Fitness for Mums - Vix's Response

Mum Zone's resident Professional Fitness Specialist Vix of Mama Moves is available to answer some of your questions about fitness.

Topics include: Getting back your pre baby body, weight loss, toning and defining, body shaping, improved fitness, general wellbeing, hormonal balancing, increased strength and fitness, improvement or elimination of urinary incontinence, reduction in the size of diastasis recti, making the abdomen more stable, reduction or elimination of lower back pain, improved energy levels, decreased anxiety and stress levels, greater ability to carry out daily activities eg. lifting bub and more.

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Reader's Question

My son is now 12 months old and whilst I am overall happy with my weight I still cannot seem to shift the "love handles" I gained during pregnancy. I maintained my exercise regime whilst pregnant and currently do 2 pilates classes and exercise/walk most days, is there any exercise/s I can do to tone/minimise this area?

Vix's Response

Well done on exercising most days. Whilst I am a huge advocate for pilates, this form of exercise will not shift the 'love handles'. Pilates is an awesome form of exercise to strengthen your muscles while you lengthen them. It will not however shift body fat, which is what you are referring to.

The best way to shift excess body fat is a combination of low fat eating (consuming fat turns to fat), higher intensity cardio than walking and some strength training (resistance training). Try to increase the intensity of your walks to interval training. For example: walk for 5-10 mins to warm up then jog for 1 minute and recover by walking for 2 minutes back to 1 minute jog and again recover for 2 minutes walking. Interval training is one of the best forms of increasing your fitness and burning body fat. Once you find you are fitter you will be able to jog for 2 minutes or more and eventually reduce your recovery time down. Before you know it you will be jogging for the total amount of time you are out exercising! Try to add in some body weight exercises at the end, such as squats, lunges, pushups, dips and plank. Resistance training increases you lean muscle tissue, which will increase your ability to burn body fat.

If you are not sure on any of these exercises or need more motivation and assistance, then download a copy of '10 weeks to becoming a Hot Mama' eBook from my website. It is a complete 10 week guide on helping you achieve your ideal body! Go to www.mamamoves.com and visit the shop page. Good luck :)

Vix

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The opinions expressed on these pages are of a general nature and are by no means a substitute for professional advice. Therefore neither Mum Zone or Vix Erber of Mama Moves are liable for any actions pertaining to the use of the supplied information.