Challenges facing a mother are non-stop. These unsung-heroes not only provide life, but they know how to nurture it best! As thank you to all the moms out there making the world run, we've decided to showcase an exceptionally talented one for your reading pleasure. Maude Mathys is a professional multi-sport athlete and mother of two beautiful children. She shared her wisdom on balancing training with some of the troubles new mothers face. We hope you like it as much as we do!

1. Find Creative Ways To Manage Your Time

"Be flexible, imaginative, and remain well surrounded for the babysitting."

Organizing your time as a new mother or a parent can be a daunting, unforgiving task. 

Getting creative with your workouts and time management is often the only saving grace for dedicated athletes.

When you can't find the time to get out of the house, Maude recommends indoor cycling or stair climbs. 

If you are tight on time, which is often the case with moms everywhere, HIIT (high-intensity interval training) cycling can be a saving grace. If you decide to take on a HIIT workout while the little one is down for their nap, there are a couple rules to follow.

Give it everything you've got on the intensity portions. Not putting in the full effort reduces the effectiveness of this workout.

Without pushing your cardiovascular system hard, it leaves you doing lots of work without much reward.

Because these workouts are so taxing on the body, make sure to always rehydrate and only perform them a couple times a week to prevent severe muscle fatigue.

2. Monitor Your Body With The Same Care You Give Others

"For fatigue, listen to your body well and try not to be overly ambitious at first. If a period of training is difficult, don't feel guilty and work on letting go of the intensity of the training."

Maude emphasizes the importance of understanding the changes in your body to prevent injury.

As a female enters pregnancy, the hormone relaxin courses through the body to prepare for childbirth.

One of the effects of this hormone is the softening of ligaments in the pelvis. If not correctly strengthened, this can cause injury for new mothers getting back into their training regimes.

It can be extremely beneficial to take the time in this period to follow up with an osteopath or a physiotherapist.

3. Don't Be Afraid To Involve Your Children In Training

"For sheathing (planking) and muscle training in general, you can integrate your child like it's a game."

Getting the child involved, going over, going under, imitating your exercises is a fantastic way for you both to get the training time you need.

By involving your child at a young age, you help set them up for success further down the line. Teaching your child the skills of regular exercise and play can make a monumental difference in their lives.

Not to mention, the more they play, the longer you can train, and the longer they will nap!

4. Being Patient And Forgiving About Weight Management

"Pay close attention to your food intake after childbirth. Long hours of training combined with breastfeeding can mean an increased amount of weight loss."

If a new mother pays close attention to her nutrition, balancing a training schedule with breastfeeding remains possible.

However, Maude also advises being patient if losing weight is high on your priorities. This can take time for new mothers. 

It's important to give yourself the nutrition both you and your newborn need.

Regular walks with the stroller, combined with increased fibre intake, healthy proteins, and simple resistance training exercises can help speed up the process of weight loss if that's the desired outcome.

When integrating higher protein intakes into your diet, our Ultra Recovery protein powders are made with all-natural, non-GMO ingredients. Providing worry-free nutrients for all walks of life.

Along with weight management, breastfeeding has been known to provide numerous other benefits to both the mother and child. For mom, breastfeeding has been known to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes and certain types of breast cancer.

It's an honour to support the mothers out there who are dedicated to preserving lives and our playground. Be gentle with yourself when getting back into a training schedule, and as always, have fun!

To learn more about Maude, check out her Instagram page @maude.mathys.

For more information about healthy eating habits to help you manage weight properly, have a look at our 5 Healthy Nutrition Habits To Maintain In 2021. Or, feel free to read all of the Nutrition Articles that the Naak team has put together!