Hey Chicks,

It’s Mama Chick Monday and today we have our Ottawa Orleans Bootcamp Instructor (aka Chick Sergeant!) and Mama of 2 boys, Kristy guest blogging again to share with us her advice to new moms who have no idea how to start on the journey to health and fitness.  Find out what motivates her (and hopefully you!) to lovin la vida FIT CHICK!

Mama Chick Kristy on how new moms can start their journey to health and fitness..

My advice to the new moms out there…and even for the ones who have been a mom for a awhile, would be to take it one day at a time. Start things off slowly, if you try to do it all at once, you’ll start off hard but end quickly, because you get exhausted.
Start by making small changes. Track your food intake, and track your exercise. Once you see it down on paper, it helps to see what’s going on. Some people are surprised by what they’re eating and how little exercise they’re getting.

Mama Chick, Kristy on fitting in exercising as a new mom…

For the exercise, you don’t have to start by doing 1-2hours at the gym. You can do 20-30min workout at home. I do all my workouts at home, I don’t have time to go to the gym. I would do it when my kids napped. When I started to work, I did it at night or morning, depending on my shifts. It’s only 20-30mins!!

Right now, I still do 20mins of a hard workout at home, about 3x a week….plus my bootcamps. When I didn’t have the bootcamps, I did the 20mins 5-6x a week.
I use my FIT CHICKS 20min video, their printable workouts, DVD’s, and sometimes I make my own up! Believe me, I know 20mins doesn’t sound like alot, but if you are dripping sweat, and your heart rate is up the whole time…no matter what level…you’re working hard. Plus…you’re being active!!

Mama Chick, Kristy on healthy eating (and tips to losing baby weight!)…

For the food, again make small choices to start. It’s hard to do, and some people can’t do it cold turkey….or they can’t live without things. So if that means cutting back on your soda intake, cutting back on portions (I use my dessert plates for dinner), changing to milk, instead of cream in your coffee, adding more water to your day…they will start to make a difference. Once you notice how much better you feel, you’ll be more willing to make more changes. Write things down!! I used to think this was crazy, I didn’t want to live my life writing down everything I ate, but it completely changed my thought process. As soon as I started to do it, I became more accountable for what was going into my body. You have to get past the first few days/week….believe me it gets easier!!

Mama Chick Kristy on finding your fitness and health motivation..

I can sit here and write this to you guys, knowing how hard it is…honestly. When I was pregnant…both times, I gained 75lbs and then 65lbs!! So, I’ve been there, I’ve done all of this, and I got through it. I’m now the fittest and healthiest I’ve ever been! That’s my main motivation for my healthy lifestyle…feeling healthy and strong for me, my kids, my husband, and the rest of my family! (notice I put “me” first – you have to!! You’re going to have set backs…we all do, it’s how you handle it that will help you get through it. Don’t hate yourself for it….you’re human! The next day….or the next minute…you make a better choice for YOU!

It will have a profound affect on your family, the happier you are, the happier they are!

Take care Chicks!
Kristy 🙂