Our Mommyhood

Posts Tagged ‘exercise’

By Julia Magnusson, Staff Writer, It’s Not Like a Cat (@notlikeacat)

It turns out that if you’ve been “benched” for a while and then hit the gym really hard as soon as you can your body rebels. Structurally. It’s not true for everyone, but if you have a chronic injury here, a recovering injury there and an old injury over around back there, well, something is going to give once you try to hammer it again. Fortunately, I have an excellent chiropractor who was able to whack me back into place and told me to take it easy for a few days.

Even so, I’m a little gun-shy now about hard exercise. I’ve never really excelled at moderation. Mediocrity, yes; moderation, no. It’s hard enough trying to get back into shape without having to keep a chiropractor on retainer. It’s not just that I’m tired and sleep-deprived and feel guilty dropping my kids off at the gym daycare instead of spending quality time doing enriching activities with them (even though the baby’s favorite activity lately is sucking his fist, and the toddler is perfectly happy perching a small chair on his bed and pretending to drive a firetruck). It’s not that I feel like I’m spinning my wheels at the gym nursing my various old injuries, waiting to run again.

I think it’s that I’ve gotten lazy.

It will be another three and a half weeks before I can start running again. I delete the emails from my trail-running group, ignore the posts from the local marathon training team. I comment on my running partner’s Facebook status lines (and she on mine), which is not nearly as satisfying as the long, personal discussions we used to have on our runs. I wonder how long it will be before I can keep up with my running friends again.

To be honest, I don’t entirely feel as reliant on the endorphins as I used to. My days are pretty sweet lately, despite the fact that the toddler and the baby have a knack for both melting down exactly when I am trying to get all of us in the door with a load of groceries, in the rain, when I really, really have to pee.

I never thought I’d say this, but the babyhood is lovely to observe, the toddler is an interesting little dude and a lot of the time lately I am fairly content with the status quo. I’m happy with my body, even though it is not at all what it used to be, fitness-wise.

But we have a new (used) double jogger waiting for me in the basement. Even if I’ve totally lost all motivation by the time I’m allowed to start running again, I’m going to have to hit the pavement at least a few times a week to justify the expense and bulky hassle of the stroller (you second-floor-dwelling urbanites with no garage know exactly what I mean when I say “bulky hassle” in reference to a double jogging stroller).

I haven’t yet registered for the Turkey Trot, though.

By Julia, Staff Writer, It’s Not Like a Cat (@notlikeacat)

Ow. Shoulders, arms, back: hurt. Abs: moderately sore. Legs: hard to say; I can’t tell if they are more tired than sore. Returning to the gym full-force after a long hiatus is hard, and the road in front of me looks like one long uphill.

The summer I got pregnant with Max – now a toddler – I raced in two sprint triathlons, a 100-mile relay running race, a 24-hour mountain bike race and was commuting by bicycle more than 100 miles per week to work. (I also got married; you could say it was a busy summer.) I ran through all 41 weeks of that pregnancy and kept on running, and I tried to keep biking as much as possible. I thought for sure that I’d run through my second pregnancy, too.

Not so. I trained for a half marathon early in the pregnancy, tearing a hip muscle a week before race day. That race was out. I recovered and ran a half marathon in February, as I entered my third trimester. And then a month later I badly injured my knee. Running was over, at least until I gave birth and could get an MRI and surgery.

I’ve always felt a little self-conscious in the male-dominated weight room at the gym. Try going in there enormously pregnant, on crutches, wearing a hot pink top – the only workout shirt that still fit me. Weight lifting was all I could do for the remainder of the pregnancy.

After Ben was born, I wasn’t able to get to the gym very often, due to our family’s schedule and I couldn’t just go for a run because I had knee surgery about six weeks after I had Ben (talk about putting the “fun” in “postpartum”!). My surgeon told me to wait three full months before running again. Needless to say, my body does not look the way it used to.

I’ve been meaning to work out harder as I recover from surgery and we all get a handle on this two-child lifestyle, but inactivity is a slippery slope and I’ve been sliding down it fast.

Then FedEx dropped off a little package. Two shirts I’m supposed to be testing for a company I occasionally test gear for. Two shirts that I am required to work out in at least four times per week for the next four weeks. It was just the kick in the (softer, less-toned) butt that I needed to return to the gym – not just to test the shirts, but to get myself back in running shape after what will end up being six months off. Six months.

The first workout left me sore. The second one, sweaty but exhilarated as I discovered that I’m finally able to get through a whole spinning class with minimal knee pain. My body – softer, rounder, tighter in my clothes, out of breath faster – is taking a little getting used to. It will take a lot of work and motivation to get it back to its formerly fit shape.

But I know one day I will see my abs again, and more importantly, will be racing again. Even a local 5K would be thrilling: the crowd of runners, the excitement, pushing myself hard.

Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, I’ve got my eye on you.

By Cathryn Johnson, Guest Writer

With the school year now underway, it is time for the weather to change.  And that means our kids will be spending countless hours in front of the television, either watching their shows, or playing video games.  Even the little physical activity they had during the summer in the form of outdoor play will be absent from their lives.  Unfortunately, children these days are becoming couch potatoes far before they are old enough to grab a beer and watch football every Monday night with the boys.

As parents, we need to ensure that our children are getting the physical activity necessary for a healthy lifestyle.  Now, trying to tell our kids to exercise or turning on the latest jazzercise video for them is likely not going to be very successful.  Instead, I have come up with a list of five ways to make your child exercise this fall without “exercising.”

Take Your Child Grocery Shopping

Take your child grocery shopping with you.  It will not only be a great bonding experience, it will also allow you to make your child exercise without even knowing it.  When you are out, be sure to park in the parking spot that is farthest from the entrance.  Just walking to and from the car will be a workout.  When you are done shopping, leave the cart at the store and have your child help you carry the groceries to the car.  This way, he will not only work out his legs, but also his arms.

