Photo Credit: ManOnPHI via Compfight cc
As a work at home mom, I have been guilty of lethargy. Since I began working from home, I wish I could tell you that I’ve stayed slim and sexy, but I’d be flat-out lying. Yes, while I did lose my postpartum belly fat quickly due to breastfeeding; while I did shed 25 of the 30 pounds I gained during pregnancy within a month after giving birth, I did (in the past few months after breastfeeding kicked in) experienced a slowing down in terms of fat burning. (I would blame it on about six hours daily of working on a computer, seated almost the whole time.)
While I make sure we eat healthily (i.e. no pork, no fried food, no trans fats, no full-fat dairy, etc), a healthy menu is no guarantee of a flat stomach. I used to be able to eat anything and stay thin as a beanpole, but in this last year, my metabolism seems to have taken a slower pace. Horror of all horrors, I began to see the “belly” once again, a sight that I did not at all appreciate. It’s a good thing the new year brings with it a certain resolve to do better. Thank God, I was motivated enough last week to get off the office chair and onto my yoga mat for some serious core Pilates workouts.
As a stay-at-home, work-at-home mom, staying fit can often fall along the wayside of procrastination. Here’s how to stay on track:
1. Do something “doable” at home. If you need to stay at home to do your workout, make sure you find something that is doable in your home. You don’t need to invest in expensive equipment (unless you want to), but you do need to make sure that whatever you choose to do fits in with your objectives for getting fit. Walking is always good; workout videos for yoga, aerobics and other types of cardio workouts are easily downloaded or bought from the video store; stationary bikes and treadmills are also effective and convenient. Allot 30-60 mins at least four times a week for a good quality workout you can do at home.
2.Calendar your workout. A productivity expert once told me, “If it’s not jotted, it doesn’t get done.” If you are working at home, you know how things can get into a tailspin and throw you off course, even with a detailed to-do list! Avoid skipping workout commitments by jotting them down in your calendar. They should be at the same time each day so that you form a habit that you will stick with.
3. Track your progress. Again, use your calendar for this. Write down your stats on the first day you begin your workout (your waistline, hip measurements, weight). Follow your workouts according to schedule. Then, once a week, track your stats and see if there is any improvement. Trust me: When you see those stats go down–especially in the hip department!–you’ll be even more motivated to keep moving!
4. Eat smart. If you work at home, you’re most likely to be seated for a good part of the day. Of course, we know what this means: thunder thighs, boulder buns, and portly belly pooches. Change your diet to a low fat, high protein, high fiber and complex carb one. In our home, I have placed an embargo on pork. Aside from it being one of the fattiest meats, it is also supposedly one of the “dirtiest” of meats (because pigs eat anything, even wastes, which then end up in their blood and flesh. Ew.). We also keep our red meat limited to once a week (lean beef cuts), and have free-range chicken and fresh fish on most days. I make sure each meal has lots of veggies, which are steamed so that they retain their nutritive goodness. Changes like these to the diet have increased health benefits, one of the foremost being a remarkably reduced fat intake. This way, we can afford to eat extra on weekends because we’ve eaten well and lean five out of seven days in the week!
5. Reward yourself. When you stick to your workout, stick to your good times as well! Sometimes, a reward is a good motivation for you to stick to your goals. Keep them spaced out so that they don’t become excuses for you to pass up your workout! For me, getting out of the house to get a facial, a mani-pedi-foot spa treatment or a hair treatment is rewarding. So is a relaxing massage! When I indulge in these treats, I make sure I earned them.
How do you stay fit while you’re at home?
P.S. I have been doing Mat Pilates at home, and stair climbing. I have yet to find a venue where I can swim laps for cardio, especially since I have scoliosis and running is not recommended.
This post was originally published on Dainty Mom, Martine’s personal blog.
Martine de Luna is the director of The WAHMderful Life, an inspirational business suite comprising a blog and live training events for work-at-homemakers. The WAHMderful Life blog and workshops are designed to inspire and equip mothers and married women to work from home, profitably and with intention. Her lifestyle blog, DaintyMom.com, has received accolades internationally, including an award for Best Home and Parenting Blog at the 2011 Philippine Blog Awards. Martine also runs a boutique consulting service, which offers mentoring for mom bloggers and work-at-home women, writing workshops for women, and other “smart” services for women-owned businesses. Connect with her at martinedeluna.com and the WAHMderful Life website.