Fitness Training for New Moms

As I told you guys in my "I'm back" post, I recently became a new mom and, while I absolutely love my little guy, I need that "me" time to run and exercise, not only to stay healthy and able to take care of my family, but also to take care of myself.

I was excited when my doctor cleared me to ease back into exercise eight weeks after delivering my son, and I knew it would be more difficult to get my runs in, but I didn't realize just how difficult it would be!  I also work full-time, and when I get home in the evening I want to spend time with him since he is in daycare all day. It has definitely been harder than I thought.

The awesome team over at Cigna put together a great reference guide to help new moms stay active. I can say that I was super excited to read the material and put it to good use as I have had struggles with staying active.   It's even more important now that I'm training for the 2018 Goofy Challenge which will include my first marathon (eeek!!)

Check out this quick video from one of Cigna's health educators, Brittney -

They have also come up with some healthy ways to manage as a new mom.-

Give yourself an “atta girl”

Carrying a baby, going through the birthing process, and adjusting your life around your baby is not easy. Give yourself credit by writing down three things you're grateful for and hang them up where you can see them daily!

Reach out for support

Call on your team of friends, loved ones, etc., to help watch baby so you can schedule in some “me” time. Start small and be realistic, but know that you deserve this.

Reset your mind

Sometimes, moms may not expect the changes a new baby brings. Getting back into your normal routine may seem like a shock, and even disappointing or frustrating. That’s why it’s important to take a step back and reassess your expectations based on your new life.

Tips for successful outcomes

• Accept where you are and plot out simple, realistic expectations of what you’d like to achieve.
• Reflect on changing your perspective on how you used to work out, or your previous objectives.
• It’s about progress, not perfection (there’s no such thing). Jot down a simple list of active things you’d like to plug into your week, your day, etc. Set a minimal time frame, depending on baby’s schedule, of course. This way you won’t feel defeated if the baby wakes up from a nap early and you only get in 10 or 15 minutes of your workout.
• Define your “why.” Why do you want to be active again? This will help you to clearly define your goals and help you better digest your new circumstances.

Every little bit counts

Maybe you were working out several days a week before or during your pregnancy, but now that just isn’t the case. It’s important to reassess your situation and set new, but realistic goals for yourself. For example:

• With or without baby, walk for 10-15 minutes at a time. Build on this as you see fit, and be realistic about the support and time you have.
• Count your blessings and your steps. Put on a pedometer and calculate your steps taken while running around taking care of your baby. You’ll be surprised to see how far you walk in a day – and maybe even motivated to walk more. Wear the pedometer for a week to see how many steps you get in on average. Then set a small goal to progressively increase this – 10,000 steps a day equals about five miles.

Integrate activity with baby

Maybe you aren’t able to set aside alone time just yet, or you want to make some of your time with baby an active opportunity. Check out these three exercises from WebMD’s “Mommy & Baby Workout Tips.”

• Baby glider: Hold your baby close to your chest and do a forward lunge  (take a big step forward and bend your knee). Don’t let your toes go past your knee. Then return to starting position and lunge with the opposite leg. This will help strengthen your legs, back muscles and core. Repeat 8-10 times on each side.
• Baby bouncer: Step to the side and do a squat (reach back with your behind as if you’re sitting in a chair, keeping your knees over your ankles). Repeat 8-10 times to each side.
• Rock-a-baby squats and curls: Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Hold your baby tight and close to your chest and squat down, allowing your baby’s feet to touch the floor. As you rise, bring the baby closer to your chest. Repeat 15 times. (Note: You should do this exercise only when your baby is at least 10 to 12 weeks old.)

These tips are super simple and easy to integrate into your day, and I love that some even involve the babe!    I'm really looking forward to adding these to our daily routine a few days a week!  I hope that if you're in the same boat, know that you're not alone and take some of these tips and run with them!  

Until next time,

Information provided to me by Cigna - article written by Brittany Onufrak, MS, CWP Health Advocate, Consumer Health Engagement

I'm a Momentum Jewelry Ambassador!

A couple of years back, I entered a fellow blogger's giveaway for a Momentum Jewelry Motivate Wrap, and lucky for me, I won!

Getting that Orange glow at Orangetheory Fitness

Ever since then I've been a fan, but even more than that, I love the messages and motivation that each piece carries for the person wearing it.  The company was started when Amy, the founder, was in a fitness class doing a crazy long plank.  When she looked down at her wrist she knew that she needed something there to push and motivate her.  She's been making jewelry for over 20 years and now she spreads the love with other fitness enthusiasts.

Supporting two small businesses at the same time = WIN!

