finger separation and now it’s close to 1. I still do many of the exercises that help heal it. Your pelvic floor is also just as important to healing so if you have any concerns please speak to your doctor or a pelvic floor specialist.
Fit Tip 2: HIIT
High-Intensity Interval Training has become my favorite way to exercise. I love that I can get a great workout done in 20-30 minutes that helps keep my metabolism working all day. As a mom, fitting in exercise can be low on the priority list but with under 30-minute workouts, you can do them during nap time and feel great about getting in some beneficial “me time”. Weight training can also be done in that time frame and will help build lean muscle – leg day is my favorite.
Exercise helps reduce stress, gives you the energy to keep up with your kids, and encourages fat loss.
Fit Tip 3: Snacks
We are big snackers in my family. My husband and I both do intermittent fasting so we eat between the hours of 11 am and 7 pm. I do my best to focus on whole food nutrition 80% of the time while tracking macros to make sure I am eating enough for energy and fat loss.
Having healthy snacks on hand is the key to success. Easy things like carrots and hummus, apple and peanut butter, or other fruits and cut up veggies. When you need some healthy carbs try sweet potatoes or oats. Energy bites are a great quick treat to have on hand.
My go-to smoothie recipe which is great for a filling snack or on the go meal can be found here.
Fit Tip 4: H2O
The easiest way to make sure you get enough water is to drink half your body weight in ounces. So for me I should be drinking at least 75 ounces of water (I currently weigh about 150 lbs). I also find that having a reusable tumbler or cute water bottle will encourage you to be drinking water both at home and on the go.
I stopped drinking pop (Midwest girl here) about eight years ago. When I need carbonation I will go for a La Croix or Unsweetened Clear flavored water. If you need flavored water at home try adding fruit, lemon or lime, mint leaves, or cucumbers. I call that “fancy water” because for me I associate it with spas or hotels. What is your favorite add-in?
Fit Tip 5: Beauty
You are beautiful and strong! I strongly encourage you to have these words written somewhere you look at every day so that you are reminded daily of these truths. Beauty and strength are both inward and outward. Our focus needs to be on our inner strength and beauty because that is what matters and will stay with us in this life. We need to be kind and selfless towards others. As a mother, I want my daughters to pursue inner beauty and not get caught up in the reflection in the mirror or the number on the scale. Love your body and treat it with care because God gave it to you, but don’t become so obsessed that the devil can sneak in and tear you down.
“I am fearfully and wonderfully made” Psalm 139:14
Fit Tip 6: Dance
Staying active can feel like a chore sometimes so try new things or incorporate your kids and just move. My girls love walks in the neighborhood, dance parties in the kitchen, or just chasing each other around the yard. If you tend to sit and watch your kids playing outside, try to join them. Get that heart rate up and spend some fun quality time laughing and making memories.
Anyone have a favorite dance party song? We love anything Disney!
Fit Tip 7: Rest
With exercise comes your body’s need for rest. We need to give our bodies time to recover from our HIIT workout or just running around with the kids and up all night with the baby. It can be so hard to find enough time for a nap or the recommended eight hours of sleep at night. I currently get about 6-7 hours of sleep at night depending on how my youngest does. I do notice that when I can get closer to seven hours, I feel better and stronger the next day. It is a constant struggle though balancing time with the husband after the kids go to bed, working on projects, cleaning, etc. and making sure I get enough sleep to function the next day. Maybe this week or month try to make it one of your goals to get more sleep than normal. Let me know how it goes!
Fit Tip 8: Lifestyle
Let’s make mom life a healthy life! I hope these fit tips for mom life have been helpful and please let me know if you have any more questions.
Making small changes and letting them become habits will help healthy become a lifestyle for you. Working out for me is a priority and a habit so it is easy for me to make it happen. I am working on incorporating more healthy whole food snacks into our daily routine so that I am not easily tempted by the processed goodies in the pantry or at the store.
Your kids are watching you and learning from your actions. Incorporate them into healthy lifestyle changes as much as possible so they can see the importance and benefit themselves. Your toddlers will love playing tag outside or help making a smoothie. Your babies will benefit from nutritious food and time outside in the fresh air. Your older children will learn to respect and love their bodies.
You got this Mama! You are beautiful! You are strong!
About the Author
Rachel is a mom of two girls ages 2 and 4 (Elysia and Isabella) and a FASTer Way to Fat Loss Coach. Rachel and her husband SSgt Robert Prat, USAF have been stationed at JB Charleston for six years. Originally from the Midwest, she doesn’t miss the snow and loves living near the beach. She is certified in several nutrition and fitness certifications and has a passion for helping mamas live their best life while making nutrition a priority. She loves Jesus, her family, working out, and food! Catch her on Instagram at www.instagram.com/fitmomrach or email her at [email protected].
