mishfit - pregnant & post-pregnant specialist

Are All Exercise Options Created Equal?

by Michelle Wright

note: this article was previously published on Family Capers

As a personal trainer and exercise lover, I’m often asked what the best exercise is for getting fit and returning to that pre-baby figure. The lay exerciser can be bamboozled with the variety of options out there so I’ve always believed it’s my duty to do the field work and base my advice on personal experience.

To date I have Stepped into Life (great if the sun is shining, but not if the sun shines too much and you have run away kids), had a work out in 30 minutes (Curves) and one in 29 minutes (Contours). I’ve wobbled on vibration trainers, Les Mill’ed every body program, free-styled and bootcamped. I have visited country gyms in New Zealand (where they keep their shades on … inside), swam in the Brixton Baths (London) and Zumba’ed in New York. It may surprise you to learn that I often engage a Personal Trainer while on holiday (always up for learning new skills and motivational techniques) and have cycled both outdoors and indoors.

I’ve visited posh gyms (Kensington Close Health Club London, where the bathrooms are to die for), YMCA’s, ladies only and Melbourne boutique personal training studios. I’ve posed as a pregnant woman and bounced extremely vigorously on swiss balls (Preggi Bellies) and donned a swimsuit to join the Aqua Mums (I admitted I was not pregnant, but trying ;) While I really was pregnant, I participated in yoga. I have mat pilated and reformer pilated and learned how to teach pilates using a GYMSTICK™. I have held chi balls and saluted to the sun, and watched my share of exercise infomercials (what else can you do while breastfeeding during the night?)

So what’s the best? What is the ultimate? What exercise option delivers on the promise and can surpass all others?

The answer is none … and all! Exercise has to be enjoyable in order for it to be maintained for life. We know that we should be putting together 30 minutes of moderate exercise most, if not every day, and if we are able to, enjoy some regular vigorous activity for extra health and fitness (based on the Australian Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults) – yet we are human! Some of us are extremely self-disciplined and maintain a routine easily and enjoy the familiarity of the same gym, the same exercise program, the same walk. Yet how many of us have taken out gym, health club or Personal Training studio memberships, only to let them lapse. And then allow the guilt of not attending, seeing those payments continuing to be deducted for months before we make that dreaded call that somehow makes us feel like we have failed them?

Even the most innovative exercise program can tire and bore the veteran. Les Mills, who are the “McDonalds” of group fitness, constantly re-invent and innovate what they already do well, so that the serial attendee as well as the casual gym-goer will be caught up in the momentum and return. But should that be our complete diet? We are consumers of variety, fashion and current passion … so why should that not extend to our exercise consumption?

Go on! I give you permission to be a gym slut. (‘Gym junkie’ is so yesterday.) Change your program to deal with the different stages of your life, experience the new. Make a date with a friend, not for the movies, but for a free trial offer at a new fitness centre, or even a fitness fashion store to sample their complimentary fitness classes (see www.lululemon.com) and reaffirm that variety truly is the spice of life.