It's almost 11pm and my baby and husband are fast asleep. My own eyelids are growing heavier with each passing moment. "I can't, I refuse to break a promise to myself ." I say to myself out loud (yes I talk to myself, deal with it). So I count myself down from 5-4-3-2... and then I unglue my half-melted butt from the couch and drag my heavy tired legs to the bathroom, where I splash my face with cold water. I'm locked in now, so I sneak downstairs and do a quick 24 minute home workout in my cold unfinished basement so I don't disturb the sleeping monarchy. Has my post-partum fitness journey been easy? Hell no. If it was easy the expression "mom-bod" would bring a different image to your mind. ... actually forget I 'said that' "Bad mama! I must remember that all bodies are beautiful. It's tough to remember that sometimes, Facebook keeps showing old photos of me at the beach too!... so I meditate, and I ground myself and remember to love myself more. (Catching yourself in moments like these is half the battle!)
1. Listen to your doctor/midwives- as you may know I went the unorthodox route and had a home birth with midwives. It was an incredible experience that I recommend; Not necessarily the home birth part, (though It went well for me) but the 'midwife' part. luckily for us Ontario living Canadians, they are covered by OHIP. Get on a list and meet with one, you will never look back! They have a relaxing and intelligent way of easing fears and worries while educating you. I've never felt more like a human with a health practitioner before. Compared to my previous OB, the midwives seemed more relaxed and presented me with alternatives for absolutely everything. The home visits post-babe also helped me relax into my new role as a mom, and they were closely monitoring my recovery and confidently signed me off as "good-to-go" in a few short weeks. Until they did, I didn't do anything, not even go for long walks, I didn't want to risk it! Whenever you begin is between you and your doctor! People will say things like "already?! You're crazy! Enjoy your baby!" But here's the thing, if you've had a fit pregnancy, and no birth complications your recovery time will be fast. Here's the other thing, you can do both! The energy that you gain from working out will help you enjoy your baby! The strength that is gained will help you take care of the little angel too. My 10lbs baby made my arms so sore at first, it was brutal, but not as bad as the mom-guilt given by the naysayers ... I digress.
2. Consult a fitness and health professional (See? I told you it was my second tip). My choice was easy, my dear friend and kettle bell sport coach Jennifer Hintenberger has a 28-day nutrition and fitness challenge that I did. I loved the fact that it was completely virtual and I could workout from
Home that was key! Even if you don't like working out the nutrition part alone has created ridiculous results!
3. Whichever method you choose, Stick to your plan! - It's easy to be inconsistent... don't be. You need to make the kind of commitment to yourself that you wish others would
Make on you lol (seriously, jokes aside)... become your own source of consistency and don't let yourself down because others will do that for you! On days I felt like slacking I watched motivational videos on YouTube, or connect with my coach, or read postings about positivity and motivation.
4. Time doesn't matter- like the intro to this post suggests, the time
Of day of my own workouts varied from early morning before the baby was awake, to late at night when the baby was down for the night. Admittedly Mid-day naps were usually taken with the baby because... why not? Zzzzz
5. Be patient - I chose not to weigh myself.... numbers lie! There are so many reasons why the number on the scale can fluctuate, obsessing over them won't change them, Only create stress where relaxation should be.
6. Invest in yourself - I had to buy a few things I missed from the gym such as weights and a proper mat. Worth it, I haven't looked back since!
7. 4 life hacks- 7. a) always be ready for a workout (attire wise). 7. b) Put your workout equipment somewhere you're just hanging out in your house. I suggest by the coach where you sit and watch TV. Seeing them will make you want to play with them during movies, commercials etc. 7.c) Tell someone what you're doing, socially they'll keep you in check. When I didn't feel like working out I'd tell my husband "I'm working out after the baby goes to bed." and if I was lazing around after he'd ask me "didn't you say..." lol you get the gist. 7.d) workout with baby- I trained for a half marathon with my baby in a jogging stroller. It's a nice way to be remembered in the neighborhood and the baby seemed to love it which helped! When I did intervals for Example he would whine when I walked and coo when I ran and sprinted.
8- Green smoothies will change your life. I didn't have much of an appetite after labour (no working out contributed to this.) But I needed to eat to produce milk for the baby! Without exercise I feel generally lethargic, green smoothies gave me a ton of energy to tackle my daily exercises. Get your green raw superfoods in a delicious way with smoothies! It's easier to add to your diet than subtract, SO add these, Your body will thank you. A great website for recipes is this one.
They're not all 'green'
I hope this post helps you! Remember start slow, listen to your body and be kind to yourself. Exercising from a place of love can be the difference between workouts feeling like a punishment or a reward.
Feel free to ask any questions you may have! Thanks for reading, and sharing. Remember, YOUR fitness journey is unique to you! Don't over-compare yourself with others to the point of misery and self-pity that feels kind of like self-loathing. You are not alone on your fitness journey! Use the following hashtags and join the fit-mama online community for some tips and motivation from moms like us.
And most importantly, enjoy yourself!
#mamabearstrong #fitmom #fitmamaBonus tip!* I suggest you work out AFTER breastfeeding. You will feel more comfortable in your bra, plus you can take advantage of the baby's milk-drunk coma 😊
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