I trained throughout both my two pregnancies, and got back into training as quickly as I could after giving birth (exactly three months after – I know that because it was the age from which I could leave a new baby at the gym’s crèche).
If anyone reading this is newly pregnant and wondering whether to continue with exercise during the next nine months, I would encourage you to do so, provided that you are feeling up to it and your GP has given you the ‘OK’.
I know that maintaining my exercise programme enabled me to regain my pre-pregnancy body, as much as is possible - childbirth takes a big toll on every mother's body, and some permanent changes are inevitable.
But despite my passion for exercise, and the massively positive effect it has on our skin, I have only mentioned my fitness regime in passing on my blog - until now! There’s a reason for that: for most of those 10 plus years, my training has not changed. I’ve done the same thing week-in, week-out: warm-up followed by 45 minutes of cadio, and 15 minutes of free weights.
That wouldn’t make for a very interesting read on my blog! Crucially for me, it has meant that I have simply been maintaining my fitness, not increasing it. Then in March this year, something big happened! I started working with a personal trainer!
In a nutshell, my PT has switched around my training so the emphasis is now on weight training rather than cardio. I’ve also added an extra day a week to my schedule, plus I’ve made some minor (and I do mean minor) changes to my diet (more on all that later).
The experience has transformed me both physically and mentally. Four months down the line, I am fitter than I have ever been before, my energy levels have improved significantly, and I’ve leaned-up (gained muscle and lost fat). I feel a million dollars!
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| Some of My Gym Kit |
I have also learned a lot. I’ve discovered what exercises work which areas of the body – I’ve dispensed with outdated ones that I had been doing pre PT. I’ve also got to know more about nutrition (good and bad foods as far as training is concerned) – this last one is a bit of a sticky subject, it has to be said, as I have a terribly sweet tooth and I love my carbs!
I am fired up about my new way-of-life (and it is as significant as that) to the point that I want to start writing about it on my blog. With that in mind, today I’m launching Face Up Fitness, a new regular slot on Face Up Beauty. I’m not sure at this point exactly how often I’ll be posting the feature, but I’m currently thinking of doing it monthly, as a sort of fitness update.
I’m looking to kick the series off properly next month, with tips on how to stay motivated at the gym. Joining a gym only to then give it up six months later is a common scenario - I have friends who have done this. But there are ways to keep your interest up.
Well, that’s enough about me. What about you? Do you train at a gym? Or do you prefer to be outdoors running or cycling? Or perhaps swimming is your passion, or maybe you play games like netball, volleyball and tennis? I’d love to hear, so please leave a few words in the comments section below telling me about your love of fitness.
