Sunday, March 3, 2013

the secret to how I got my body back...

First things first.... THANK YOU sooooo much for all of your sweet comments about my post baby body! Of course every girl loves a compliment, but after having a baby? Sweet, kind, encouraging and uplifting compliments are the best thing for a brand new mom (am I right??) Thank you for making me feel so good when it was really easy to be disgusted with this new body of mine :)
So! My secret is..... I actually don't have a secret! I wish I did! I wish I had the perfect answer on how to have a bikini ready body after having a baby, but I'm still trying to figure that out. I can tell you that my doctor said the key to a great recovery is exercise! Before and during pregnancy, apparently it does make a difference! Of course every pregnancy is different! Some are too sick to work out, others have to stay on bed rest, etc. And the same goes for recovery! But I'll share what seems to have worked/does work for me!

 Hiking in Zion National Park... workouts that don't really feel like a workout are my favorite kind!
Before I got pregnant I was in pretty good shape. I went to spin a couple times a week, ran and did Jillian Michaels DVDs (don't ask me why, but I am always so self conscious to lift weights at the gym, unless I have a friend with me ha ha!) When I found out I was pregnant I continued my same work out regimens, I just really paid attention to what my body was telling me. Around 7 weeks I felt like I was going to die in a spin class! The instructor even asked me if I was alright because I had no energy  or endurance... it was crazy! I'd never experienced anything like it. But the fatigue from pregnancy finally hit me and I learned I had to take it EASY! I learned I had to eat before each workout (of course, I had to eat all. the. time. But I used to never eat before I workout because I'd get intense side aches. But suddenly my body needed the energy the food provided!) Around 16 weeks I had to stop running because of my sciatic nerve, ouch! I continued spinning and the work out DVDs. Eventually I got too lazy to lift weights (those 3 pounders definitely got heavy, HA!) so I just did spin, walking or the elliptical. I huge motivator for me to do a workout every day was work. I do hair and I stand on my feet all day long! That became extremely difficult to do as my baby grew. But working out helped build my stamina and made the long days on my feet not quite as bad as if I sat on my bum on my days off. So find something that motivates you to do a little something each day... it will make a difference!

31 weeks. I retained water and my butt got squishier... but other than that the weight gain was mostly baby! {instagram}
Once I had Mia, I was shocked by how quickly my stomach deflated. I thought I'd look pregnant for weeks after, ha ha. But I did/do nurse, and they say that helps! (I'm convinced I burned more calories crying over how sucky nursing was, than the actual nursing ha ha!) At Mia's 2 week appointment I asked my doctor if I could start doing sit ups. He said yes but take it easy. So I went home and did 30 sit ups.... and was spent for the rest of the day, ha! I did a few sit ups and push ups on my knees each day but other than that? I took it easy and let my body heal! I waited to really start working out until after my 6 week appointment. Since then I've been spinning (which is easiest on my body), the DVDs and running. The most important thing for me is to continue listening to my body. I would love to just go run for miles, but I have to build up to that! Right now I run a slow mile and half to two miles.... my ribs feel bruised/sore after each run and I can feel certain parts of my body that still feel shifty (those of you who have babies know what I'm talking about, right?) So clearly my body is still recovering. I really want to start going to yoga and pilate's classes to help my body build muscles that will hold everything in place! I will continue working out but if my body says, "ouch, can't handle that!" then I won't push it!


I also want to throw in that the most important things right now are my baby, my husband and my health. Sometimes after I'm done feeding Mia, instead of putting her back in her crib and working out, I snuggle her until she wakes up so that I can play with her and enjoy her morning smiles! My husband doesn't work the normal 9-5 job (I'm jealous of you wives who have husbands that keep those hours!) so if I want to go to the gym, I have to go at 5AM. I have decided that getting my sleep is way more important that day than going to spin more than once. Instead I do a DVD at home or go for a walk. I'd rather do that than be sleep deprived, ornery and more susceptible to catching a cold that day because I didn't get any sleep, you know? I work out to be healthy and feel good about myself, and sometimes I have to put working out on the back burner to be healthy and feel good about myself! I try to help my body in other ways by drinking tons of water (which you have to do while nursing anyways) and eating my fruits and veggies. I'd be lying if I said I could care less about having a bikini ready body, of course I'd love that! But my main focus is to enjoy every second of my baby, because she won't be a little baby forever. So I do what it takes to stay healthy and feel good about myself, other than that? I've come to terms with the fact that a squishy belly, muffin tops and precious baby smiles are just the perks of my new life ;) (But at the risk of sounding like I'm bragging, I will admit that my belly isn't quite as squishy as it used to be, the muffin tops are almost gone, and the smiles get sweeter every day! So little by little, the workouts DO make a difference!)

