Amy Hobeybone is a recent first time mum and has gone through all the exciting and not so exciting things that come with pregnancy. She sheds some light here for those who are either looking to have a baby, who are currently pregnant, who have recently given birth or for those just interested in general. Feel free to check her instagram page out @honeybonefacialaesthetics. She's quite talented in more ways than one!
1. How do you add exercise into your daily routine when you have a baby to look after full time?
I usually receive a lot of support from my husband and I try and go to the gym on the weekend or when my husband finishes work. I mostly stick to 30 min high intensity classes (nice and quick), otherwise my gym work outs alone are 45-60 minutes. I also love heading out for walks with Scarlett in the pram or carrier, which is great for some extra weight to burn those extra calories. I had a c section so didn’t exercise for the first two months. I started by making small realistic goals (1 pump class a week on a Sunday). I would breast feed my baby just before the class and my husband would go grocery shopping while I did my 1 hour class. Once that became part of my routine, I aimed for 2 days and so on. My current goal is 3 days a week as I work 4 days a week. I also got a personal trainer to help with my form which was motivating. I think its imperative choosing what times work best, I was never a morning person so that never worked for me especially after having a baby because every minute of extra sleep counted. Late morning on the weekends, or afternoons worked best for me. Do what works best for you.
2. What is the quickest way to get back the body you had pre-pregnancy?
I didn’t worry about trying to lose weight after having a baby. My focus was making sure I actually ate enough because I wanted to eat enough calories for breast feeding and also to have enough energy and feel good throughout the day as baby life can get so busy. I think its a must to always have healthy snacks in the house. I always kept snacks and a bottle of water close to me because sometimes I’d be stuck on the couch breast feeding for ages and would get really hungry and thirsty.
3. What are the best foods to keep you energised with a baby around?
This would be my go to list:
- Fruit such as bananas apples etc
- Nuts, nut bars, muesli bar, protein bars
- Cheese sticks or cheese biscuit snack packs
- Yoghurt sachet that didn’t require a spoon
- Women’s healthy bread
- Protein shakes
- Vita wheats
- Water
- Boiled eggs
I recommend easy dinners like chicken and broccoli with rice or pasta with meat. I even ordered Youfoodz which was easy and healthy.
4. How do you juggle work-life balance with a baby?
It’s all about making the most out of my time, not over working myself and setting realistic expectations. Don't be afraid to accept and ask for help. Here are some things I make work in my life:
- Training at the gym at times that best suit me and where I have the most energy
- Training on my days off as my working days are back to back busy with clients and I don’t normally get out on time
- Not spending anymore then an hour at the gym, sometimes 30 min classes or 45-60 min by myself sessions
- Joining a gym closest to where I live - mine is literally across the road from where I live.
5. Does exercise help with the symptoms of postpartum?
The first 6-8 weeks I was just exhausted and didn’t feel like me. After then I started to want to get into the things I enjoyed doing again. Every time I went to the gym I felt good about myself and motivated to train even more, which life my mood. It was also nice to get an hour to myself, I found that exercising is 'me time'. Exercise contributed to losing my baby weight in conjunction with breast feeding and eating healthy. It all just takes time! Being a first time mum, I worried a lot and thought silly thoughts. Exercise definitely helped with my psychological health. I was lucky to not experience symptoms of depression or anxiety. Having adult interaction and being social in general helped this as well.
Amy Hobeybone
Instagram @honeybonefacialaesthetics
