Must Read Fitness tips for moms-Read Full Post

Being a mom is a workout on its own but you do need to incorporate exercise in your daily routine as you will actually feel more energized, since physical activity gets your heart pumping and increases the oxygen flowing through your muscles.

If you are already feeling exhausted, try doing something new and different or get a friend to workout with. If you cannot make it to the gym, workout at home.


Working out at home:
You don't need to have a state-of-the-art gym. There are a few exercises you can do at home with minimum or no equipments any time of the day. Exercise for 45 minutes to an hour with moderate intensity for four to five days a week. Any activity will help you burn 50-100 calories in 15 minutes.

Warm up: Begin your work out with a 10-minute warm up session. Include side stretching, jogging on the spot, skipping or jumping jacks. These are just a few of the exercises you can do at home that require no equipment.

Aerobic activity:
Do 10-15 minutes of continuous aerobic activity, but what you do is up to you. For starters -Walk, it requires no special training, and it's a comfortable, familiar activity. Or hop on a bike. You can walk outside in the park or in the hallways or just up and down stairs. Start comfortably, but during the activity move up to a brisk walking pace or effort level—enough to cause noticeable breathing, but still allow you to talk.

Strength moves:
You can do this freehand. For best efforts you should add some resistance. Try with wrist/ankle weights (these are available in the market) or just try holding dumbbells in your hand.

For your thighs:

Chair squats: Grab a chair and place it behind you. Standing in front of the chair with your feet hip/shoulder width apart, bend your knees and slowly squat towards the chair. Let your butt lightly touch the chair and slowly come back up. Do this 10-15 times. Rest for a moment then repeat.

Step ups on stairs/platform: Keep one foot completely on the platform, and bring the other foot up tap and come back down. Do 10 per leg. Rest for a moment then repeat. Remember to keep the chest high and shoulders back dig in with heels.

For your upper body:

Push-ups: Begin by standing in front of the wall / kitchen counter with feet together. Place your slightly inverted hands on top of the counter top. With your arms a little more than shoulder width apart bend the elbows and try and get your chest as close to the counter top as possible then power it back up. Do this 10 times, rest for a moment then repeat. You can do this on the floor -on a mat on your toes, military style. Try and get your chest as close to the mat as possible. Do this 10 times, rest then repeat.

Bicep curls: Standing with feet shoulder width apart, arms by sides, shoulders back, keeping elbows tucked to sides the entire time, bend elbows and lift weight toward shoulders, bring back down for full range of motion and repeat.

Overhead press: Standing with feet shoulder width apart, bring hands to shoulders with elbows out to sides, press hands overhead until arms are straight keeping shoulders back and head up, come back to start. Repeat

Standing tricep extensions: Standing with feet hip width apart, bring hands together ( cross fingers or use one weight, holding weight at one end with both palms toward ceiling) slowly lower behind head and lift back to start keeping a slight bend in elbow at top.

For your abdomen:
Upper abdomen crunches: Lie on your back, raise one leg mid air, support the back of your head with your hand and raise the head to the knee of the raised leg. Alternate the leg and repeat

Mid abdomen crunches: Raise both legs and cross them at right angles to the body while you lie flat on the mat. Stretch both arms and touch your toes
Lower abdomen crunches: Lie flat on the mat looking up to the ceiling. Bend each leg, one at a time.

Oblique twists: Sitting on floor, knees bent with toes toward ceiling, lean slightly back until abs contract, cross fingers about a foot in front of belly button, move hands toward the floor on your right side and then to the floor on your left side in a fluid motion for one rep. Repeat.

Plank: Lie face down with forearms on floor keeping elbows under shoulder, place feet together with legs straight out behind you, tighten your core and lift up keeping back and head in straight alignment. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds or as long as you can.

Stretch:
Don't forget to stretch. Pick your space and a companion. You could even try Yoga-It will calm your mind and help burn those calories.

Nutrition:
-Your diet is 80% of the equation; the rest is proper exercise, getting sufficient sleep and managing your stress.
-Eat every 3 hours and incorporate some lean protein and complex carbohydrates. Incorporate "good fats" into your diet, including fish oil, flaxseed oil, extra virgin olive oil.
-Make sure to eat the least processed foods possible. If you don't know what the ingredients are, you probably don't want to eat it! Sugar and highly processed foods are the main culprits of our obese society.
-Chew your food thoroughly to allow maximum absorption of the nutrients and to allow your body to feel satiety.
-Avoid reading, watching television or doing anything else except eating when you're eating your meals! How many times have you wondered, "What did I just eat?" or "I'm still hungry, but I just ate a full meal!"? When you eat, pay attention to what you're putting into your mouth: Feel every sensation; be aware of the textures of the food; smell the aroma and be thankful and have gratitude when you eat. You'll find you'll enjoy your meals more and eat a lot less!

Drink up:
It's extremely important to stay hydrated. If you're thirsty then you are already dehydrated; drink before you feel a need to. Be sure to drink throughout the day (stick to non-caffeinated beverages, preferably water). Also, drink 15-20 minutes before beginning your workout and every 15 minutes throughout the exercise. It will flush your system and hydrate your skin, muscles, etc. Your muscles are comprised of 70% water, so you NEED water if you are trying to build muscle. Get used to having at least 2-3 litres of water per day. Contrary to popular belief, drinking more water does not make your body retain it. On the contrary, your body will learn to process it and help speed your body's ability to lose fat.