In my pre-baby years, making time for exercise wasn’t the uphill battle that it is now. As a fitness junkie, I loved trying new and challenging exercise routines, such as high-intensity Bollywood dance workouts, military-style bootcamps, running, and yoga (regular and aerial). Fast forward 3 years later… Saying that making time for exercise is a challenge is putting it mildly. In between handling a job which sometimes requires travel, raising an active toddler who needs constant attention, running a household, and trying to maintain some semblance of a social life, making time for exercise fell off the priority list. Gradually, I noticed my level of energy dropping. Besides the weight creeping back up, I was taking the lazy way out with eating what was convenient and not necessarily what was healthy and right for me.

It was time to take control of the situation. So recently, I have taken measures that were effective for me towards a healthier, fitter lifestyle. Each person may have their own way, but I’d like to share what worked for me. They’re simple tips which can be incorporated into your busy life to make sure you take care of yourself for the long run. Think of it as a change in lifestyle rather than a crash diet.

The “fit lifestyle” tip I’d like to share today: Find the type of exercise you enjoy..and then go do it!

Why do we find excuses to avoid going to the gym to run on the treadmill? Probably because we hate doing it! But perhaps if we picked a workout we actually enjoy, we would feel more motivated and more inclined to stick with it. Case in point: My husband hates the gym and will avoid entering it at all costs. But ask him to play tennis any day of the week, and he’ll jump at the idea.

I implemented this idea in my own life by getting back to what I love, running. Besides finding the workout I enjoy doing, I took some key steps to ensure I stick to it:

1.       Make time for exercise, even if it’s 20 to 30 minutes: I started waking up just 30 minutes earlier in the morning so that I could go running. I’m sure we can manage to squeeze in that amount of time at least a couple times a week. It’s so doable and it’s a start!

2.       Find someone to work out with: I knew that I would stick to my running goals much more once I had a running partner. A workout partner keeps you motivated and accountable. Personally, I hate being the one to bail on others so once running plans are set, I make sure I adhere to them

3.       Find ways to keep your workout interesting: In my case, my husband and I signed up for races in different countries and in unique settings to keep us constantly challenged and excited. So far, we have done a run through the Singapore Zoo, a green heritage trail in Singapore, and the Angkor Wat run in Cambodia. Currently we are training for a 10K in Vietnam in the mountainous Sapa Valley!

4.       Adjust your fitness routine to your current lifestyle: In the past, I could have managed more time and more days a week for my exercise. But now with a busy mommy-and-work life, I’ve decided not to set unrealistic standards and timelines on my fitness goals. If I can manage three workouts in a week along with healthy-to-decent eating habits, I consider myself very successful. There will be weeks when I’m really good and weeks when I’m not. I don’t stress about it because I’m in this for the long run.

So explore different workouts and find the one you love. Is it yoga, a dance workout, table tennis, or

brisk walks? Whatever it is, find a way to incorporate some of it into your life. 

Thirty days of putting my body through a squat and plank challenge came to an end just a few days ago. On the last day of the challenge, as I completed the last of the 250 squats I was supposed to do, I couldn't help but let out a loud victory whoop!

In an earlier post, I had talked about taking on a 30-day squat and plank challenge as a way to get back in shape post-pregnancy (see post here). I saw it as a time-effective way for busy people to stay active and fit. The challenge was particularly appealing to me as a mother of a 5-month old who often struggles to make time for exercise. A workout that targets multiple muscle groups, such as quads, hamstrings, abs, and butt, in one shot? Count me in, I said! I can do this while the baby naps!

Did I make it through the month? Was the challenge worth doing? Yes to both. In terms of the level of difficulty, the workout challenge wasn't that tough. It simply required consistency and dedication in sticking with it. It would have been very easy to give up half way through, but I hate quitting. I was determined to complete the full 30 days and complete I did!

