Mother & Baby - March 2004
4 weeks to a brand new you
After the birth, give yourself a makeover with our quick and easy lifestyle plan.
You’ve got more wobbly bits than a jelly factory and your diet consists of whatever’s easiest to grab from the fridge as you juggle nappies with bottles or breast pumps. Does this sound familiar? All your attention has been lavished on your baby since the birth. But once you’ve had your six-week checkup and you’ve been given the go-ahead, it’s time to start a healthy lifestyle programme. “You may feel your body’s no longer your own after the stress of pregnancy and labour, particularly if you’re breastfeeding”, says postnatal fitness expert Laura Williams, from personal training company Future Perfect. “If it seems as though your body’s taken over your life, you’re not alone. But starting a lifestyle programme isn’t hard if you take it step by step”. Here’s our four-week plan, which you can begin six weeks after the birth on the advice of your GP.
Get active …“Strap your baby in his buggy and stride up those hills”, says Laura. “The buggy and your baby’s weight will provide resistance training for your upper body, while walking uphill tones the legs and bum. Your heart and lungs get a great workout, and exercising at a sustained moderate intensity burns more fat than going flat-out for 20 minutes. Aim for 30-40 minutes, four times a week”.
Top Tips …”It’s fine to resume exercise while you’re breastfeeding but wear a supportive bra and feed your baby before you start”, says Laura.
Celebrity Bodies ... Remember that celebrities such as Catherine Zeta Jones and Liz Hurley worked really hard to get back into shape, usually with the help of a personal trainer, and it’s their job to look the way they do….”Don’t be tempted to embark on a faddy diet”, says Laura Williams. “If you expend more calories than you consume, you’ll get slimmer. It’s as simple as that”.
To book a session or to find out how Laura can help you get into shape, email her at laura@laurawilliamsonline.co.uk
Or call her on 07712 001525.