How I’m Fitting In Exercise As A Busy Pregnant Mom

This post is sponsored by Aaptiv. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep The Mama Notes in business.

Most of you probably know I’m not the fittest mom on the block. Since my pregnancy (and even before) my hectic schedule and lack of motivation have prevented me from sticking with a fitness routine the past TWO years. Prior to my pregnancy with Piper I was working out pretty regularly before my wedding (we got pregnant 2 months after our wedding) and then when I was pregnant I walked just about every day and did yoga and other gym classes. My favorite forms of exercise have always been walking, pilates, yoga and other classes. I don’t do well in open gym settings, the thought of doing the elliptical for 30 minutes is the farthest from motivating! Luckily I just discovered Aaptiv — an awesome app that offers you access to exercise classes from the convenience of your phone! Every Monday over 20 new classes are updated and there is something for everyone on Aaptiv – it’s also a really affordable option compared to many gyms at only $9.99/month!

I know that exercise is a crucial part of maintaining a healthy pregnancy and I finally decided that I needed to make a big change and do something about it a few weeks ago. So here’s what I’m doing and how I’m finding the time!

FINDING A TIME & PLACE:

Knowing that I don’t have much spare time during the week (take a look at my schedule here) — exercising at home and in my neighborhood is the best option right now. We are members of the gym but I haven’t been in months.  For me, the real struggle is making exercise a priority. Once I made the choice I knew I could make it a routine and find the time in my schedule for it. I typically like starting my day with exercise (to get it out of the way) but with Piper starting school that just isn’t an option. Instead, I’ve found that I can fit in a quick 20-30 minute workout during her nap time, immediately after she goes down for the night or (my favorite option) around 4/5pm when she starts getting fussy if I put her in the stroller.

EASING IN:

To get back into the groove of working out and ease some growing back pains I started with yoga. I started doing relaxing yoga videos on Youtube for pregnancy before bed a few nights a week. I do them immediately after I put Piper down so I don’t get lazy. I lower the lights and light a candle and I’m typically done by 7:30pm and still have time to do my nightly work!

MAKE IT EASY:

I downloaded the exercise class app, Aaptiv and it’s been a game changer for inspiring me simply because it makes working out easy. Quick and easy is what I need right now!  Aaptiv offers a monthly subscription and gives you access to hundreds of workouts taught by certified instructors that you can access from your phone! It’s like having unlimited access to a personal trainer at your fingertips and you can always find a workout to suit your mood. Aaptiv has a whole section of pregnancy workouts divided by trimester which I’m using and love knowing they are safe for all stages of my pregnancy. If you’re not pregnant they have so many other workouts — treadmill, ab, elliptical, strength training, the list goes on!

Aaptiv is offering Mama Notes readers a 30 day FREE trial so you can test it out and we can stay motivated together. I plan on sharing the classes that I love on my Instagram stories as I have been!

1. Head to this specific link to sign up.
   2. Go through the sign up process. You must do this on a computer and not your phone. The code will not work on a phone.
   3. Once you’ve signed up, download the app from the app store.
   4. Login with the email address you used to sign up and start sweating with Aaptiv!

SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS:

My goal is 30 minutes, 3x a week. This is NOT much. I spend 30 minutes scrolling Instagram or Pinterest on the couch easily! I watch the news sitting on my butt for at LEAST 30 minutes every day! I know I can find 30 minutes a few days a week and my goal is that I can add even more if I make this routine stick!

EXERCISING WITH MY KID:

The reality of my schedule means that 80% of the time I’ll be trying to exercise with Piper – so finding workouts that I can do with her are ideal. She’ll attempt to do yoga with me and stroller workouts are a perfect solution!  She’ll also usually be pretty content if I do a workout in the backyard and have different things set up for her to play with (bubbles, outside toys, sandbox etc.) almost like stations. I love that Aaptiv has a ton of different workouts I can try, and most of them I’ve been able to manage with Piper.

Images by Anna Reynal