Getting Back in Shape After Baby with Music
Doing your best to do any form of exercise that elevates your heart rate for 20 mins a day is a great way to start getting back in shape after baby.
The same goes for maintaining good health at any time of life.
But there are two kinds of people. Those who love to exercise and those who don’t. Am I right?
The idea of exercise is great. Yes, I want to get up and go to that yoga class. Yes, I want to go for a run or do that bike ride.
I really do. I know I will feel better for doing it. I know that my body will be filled with endorphins and I’ll have more energy if I exercise regularly. I want to be THAT person.
“Endorphins are the body’s natural opiates, designed to relieve stress and enhance pleasure. It’s common knowledge that exercising releases endorphins, a chemical in your brain that leads to feelings of happiness and even euphoria.” – wikiHow
The reality is I am not that person and inertia isn’t on my side. Throw in some pregnancies, childbirth, postpartum recovery, taking care of kids, laundry, dishes, work and there seems to be an endless list of excuses why exercise is not a priority.
However — there is one special ingredient that makes it a lot easier to get up and go and that is: MUSIC!
Music can be a source of motivation, inspiration and distraction. I know I will exercise longer if the music is right because it helps keep me going.
My youngest son has outgrown his toddler seat on the back of my bike, but he doesn’t yet know how to ride a bike himself. And even if he did, he wouldn’t be able to keep up with what I want to do for exercise. The result is that outdoor bike rides are not happening anymore.
Sticking with a form of exercise that I like is the best plan to eliminate further “excuses.” So I recently bought a stationary bike to do 30 mins of daily exercise without having to go anywhere (bonus for air conditioning because Florida is hotter than hades). The kids can play while I exercise and dinner can even be cooking in the oven. Why had I not done this sooner!?
I found a bike on Amazon (after looking through many reviews) that wouldn’t take up too much space and would fit my needs while not breaking the bank. I put it together by myself (assembly required.) Yay me! And then the bike sat waiting for it’s inaugural first ride to happen for days and days and a few more days.
I needed music. Well the day finally came. I made a playlist and now the bike is getting regular use. Music makes exercise more enjoyable and 30 minutes passes quickly.
If the beat syncs with the motions of the exercise perfectly, it’s even better. Lo and behold, all of this is even backed by scientific studies.
This is what I’m listening to right now. I will also throw on a Pandora “Workout” station that I’m working on tweaking to my preferences.
- Apart by Orjan Nilsen and Jonathan Mendelsohn
- Cheap Thrills (feat. Sean Paul) by Sia
- Shape of You by Ed Sheeran
- Make Me Like You by Gwen Stefani
- Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers & Coldplay
- I Feel It Coming (feat. Daft Punk) by The Weekend
- Groove Is In The Heart by Deee-Lite. (Because the 90’s never disappoints.)
The kids now refer to this as “my playlist” and request it when driving in the car, which is really cute. I’ll need to make a new one very soon to keep it fresh – but it worked! Music makes me want to move my body and I know it’s my #1 tool for getting past the mental blocks to exercising.
So, what is on your workout playlist?