Having a baby is life-changing in a number of different ways. It would be difficult to list or measure all of the ways that a new baby changes your life. The physical changes that come from having a baby are a little easier to measure. For many new moms, getting back on track physically after having a baby is an important goal. Pregnancy creates big changes in your physical condition over a short amount of time. If you have some baby weight to lose and want to get back on track with your fitness, there are a few steps you need to take.

Give yourself some grace

Whether you are on your first or third child, having a new baby is difficult. Your body underwent a complete transformation in nine short months. Now that your baby is here it does not necessarily mean that you popped back to your pre-pregnancy weight or fitness level immediately. If you are not where you want to be in terms of your fitness, give yourself some grace. Change takes time. You are caring for a young child which may mean that you are behind on sleep and short on energy. Beating yourself up about your lack of progress will not help you get back in shape any faster. In fact, getting down on yourself can actually sabotage your efforts. Instead of thinking about your frustrations, give yourself some grace and focus on the steps you need to take to move forward.

Add some good to your diet

A complicated eating plan is not ideal when you are caring for a new baby. Instead of going all in with a plan that involves meal planning and counting macros, start with something simple. Add some good to your diet instead of focusing on what you should eliminate. If you add two servings of fiber-rich vegetables to your diet each day, you will naturally eat less junk because you simply will not have room for it. Increasing your water intake will also help without making you feel deprived.

Increase your movement throughout the day

Increasing your movement throughout the day can help you get back on track with your fitness after having a baby. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is movement that you do throughout the day that is not part of your structured workout routine. This type of movement includes everyday activities such as housework, grocery shopping, and taking the stairs. Being intentional about moving more throughout your day can have a big impact on your weight loss and improving your fitness.

Find a workout plan that fits your lifestyle

The workout plan you followed before having a baby may not be realistic at this point in your life. In order to get back on track with your fitness you need to find a workout plan that fits your lifestyle. This may mean finding a workout plan like MAPS Anywhere that allows you to workout at home. There is more than one way to get back on track with your fitness – take some time to explore the various options available from MAPS Fitness.

Getting back on track with your fitness after having a baby does not have to be complicated. Give yourself some grace, add some good to your diet, increase your movement throughout the day, and find a workout plan that fits your new lifestyle. If you can focus on these four steps you will be well on your way toward having your fitness back on track.