How to get back at exercising again when you have stopped for so long, especially after having a baby?
I just came across an article on a question asked by a woman who used to run 5 miles a day before she got pregnant. After 18 months, the birth of her baby and 40 pounds heavier, she finds it hard to even run 1/2 a mile.
In such cases, how to keep the motivation going? Some people, feeling absolutely frustrated, just give up.
Here’s how to overcome:
- First, develop patience.
- Second, get rid of that mindset that belongs to a person 40 pounds lighter. Trying to achieve back the previous fitness ability and living up to old expectations immediately may just burn you out.
- Establish goals in terms of minutes, and not miles. Or if you are at the gym or treadmill, you may aim for a reachable calorie burnout session- and take your time doing it. That’s what I did- I normally aim for 400 kcal burn per cardio sessions. On days when I am mentally tired or my muscles are feeling a bit lazy, I may take longer. But I only stop until I achieve my target.
- Slowly aim for slightly higher target- 50kcals or another 5- 10 minutes more. You’ll finish off with the satisfaction that you’ve achieved more. Give it about 4 to 6 weeks and you’ll be back at your old fitness level.
Stamina and endurance can be built with persistent and patience. Just make sure you get started and don’t get discouraged.
I have led a sedentary and inactive lifestyle almost all my life. It’s only last year’s June that I started exercising actively.
Every time a new mom tells me she feels discouraged because she has many pounds to lose, I’ll ask her which is more difficult….. to lose that tummy gained in your recent pregnancy, or like me, faced with the challenge of losing fat that I had carried around my entire life?
