Is 30 min 4 days a week enough?

[shannoncorrin]

Hello!
I had a beautiful baby boy 3 months ago via emergency C-section. I am fully recovered and getting back into working out. Prior to getting pregnant, and even throughout my pregnancy, I worked out 6 days a week. Most of those days consisted of 60 min workouts. Now I don't have that kind of time! I used to get up at 5 am to workout on days that I work ( I work three 12 hour days). Now, if I get up at that time, I am only getting 6 hours sleep. I think that extra hour of sleep is probably better for me that a 30 min workout. So, that leaves me only 4 days a week to workout. I can only find time to do 30 min workouts. Little guy doesn't nap really well.

I am not working out for weight loss. I would be tickled if I lost 5 lbs, but its not a main objective. Basically I work out for maintenance and to increase my strength. I would also like to increase my tone, especially my stomach. Do you think working out for 30 min 4 days a week is enough to achieve this? My diet isn't horrible, but its not perfect.

 

[heartymax]

I think the focus now is getting back into routine. Since you are already eating well and was an avid exerciser, your body will respond well. You are working full time and caring for a newborn, being able to squeeze in 4 workouts is great. As your baby starts to sleep better, you may find you are able to add 5 to minutes to your workout gradually. You can do 2 Hiit workouts and 2 strength training. The joy of using Cathe workouts is you have countless premixes. I'm not familiar with restrictions from a C section. Are you able do planks. Maybe you can do some planks or other core before bed which will allow you to use your 30 minutes for cardio and strength. I think you can definitely maintain your gains as long you continue to eat well. Its better to exercise 4 days for 30 minutes than not at all. You sound like you have good eating habits already. You may still identify one small thing to change in your diet as you start back to ecercise. Exercise will help you maintain and keep the stress down. Congrats on your new baby.

 

[jamie vaughn]

Congratulations on your new bundle of joy! I had an emergency C-section as well but 14 years ago! As an avid exerciser I found circuits/ intervals combining light weights with cardio gave me the best bang for my buck when short on time. There are many shorter premixes with tabata/ metabolic workouts with Cathe that are very effective in maintaining lean muscle/ burning fat and if your core is the focus Afterburn would certainly help you there. KCM has many 30 minute workouts - I think her DVD's are mainly intermediate but I recently tried Shape Up and it's an excellent Tabata style workout alternating cardio blasts with weights. And don't feel guilty if you cannot fit in 4 workouts/ week, that will come in time.

 

[maddiesmum]

Yes, it is enough.

Your priority right now is sleep, and staying healthy so you can look after and enjoy your baby. A sleep-deprived status is the absolute worst. Nothing is enjoyable then.

Do what you can. Every woman who has ever had kids, a super busy professional life, grad school, etc, has had months or years of her life where she could not and did not prioritize fitness over the former concerns. You are right to do this too. Where you are right now is an important moment. Don't sacrifice it, time with your little one or your own health due to a preoccupation with a surging fitness routine or getting the body back that you used to have. Neither of these are possible right now and the former is not relevant to you and the latter is not completely possible: your body will never be exactly the same, sorry! And that's OK. If life, living, experience, did not change us constantly, then what is the point in living?

Do what you can, when you can, to gain optimum health and ignore all the rest. Cathe workouts and super charged fitness will be yours one day when you are ready for them, they sure aren't going anywhere. And what others here on the forums are doing does not matter to you, you do your own thing.

So, yes: it is enough, and as such, it is good for you and way more than 90% of USA is doing.

Clare

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Congratulations on the birth of your baby boy.

4 time per week is more than enough considering other commitment.

All you need to do is to make the most of it safely of course.

All the very best,