How to get the pre-baby body back without injury
January is a time of hope, hope for the year ahead and hope that maybe this year my husband and I will get our figures back (that were lost to comfort eating following the birth of our child 2 years ago). It’s now January 2nd and my husband is planning how we get fit! As I sit across the restaurant table from him and his friend whilst they discuss Get Fit resolutions for the new year, I wonder how many other parents are having the same enthusiastic conversations, filled with the hopes of beach bodies, six packs and completing half marathons with (I hate to say it) little hope of achieving these goals. I drift into my own “physio” thoughts about New Year’s Resolutions considering in particular our own predicament. Why do so many people pile on the pounds after having kids? Why do so few people succeed with new years resolutions to get fit? And what are the dangers of starting this January fitness overhaul? Here are my thoughts on the challenges of setting “getting fit” as your new year’s resolution and some tips for success.
Setting SMART Goals
My first thought is that people are unrealistic and unspecific about what they can achieve. I haven’t exercised properly since our baby was born and now I’m hearing about ½ marathons in June and cycling the Andes in September. It’s a) a massive challenge for a very unfit mum which is daunting and b) the deadline is months away so it’s hard to imagine how to pace yourself to achieve it. Even with my physio knowledge! If you are planning on getting fit in the new year, I would suggest changing the goals to something with a shorter time frame and more manageable like a 5km run in February/March. Make the resolution SMART. Specific, Measurable, Achievable Realistic and Timed. Preferably within a short time frame that can easily be added to as the year goes on.
Fitting in Exercise with your lifestyle
Secondly think about your lifestyle and environment. If you are a mum, or dad, working or not, what can you realistically fit it? Can you get to the gym? Is your partner happy with you going to the gym when they are at home doing bath time? Does the gym have a crèche? Is it possible to book into the crèche at the time you want? Would you be better with an exercise DVD or App that you could do at home? Could it be incorporated with your lunch at work? A half hour walk and then sandwiches in front of the computer instead of lunch in the canteen? There are so many options but even if your resolution has a delayed start for mid Jan, think about how you can really make it work before you get started.
Creating a motivational mood board
The expression “a moment on your lips a lifetime on your hips” springs to mind. If you are wondering about staying in and watching Broadchurch with a curry on your lap, verses doing an Insanity workout. Would you feel any different if you could look at a motivational set of images whilst making the decision. Imagine Miranda Kerr, mountain running, fresh fruit all together in a collage stuck to your fridge. It’s not the only solution but a mood board can certainly help if apathy starts to kick in.
Supporting Each Other
I would like to go through the benefits of exercising as a couple. Going for that lovely run around the park together that perhaps you did before children came along. But unless you have a super flashy pram for jogging, or grandparents next door, then this isn’t likely. At four weeks into a new year’s resolution the failure rate is almost 50%. So knowing this is coming, this is the time to support each other as best you can to keep going with your individual exercise plans.
Staying Injury Free
Lastly, stay injury free. It’s a marathon not a sprint. Physiotherapy practices across the country are kept very busy with new patients who have over done it in the first month or so of the new year. A classic example of a patient would be the one with plantar fasciitis who decides to start walking a couple of miles to and from work daily in his uncomfortable leather shoes. This kind of injury can (not unusually) take 6-18 months to resolve. Which is a disaster if you are trying to get fit. Make sure you have the right equipment, the right technique and the right rest periods if you are embarking on a new form of exercise, however large or small.
If you have any concerns before starting exercise, a qualified physio will happily look through your exercise plan and help guide you with a safe and effective exercise routine.
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