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San Diego Family Magazine Article, October 2006 Issue
Bouncing Back to Fitness after Baby
By Christina OrlovskyIt doesn't take much more than standing in the checkout line at the supermarket to make a new mother feel self-conscious about the baby weight that remains weeks or months after giving birth. Headlines from magazines blare with comments about the latest celebrity to shed her excess weight in "just two weeks!" Heidi Klum heads back to the runway in supermodel form. Kate Hudson resumes wearing tank tops in just 90 days. Katie Holmes, heaven forbid, took a few months to shed her baby weight, and people wondered, was she just being lazy? It's enough to make any new mom question her own tendencies toward exercise and wonder herself why she's not back in her pre-pregnancy size six.
Reality check: "People need to understand that the typical celebrity's resources in terms of help and assistance tend to be quite different than the average mother," said Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D., chief exercise physiologist for the San Diego-based American Council on Exercise.
"The average celebrity is probably not up throughout the night with the baby. She's well-rested, has someone preparing her meals and likely has trainers and nutritionists-she is in the optimum position to return to pre-pregnancy weight more quickly," he added. "All of these things would be nice, but most of us don't have those luxuries."
So what is a "regular" mom supposed to do to get back in shape sensibly? First of all, take time off to heal, Bryant advised.
"Generally, the recommendation is to take about six weeks after giving birth to resume real working out activities-think of it as time well-deserved for the very strenuous physical activity of bringing life into the world," he said. "Once you do begin, be realistic in establishing your weight-loss goals. You have gone through a major transformation and it took you nine months to get there. It can take nine months to a year to get back in shape."
Still, the benefits of exercise on your post-partum body and mind should be enough to encourage any new mom back into some type of fitness routine-just as soon as you feel ready.
"Exercise helps to manage the stress that comes with being a new mom, and it has shown to be a mood elevator, which can help ease postpartum depression," Bryant explained.
Bryant recommended easing into exercises that address the lower back and abdominals, as well as basic pelvic floor exercises to make sure you have good core integrity.
"As far as cardiovascular training goes, you really want to adhere to a comfortable intensity," he added. "A method that works well is the talk test: Exercise at an intensity that allows you to have a conversation in which you never find yourself unable to speak."
Bryant also added that it's important not to forget that you are a new mom and you do have some physical challenges that must be addressed when you start exercising. First, wear a supportive bra to accommodate swelled breasts and, if you're breast feeding, avoid exercising within a few hours of feeding so your lactic acid buildup doesn't make the milk unappealing to the child. Also, maintain adequate fluid consumption so your milk production doesn't go down.
Finally, he asserted, don't discount the impact the lack of sleep has on your body, and don't berate yourself if you just don't have the get-up-and-go needed to go all out in exercise.
"Your battery just isn't going to be recharged, so it may be difficult to work out," he said. "Adjust your goals, get out and just do something and you will receive the side benefits exercise has to offer."
Exercise in the Great Outdoors
One popular way to kick-start a fitness routine is to take part in one of the many outdoor fitness, or "boot camp," classes that are offered throughout San Diego County.
Bryan Schuler of Wired Fitness offers outdoor fitness classes six days a week in park locations in Encinitas, Carmel Valley and Mission Bay. He addressed the same challenges mentioned by Bryant and highlighted the benefits of exercise for new mothers.
"After having a baby, many women face a lack of energy and motivation, postpartum blues or depression, lack of sleep and self-esteem issues dealing with weight gain," Schuler explained. "An effective exercise program will increase energy and confidence, reduce stress, relieve minor aches and pains and strengthen weakened back and abdominal muscles."
While the phrase "boot camp" may sound intimidating, the truth is that any outdoor fitness class can be modified to meet an individual's fitness level. And the benefits of the group class are more than just physiological.
"A class setting can provide more success than other types of physical activity because it promotes camaraderie among the women in the group and can motivate them to exercise more frequently," Schuler added. "Other benefits include group support, networking and motivation, which can also play a major role in the treatment or prevention of postpartum depression."
For any new mom who may still be worried about the physical demands of an outdoor fitness class, Schuler offered words of encouragement.
"Exercises in class would be modified for a new mom," Schuler said. "Classes are broken down into stations where the intensity level is determined by the participant's activity level. If we run, hop, skip and jump, new moms can walk briskly or march to get the same workout. Every exercise can be modified to accommodate any participant's fitness level."
Among the many exercises that Schuler incorporates for new mothers include: rows, heel slides, ankle pumps and walks with resistance bands; pelvic floor strengtheners; crunches and lower back and abdominal movements; pushups and stretches for the upper back and chest; and lower body strength-training exercises, like lunges and squats, which can all be modified based on a new mom's fitness level.
The key, Schuler maintained, is to start gradually and in a supervised setting, exercising 30 to 50 minutes at least three to five days per week and expecting to lose no more than one pound per week.
"Remember one thing," Schuler concluded. "You are not superwoman. Do not rush to regain your shape!"
For more information about Wired Fitness classes or to attend a free trial class, visit the Web site at www.wiredfitness.com. For information about the American Council on Exercise's post-partum recommendations and exercises, visit the ACE Web site at www.acefitness.com.
Christina Orlovsky is a freelance writer in downtown San Diego. She writes frequently about health and fitness for the San Diego Union-Tribune and many national publications.
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