by CARiFiT
Whilst we may think of exercise as a way to lose weight and get back in to shape, there are actually many other benefits to being active. Exercise is known to maintain and improve feelings of well-being as a result of chemical changes in our brains. The increased endorphins released as the body moves into exercise mode are proven to have positive effects on our mood and wellbeing. Coupled with the numerous other benefits of exercise like accelerated post-birth recovery, building strength, increasing energy levels and social interaction with other mums, the list is endless!
However, as many new parents know, sometimes just getting out of the front door can be likened to a military operation so some of the various daily activities that could be done without a thought pre-baby, are no longer quite so easy. Exercise tends to be one of those things that is often considered but pushed to the side due to “I just don’t have the time” or “the baby’s routine just won’t allow for me time” scenarios.
The good news is that exercise no longer needs to be gym-based or time-specific and there are so many fun ways of incorporating exercise back into your schedule.
Once you have the all clear from your GP to start getting moving again, start to think about aiming for a daily brisk 30-40 minute walk with the buggy or baby carrier to get you on the right track. Make sure to maintain good posture, activating your pelvic floor and core muscles to get those abdominal muscles back in action. As you get more used to it, try to find somewhere with a few inclines to make it increasingly challenging. See if you can get a few mum friends to join you and you can have a good catch up whilst you shape up!
For those days when you need a bit more structure and motivation or when your baby simply just needs to be cuddled, then you can still keep active thanks to programmes like CARiFiT babywearing fitness where you are encouraged to incorporate your baby into your exercise routine. The targeted postnatal specific workouts vary from 10-30 minutes and are designed to be done whilst wearing the baby.
As any new parent knows, there are always days where energy levels are better than others after yet another broken night’s sleep but, even on those days, just a brisk walk or a short 10 minute CARiFiT workout can have huge mood-lifting properties and a happy parent often means a happier baby.
Want to try a babywearing workout for yourself?
Every week, we bring you a CARiFiT babywearing workout across our social media channels!
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