MamaBlogger365 – Preserving and Regaining Health After Pregnancy with Exercise by Katie Moore
Today, Katie Moore share tips and information for those of us working on getting back in shape after having kids (no matter how old they might be now!):
Excess weight is increasingly linked to chronic disease, and researchers are discovering remarkable recoveries are possible when the weight is lost. The problem is with the difficulty in losing weight, a problem that can be exacerbated by the recovery time after pregnancy and the demands of being a mom.
Old ideas about exercise can contribute to a lack of results and discouragement. Gym routines and aerobics classes can be great for maintaining an already fit body, if you have the time. There is a better way, however, to get that fit body, and it doesn’t require equipment or a lot of time.
Before starting any routine that may seem too extreme, speak to a healthcare provider. The healthcare provider that has assisted all throughout the term and assisted in making pre-delivery recommendations, like those concerning pain management, breastfeeding, and cord blood banking, can be a great person to make recommendation concerning post-natal health.
A New Formula Based on Old Knowledge
Calorie counting is an uphill battle. It requires an enormous amount of determination and precious time. Fortunately, there is a better method of losing weight than trying to manage a daily balancing act of intake to exercise output. The primary factor in weight loss is your metabolism. Aerobics is an important part of metabolic conditioning, but it is secondary to the need for building lean muscle fast. With a greater percentage of muscle, your body will naturally burn calories faster without requiring any additional effort.
Isotonic exercise is a form of aerobics that increases blood flow to a specific muscle group and uses the body to provide resistance. Isometric exercise is a type of weight training that requires on the strength of your own muscles. Combining isotonic and isometric exercises can effectively reduce the time requirement and build muscle fast. The terms may seem new, but it is likely you already know some of these exercises.
Pushups are an example of isotonic exercise. A traditional pushup can be difficult for beginners, but the form can be altered for any fitness level. They can be done from the knees instead of the feet for beginners. A preparatory form is to lay on the stomach with elbows tucked and palms against floor to either side of the face. Raise your body using only the elbows while keeping the back straight. This will help balance the muscles and build to traditional knee-centered pushups.
Adding the isometric element to this isotonic exercise will increase lean muscle mass much faster. After the last pushup, fully extend the arms and flex them for ten seconds. This ten-second flex can be done at the end of any isotonic exercise, including crunches, calf-rises, squats, and even kegel exercises. Any exercise combined with the isometric flex should only be done a maximum of once per day.
Starting Safely with Exercise After Pregnancy
The safest exercises to continue performing after pregnancy are kegels, stretching, and walking. The three diaphragms of the pelvic floor can be strengthened safely, and this can speed recovery by increasing blood flow to the region. Pelvic tilts are another effective exercise during and immediately after pregnancy. Despite the common association, any woman will benefit from the use of these and other pregnancy-specific exercises.
Bio: Katie Moore has written and submitted this article. Katie is an active blogger who discusses the topics of, motherhood, children, fitness, health and all other things Mommy. She enjoys writing, blogging, and meeting new people! To connect with Katie contact her via her blog, Moore From Katie or her Twitter feed, @moorekm26.
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