Most moms know that finding a balance between personal well-being and family life can sometimes be a challenge. How do you nurture your family but also stay fit and maintain a positive mental outlook? Along with some advice from Dr. Stephen Stampp at Milk and Honey Body Cosmetic Surgery in Las Cruces, here are some tips.
Get Enough Sleep
Getting quality sleep might sound like an obvious recommendation, but for many moms, it’s also one of the hardest goals to achieve. To make it a reality, think about how you can structure your day to prioritize rest without neglecting family needs. For example:
- Set a bedtime routine for yourself: Just as routines help kids settle down, they can do wonders for adults. Consider winding down with a book, relaxing music, or even meditation to prepare your body and mind for sleep.
- Delegate late-night responsibilities: If possible, share nighttime parenting duties with your partner or a trusted family member. Alternating who wakes up with the baby or attends to late-night calls for water can make a world of difference.
- Create a better sleep environment: Invest in blackout curtains, white noise machines, or even a more comfortable mattress or pillow. Small changes can greatly improve the quality of your rest.
- Embrace the power nap: Even 20 minutes of rest can improve your focus, mood, and energy levels. If naps aren’t your thing, take a moment to close your eyes and practice deep breathing—it can still offer restorative benefits.
Prioritizing your own sleep isn’t selfish; it’s an essential step to maintaining the energy needed for your family and yourself.
Find Time for Exercise
Yes, exercise is critical—but the key is finding ways to incorporate it into your life seamlessly, especially when you’re already juggling a packed schedule. Instead of framing exercise as an additional to-do, try integrating movement into your daily activities:
- Micro-movements matter: If a full workout session feels impossible, start small. Do a quick set of squats while waiting for dinner to cook, calf raises while brushing your teeth, or a 10-minute bodyweight routine before bed.
- Take your kids along: Turn a trip to the park into a workout session. While they play, use the bench for tricep dips or the grass for stretches and planks. Family walks or bike rides can also double as quality time and exercise.
- Incorporate fun activities: Dancing with your kids, playing tag, or trying a kid-friendly workout video can turn exercise into bonding time. Kids love to mimic their parents, and you might find their energy contagious.
- Try habit stacking: Attach exercise to something you already do. For example, if you’re waiting for your coffee to brew, use that time to stretch. Or pair your podcast listening with a quick walk around the block.
- Rethink what counts as exercise: Gardening, cleaning, or running errands on foot or bike all burn calories and contribute to your physical health. Shift the narrative that exercise only counts when it happens in a gym or as part of a formal routine.
The goal is to make movement something you look forward to, rather than a chore. If you need accountability, consider pairing up with a fellow mom or joining a fitness group to make the journey more social and motivating.
Fitness Classes that Cater to Moms
Lots of people who are beginning an exercise program or just getting back into the habit, find that an exercise class is more fun and more motivating than working out alone. A quick internet search of fitness classes for moms can turn up many options. Those types of fitness classes are great at targeting areas of the body most affected by pregnancy, and you’ll have a built-in support system that can help you meet your goals.
What to do with “Trouble Spots”
No matter how fit you were before the kids came along, pregnancy alters your body. And no matter how much you work out, there still might be parts of your body that need extra help. In cases like these a “mommy makeover” might help you get the body you want.
A mommy makeover is a customized combination of cosmetic surgery procedures designed to address common physical changes that occur after childbirth and breastfeeding. The goal is to restore a woman’s pre-pregnancy body shape, or even enhance it, depending on personal preferences.
Typically, a mommy makeover may include a tummy tuck to flatten and tighten the abdomen, liposuction to remove stubborn fat deposits, a breast lift or augmentation to rejuvenate the appearance of the breasts, and sometimes additional procedures like thigh or arm lifts.
The combination of procedures targets areas most affected by pregnancy. This makes the mommy makeover a popular and efficient option for women looking to regain their pre-pregnancy figure. Dr. Stephen Stampp, the cosmetic surgeon at Milk and Honey Body Cosmetic Surgery in Las Cruces, can meet with you to discuss your goals and help you regain or improve on your pre-pregnancy shape.
Whatever your fitness goals are, try to find time for yourself — to exercise, get rest, and be there for yourself and your family. You and everyone around you will benefit.
Posted by LasCruces.com
