I don’t care if you’ve ever worked out before. New mom vibes are in full force and I love it. So let’s figure out where is a good place for you to start and what you should consider before investing your time and money into all of the latest fitness trends.
Having a baby is literally a life changing experience and nothing truly prepares you for it. Then, you get home and life starts to evolve into this new “normal” and you get into a groove again.
Once your mind can start to handle more than just baby’s needs, you find yourself reflecting on how you can get to a place where you can feel strong (and be able to balance a baby along with 12 other things.)
If you’ve been here for any length of time, you know I’ve got an article on where to start with working out after baby. But let’s say you were never a person that worked out to begin with. This is all about beginner workout basics and how to to get you started. Let’s dive in.
1. Think about what type of movement brings you joy.
The key is to find something you enjoy. Workouts for beginners are hard because it requires you to put yourself into an uncomfortable state without any idea of whether it is something you can stick with.
And then, this particular beginner workout begs for you to come back tomorrow or the next day. It walks a fine line between, “Wow, that was harder than I expected,” and “I enjoyed it enough to show up again tomorrow.”
If you’ve never been a runner, don’t expect to like a class with a lot of running. If you’re not a person who likes to ride bikes, spinning may not be for you.
The Point: Find a workout activity you enjoy because you’re more likely to stick with it in the long run. According to one study, you may even find it easier to stick to it if you find your time and energy is spent on something you enjoy.
2. Identify your “why.”
Really nail down why you want to do this. Because there will be a day where you don’t want to go to that class, or open your workout plan. It happens to literally everyone. And if someone says it doesn’t, they are lying. On those toughest days, you need a “why” so that you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Some examples are:
“I want to be able to carry my baby while I go on a long walk.”
“I want to be stronger so when I’m ready to have another baby, I can be better prepared for labor.”
“I want to embrace my mom body and fit into these clothes I just bought.”
The Point: Whatever your “why” is, make sure you know it and you write it down. Heck, I suggest putting it as your alarm clock title if you set one of those. Any beginner workout starts somewhere but when the going gets tough (which it will), remind yourself why you started in the first place.
3. Don’t try to do it yourself.
Don’t think you’re going to just do 10 push ups a day and a couple bodyweight squats until the end of time and there you have it folks. Take the guesswork out of working out as a new mom, especially as a beginner and hire that stuff out.
I have plenty of resources for you to choose from. Alternatively, you can find a YouTube person you like, you can join a fitness class, spin class, get a personal trainer (just like me!)
The Point: Until you’ve got your workout basics down and you feel confident to do it on your own, rely on a coach to do the programming work for you. Trust me, it is worth it.
4. Start slow.
This isn’t a race, even though it feels like it sometimes. The important thing is that you focus on one thing at a time. Start with attending one class/session/workout and just lay there on the mat if you need to. Just show up for yourself!
Make this a priority before anything else. Then, once this becomes a part of your routine, start to add in more things. Like tackling your meals for the week. Or drinking more water throughout the day. You won’t always feel like a beginner just like any other new thing you start!
The Point: Whatever your one thing is, start it and then slowly add other things in. You can’t do it all at once or you may find yourself burnt out or worse, doing none of them very well.
5. Stop watching other people.
This seems ridiculous to suggest however, in this day and age it truly is necessary. Don’t compare yourself to the person on Instagram who shows you 20 seconds of their workout (and they’ve been working out for years.) You’re looking for workout basics for beginners, not bodybuilding!
Don’t think less of where you start because another mom lost all her “baby weight” within 8 weeks.
The Point: Every person’s journey is so different and the only one we truly get a front seat in, is ours. So stop watching them and focus on you!
Beginner or not, working out as a new mom is tough to do. Now more than ever, you have so many things that are begging for your attention.
Any commitment of your time you give to working out is well spent and I promise you, your body will thank you..
