If you’re in need of some motivation to get your body moving and improve your overall health and well-being, then look no further than our mama muse, Mona-Jane Hannemann – on insta @rocamoons. We’ve been a long-time admirer of this proud Kiwi mama, ocean lover, self-described fitness addict and adrenaline junkie with a passion for nature. Having recently welcomed her second little boy into the world, we caught up with Mona to chat about finding balance, living a whole and happy life and her advice for mums who are motivated to get active… She’s even shared a workout for mums who are immersed in those foggy first 12 weeks of newborn life.
Juggling motherhood with other aspects of life can be a challenge for us all. How do you find your balance now that you're a mumma of two?
Does anyone every really find balance? It actually hasn’t been too bad, I’ve really loved it - I’m still in that bliss-mode tripping out that it’s all real - I was expecting life to be a little slower during this time (even though it simultaneously feels like I’m always in a hurry)
I think the biggest change has been the interrupted sleep and having to stop whatever I’m doing to feed the baby. It wasn't a surprise, but it just means it takes like five times longer to accomplish anything, and other things are just never accomplished! Other than that, having two feels quite normal - and because we babysit our little nieces and nephews, we’re used to being on-the-go and having our hands full.
The lack of sleep sometimes does throw me off balance a bit, as it affects the rest of the day, your energy, your mood, what you eat, even sometimes how you feel when you look in the mirror. There never seems to be enough hours in the day really, so picking and choosing what’s going to help me feel a little more balanced each day changes - whether that’s a nap, a workout or staying in my pj’s all day!
So yeah, in saying all that, during this phase the balance is far from the balance of life before but it will continue to evolve, if that makes sense!
What are your top 3 tips for living a whole and happy life?
1. Remember your values, also what you value most and make sure you make time for those things
2. Have the attitude of gratitude, there is always someone worse off than you
3. Keep yourself nourished in all ways, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
What is one key piece of advice you would share with mums who are motivated to get more active?
There’s a saying that I grew up with ‘Go Hard or Go Home’. So if you are someone that wants to change, then GO HARD and go for it! Put everything you got into it and every time you want to quit, remember why you started (even if your reason was a vain one). I know it’s easier said than done, that’s often the case, but at the end of the day, we are the captain of our own ship and we ultimately decide where our boat goes.
Invest in the life you want to live, so if that means getting a good stroller or a baby carrier to take ur baby with you, it’s worth it! If getting a new pair of leggings is gonna make you motivated or excited about it, it’s worth it! But remember consistency is what will make the biggest difference over everything. Oh and also, approach being active from a place of #selflove - that way every time you are going to workout or be active there is a positive connotation attached to it; instead of ‘I have to workout’ it will be more like ‘I am going to practice some self love today’.
Remember health is wealth, and health is more than what you look like in the mirror. So, find something you love doing and do that first, that will make moving your body enjoyable, it will lay the foundation and then you can build from there. Love your body and it will love you back :)
Do you have a workout you can recommend for mums who are are wanting to move their body in those first 12 weeks after giving birth?
This is a super quick and simple one you can do anywhere; you can even incorporate wearing your baby as extra weight if you want ;) Do each exercise for 1 minute with a 1 minute rest at the end, then repeat for 3 rounds.
