Keeping Active Throughout Life As A Mum

Mums Tips

Fitness & Health

Published on Wednesday, 27 March 2013 15:00

Last Updated on 19 March 2013

Lucy Howlett

2 Comments

As you may have already experienced, the benefits of exercise spread far and wide. Although trying to bring up small children and staying fit can sometimes be mission impossible. Sound familiar?

What a lot of people don’t realise is that several short bursts of exercise can be just as effective as a longer session. So, if you do have that spare moment, grab the opportunity to jump onto your mat at home and do a circuit of exercises. See Michael Mosley’s article ‘Horizon: The Truth About Exercise‘ researching the benefits of interval training.

You could even get the kids to join in. Squats, lunge walks and bear crawls are great fun to do together! If you would rather train alone, set aside some time in your diary and aim to stick to it. Activities like gardening, cleaning and climbing the stairs can also help get your heart rate up and burn calories.

I know one of your goals is probably to have a flat tummy again but do realise that crunches are not the way to achieve this (see why here). You are better off strengthening your body from the inside outwards by doing pelvic floor and core restoration exercises (consulting a post-natal fitness specialist or women’s health physiotherapist) and then move into training the body as a whole, with functional training, for daily life. Alongside good nutrition, this will help to reduce overall body fat, making your tummy smaller and firmer.

It doesn’t have to be all gung-ho, with tonnes of squats and press-ups; have you thought about doing Yoga? Yoga is becoming more and more popular as people embrace the benefits, as a physically challenging practice with an internal focus, using mindfulness and relaxation techniques as well as getting a sweat on.

Exercise offers more than just the obvious benefits of getting fitter and losing weight. Let me list a few more:

• increased strength and stamina for everyday activities e.g. lifting shopping/children, climbing stairs, etc.
• lower stress levels
• improved concentration and productivity
• greater self-esteem, and many more.

Here is a super BBC News article on Post-Natal Depression stating how ‘Exercise can also help feelings of well-being’.

The reason I wanted to write this article for London Mums is to help you to feel the best you can, as well as inspire you to stay active and positive to get the results you desire. I believe that my job as a personal trainer is not just to count reps and shout “give me 10 more!” but to work towards improving my clients’ physical and emotional wellness, to correct postural imbalances and to help your body, the amazing human form, work more smoothly and to it’s full potential.

‘Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body,

it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.’

John F. Kennedy