"Exercise is a lifestyle for me." This is how Safisha Mance, a new mom in Northwest DC, views her ongoing relationship with fitness.
Mance first started going to the gym when she moved to Washington, DC years ago. She was single at the time, and the gym was a great place to meet people. Plus, aside from helping to keep her weight under control, exercise increased her energy, confidence and motivation. The native of California enjoyed her time at the gym so much that she became a certified group fitness instructor so that she could help to motivate others as well. Aside from teaching aerobics once or twice a week, she began attending bootcamp twice a week and seeing a personal trainer once a week.
Committed to her fitness routine, Mance continued to go to her bootcamp class through the fifth month of pregnancy and met with her trainer until her seventh month. She also ran with friends once a week in Rock Creek Park until her seventh month. What kept her going? Her desire to be healthy, keep her baby healthy and to avoid being "a raggedy pregnant person." She credits exercise with helping her overcome the occasional "pregnancy blues" and with allowing her to have a smooth recovery after her caesarean.
So it will come as no surprise that as a new mother, Mance still makes working out a priority. However, there are some new challenges. Since there are no early morning nannies in DC, she can no longer attend her bootcamp class at 6:00 am, and her new schedule makes it difficult to meet with her personal trainer as often as she used to. Instead, she now meets with a friend twice a week for a power walk, and she has joined a Strollerstrides class. On the weekends, she goes for a run.
What is the key to sticking with a workout regiment after having a baby, according to Mance? Incorporating your child into your workouts.
Mance, a mother and owner of Mance and Associates, has two pieces of advice for other mothers. First, sometimes, you have to think out of the box when it comes to exercise. Working out does not have to take place at a gym. Second, twenty minutes is all you need. A good, brisk walk for twenty minutes is definitely better than not exercising at all. You will definitely feel better afterwards.
Safisha and daugther getting
ready for a powerwalk