While being a fit mom with a baby seems impossible sometimes, it can be done.
No magic necessary. You just need a whole lot of perseverance and patience, and you’ll eventually get (and stay) fit as a new mom.
Jump to: Tips for getting a fit mom bod with a baby at home.
Do you feel like your fitness dreams are being dashed as a new mom?
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It seems impossible. Maybe you had a spotty and fickle relationship with fitness, and pregnancy didn’t help the matter. Or maybe you had a steady exercise practice, but then pregnancy hit and you had to adjust everything. You couldn’t breathe as easily, you had no energy, and on top of it all, you were many more pounds than you used to be.
The baby comes and voila! “I’ll have the energy to get my body back,” you say. “I can walk more than 25 yards without getting out of breath. I no longer get sick and tired every single stinkin’ day. Surely, I can get moving and motivated to work out now!”
But even if you had a completely uncomplicated pregnancy and your body is healing well—heck, even if you’re a magical unicorn superhero and your body is the same as it was before you got pregnant—you find it 200 times harder to work out.
What gives?
Remember: You’re a different person now. Baby takes up all your energy and sleeping time. Any moment left in the day immediately goes to chores, work, sleep, showering, eating a quick meal, going to the bathroom and keeping up with people. And if you have other children? Forget it.
Whether you are trying to get fit for the first time, or trying to regain your fitness as a new mom, know that it can be done.
It takes more energy and planning than it used to, but so does everything, amirite?
My personal mom fitness story.
I’ve been personally into fitness for a long time now. For about 13 years I’ve been very devoted with strength training, calisthenics and metabolic resistance training, and before that I was still diligent, if flailing.
So when I got pregnant, I thought, “Hey, I can keep working out! I have more energy and diligence than the the best of ‘em!”
Au contraire. I found it really, really, really, really reeeeealllllly hard to work out while pregnant. I was sick, tired, and just heavy all the time. I couldn’t breathe properly. It royally sucked, but I did my best to keep up some form of exercise 2-4 times a week. I did my own metabolic resistance training workouts (modified for being pregnant) maybe twice a week and I rode the stationary bike one to two times a week.
Until I was about 35 weeks. Then I just couldn’t.
I gave birth and was too busy to even think about exercise, but once about six weeks had gone by, I jumped into Hannah Eden’s FYR (the first one) to get me back in shape. It’s a 4-week program, and I didn’t have to think about what to do. I just followed along.
I also went on a “diet” to lose the remaining pregnancy weight. I used MyFitnessPal and counted calories and macros closely. That sucked too, but what didn’t suck was that little by little I felt stronger and fitter. And yes, the 40 pounds of weight gain eventually all came off.
Now, I’m back to pre-pregnancy fitness levels, and I’m even a bit leaner (although I think that’s thanks to the breastfeeding metabolism boost). I work out five times a week, for about 25-40 minutes doing mostly a combination of weighted and calisthenics workouts, mostly my own.
What you need to be a fit mom (it’s not what you think).
I realize that there are a heckuva lot of unrealistic expectations out there for women and mothers. I mean, you just carried this human for nine months, shared a body with her (perhaps still do if you’re breastfeeding), and are giving her 99% of your attention every freakin’ moment.
It’s a lot.
But look, here’s the most important thing to know: You don’t need to be a fit mom.
You don’t. You don’t need to be a fit mom, a hot mom, a doing-it-all mom or anything other than a mom. Being a mom is enough. You are enough as it is.
Since you have this little wonder-being in your life, that’s top priority. If you’re working, for necessity or pleasure, that’s also a top priority. Whatever else you want to do with your time and energy is up to your own beautiful soul’s desires.
What do you want to prioritize in your own personal life right now?
Figure out what, besides motherhood, will make you happy—not your husband, wife, partner, baby, mother or other children. Then, prioritize that.
If you are working and just have the time and energy to do your job well, do that. If you want to paint, write, knit, become a judo master, blog, or get your degree, do that.
And if you want to get fit, great. Do it. But make sure you can prioritize it for yourself. Why? Because there are enough people demanding sh*t from you. You need fitness (or whatever else you’re doing) to be for you.
I stay fit as a mom because I enjoy it. It’s the one time of the day that I have just for myself. Personally, I function better mentally and emotionally if I feel like I’m moving my body every day (or most days). I don’t take antidepressants, but working out keeps me in a good place. I also find it extremely taxing to take care of a baby, and being fit helps me move throughout the world with baby, stroller, groceries, luggage and everything else in tow.
Don’t compare yourself to others.
I’m in an extremely lucky position. I don’t need to work outside the home at this time (I just have this blog), and my partner usually has the time and energy to help out with the baby. Not always, but usually.
