When I first started on the road to body shape and weight recovery after my daughter’s birth, I knew that there would be challenges along the way. If exercising were not hard enough on its own merit, try adding a couple of kids to the mix and the challenges will increase almost exponentially. There are a few things I have discovered along my road to fitness recovery that has helped to break down the obstacles to post partum exercise.
First is the resolve to get fit. Without the commitment to a workout routine, it will be very difficult to find the motivation to overcome said familial obstacles.
Once motivation is present and unwavering, finding a workout or workout place is next. While a gym membership might be ideal to some people, I cannot imagine a better way to break my resolve. Aside from the cost of a gym membership, is meeting the demands of going to the gym. Finding a chunk of time every day that includes getting someone (husband or otherwise) to watch the kids and travel time is an obstacle in and of itself for me. With the cost and time requirements against me, I turned towards home workouts on DVDs. I get a personal trainer, of sorts, for a one time fee of around ten dollars. Depending on the particular workout, all I need is a pair of free weights and a yoga mat.
Next is finding a time to workout which is not always easy with a two year old, an infant, and a dissertation writing, night shift working husband. The most ideal time that I have found is early in the morning when my husband, son, and sometimes my daughter is still asleep. Often times my daughter is awake so I take her downstairs with me.
(To be continued …)