When my fiancé and I had a child 6 months ago, my fitness routine was turned completely upside down. I went from working out 6-8 hours per week to 1-4 hours per week. I was worried that this shift would effect my fitness, specifically my body composition. On top of that, my motivation was low and the fatigue of few hours sleep and constant attention to the baby left me with no desire to use the few personal hours I could to get a good sweat in. Going through this experience however has given me unbelievable perspective when working with fitness and nutrition clients. I now see the disturbances to training and nutrition having a baby can cause! That being said, I am blown away by how I feel and look despite the changes in my life. I have learned to squeeze everything I can out of the exercises I do, food that I eat, and rest/sleep that I get. Here are some of takeaways I have gotten thus far:
Just because I don’t feel like training doesn’t mean I shouldn’t do anything. My work is fairly physical, spending 2-3 hours per day personal training individuals outdoors, then 5+ hours with the little guy. On days that I don’t feel like training, I just start doing something; a short run, some dumbbell curls, even some ab work. Getting going is the hardest part. Once I get moving, I give space for my mind to go from I have to work to I get to workout. When you feel like you are in a rut and don’t want to workout, just get moving and then reassess how you feel after a good warm-up.
Simplify Training. I have noticed that a lot of my training now encompasses more kettlebells and dumbbells along with bodyweight movements. Don’t get me wrong I still use the barbell, but on days where I don’t have a ton of time to warm-up and get going, it’s easier to grab a set of 24kg KB and start doing squats, presses, and RDLs than it is to build up using the barbell. Just the idea of having to put plates on and take them off seems like a choir. When you are short on time, grab kettlebells or dumbbells!
Eat more when you train, eat less when you don’t. I know this sounds simple and almost intuitive, but you need to eat for the demands of your life. I got caught with this early on after having our baby. I was still eating like I was training 6-8 hours per week when realistically it was more like 2-3 hours per week. The extra calories added up and soon I was fluffy around my midsection. It took a little recalibrating, but after I cut back a little on fats, my weight went back to my normal walking weight. Months later, when I got some time back to train (during the little guy’s naps) I ramped back up the volume and intensity. With this, I was left waking up in the middle of the night hungry, I added calories back in and sure enough, I was sleeping better through the night. Takeaway, eat to support your training.
There is so much more to talk about and I am sure I will learn even more as our child ages and the demands shift even more. I will go in with the intention of learning so that I am able share my lessons with the clients I work with. If you are having trouble with motivation or creating the habit of healthy eating and exercise, I’m here to help. Click the link below to set up a free assessment today!
BONUS
Listen to Scott and I talk about getting into a new training routine on our recent podcast (FItness, Wellness, and Longevity)