Kimberley Welman believes you need to speed up to stop motherhood from slowing you down.
Running around after a two-year-old toddler is time consuming enough, but the Burleigh mum (pictured top right) also has one-year-old twins in the family picture.
“It’s obviously very hard to find time to exercise when you’re a mum,” she says.
“I had three kids within 19 months of each other, but exercising is part of my daily routine.
“It always has been and I didn’t want that to change. Not only does it make me feel good, but I want my children growing up in a healthy environment and you need to practise what you preach. It also gives me energy to keep up with them.”
Kimberley uses her exercise time to bond with her kids, setting up spaces that allow her children to join in or observe.
“I try to get out of the house every day,” she says.
Kimberley Welman is an active mum of three; twins Indi and George (1) and 2-year-old Eve. Photo: Kit Wise Source: News Corp Australi“I’ll either go for a run with the pram around Burleigh or I’ll take them and set up my own workout. But days I can’t get out of the house, I’ll just set up a spot where I do squats, lunges and abs and I’ll just have the bubs around me with their toys and my two year old will join in with me. There’s also baby yoga classes that I try to get to.”
Kimberley says she found losing baby weight easier than expected.
“I think I’ve been pretty lucky so far but half of it falls off naturally because of looking after kids,” she says.
“It really takes its toll on your body.
“But my motivation was never about getting skinny, it was because I wanted overall health and wellbeing.
“I wanted to get out of the house and focus on my mental health, too, and if you do that, the weight will come off.”
As for exercising while pregnant with her twins, Kimberley says she took it very easy.
“I did a lot of walking and swimming but toward the end of the pregnancy, I couldn’t do too much,” she says.
“I focused on gentle stretches and meditation.”
It is recommended expecting and new mums seek advice from their health care practitioner before starting exercise.
There are many options for “mum and bubs” workouts on the Coast. Source: Supplied
PRENATAL AND POST-NAT AL
PREGNANCY YOGA
Whether you’re heavily
pregnant or have just had your bub, yoga promises to restore and rejuvenate.
Prenatal benefits of
pregnancy yoga may include improvement of sleep, strengthening of muscles,
spinal alignment and minimising back aches.
Proponents say it also
aids on a spiritual level, helping soon-to-be mums develop a mental connection
to the growing baby.
Post-natal aims to
strengthen and tone the body in a safe way, focusing mainly on core and pelvic
floor exercises — the pelvic exercises can be started only days after giving
birth.
As women are
constantly bending over picking up their baby and carrying them everywhere,
pregnancy yoga encourages correct postural alignment.
It is also believed to
relieve anxiety after having a child. At Gold Coast Pregnancy Yoga and Peace
Yoga, both in Burleigh, there are classes for mums and bubs to take part in
together.
Cost: From $20 for a
casual class
PRENATAL:
DEEP-WATER RUNNING
With an expanding
belly forcing your centre of gravity to shift, activities as simple as walking
can prove to be painful, so it’s no surprise pregnant women are hitting the
water to get their blood flowing. Deep-water running classes are extremely low
impact on joints, meaning your body focuses purely on stretching and toning.
In addition, the
reduced effects of exercising in water allow you to train for longer periods.
The flotation device
strapped to your body allows more of your body to remain underwater while
encouraging you to float, so you’re squeezing in light cardio while treading
water.
Towards the end of
your pregnancy the belt may not fit, so it’s recommended pregnant women do these
classes in the earliest trimester.
You can participate in
deepwater running classes at most swimming centres on the Gold Coast.
Cost: From $2 per
casual class
Post-natal:
XTEND BARRE BABIES ON
BOARD
Babies on Board is a
new concept about to launch on the Gold Coast.
You may have heard of
Xtend Barre, an exercise class that incorporates strength training with
traditional ballet steps. Now director of Xtend Barre Labrador Stacey Chew is
inviting mums to bring their newborns along.
“Babies on Board is a
modified version of Xtend Barre,” she says.
“It gives mums the
chance to get their bodies moving again. It’s built for new mums, so it’s a
much slower tempo.
“We still implement
traditional ballet steps like the plies and tendus and we also use the ballet
bar.
“We’ve added little
touches like morning tea after the class, just so it feels like a total mummy
zone.”
Although it’s about
getting back into fitness, Stacey says the class focuses on special one-on-one
time.
“The babies are
strapped to the mum in a baby carrier facing outward, so they go through the
whole journey with their mum.
“When we do bar work,
the babies will also be looking at their mum in the mirror, which is very cute.
“Then when we do floor
work, the bubs lay next to her on the mat. It’s the perfect bonding time.”
The babies must be a
certain weight to do the class, so there’s only a short window of time to
experience Babies on Board.
“We’ve tailored it
perfectly for newborns,” Stacey says.
“We have a 10.45am
class time, so if mums have other kids, they’ve already been dropped to school,
feeding is done and the bub will be finished in time for his or her afternoon
nap.”
Classes are scheduled
to launch at the end of the month.
Cost: From $25 for a
casual class
Post-natal:
STROLLER FITNESS
SOCIAL GROUPS
Designed for mums with
little ones, stroller fitness classes are perfect for new parents who want to
take their bub along for the exercise ride.
Sessions range from an
hour to an hour and a half and involve a variety of fun fitness activities,
followed by the chance to chat with fellow mums.
Christine Groves from
Mummylicious Fitness says there’s lots of advantages to joining a stroller
group.
“Each stroller group
class includes a cardiovascular component for weight loss, resistance training
for strengthening and toning and core stability work to improve abdominal
strength and postural support,” she says.
“It’s easy for some
new mums to feel isolated as they care for their babies so these classes
provide not only health gains, but also social benefits.
“A lot of mums have
just moved to the Coast and they don’t have a lot of family support so it’s
also a good way to get out and meet new mums and make new friends.”
Set outside, you’re
also getting a bonus dose of sunshine-fuelled vitamin D.
“Mums enjoy circuit
training, challenge games, hill runs, fit balls, aerobics, boot camp, beach and
sand training,” Christine says.
“The outdoor venue
allows mum and baby to enjoy the fresh air, spend quality time together and
experience the fantastic Gold Coast scenery.”
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