Getting back into shape after having a baby isn’t and shouldn’t be that hard to do. Research has shown that following an exercise regimen after birth is great for overall health and helps reduce any possibilities of postpartum depression. If you’re feeling up to it after some rest, it’s time to start thinking about a workout and other alternatives to lose weight.
Easing into it
One of the first simple steps of getting back into a workout is to simply walk. Walking might not seem like a big workout but it’s one of the easiest ways to get into the workout mode. Just start with a well-paced walk throughout set times of the day. As your baby grows and gets older it’ll be in its stroller, which can call for even more of an exercise by pushing that extra weight.
Start by working on deep breathing exercises and keeping your abdominal muscles tight at all times. It’s an easy exercise to do that can be done at any hour of the day anywhere. It’s a starting process to engage those core muscles by staying tight. Sit upright and engage the diaphragm by inhaling deep and upward. Holding your abs and contracting will assist along the way.
Being able to do these simple exercises will assist in preparing your body for other cosmetic modes of transformation. Methods such as ultrasonic cavitation are available to you in assisting with weight loss. I had a procedure done that greatly helped my midsection that you can read more about here.
Building Abdominal Strength
Lower body fat can be the hardest part to get rid of. Being able to eliminate this is going to be the hardest part and will require you target the innermost abdominal muscles. Some simple bodyweight workouts can be added in order to do this. Planks that include side planks traditional and moving ones can all be an asset in this training regimen.
There are variations that can be done with very simple bodyweight movements. That includes going up and down with your hands, adding a leg lift component and simple things you might have done in gym class taken up a notch.
In order to a plank pose, start by putting your hands and knees to the ground. Then raise the body into a flat position, keeping the abdominal muscles tight. Hold it there for at least 30 seconds, switching into side planks intermediately. These stationary positions are what create a solid core and hammer away at the fat, by increasing muscle inside.
Yoga & Pilates
These two workouts have the aspect of lengthening and strengthening muscles. They may not be an intense burst of cardio, but also serve to increase core strength again. Certain types of yoga, those of the hot variety can help with losing a lot of weight. Different types of yoga poses work wonders on toning the areas that need it the most.
One of the best merits of Pilates is the fact that its main focus is on targeting and strengthening the core. From that it extends outwards and allows for fat to rapidly decrease because your muscles are getting stronger. Pilates not only strengthens the core, but pelvic muscles and back as well. Wearing Anti-Cellulite shorts during your workouts can help speed up weight loss by making you sweat and burn more calories.
All of these areas are most affected during pregnancy and this will help strengthen everything. A solid core is the start to a lot more in terms of exercise.
Strength Training
Once the basics have been met, strength training can be the next step or even done so in line with the other previous workouts listed. After engaging in increased cardio, gradually progressing from walking to running, Yoga, Pilates, and bodyweight training, it’s time for more resistance.
An over-all strength building regiment will focus on burning more fat and increasing muscle. You’ll want to increase your muscle. Some of these workouts include squats, push-ups, and pull-ups as your main focus on hitting the lower and upper body. While training like this, you can first use the body while gradually progressing to weights.
Weights may include barbells, dumbbells, resistance bands, and machines. Focusing on core compound movements that involve the whole body, an example is the squat would be ideal in this type of training. Once you’ve established this you can then move on to adding supplementary workouts into the mix targeting certain individual muscle groups.
Overall, it’s of your best interest to begin working out and gradually increasing the intensity and types of work after a pregnancy. It can result in getting back on track to being healthy and fit.