Having a baby is the most amazing thing in the world – trying to get fit and lose weight after, is well, less amazing.
I have always been what most would call, “athletic”. I danced competitively for many years, played soccer, dabbled in many other sports, and absolutely loved/still love working out! Unfortunately due to how my body reacts during pregnancy I have found that working out while pregnant isn’t for me.
So once I get the green light from my OB, I jump right into a super intense two a day program, eating only the leanest of meats, raised on organic grass, and make sure that my full fat butter is churned by hand by nuns living in the highlands of Scotland!
Ok, so maybe that ISN’T what I do. ha! Actually it’s quite the opposite. I nurse. I pray to God that helps me lose weight, and then little by little add in some muscle toning workouts.
Now working out postpartum can be tricky. Why, you might ask. Well, 1) you JUST had a baby, even if you feel as though you’re “ready” physically, you might not be ready time wise. Adjusting to life with a new little one can take a bit. Then if you’ve blossomed into that new unicorn mom status and found the time, you might not be emotionally ready. That’s ok. Take the time to work on you emotionally and mentally and then attack physically. If you’re head isn’t in the right place then nothing else will go the way you want it to go. I’ll actually be addressing my journey with PPD and PPA round 3 in another post.
2) There’s a wee thing called Diastasis Recti that many women are unaware they have before they’ve done more damage. It is the separation of the abdominal muscles. It is important to test (linked above) to see if you happen to have DR before beginning any workout postpartum. Some workouts can actually cause greater separation if the muscles are not brought back together prior.
Something I have found to help prevent DR is wearing a belly band right away. I LOVE the Bamboo Belly Bandit. It helps all your insides get back to where they belong, and the back support it lends is AMAZING!!
Working out postpartum is a very serious affair – as you can tell by my face in these pics! Why so serious? I am clearly not cut out to be a fitness model! Dreams dashed!
Thankfully I am one of those mamas that loses the first 20-30 lbs simply nursing, but that’s where the luck ends. I then stall. I remind myself it took 9 months to put the weight on, I will give myself 9 months to take it off. Being gracious with yourself is important!
I always make sure I get some good stretching in, yoga has helped with that. I simply do it at home as the boys run around and E naps. Since we cosleep I always find myself in weird positions in the middle of the night and can wake up pretty stiff – so some good stretches really help mama feel less like a robot.
One of my absolute faves is the squat! Yes, even when my cat creeps and watches me do it. It is the best! If done properly (and no I’m not in this pic – my shoulders are all sorts of hunched over) it can be a great full body exercise. My parents have a squat rack in their house and I may be a wee bit jealous! It really can work wonders on a postpartum mom bod! Saggy wide load prego butt be gone! Tone your legs and lift that mom jean booty! Not to mention as with any workout you should be engaging your core – so hello killer abs!
There are so many great squat challenges you can find on Pinterest to do at home! I’ve pinned some of my favorites for you, so check them out!
Lastly, I always finish my workouts with some Russian Twists. I’ve been doing them for years – all the way back to my gym rat days, so I do the advanced version – but start wherever your current fitness level allows. No matter which way you do them, they will quickly become your new favorite! Russian Twists work your obliques. Obliques are like the bodies natural corset. Tight obliques = tight abs and skinny waist! While I’m still working on getting rid of that post baby pooch, Russian Twists have helped make the process fun. Yes, I said fun! Just make sure you don’t push yourself too hard forgetting to engage your core. That will cause you to use your lower back muscles instead and it will hurt. Ask me how I know.
I love working out, as you can tell, but what I don’t love is trying to find workout clothes that fit the postpartum bod. They’re always to big, too tight, or too boxy. These leggings are my favorite and have seen me through many a workout and these tanks by Pio Prints have quickly become my go to item. I even wore them while pregnant. Now I’m wearing them to nurse and get my sweat on.
They’re incredibly soft and the fit is amazing! They don’t cling like many other workout tanks do, and are just lose enough to give a flattering shape. I’ve even worn them over a pair of jean shorts (jorts if you will) and rocked it out with some TOMS. I love clothes that can be worn in different ways. As a mom versatility is key!
So while I still have a long way to go, and I know that it might take the full 9 months, I know that with a little hard work and a whole lot of patience, I can achieve my goal!
Now to work on the nutrition side of things, but for now I will enjoy my plate of cookies.
(Disclaimer: Parts of this post are sponsored. All images are my own or that of the company in which I’m representing. All thoughts are my own and my honest review of the products. Thank you to Pio Prints for sponsoring this post!)
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