Being a fit mom isn’t so much about discipline or “being good,” I find. It’s a matter of prioritizing something you want for yourself—but only if that’s something you want for yourself.
So that’s my message to you: What you need to be a “fit mom” is your own personal desire to feel your best—through exercise.
If that’s you, great. Take a deep breath, lower your expectations, flex your timelines and deadlines, and read on.
When can you start trying to be a fit mom?
Check with your doctor about exercising after birth. Most likely, you won’t really have the time or energy to until at least four weeks after, although you might be able to start exercising right away. Usually, there’s a postpartum visit where your doctor will check you out and give you the green light on exercise, sex, and anything else you have questions about.
But also, you might want to give yourself at least a month to just adjust to this new addition in your life—and the (sleepless) challenges that go with her or him. The first month is a blur of snuggles, feeding, poop and sleep, but all in 2-hour increments without any regard to daylight. It’s a lot.
I waited about six weeks until trying to exercise again, and when I did, I took it nice and slow. I did Hannah Eden’s FYR, which has nice modifications for beginners and intermediates. Once that was done, I jumped into her FYR 2.0.
I make my own workouts and I love it, but I sometimes overdo it on myself. This was a time to not overthink it. Having a program to follow helped me be as efficient as possible with my workout strategy and implementation.
As long as you’re healthy, healed and good to go, you should be okay to jump in anytime! Just know the difference between pushing yourself and pushing yourself too far. You should feel a bit outside your comfort zone, but never sick, lightheaded, nauseous, or with sharp pains or an abnormally fast heartbeat. If you do feel a bit over the edge, take a rest and re-assess. Then either return to the workout and take it down a notch, or call it a day.
Tips and strategies for getting a fit mom bod (or get it back) with a baby at home.
My story isn’t yours, however, and you’ll need to figure out what works best for you, according to your own wishes, schedule, work/life situation and energy levels and preferences.
Here are strategies and tips to help you get fit while still being a mom with a little (and loud, demanding, adorable, snuggly, sleepy, cranky, crying) baby at home.
Make a plan.
Figure out a workout plan that works for you in your circumstances. If you have someone to help you out, then you have the possibility of hiring a trainer, taking a class or going to the gym. If you don’t, and need to work out at home, use your own home gym equipment or find bodyweight workouts that work for your fitness level.
I also suggest planning in advance which workouts you’ll be doing when. You can follow a plan (like FYR that I did or another on bodybuilding.com) someone already made up to take your mind off of figuring out what you’ll be doing. If you are planning your own workouts, then take a day every week to plan out the days ahead.
And always, always get a workout journal to track your weights, workouts, reps and progress!
Get fit at home.
This is not ideal for everyone, but honestly, it’s the easiest with a baby. It might feel weird at first to work out at home, once you stick to it for a week it will get easier and easier.
You don’t need a whole room to do workouts, either. I live in a one-bedroom apartment, so workouts are either in the bedroom or the living room. I have equipment at home (kettlebells, dumbbells and resistance bands) which I just shuffle from room to room.
The great part about working out at home is that it saves the most time. While it can be a little tough to get motivated to work out in the same room you take naps in, it can be done. We all have to make some sacrifices, right? And this way, there’s no time driving or walking to the gym, parking, going to the locker room, and so on. And if t for any reason, you’re right there!
Do short workouts, or workouts with short parts.
A ten-minute workout might be enough for you, depending on your fitness journey. But even if it’s not really enough, it’s better than nothing. Also, frequency counts more than workout length as far as building a habit. If time is an obstacle for you, make it a point to fit in just 10 minutes of exercise five times a week.
Another strategy is to do workouts that are in short parts: five minutes here, 10 minutes there, etc. You can then do a see-how-it-goes strategy. Do 10 minutes, and if you still have time (if the baby’s still napping, for instance), do the next short section, and so on.
You can also fit in short parts as the day progresses. It doesn’t all have to be in one fell swoop.
Work out when your baby’s napping.
Working out during nap time is the easiest solution. If the baby is still young enough that loud sounds don’t bother her, you can even work out in the same room. This is what I did until my girl was bothered by the sounds of the weight clink-clanking together (about four months old).
Once my working out was waking her up, I moved to the living room and encroached on my husband’s space instead. 🙂
Of course, you need to have your monitor handy or be close enough to hear your sleeping baby!
Work out when your baby’s awake next to you.
Once the baby’s mobile, the easiest way to work out next to your baby is to put her in a pack-n-play. If she’s not mobile, however, you can just place her next to you sitting up or lying down. Put her under a mobile or with toys around.
There are challenges to having a child or baby next to you while you work out. The older she gets, the more she wants to join in on the fun! Problem is, it’s usually not the safest for either of you.
