Start Fresh
"Now is a good time for a clean slate. If you've never been into exercise and you've never been into nutrition, now's the time to say, 'Okay, I'm going to do this.' Forget about what you were before. You're a mom now; you have a baby. This is an exciting time, when you can make a new person of yourself. You owe it not just to yourself but to your family to understand about nutrition and exercise, because you are the gatekeeper; you are the role model."
Make the Time
"You have to plan. I'm telling you, without a plan, it's just not going to happen. I have a family calendar and schedule exercise into the day. I had some friends who had babies at the same time I did, and we'd schedule our workouts together. So we were committed to doing it, and it was fun. That's why I love Mommy and Me classes; they bring together a lot of women with the same struggles, and the support system definitely gets you more on track. Some women schedule exercise in their BlackBerry or iPhones because if they don't do it, they have to cross it off, and to them, that's a defeat. Other moms go to bed in their exercise clothes and work out before the kids wake up."
Take Baby Steps
"In those first six weeks after you've had a baby, walking is imperative. Investing in a good baby jogger or stroller increase the intensity: Instead of going for a leisurely stroll, walk a little bit faster or incorporate some lunges and squats as you're walking. Those are simple things that really don't take away from your time with your child, but do help you start toning your body."
Rebuild Your Core
"The number-one reason people want to work out after having a baby is to get rid of the belly. Before your doctor clears you for strenuous exercise, you can do Kegel. Kegels (pelvic contractions) get the pelvic floor nice and strong again. They also force oxygenated blood into that area, which actually promotes healing. So if you've had a tear or any kind of trauma there, they will speed up the recovery process. Most people don't realize this, but you are supposed to be doing at least 30 Kegels a day—and you can do them at any time. Another way to expedite getting those abdominals back is by doing transverse breathing, which is very simple: You just lie down and pull in your transverse abdominal on the exhalations—so you inhale through the nose, exhale—and simply pull in those abdominals. You're actually retraining them to be closer to the spine. These things will help you get your abdominals back faster, until you get the clearance from your doctor to work out."
Work It Out
"If you've had a vaginal delivery, at around six weeks you can start doing your regular exercise program again. If you've had a C-section, you might have to wait eight weeks. The hardest thing is making the commitment, because suddenly everything else takes priority. As a mom, I'm an advocate of circuit training. Circuit training combines resistance training with short bursts of cardio and forces you to work harder than you normally would. I'm also a big advocate of short workouts. All my videos are set up so that if you've got thirty minutes, you can do thirty minutes, but if you've only got six or seven minutes, you can do six or seven minutes. For most women, that's the only realistic way to fit a workout into their plans—and that's not a bad thing! You still get results.
"I feel like I look and feel better now, after having two children, than I did before, because now I prioritize my workouts. I work out hard in short amounts of time, and I do a more balanced workout than I did before."
Eat Up, Eat Often
"If you want to restrict your calories, don't do it until at least four to six weeks after delivery. Give yourself some rest—you've just had a baby! If you are breast-feeding, you should not go below 1,800 calories a day. I think even when eating 1,800 calories, it is hard to get enough calcium into your body. So 2,000 is better. Then again, everybody's different; 2,000 calories might affect your milk supply, so you might have to eat a little more. It's finding a balance that works for your body. You want to have enough milk for the baby, otherwise you're going to jeopardize your health and your baby's health.
"Statistics show that the longer you leave between each meal, the more you're going to consume at that next meal. So try eating on a regular basis, every two to three hours."
But Choose the Right Foods
"Getting a good amount of fiber in your diet (about 25 to 35 grams a day) is always important. Eat as many whole grains, fruits, and vegetables as you can. I'm a big proponent of flaxseed, because it has omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which all the research that shows support brain development if you're breast-feeding. Also, flaxseed is a healthy fat that promotes weight loss. Stay away from fatty foods, like fatty chicken and red meat.
"I think it's really important, especially after having a child and if you are breast-feeding, to eat as much organic food as you can. I wish I had known that for my first baby, I truly do. I eat 80 to 90 percent organic now. I shop at Whole Foods every week, and I'm like, 'I need to get another job to afford to eat like this!'"
