Hi,
Just a quick spiel about me - I'm army reservist but personal training and bootcamps are my day job. I'm an avid hill walker and I have a pre & post natal exercise qualification. I've got a son who is 1 and a half.
I think first and foremost is not to worry or stress about losing your weight fast. It can become obsessive in a negative way, especially if it isn't shifting. You've got to feel confident you can deal with running your family and spending enough time with your kids first. So if that's a tick then happy days.
For the record - my wife wasn't able to return to exercise for nearly a year (she had a rough pregnancy, lots of health scares).
I myself was used to running about 20 miles a week but after my son was born I barely had the energy for 1. It took me a good few months to get used to the new life.
For fat loss your biggest impact is going to come from your diet. What are you eating typically? (Be honest, I used to shove kitkats and pizza down my face like my life depended on it, I even ate a full multipack of hulahoops last night. It can be stressful!)
Eating right, so loads of veg and fruit, proteins and a good balance of carbs is going to give you enough energy to breastfeed. Taking on more protein and fibre (meats, eggs, nuts like almonds, fruits like bananas) is going to sustain you for longer and put a dent in those 'hungry' feelings. However don't deny yourself life's gifts. If you have a roast with your family every Sunday then don't sack that off. Just reduce the amount of processed snacks you do have. You could have a fun size mars bar every day with no drama and still get fitter/lose weight as long as the rest of your diet is balanced well.
Do not overlook drinking enough water either. Make sure you're taking enough in.
When it comes to exercise I assume like me you are mostly stuck at home with either no equipment or just a set of adjustable dumbbells?
Great home exercises are yoga (I'm not an expert so google is going to be your friend - there's loads even on mumset) and body weight exercises.
When my monster was little (3-6 months) and napped a lot, I used to bash out things like pushups, situps etc whilst he was napping. The thing is you don't need to do 30 minutes continuous exercise to have an impact on your fat loss. 10 minutes every hour or two still counts, it's not as effective but it isn't wasted time. So with that in mind what can you do whilst waiting for the kettle to boil? That's right bang out 10 squats!
He also loves (and still does at 1 and a half) laying on the floor whilst I do press ups over him and kiss his forehead. He also loves being held whilst I do squats, or he just laughs at me whilst I do high knees on the spot or jumping jacks (to be fair, who wouldn't?).
If you're a massive tea-a-holic having 10 cups a day that's 100 squats a day (please don't drink 10 a day!).
If like me you like getting out and about then consider a baby carrier (I could never afford one though) and you'll be able to walk off the beaten track a bit. I'm not suggesting doing the Fan Dance but there's loads of woodlands that aren't always pram/buggy friendly.
If you have equipment you can vary it up even more. Resistance training is a fantastic way to increase your resting metabolism, bone density and tone. It also burns fat if done with intensity.
Here a few suggestions (I'm wary of how long I'm babbling on for);
German Volume Training (GVT) is bodybuilding technique to overload your muscles (this is what they make us do in the Army but without the rest!!)
10 sets of 10 bicep curls then 60 secs rest.
10 sets of 10 squats then 60 secs rest
10 sets of 10 shoulder raises then 60 secs rest
10 sets of 10 lunges. then 60 secs rest
Rest 30 secs in between each set as well.
Obviously pick a weight you can repeat 100 times. So for example although I could curl 25kg in each hand I'd probably use 15kg for this. And you can do it with bodyweight or any exercise.
To increase the intensity as you get fitter, complete a cardio HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) afterwards and create a pyramid - (same rest periods as above)
5 sets of 5 chest press
6 sets of 6 bicep curls
7 sets of 7 shoulder raises
8 sets of 8 squats
9 sets of 9 upright rows
10 sets of 10 deadlifts
30 seconds of high knees 30 seconds rest
30 seconds of burpees 30 seconds rest
30 seconds of sit ups 30 seconds rest
30 seconds of mountain climbers 30 seconds rest.
Repeat pyramid in reverse.
Or you could start doing standard HIIT/Circuit training (circuit is just HIIT without the intervals - another Army favourite because there's no rest) which can be done in about 20 minutes - these are my wife's favourite.
30 secs work/ 30 secs rest
- Burpees
- Press ups
- Squats
- V-sits
- Lunges
Repeat 4 times.
To make that a circuit you would do each exercise for 45 seconds and then run (on the spot if you're at home) to each station for 15 seconds.
Lastly and most importantly - Listen to your body. It will tell you when it needs to stop. There is NO shame is this at all. It's happened more than once to me running long distances where I have felt faint or weak and had to stop. It's not a defeat it's looking after your body.
Feel free to ask for more ideas if any of that struck a chord.