A happy mom equals a happy baby

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How many times have we said we just can't find the time to exercise. We have worked a long eight-to-12-hour day and by the time we get home, get changed, make dinner, check our messages, e-mail and so on, who in the world can find the time to get changed again, go back outside and drag our butts to the gym. And this was before we had kids.

With kids, you now have diapers, temper tantrums, guilt about leaving and all the other wonderful things that we allow ourselves to use as excuses not to exercise. Did you ever hear the expression Happy mom equals a happy baby?

As hard as it is for us moms to take time out for ourselves, it really does have a domino effect on everyone when mom has taken some time for herself.

So now we have accepted the challenge, but who has an hour or two to go to the gym? Yes, a lot of gyms now have childcare, but not all babies are alike. Some may not want to be separated from mom and let's be honest, some moms are just not ready to be apart from their little ones either.

So do we just give up then?

No.

Why not try exercising at home when the baby is sleeping or daddy is home? With minimal equipment and the proper exercises, you can target all the major muscle groups in 20 to 30 minutes. Hey, you may even have time for a cup of tea after.

If baby is awake, why not exercise with the baby (they love that) such as pushups over baby, crunches with baby on your hips or put the baby in a carrier and do squats, lunges and bicep curls.

I have trained several women in their homes and have developed quick boot camps for them to do between sessions so they can maintain what they have worked so hard to achieve.

At the end of the day, if you can do just 30-plus minutes, three days a week you will have done wonders for your body and self-esteem. Why not take my challenge and see?

Samantha Montpetit-Huynh is a mother of two living in the Beach. She is a certified personal trainer, a pre- and post-natal fitness specialist and a RAB core specialist. She offers personal training in-home for pregnant women and new mothers, teaches prenatal and mom and baby fitness classes and gives workshops on the subject. You can reach her at redefineyou@rogers.com or at 647-897-5220. Her column will be running the first Friday of the month at insidetoronto.com