Were there any days I skipped or got lazy? Truth be told, there was one day I let myself down. On the third last day when I was supposed to do 230 squats, I only got to 120. Shhh, don't tell anyone :)

The deets? Most days, I incorporated the squats and planks into a larger workout of about 30-40 minutes that included running, weight-lifting, and ab exercises (e.g., crunches). Other days, I would only do the squats and hold the plank pose (but I would try to go for long walks with my baby in a stroller! Sometimes I did up to 2 hours of walking over the course of the day and it seriously helped as a fat-burning exercise). In both scenarios, the challenge worked to raise my heart rate and tone my legs. While there are no visible differences in how my legs look, I can honestly say that my legs feel firmer and stronger. An added bonus? I lost about 1.5 kilos (about 3-4 lbs) this past month with all the combined exercises. It may not sound like much but hey, every bit counts. :)

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In the past several months, I’ve had to replace lifting weights with lifting a baby, cleaning spit ups instead of clearing sit-ups, pushing a stroller instead of doing push-ups. As a fitness junkie, I was eager to get back to working out as soon as the doctor said it was okay to do so. But as a new mom, I soon discovered the challenge of fitting exercise into my daily routine. True, I have had the good fortune of spending my maternity leave back home in Asia, surrounded by family who can help me look after Baby K. Yet I still struggle sometimes to find time in the day for fitness. The problem is, I never really get a good chunk of time to do anything at length. I always heard about how babies need constant attention. I’m now experiencing that firsthand for myself. It’s always a spare 20 to 30 minutes here or there. Maybe if I’m lucky, I get a couple hours to myself when the baby is napping during the day.

But where there's a will, there's a way! I recently started setting aside 30 minutes in the morning for exercise and have managed to stick with reasonable success. On days when I’m feeling lazy or plans go astray, I still try to do some yoga stretches or go for a walk with the baby. Currently, I’m doing the 30 day squat and plank challenge, a great way to firm up the quads, hamstrings, abs, and butt and strengthen the back! The combination workout targets multiple muscle groups so it's a great postnatal workout for new moms who want to tone up. And the best part? It can be done anywhere - in the nursery while the baby naps, in your office cubicle, in the park, or in the bathroom if you so choose! I’m hoping I’ll see results by the end of the 30 days (I'm only on day 6 so far). Watch out for a post-challenge report on the blog!

Check out the 30 day squat and plank challenge schedule I put together below. 

A few additional tips:

• Please be sure to follow correct form and technique for these exercises (Youtube videos for squats and planks)
• Try to follow up this short exercise with lower body stretches so that you aren’t sore the next day. (Some yoga stretches that I found helpful were pigeon pose, lizard pose, and the kneeling hamstring stretch)
• Remember to breathe while doing squats and planks! For squats, breath in as you bend low, breathe out as you stand up
• For more intensive squats, sink low and try to get your thighs parallel to the floor
• You can do the squats and planks in whatever order you want - it's up to you!
• If the number of squats is getting too much for you, you can break them up throughout the day or build them into a longer workout. For example,  on the day you have to do 100 squats, you could do 25 squats at four different times in the day. Or you could do 25 squats after every 10-15 minutes of running on the treadmill
• Partner up with a friend for this fitness challenge - it’s more fun that way and you’re more likely to stick through the whole month!

You know it’s fall when the leaves turn color and when you have to start wearing tights! For a recent date night with the hubby, I had to do just that – rummage through my drawers for those tights I had buried away during the summer. This outfit provided just the right amount of coverage and warmth for a crisp 60 deg weather. I love this full sleeve Club Monaco top paired with this white tulip skirt from Joe Fresh. It’s hard to go wrong with a black and white combo, isn’t it?

On a separate note, rummaging for tights wasn’t the only thing I had to do. At this point, a large amount of clothes in my closet still don’t fit me, and it took some digging around to see what clothes I can get into. I have to say, the biggest misconception people seem to have is that the one can easily shed the post-baby weight soon after delivery. Ha, I wish! Many people don’t realize that right after having a baby, you can still look about 4-5 months pregnant for a few weeks. Your body worked hard to accommodate a bun in the oven for 9 months, so it shouldn’t be a shocker that it can take a while for your body to revert back to pre-baby shape as well! I certainly have ways to go before my tight skinny jeans fit me again. I don’t plan on worrying too much about it though – I know that a healthy diet and a return to my workout routine will eventually allow me to get back to my pre-baby shape. I just have to be patient. And in the meantime, I work with what I have in my closet. :)

Club Monaco Margaret top, Joe Fresh tulip skirt (last season), booties from Target,
Coach purse, Gorjana bracelet