Even if she’s contained, she also might cry, want food, or just really really hate that you’re paying attention to something else. I like to talk to my baby girl when this happens. Sometimes I’ll count reps with her name and the number, or sing her a song, or make silly faces. It doesn’t work forever, but it helps if you just have another 10 minutes.
Work out with the baby.
I don’t love this option, I’ll be honest. But maybe it’s because I’m scared of who I am when I work out—that person definitely shouldn’t be holding a baby.
There are loads of “mommy and me” workouts that include the baby or child, either alongside you or in your arms. It definitely sounds like fun, but I feel like this would be less effective as a workout.
Get the baby prepared, and schedule well.
Before you work out, whether it’s handing the baby off to someone else, or putting her down in a pack-n-play, make sure she’s fed, comfortable, in a clean diaper, and ideally, near the beginning of her wake window.
You know best when she’s in her best mood, so plan to work out then. I like to do it soon after my girl wakes up; that way, I know she won’t get tired and cranky.
Don’t stop when the baby’s crying—necessarily.
If the baby is fed, dry, and not in pain, you don’t need to stop your workout just because she’s crying.
I know, it’s hard. It’s really hard.
If your baby is just cranky or wanting attention, try to distract her. Sing to her, make funny faces, do whatever it takes. I don’t suggest keeping her cranky for very long, so if your workout is ending or the section is ending in ten minutes or less, just get through it. She might get bored with trying to get your attention and learn to entertain herself.
If it will be longer than that, then use your own judgment. You will have to stop if she needs feeding or comfort, and then just resume or retry when you can.
Get someone to help you when you work out.
It’s not always possible to get help, but even if you can work it out once a week, it’s worth it. It makes a big difference having time to just spend on you.
Join a gym with childcare.
In days of COVID, this is rare, but I expect to see childcare in places pop back up in the next few years. Gyms with childcare are usually of the elite variety, but they do exist.
Be a fit mom with a jogging stroller.
Kill several birds with this stone: a jogging stroller. Great cardio, fresh air, baby along for the ride, and extra resistance to boot! Jogging with baby is definitely not for the weak, though; it’s much harder than a normal jog, so be prepared. The good thing is that you can carry anything extra you need with you, even stop at the store on the way back! (I use this Graco jogging stroller and I love it for so many reasons!)
Find “fit mom” motivation that actually makes you feel good.
If pictures of Insta-moms in California with sun-kissed extensions make you want to vomit or jump off a cliff, don’t go there.
There is more than one picture of a “fit mom,” and it might be something personal to you. Maybe it’s a mom who has energy and time for her kids. Maybe it’s not a mom at all, just someone who inspires you to be your best.
Don’t let anything into your consciousness that makes you feel inadequate, unfit, failing, or anything other than awesome.
Figure out what “fit mom” success would look like—to you. Realistically.
I’m not saying you can’t also make a bigger goal. If you want to lose 50 pounds to get to your ideal weight, though, make a goal of 10 for now.
Or maybe it’s not weight loss; maybe you want to lift your baby overhead without hurting your back, or clean a 20lbs kettlebell, or run five miles.
Make a goal you could realistically hit in a month. When you hit it, you’ll have confidence and inspiration to go further.
And if you don’t hit your goal, give yourself a hug, reassess and try again. Did you partially succeed? If so, fantastic! If not, figure out where your obstacles are and try again.
Back way the heck off yourself on this.
If you haven’t already realized this, parenting is a lot about being flexible, compassionate, and prioritizing well. Going to the supermarket used to be an easy thing; now, it can be a huge ordeal.
There are times to be a hardass, and there are times to be flexible. Fitness isn’t won, nor is it achieved in one step. It’s a practice. While diligence and determination help in your fitness journey, know when you need to take a step back, reassess and replan.
And on the other hand, know the difference between being overwhelmed and being lazy. Sure, your son needs you, but he can do without you for 20 to 30 minutes, surely—as long as his needs are met.
Be the version of a fit mom you want to be.
I like to take a holistic view on life. This means that I love to look at areas of my life where I’m growing, and apply those lessons to all areas of my life.
With both parenting fitness, this is easy. I see fitness as a template for life lessons and growth anyway, and getting fit with a baby at home is one challenge where you can apply wisdom, tenacity, productivity and confidence in all areas.
With parenting, where to begin? It’s one huge lesson in seeing the big picture, taking baby steps (pun intended), being flexible, being innovative, turning obstacles into opportunities, and taking yourself waaaaay less seriously (this is a good thing, trust me).
Related fit mom, parenthood, and pregnancy fitness posts:
- The Ultimate Postpartum Workout Plan You Can Do at Home
- Benefits of Working Out While Pregnant: Hard But So Worth It
- Pregnancy and Lifting Weights: The Real Deal
- How to Get Fit for Beginners: The No-Nonsense Guide