Worried about not being able to find time to work out during the holiday season? Here are 5 tips for you to accomplish your postpartum fitness goals as a new mom.
The crazy holiday season is right around the corner, and you have no idea how you are going to find the time to do everything you need to do, including working out.
You know you need to stay consistent with your workout routine, especially now since all the treats are ramping up in your kitchen and at your front door step.
You have a new baby, you haven’t lost the baby weight yet and now Christmas is coming.
I know this season can be a whirl-wind, but it’s important to not lose sight of your postpartum fitness goals.
In this article we are going to talk about the best tips for finding time to work out during the holidays as a new mom.
“Part of taking care of your baby is taking care of yourself.”
1. List out your must-do’s
If you are a new mom and trying to get the hang of this mommy thing, it’s important that you don’t overestimate your capabilities. Remember, there’s a baby in the mix now.
Traditions may have to change, parties might have to wait, gift wrapping might be a bit messy this year, and so on. Things are going to look different. It’s important that you come to the realization, but you also need to learn to accept it.
To make it easier for you, go ahead and write out the 5 most important things that you want to take place this holiday season no matter what.
Is it cooking Christmas Eve dinner?
Maybe driving around the neighborhood and looking at Christmas lights is a must-do.
Baking cookies might be an event you would never even consider skipping.
Whatever your most important traditions are, write those 5 down and keep that list as a guide.
If you are starting to feel the pressure for time during the holidays, just check your list and see if that’s a priority to you. If it’s not, you may want to say no.
Freeing up time to take care of your baby and yourself is more important than putting the extra bows on all your wrapped gifts.
Related: 7 Postpartum Recovery Tips for Success During The Holidays
2. Decrease the decorations
Decorating for the holidays is by far one of my favorite parts of the season, but of all things, that is also one of the more exhausting things to do especially after just having a baby.
My first baby was born December 9th, and you can be sure that I did not put up nearly half my decorations.
I had low expectations for myself from the moment I found out my due date (December 25). All I wanted was one Christmas tree up.
I wanted to have a picture of my newborn baby in front of the tree for her first Christmas. But everything else was not a priority.
Taking the pressure off yourself during the holidays can make for a much more enjoyable season.
3. Crack Down on a Schedule
Schedules are by far the best way to make time appear out of thin air.
Get out your calendar, write down what the month of December is going to look like and give it a good look over.
Do you have any important appointments or events?
Do you see any open days with nothing to do?
Write down “workout” in as many open spaces as you can find.
Make it a priority early on to actually schedule yourself a “gym day” even if your gym day is in your own home.
Doing this simple schedule will allow you to visualize what little time you have, or how much free time you actually have.
If you just so happen to have very little time, I recommend you break down your schedule hour by hour.
4. Find A Holiday Accountability Partner
This is the best time of the year to be festive with family and friends, so why not include them in your workout routine?
If you have someone in your life that you know you are going to be spending a lot of time with during the holidays, have them be your accountability partner and vice versa.
Or better yet, find another mom friend who just had a baby like you. She most likely will be motivated by your drive and determination.
You can encourage each other to stay the course, even after a day full of pies and treats during the festivities.
Yeah, it’s ok to splurge on the holidays, but not every day.
You need someone to encourage you to get back on track and never skip a beat. Schedule workouts for the same time and set text reminders to check in on each other.
5. Prioritize Your workouts
Ok, so time is going to be extremely tight over the next several weeks during the holiday season, and you just can’t figure out a way to squeeze your workout into your schedule.
The last thing you can resort to is sticking to a 10-20 minute HIIT workout that covers all your bases. Find a workout that gives you more bang for your buck.
A HIIT workout (High Intensity Interval Training) can target every major muscle group, plus give you the cardio for a higher calorie burn.
If you are looking to up your game, this is my recommendation for you since you are short on time.
Something is better than nothing, and as long as you are doing something to get your heart rate up, I consider that a win during the holidays.
Implement these 5 steps, and I’m sure you’ll be able to keep your workout routine going clear into the New Year.
List out your must-do’s, decrease the decorations, crack down on a schedule, find a holiday accountability partner and prioritize your workouts.
If a HIIT workout is not quite the workout for you and you’re looking for something a little less intense, then this 10-Day Total Body workout challenge is a great way to meet your fitness goals without the added pressure of time.
It only takes 10 minutes a day for 10 days. You can join the challenge by signing up here.
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.
*It is important to always consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program and get medical clearance. Always warm up thoroughly and stretch after all workouts. LiveCoreStrong.com and Jena Bradley will be not be responsible or liable for any injury sustained while exercising at home, gym or elsewhere. Perform exercises at your own risk.
Up Next….
If you liked this post, please take a quick second to share it! 🙂
