How to exercise when you have a baby and no time: Tips from a Singapore working mum

How can you lose weight after giving birth? Many new mummies want to get back into shape, but with baby care duties and a full-time job, exercising is always last on the list.

Cindy Ong, a full-time working mum with two kids, has a routine that works for her. In fact, this inspiring mummy finished in eight place at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2018!

Here, she shares her secrets to finding time and motivation to work out.

How to exercise when you have a baby “After gaining 20kg during my pregnancies and going through a gestational diabetes scare, I wanted to take control of my health by exercising. It would also help me regain my pre-pregnancy weight and shape.

“With whatever limited time and help I have as a full-time-working-mother, I do what I can to stay fit.

“Here are some ways I weave exercising into my life as a mother, when I’m not training competitively for marathons.

No time to hit the gym? Work out with Youtube

“This is my favourite way to work up a good sweat and burn some serious calories in the comfort of my own home. With a mat and whatever clothes I wear at home, I choose the videos that suit my mood, desire and the amount of time I have.

“Popsugar Fitness has a variety of workouts starting from 5 minutes, such as HIIT (High-intensity Interval Training), barre and dance cardio.

“I do a mix of workouts, depending on the time I have and how challenging I want them to be. I also follow Just Dance Kids and Bobopopo so that my children can dance with me.

Have a workout “snack”

Exercising for 30 to 60 minutes straight isn’t always possible for mums. So, I may do this routine instead:

Before work: 15-minute HIIT session

Before lunch: 10-minute plank variation at work

Before showering at night, or at the playground with kids: 15-minute strength and conditioning session

This helps me to stay motivated, because each session is short. You may begin with 10 minutes in the morning, 5 minutes at lunch and 15 minutes in the evening to get the momentum going.

Play games with your children

Games such as “What time is it, Mr Wolf?” or catching allows me to have fun with the children while we all work out together.

Find easy ways to run or cycle

I run or cycle to a store further away from home to run errands or pick up the groceries. And when my children were younger, I would put them in the stroller and jog with them in it.

Join a running group

Having a social life as a mother is almost impossible so, joining a fitness group helps to integrate exercising with socialising. I look forward to my weekly, complimentary session at i-RUN offered by the Health Promotion Board.

Relieving yourself from motherly duties to stay healthy and fit is one of the best ways to take care of the family.

You cannot pour from an empty cup. Take care and love yourself first!

Cindy Ong, 36, is a working mum with two kids aged seven and four. She started running in 2016 to regain her fitness after pregnancy and finished eighth place at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2018. Follow her on Instagram at @coxi07 or read her blog here.

Photos: Cindy Ong

Pregnancy & Baby