5 New-Mom Tricks for Working Out and Eating Healthy With Your Baby
Becoming a new mom brings a lot of joy, love and confetti-filled fun into your life. But it also means it might be more difficult to find time to keep up with those workouts and healthy food resolutions you made. When it’s impossible to work in a workout when you have kids, there are still ways to stay healthy with your baby in tow. For the scoop on how to balance, we tapped the Nutrition Twins, Lyssie Lakatos and Tammy Lakatos Shames, both dietitians, fitness coaches and authors of The Nutrition Twins’ Veggie Cure. As a mom of twins, Tammy is especially excited to dole out some personal tips below.
1. Make picking up your baby into a workout you’ll both love. Babies love to be picked up into the air. The Nutrition Twins say you can also make it into a workout. “Pick your baby up keeping your abs tight and your back straight. Use your arms and shoulders to lift your baby high into the air and back down. Each time you come down give your baby a kiss!” Do this exercise 10 times, three times a day. “I loved this one and so did my babies. I paused for a bit up in the air to make it more challenging for my shoulders and I made funny faces to make my babies laugh on the way down,” adds Tammy.
2. Squeeze in some killer squats with your little one. “Do a wall squat holding your baby close to your chest. Squeeze your abs tight to protect your back. The baby replaces hand weights and gives you mommy-baby-time while building strength in your legs,” the Nutrition Twins say. “Hold it for 30 seconds and repeat three times.” To make things even more fun, try to incorporate some sets with your partner.
3. Double pack snacks. “Many new moms don’t take the time to eat a healthy snack or to eat at all. When they finally do eat, they’re so hungry that they grab the closest easy thing available — usually junk food,” caution the Nutrition Twins. “So when you pack a little snack in your baby’s stroller, also pack something healthy for yourself. Aim for high-fiber, high-protein combinations that keep your energy levels up and stable. An apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter, baby carrots with a single serve container of hummus or Greek yogurt with a piece of fruit are great options.
4. Sip on H2O while your baby is sipping on a bottle. “Stay hydrated by packing a water bottle for yourself next to your baby’s bottle in the diaper bag. Whenever your baby drinks, it’s a reminder for you to drink water,” the Nutrition Twins say. “This is especially important if you’re breastfeeding, as it’s difficult to keep up with your fluid demands,” Tammy adds.
5. Get enough magnesium. “Going through the extra stress of being a new mom, your body will use more magnesium and will need it to help relax your muscles,” explain the Nutrition Twins. “So be sure to get it from whole grains (brown rice, oatmeal), beans (hummus, bean burritos) and plenty of leafy greens, such as spinach salads or spinach in your pasta. You can wrap your sandwiches in spinach or other greens if you don’t have whole grain bread!”
What other tips do you have for staying fit and healthy as a new mom? Tweet us @BritandCo!
(Photo via Getty)