Written by Amy Horvath—
If you’ve had a baby in September, you’ll know it is one of the busiest months in the maternity wards. Before you even realize it, your doctor is releasing you to resume your normal activities—just in time for the hustle and bustle and endless foods of the holidays! Losing the baby weight can feel like a slow process, but when you pile on the delicious treats of October, November and December, it can feel like one step forward and two steps back.
It is possible to enjoy your holiday while continuing to work towards reclaiming your pre-baby body, without feeling deprived and cheated. Here are some suggestions and recommendations:
1. Fitness first. Work out in the mornings before your day is filled with activity. By putting off your workouts, you will easily get busy with the chores of everyday life and additional excitement of the holiday. By getting it done first thing, you can freely participate in the season’s festivities. As a new mom, sleep deprivation is pretty standard territory, but believe it or not, exercising will help energize your day!
2. Journal your food. And keep it accurate. Cheating on your journal only hurts your “bottom line”—pun intended. The journal can help keep you accountable and serve as a visual reminder of what you ate the day before. It is too easy to conveniently forget that piece of fudge you mindlessly popped in your mouth after dinner yesterday, too!
3. Feed the baby. If you opted to nurse your baby, the holidays are not the time to stop! It will help keep you accountable with any alcohol consumption (aka: empty calories) and there have been studies to support that nursing will help you drop the baby weight more quickly.
4. Pre-game. Eat before you go to a holiday party. This will help prevent loading your plate with the unhealthy stuff containing butter, sodium, oil and added sugars at your gathering. Additionally, grab the dessert plate to use as your dinner plate to keep your portions in check.
5. Allow for your favorite holiday treats. If you enter the holiday season saying you are not going to enjoy any of the foods of the season, you might set yourself up to fail. Life is all about balance. If you schedule “cheat treats” into your week, you’re less likely to beat yourself up.
6. Have a “spotter” when baking. My weakness is all of the holiday baking I do for neighbors, family and friends who do not share my goals. I like to “taste” the cookies, the fudge, the bread, the candy, oh my! My children have some holiday favorites and they will be with me every time I pull out my mix master!
7. Practice food prep. Plan a weekly meal of healthy items to keep you on track through each week. Take a day to grill some lean chicken, boil eggs and make some healthy snacks to keep you on track. If you do not have the healthy choices readily available as you are rushing in or out the door, you will be more inclined to grab the unhealthy, boxed, processed foods. You may even skip meals, which isn’t going to help with your goals and create insulin fluctuations and cravings. Food prepping is a recipe for success!
8. Do not set unrealistic goals. For many, the holiday season is not a time to set aggressive exercise and weight loss goals. If you are one of these people, be realistic about your goals to avoid frustration and possibly losing your motivation. Instead set small goals and celebrate them. The important thing here is to not let the holiday season be a reason for you to lose your motivation. Make an acception for the holidays—and the treats and indulgences that come along with it—so you can truly enjoy them. Make adjustments to your training, your timelines of your goals and above all, be creative. Your long-term goals do not have to be abandoned. Many people fail because they start their journey strong and too strict, which is not sustainable. Consistency is key when it comes to success in your nutrition and training.
9. Enjoy the season. Strap the baby into your sling and use the weight to climb up and down the stairs more, or go out and enjoy the cooler fall temperatures. Check in to Mommy and Me classes at the local health clubs! Bottom line: Move more – and the holidays may just provide a good opportunity to keep you up and going! Here is a sample circuit you can do at home on those busy days when you might not be able to make it into the gym. All you will need is a medicine ball or kettle bell, and a “no excuses” attitude! If you are unfamiliar with any of these moves you can use YouTube to find a quick tutorial.
Sample Workout
1. 20 Walking Lunges with a medicine ball abdominal twist (Hold weight with hands at waist height, lunge with right foot, twist to the right; next lunge twist to left)
2. 20 Pop Squats (Hold weight at waist height, and keep hands stationary during the exercise. Go into a squat and pop up, bringing your legs together like a jumping jack)
3. 30 Plank Jacks (Get into plank position and move legs into a jumping jack position on your toes)
4. 20 Abdominal Medicine Ball V Sits (Laying flat on back with weight in hands and arms extended above your head, hinge at the waist until you are in a V with the weight and your feet straight up)
5. 1 Minute Speed Rope (Goal should be 150 rotations during the minute – go for speed)
6. 1 Minute Wall Sit with Weight (Hold weight in hands and sit with back flat against wall in a squat position, your quadriceps/thighs should be parallel with the floor) Repeat the circuit 3 times.