Staying in trim for the yummy mummy look

Can you seriously believe that Kate Hudson has had two children? Or that Beyonce had twins just four months ago? It is easy to hate on the celebrity Mums who seem to step straight out of the maternity ward with not only a glowing bundle of joy but a svelte figure and a flat belly in the bargain. However, there is no magic involved, and it has nothing to do with being famous or fabulously wealthy. If you want to get that Yummy Mummy look here are some celebrity secrets to help you get back in trim and stay that way.

Preparation is key

Benjamin Franklin might not have known much about the effects of pregnancy on the human body, but he did tell us that if we fail to prepare, we prepare to fail. Draw up a plan and invest in the clothes and kit you will need. There are a wealth of high street retailers and online stores where you can buy good quality sportswear that will support you in all the right places. Shop around and look here to get a look at other customer opinions and reviews.

The other important preparation is to speak to your doctor to ensure he or she is happy that you are in good enough health to get started on a fitness regime.

Don’t starve yourself

Your body has been through a lot, and is still going through it. You will need to keep your protein levels high, particularly if you are breastfeeding, so make sure you eat a light meal that is rich in carbs and protein about two hours before exercise.

If you build up to a 30-40 minute workout, you’ll need to eat an hour afterwards too, as those protein levels will soon be depleted. Little and often is better, so try to fit five or six small but healthy meals in per day.

Not eating enough will only make you feel unwell, and will result in harm to your muscles, skin, hair and nails. Many women think the key to losing that post pregnancy weight is to cut down on food, but that is a dangerous road to go down. A Yummy Mummy is not a starving mummy, why not take a look at a macro based diet to see if that helps.

What sort of exercise?

Whether you are starting a whole new exercise regime or recommencing an old one from before you were pregnant, you need to ensure it includes aspects of both cardio and strength training. Let’s take a look at each in turn.

Cardio 

Cardio activities will increase your stamina and endurance, while at the same time helping you to lose weight. Typical activities include jogging, walking, treadmills or participating in sports where your body is kept moving for extended periods, such as tennis or volleyball. If you want something more fun then you will be surprised how many calories you can burn with a little bit of strategic movement, take a look at this Zumba Calculator to see what I mean. It is a great all over exercise that is fun too.

The beauty of walking or jogging is that you can easily fit these into the day even if you are looking after baby. There are even purpose built jogging buggies, which are essentially pushchairs that are designed to be run with. This means that getting that Yummy Mummy look can easily fit around your obligations.

Strength training

 Use strength training alongside the cardio activities to strengthen, tighten and firm up those muscles to give you a trim and defined look. Half an hour of upper body and lower body exercises every other day will soon get you back in shape. And best of all, there is no need to go to the gym. Just buy a decent exercise mat and you can fit these in whenever you can grab 30 minutes to yourself. There are lots of simple exercises that you can do anywhere to help with your fitness as well.

If you do have time to go to the gym then don’t waste it on the treadmill. If you really want a yummy mummy body you need to be prepared to use the weights or head into a high intensity fitness class. Most of all be prepared for this to not be an overnight transformation, eat well, exercise hard and the rewards will follow.