Weight_loss_exerciseWhen you’re a busy mum, taking time out of an otherwise packed schedule to squeeze in regular exercise can be a challenge in itself.
We know we need to exercise regularly for weight loss (and overall good health) but it’s not always as easy as it once may have been, pre-kids.
Once you’ve managed to find a gap in your day to exercise, the next thing you need to consider is how best to use that time.
This becomes doubly important when time is precious. You want a workout that utilises the time you have available (whether it’s 20 min or 60) and offers the best possible results.
It can be incredibly frustrating to commit yourself to working up a sweat three times a week but not see any real, visible results from the effort that you’re putting in.
If you’re finding that perhaps your workout regime needs a little bit of a kickstart, considering adding interval training to your week could be just what you’re looking for.
Interval training, sometimes referred to as high intensity interval training or (HIIT) is being touted as one of the best ways to minimise your training time while maximising your fat burning and weight loss.
So how does it work? Interval training is all about short bursts of intense exercise, interspersed with periods of recovery. When we’re talking about intense exercise, we mean something that gets your heart pumping and causes you to work hard.
This forms the difference between interval training and other workouts where you’ll often stick at the same pace for an extended period of time. An easy comparison is imagining a 40 minute walk from point A to point B, interspersed with bursts of running, versus a 40 minute moderately paced walk between the two points.
Both these exercises take the same amount of time and will get your body moving and start burning calories BUT studies have found that interval training will encourage your body to use more calories, in turn burning more fat, than a walk that has you remaining largely at the same pace.
Another great benefit? Interval training will see your body continue to burn calories, even after you’ve finished your workout! Bonus!
Incorporating interval training into your life isn’t tricky and can be done without any equipment or a gym membership (though you can always carry out your training on a cardio machine at the gym).
The important thing to remember is that you need to increase your heart rate, allow it to drop slightly, then raise it again.
Start out slowly and ease yourself in with the following:

  • A 5 minute warm up followed by: 1 minute power walking/power pedalling/fast swimming – 2 minutes moderately paced walking/cycling/swimming – repeat for 20-40 minutes
As you increase in fitness, up your 1 minute to 1.30 (but keep your moderately paced period the same). Eventually, aim for 2 minutes of high intensity, fast paced exercise, followed by 2 minutes of recovery.

Get Our Exercise DVD

And for the ULTIMATE SAFE, EFFECTIVE & TRUSTED Post Pregnancy Workout – see our EXPERT Post Pregnancy Exercise DVD below – you can purchase and see more information on it here
The DVD can be followed by all mums (for example new mums or mums with older children) and can be followed by someone with a basic or a more advanced level of fitness.
Lisa Westlake is our incredible fitness instructor and postnatal exercise specialist throughout the DVD. With her extensive physiotherapy experience and qualifications (Lisa is one of the most awarded fitness professionals in Australia), Lisa is the perfect fitness instructor to bring The Healthy Mummy Post Pregnancy Exercise DVD to life – you will love working out with her. (You can see our Q&A with Lisa with commonly asked questions on the DVD here)
The exercises in The Healthy Mummy Post Pregnancy Exercise DVD are effective and safe and Lisa will guide you through each of the workouts. As well as assisting in the improvement of your overall fitness levels, the workouts in the DVD will also help in the burning of calories, the improvement of your core strength and the strengthening of your pelvic floor.
The six workouts are broken down into 10 and 15 minute sections that you can do when it suits you – or if you have the time and energy you can do the DVD as one 70 minute continuous workout. The Healthy Mummy Post Pregnancy Exercise DVD also covers special considerations post-birth, such as caesarean sections, back strains, muscle separation, incontinence and pelvic floor issues.
[pb_vidembed title=”The Post Pregnancy Exercise DVD” caption=”” url=”http://vimeo.com/73423922″ type=”vem” w=”600″ h=”450″]

If you are ready to lose weight then the Lose Baby Weight plans offer a healthy and safe exercise and diet routine.And don’t forget to check out our current promotions and discounts page to see what specials we have on this week on our Healthy Mummy product range