Get a Zoo Pass

Make monthly visits to the zoo.  Most children love seeing the animals at the zoo, and zoos are generally sprawled out over several acres of land.  Thus, walking through the zoo (one section at a time) is great exercise.  And for a fun added workout, at each station ask your child to act like the animal you are observing.  As your child hops and runs about, he or she will break a sweat without realizing they are “exercising.”

Make Back to School Shopping a Weekly Activity

Even though you may have already done a majority of your kid’s back-to-school shopping, there are always those things that come up once the school year starts.  Walking around the mall is great exercise; haven’t you heard of elderly ladies who walk the mall every morning for exercise?  Why not make weekly trips to the mall and do your child’s shopping in installments?  Once back-to-school shopping is done, you can start in on the holiday shopping.  Be sure to park furthest away from the store you are actually planning to visit so that you will have to walk the length of the mall and back before your trip is over.

Organize a Swimming Party

Even if your child hates to take a bath, generally she’ll love to play in water. Swimming is a great cardio-workout and an excellent way to burn calories, not to mention the fact that swimming is fun.  It may be too cold to use the pool in your backyard, but most neighborhood community centers have pools where free-swim times are available.  You can coordinate with your child’s friends to meet there.  Whenever planning a party around swimming, make sure lifeguards and adults are present at all times.

Get a Wii and Active Games

Since your child insists on playing video games, why not get a gaming system that is conducive to exercise?  Sure, many people will argue that the exercise you get while playing even active video games using Wii or other similar devices is not as good as a real workout, but it is better than nothing.  Just be sure that the games you buy are the ones that require more movement.

If you make exercise fun, most children are willing to do it.  And as they say, “The best exercise is the kind you are willing to do!”

When she isn’t busy running after her kids, Cathryn Johnson is a resident writer for Online Nursing Schools, where she researches areas of nursing education, online nursing programs, and healthcare. In her spare time, she enjoys travel, theater and having fun in the sun.

By Jenny, Guest Writer, Happenings of a Little Bubba (@bubsymomma)

I don’t know about you but I tried to maintain a level of fitness throughout my pregnancy with my son.  As a fitness professional, I had to.  I even taught Pilates and Kick Boxing tell my 9th month of pregnancy.  I think it is key to continue to exercising so that when it is time to get back into shape after baby, you can do it a whole lot easier!

Exercising in the postpartum period is a way to help you get back into shape and stay healthy for your baby and yourself. Many of us moms want to know when we can start exercising after giving birth. The general advice from most physicians and midwives is to wait 6-8 weeks before really getting into a fitness routine.

I have to agree with this rule of thumb.  I remember when I started getting back into Pilates after my son it was about 5 weeks out.  I did a move that required a lot of abdominal strength and was disappointed when I wasn’t able to do it and that it felt kind of weird.  By weird I mean my uterus was still shrinking and I should have WAITED.

You may be asked to wait longer or hold back a bit if you have had a cesarean section or an operative vaginal delivery (with forceps or vacuum extraction). Your doctor or midwife can give you specifics on your personal time line for exercise. Ideally, this bar on strenuous fitness will not hamper your efforts to move.

Movement is perfect and should begin within hours after you give birth, even if you required surgery. We know that moms who move after birth do tend to heal more quickly and feel better sooner than their less active counterparts. This doesn’t mean jog around the block, but it does mean getting up and moving around your hospital room or in your home. Even after surgery or after an epidural, you can begin to walk with assistance in just a few hours. Though the first few attempts may be painful – overall, the movement is good.

I do not recommend a fitness routine, but a daily brief walk after the first week or two is perfect. Watch for over doing it, which as I told you above, I did.  If you were exercising prior to pregnancy, you may feel more of a need to get out and get going. On a limited basis, some doctors will give you the go ahead. You might be asked to do modified yoga versus aerobics, but stretching and gentle movements are fine.

Just remember that your body is still adjusting to its non-pregnant state. You will have your center of balance shifting again, the hormones of pregnancy will continue to make your joints a bit softer and then you have just the feeling of exhaustion that can accompany any birth.

Here are some rules that I followed and recommend that you follow post baby….
•    Wait until you’re given the go ahead
•    Start with small bits of exercise
•    Slowly work your way back into a fitness routine
•    Stop exercising if you have pain, increased bleeding or you just don’t feel comfortable
•    Think slow and gentle at first

Jenny/Certified Personal Trainer and Mommy Blogger

By Julia, Editor, Work, Wife, Mom… Life! (@julialadewski)

To the guy with the beer gut wearing a tank top and jeans:
Neither cool nor attractive

To the middle-aged man that calls me beautiful:
Please don’t call me that. It’s creepy

To every other guy in the gym:
I’m working out. I don’t have time to talk. Yes, I know I’m strong for a “little girl like me”. No need to tell me.

To lady that’s been on the recumbent bike for an hour:
Try something new. Maybe the bike is all you can physically do right now. But maybe it’s not. Expand your thoughts and you’ll see huge results.

To the ladies working out in the “Ladies Only” area:
Why? I don’t get it. The guys in the gym aren’t pointing and laughing. Really, come on over.

To the dude wearing the button down shirt, un-tucked and un-buttoned:
That’s just wrong. And silly looking.

To the guy doing squats:
You’re not impressing me by putting more weight on the bar and only squatting down 2 inches. Mm-k?

To the cute little petite woman using 3 pound dumbbells for every exercise:
You won’t “bulk up” if you go a little heavier. I know you’re trying to “tone” but 3 pounds really isn’t doing much.

To the 18 year old kid that does every variation of bicep curls for over an hour wearing a cut-off t-shirt:
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