I’ve gotten a few questions lately about my postpartum workout and nutrition plan so I thought this would be a good blog post to share with you all. I am NOT a fitness expert by any means, and I’m not even in a place where I feel like I can say I’m “back” to how I was pre-baby. Side note: That’s not even a goal of mine. Right now I am on a fitness journey, one that I wasn’t expecting and one that I’ll hopefully be on for awhile. I’m also sharing 4 tips that have helped me the most in sticking to a regular workout routine. I hope today’s post inspires some of you to be more active and take care of these bodies that we’ve been blessed with!
SHOP THE POST
long sleeve top {great workout to errand top} . crop top . pants {love the soft material}. jacket {everyone needs this! So soft and several cute colors} . sneakers {come in in gray too!} . everything I’m wearing fit TTS
My Postpartum Fitness Journey
Pregnancy can do a number to your body- from the daily aches and pains, to the weight gain, and then to actual delivery and recovery. With both Augustine and Corinna, I gained 60 pounds which surprises a lot of people. Even though I ate pretty healthfully during my pregnancies, my body just transforms a bit to carry babies. While it’s a little jarring to see those numbers on the scale, I have to remind myself that my body is supporting this little life and that is something to be proud of.
Postpartum I felt like my body was put through the ringer, from pulling my back out, getting an injured tailbone, and an abscess. It didn’t help that I was still wearing pregnancy jeans months later. By the way, no one tells you that with the second it’s a lot harder to lose the baby weight. At least that was my experience! I knew that once I was cleared to workout, I’d need to start developing a fitness routine to help me get to a place where I felt more like myself. I started to work out and while I was thinking it was going to be something I’d dread, it actually became something I really enjoyed. I started to crave that time to be active. Maybe it was because so much of my day revolves around two dependent little ones, but to have the freedom to just run and push my body made me feel so accomplished. Most days I don’t feel like I’m able to get as much done as I like, so when I’m able to work out, it feels like a big box has been checked off.
Pretty quickly I realized that working out wasn’t something I was so interested in for my physical appearance, but for my mental state. On the days, where I skipped a workout I felt like I was more stressed and moody, and not as patient as a mother. I started to really prioritize this time, which mind you was only 30 minutes. A lot can be done in 30 minutes, though, and it was still enough time to make me feel like I was benefiting. I did what I could to match Augustine’s nap with Corinna’s second nap, and as soon as they were down I was racing to get my workout leggings! We bought a secondhand elliptical trainer and I have to say it’s been one of the best purchases we’ve ever made. That thing has practically paid for itself! Most days during naptime I’ll be on the elliptical – sometimes trying to multitask with emails and Instagram, and other times zoning out for 30 minutes with a show or podcast. Hey, you do what you gotta do!
Working out has become my “me” time and something I highly value. While I played soccer all throughout growing up, and even worked out in college, I never really caught that fitness bug that some people talk about. Now, I feel like I have it and only want to tap into it as much as I can, whenever I can. I’m even guilty of occasionally doing planks and situps while playing with the kids on the floor! Is that crazy?
While I could probably amp up my fitness routine, I’m pretty proud that I’m doing anything. It’s a big improvement for me and I’m sure I’ll get to that point where I’m doing more intense workouts or heavier weights. You gotta start somewhere with what works for you though. Right now, my elliptical riding/online barre classes/playtime core work is doing it for me!
Unfortunately, nutrition-wise I haven’t done the best job. Sweets are my weakness so while I’ll try to make healthy dinners, I’ll oftentimes end up making cookies for dessert. I’m trying to focus on not having any refined sugar this month and I’ve been pleased to find some great dessert recipes with only honey or dates as a sweetener! I’m definitely not perfect in any area, but this is one I majorly struggle with. (I say this as I’m eating one of these cookies I made over the weekend…so good!} If any of you have any tips to help me out in this area, let me know! I’m thinking I need to just not have anything sweet in the house because if I see it, I’ll eat it!
If any of you are looking to make fitness a more regular part of your routine, here are some tips that have helped me:
SCHEDULE IT OUT – Just as you add your doctor appointments to your calendar, do the same for your workouts. Both are important parts of keeping up with your health, so treat them similarly. I’ll add “Workout During Naptime” or “Barre3 Class” to my calendar, sometimes inviting Matthew so that he’s aware, and then I’ll do it! If I’ve already mentally prepared for it, I’m much more likely to stick with it.
DANCE- Dancing is a great form of exercise, plus it’s a lot of fun! Augustine and I will frequently have dance parties to his favorite songs. Also, whenever I’m not totally feeling like I’m in the mood for a workout, I’ll put on one of my favorite songs, start dancing, and the next thing I know, I’ll be ready to workout. It definitely gets me more amped up!
PUT ON THE CLOTHES- On the days where I’m planning a midday workout, I’ll just wear my workout clothes in the morning. For me, I don’t often wear workout clothes, so when I do, I know I mean business. It helps me to get fired up and ready. But even on the days where I’m not totally sure if I want to workout, I’ll say “Ok I’ll just put my workout clothes on and see how I feel.” Sure enough, every time, I end up doing the workout!
HAVE LOW IMPACT/RELAXING WORKOUTS TO FALL BACK ON- Sure there are days I am EXHAUSTED. The ones where Corinna is up 3x a night, or I’m dealing with a demanding little toddler. A heart-raising cardio workout might not sound appealing at all. Totally understandable! But find some low impact and maybe even relaxing workouts that you can do instead. I’ll look for restorative yoga classes on YouTube and put one of those on. Sure, lying on the couch usually sounds better at first, but once my online class is over I feel so much more refreshed and rejuvenated from the poses, stretches, and breathing exercises. That’s usually just what I need, and I’m still left with that same “can do” attitude I get from the higher impact workouts.
SHOP POSTPARTUM FITNESS FAVES
I hope this post is helpful for any of you looking to make fitness a part of your regular routine. I didn’t think it was possible for me to get to the place where I love working out, but somehow I’m there and I don’t want to let it go. My hope is that I can always prioritize this time for myself because of the physical, mental and even spiritual benefits. It’s so worth it!
xox
photos by Vanessa Lentine