24 comments:

Ashley Brickner said...

You look great, momma!! :)

Unknown said...

You definitely look great! And I definitely haven't had any babies (yet), but when I work out I don't like to feel like I'm going to die. I push myself, but then I take it easy. I find myself enjoying my work out way more like that :)

Lisa @ Pulsipher Page said...

Congratulations! You're a great example.

Chelsea said...

Girl, I look up to you so much! I think you are such a great example of having a positive relationship with food and exercise. I honestly don't know many women who are like that. Aaannd, you are freaking gorgeous and a wonderful mother on top of it! So lucky to know you!

Lauren {at} Life.Love.Lauren said...

You do look great and way to go having a healthy attitude and the right priorities! Congrats girl!

Liz said...

You really do look great!!! I am soooo fatigued while working out :( it's discouraging! I also have reached the point where I just can't do some of the crossfit workouts I was use to. I'm really hoping I bounce back as beautifully as you do!!

Crazy Shenanigans-JMO said...

I was wondering how you looked so great SO fast! That's awesome that you were able to continue to work out during the pregnancy! I think you look fabulous!

Julie said...

Keep it up chicka, you are doing great!

Ashley said...

You really do look fantastic. "These naps aren't going to take themselves". haha!! love that.

Greta said...

Thank you for being so real and honest about this! You look amazing and I completely agree about the exercise...helps so much! I am working out more now during my current pregnancy than during my last, and I am feeling so much better as well as more confident about losing the weight again. NICE WORK, MAMA! :)

Savannah said...

You look fantastic! Thanks for sharing your story. You inspire me! :)

Unknown said...

yay for you! I can't wait to get my routine back. I have missed it so!! oh and yes I had my baby! only a day late on 3/1. :) ill be posting plenty of pics on instagram if you'd like to follow. @airkaka.

Unknown said...

yay for you! I can't wait to get my routine back. I have missed it so!! oh and yes I had my baby! only a day late on 3/1. :) ill be posting plenty of pics on instagram if you'd like to follow. @airkaka.

Chelsea said...

Great post! I'm 26 weeks pregnant and have been wondering about how long it takes to get back in shape after the baby is born. You give me hope! :)

nate and amy crandell said...

GREAT POST!! and seriously you are look amazing, good job girl!

Kendra L. said...

Way to go!! You do look excellent. You really inspired me to start going to spin class during this pregnancy, so thank you!
I'm excited to see what exercising through this pregnancy will do for me postpartum...but I hope my expectations aren't too high. :) Last time, I tried to go running for the first time in 10 months...and I LITERALLY lasted 3 minutes!!!

Lisamarie said...

Did you take spin classes all the way through your pregnancy? If not, at what point did you stop? Spin seems great because you really can just sit in the back row and go at your own pace if you have to.

Rachel said...

I haven't had any babies yet but it is my goal to work towards staying in shape the whole way through. I'm not a huge fan of exercise just for the heck of it, though, like you said, exercise that doesn't feel like exercise is my favorite kind!

Sally said...

You look amazing! And nursing totally does the trick! I still nurse Mace once a day at eight months and I'm definitely thinner and probably healthier than I've ever been!

Jessie said...

You girls who workout throughout your pregnancy are my heroes. Way to go, mama! I got back to exercising right after my first baby, nursed him, and nine months later was actually skinnier than I've ever been! No kidding. We mamas will never quite have that same body (especially after multiple babies) but we can definitely look and feel sexy again!

Hannah/ Mommarazzi said...

Go momma!! you look awesome!!

Janna Renee said...

I have heard that working out before and during pregnancy are huge. I knew you would bounce back quickly, but I'm happy that you are focusing on hubby and baby first ;)

Alyx said...

You do look great! I'm hoping that my body decides to bounce back fairly quickly. I've heard nursing helps, so we shall see!!

oomph. said...

you look great and looks like you are bouncing back nicely! it was after baby #2 for me that things didn't quite go back to the way they were!! lol.

[oomph.]
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