The Self-Care Mom

For some moms, adding a workout to their daily routine can feel like just another chore — and adding something else to our plate sounds better in theory than in practice. In this post, personal trainer Lori-Ann Marchese shares fitness tips for moms looking to squeeze in a workout routine.

“Having the responsibility of being a mom can become pretty chaotic and stressful with limited time in the day and an endless schedule,” Marchese told Motherhood Through My Eyes in an exclusive interview. “It may seem impossible to get a workout in but there is a way to incorporate fitness into your life.”

Marchese suggests this workout circuit which only takes 20 minutes out of your day to complete: “There are 4 different exercises, each exercise being performed for a minute each time, then having a minute rest in between each,” she explained. “This circuit should be repeated for 4 rounds and is recommended that it be completed 2-3 times a week.”

For targeting the full body, Marchese suggests planks because they are great for the core, squats which work the legs and glutes, push-ups to keep the arms and chest toned and back extensions to shape the back.

Marchese added: “This workout circuit works all parts of the body. Taking just a minimum of 40 minutes out of your week will make all the difference and result in long lasting impacts. Exercising during pregnancy has many benefits, such as the simple concept of feeling better (about yourself) by increasing your sense of control and boosting your energy level.”

Exercising While Expecting
Exercise to your body also benefits you during the birthing process and it will help you gain your pre-pregnancy body at a higher rate, noted Marchese.

Although doctors do not recommend pregnant women start a workout routine if they had not been active prior to conceiving, there are ways for expecting moms to keep an active, healthy lifestyle without harming themselves or the baby. For these soon-to-be moms, Marchese suggests simple workouts such as walking, prenatal yoga, dancing, pilates, biking or swimming and light strength training. 

“Walking one mile at a brisk pace is a great start for a simple cardio workout,” she said. “You can later add on hills. Specifics for the weight training would be to use light dumbbells/weights. Some safe exercises to do to increase muscle tone would be bicep curls, lateral raises, standing leg raises, lunges, and bent over shoulder laterals.”

So if you have not worked out in the past, but would like to maintain a healthy weight during your pregnancy, there are ways to do so. The main point, according to Marchese, is that soon-to-be-moms must do small isolated exercises when trying to strengthen the muscle group in order to not harm the baby. It is mandatory that you consult a physician before starting any exercise program.

Some people consider dieting or doing away with certain foods to be a healthy approach to getting in shape. But Marchese believes putting these two concepts together would “create a better a healthier result” which she calls clean eating. 

“Clean eating is when you focus on natural, fresh, low-sodium foods and having water become the always go-to drink,” explained Marchese. “When getting into shape, a healthy intake of food and drink is key because it will prove the difference between the levels of a toned body. When speaking about doing away with certain foods, depending on what foods, that goal of restricting those certain foods can turn for the worst and actually cause weight gain. This is because when taking the healthier eating route, you must get foods from all parts of the pyramid.”

Eating healthy is important, and according to Marchese these means including good sources of fats, proteins, and complex carbohydrates. It all starts with breakfast! A good, balanced breakfast speeds up your energy and metabolism for a full mommy day!

To help add proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and fruits and vegetables into your diet, Marchese has included suggestions based on each category:

Proteins: 
Chicken
Turkey
Eggs
Tuna fish
Lobster
Sword fish
Shrimp
Clams
Snapper
Cod fish
Trout
Lean beef
Kidney beans
Peanuts
All natural peanut butter
Cashews
Almonds

Fats: 
Almonds
Walnuts
Cashews
Peanuts
Pecans
All natural peanut butter
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Flax seed oil
Pumpkin seeds
Fish oil supplements

Carbs: 
Brown rice
Whole wheat bread
Oatmeal
Beans
Yams
Sweet potatoes

Fruits and vegetables:
Apples
Bananas
Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Blackberries
Grapefruit
Green leafy vegetables
Green beans
Tomatoes
Squash
Cucumbers
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Spinach

Lose The Gut, Tone Up And Keep Active
As a mom to a toddler, there is rarely ever any downtime. “Many people think working out gives you 100% results,” noted Marchese. “The truth is 80% is how you eat and 20% is the workout. Even if you do the minimal 20 minute exercise circuit and focus on clean eating, your body will be the best it has ever been.”

To help tone arms, Marchese suggests these three very easy exercises:

1. Pushups: Pushups help tone your arms and shoulders. If you are having trouble with the standard pushup, try the modified push. 10-15 pushups, 3 sets. 

2. Tricep Dumbbell Kickbacks: This is another exercise you can perform to improve the shape of your arms. This is a good exercise that hits all three parts of your tricep with a good peak contraction. 10-15 reps, 3 sets with weight. 

3. Bicep Curls: When performing bicep curls, make sure you raise the weights one at a time, in a controlled steady motion. Bicep and triceps exercises should be performed on the same day so you can evenly spread weight-bearing exercise to your arm. 10 reps on each arm, 3 sets with weight. 

Marchese believes it is important to know that you ease into training when first beginning, in order to avoid severe pain and stiffness. In this case, walking is the perfect start to transforming into a toned body. She added: “Remembering clean eating and exercise is all you need to know in order to have that toned body and keeping up with your active one.”

For more information on Lori-Ann and her Body Construct protein shake line, please visit www.bodyconstructfit.com. Feel free to check her out on Instagram as well via @bodyconstructloriann