I know that I looked down at my wrist quite a few times during the Georgia Publix half marathon a couple of weeks ago.

So.....I woke up to an exciting email last Friday...

I was selected to be an ambassador for them!  I love supporting companies that I believe in and use myself, and this one is no exception.  I'm honored and excited to spread the word of Momentum jewelry to my friends and readers.  

Right now they have a campaign going on called "#SharetheSpark" - the goal is to inspire and motivate others to do more and be more in both their personal and athletic lives.

credit: Momentum Jewelry

They have designed two special #sharethespark Motivate Wraps for the campaign - "Never Give Up" and "You Got This!"  I'm excited to #sharethespark with a couple of unsuspecting friends who not only motivate me, but others around them.  You can #sharethespark, too!  Get your own Motivate Wrap bracelet and pass it on.

They have some great products...not only can you get some awesome wrist candy, but check out their Foot Notes!  I couldn't resist getting the "Run Happy" one.

They also have necklaces, headbands, and earrings as well, and you can even have custom pieces made!  I've got a few ideas in mind for some one of a kind wraps and Foot Notes....

What's your "go-to" motto during a tough workout?

Until next time,

New Year - New Me!

First, I apologize for the blog being so dormant over the holidays.  We had my in-laws over for dinner the Saturday before Christmas, left for my parents on Christmas eve and have been hanging with them ever since.  I will write a more detailed post about our holidays once I get home (we're at their cabin in the north Georgia mountains).

Sitting around here has given me a lot of time to think about what I want to accomplish for myself next year.  I can't believe that it's been 9 months since I made the decision to pick up running again with a goal to complete my first half marathon (which is only 53 days away!!!!)  Now that 2013 is literally just around the corner, I have begun to make new goals for myself -

Be Better About Meal Planning

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I did okay off and on throughout the year with this last year, but next year I want to make this a priority for both J and myself.  It takes the guesswork out of the infamous "What's for dinner?" question and will cut down on the amount of times I have to stop by the grocery store (which J hates!).  It will also lead to more healthy choices for us.  Making and taking my lunch also falls into this category - I need to minimize the amount of times I eat out during the week!

Lacing up a minimum of 3 days a week

Once daylight savings time hit and the temperatures began to drop, so did the amount of time I would spend outside running.  It didn't seem like that big of a deal....until I ran a 10k after running only once in a two week period.  I'm by no means fast, but I could really tell that I was struggling throughout the run.  They day after was even worse - my hips were killing me, my ankles were sore, and I felt like I had been beat up.  This was a huge eye opener that I cannot let my training runs slip and expect to do my best.  I absolutely HATE the "dreadmill" so in order to make this happen I plan to go back to taking my clothes to work and stopping at the Greenway on my way home to get in my two training runs during the week, and then leaving my long runs for the weekend.

Add strength training to my routine

I have been wanting to try Crossfit for some time now, and earlier this month Sharon and I bought a Groupon deal for a Crossfit gym.  We plan to start next week and I will definitely be documenting my journey.  I have hopes that this will help me increase my stamina with running as well as building muscle for my first Warrior Dash in May!

Lose Weight

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Ah...the cliche New Years resolution that about 90% of the world's population set as a goal.  I do not have a goal weight in mind, but I want my body to feel better and I want to feel better about my body.  Doing the things I have already mentioned will help me chisel off this weight.

13 in 2013

I joined a challenge to run 13 races in 2013, and so far I'm already registered for five (SeaBee 10k run, Locomotive 5k, Princess Half Marathon, Georgia Publix Half Marathon, and Warrior Dash), AND I have my eyes set on a girls "runcation" to California to participate in the inaugural Dumbo Double Dare.  As long as I'm able to remain injury free, I should be able to check this resolution off this time next year!

Beat my PRs!

In participating with Crossfit, running more, and eating better, I really hope to surpass my PRs in both the 5k and 10k distances.  Since the Princess half marathon is my first, I won't really use that as a PR goal to break as it's just a fun run.  The Publix half marathon in March will give me a better idea of what I will need to do to break its time, whatever it may be.  :)

Blog More and Up my Social Media Presence

There were times this past year where I went a little too long without posting, so next year I want to set a goal for myself to blog at least 3-4 days a week.  I don't feel that my life is interesting enough to post every single day, but 3-4 days is a more realistic goal for myself.  I also want to be more active on my Facebook Fan Page (if you haven't already, please go and "Like" it!), Twitter, and Instagram.

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I know for a fact that every single one of these goals can be easily met if I just put my mind to it.  I'm looking forward to what 2013 brings!

Do you have any goals for yourself?  

Until next time,

Jen