PRENATAL FITNESS = POSTPARTUM RESULTS
Ill never forget when my husband and I revealed our first pregnancy, one of our “friends” said, “You know your body will never be the same, right? You’re going to get fat”. WOW, some nerve!
Having a baby does not ruin your body! In fact, I have seen many women who have earned better bodies after having children.
I am often asked how I bounced back so quickly after I had my first baby. Despite what people may think, the results were not because of genetics, age, or how many babies I already had. They strictly came from a lot of HARD WORK and DEDICATION, not only postpartum but during my pregnancy as well.
There were many times when the only opportunity to workout was at 4:30am after my baby nursed. Was this ideal? Of course not! But gaining back my strength and getting in shape was important to me.
When there is a will, you find a way!
With my first pregnancy, I gained a total of 29 pounds. The main thing that has kept me motivated to maintain a healthy weight gain through BOTH pregnancies is reminding myself that the more unnecessary weight I put on, the more I have to lose after. Excessive weight gain is not healthy for mom or baby.
As I mentioned above, I contribute most of my postpartum results to staying fit and healthy BEFORE and DURING pregnancy. Not only did I owe it to myself to stay fit and healthy but I also owed it to my growing baby.
Prenatal fitness has numerous benefits for moms and babies. If your are physically capable, then why not?
During pregnancy, I worked out an average of 4-5 days a week with a combination of free weights, yoga and cardio. On the days I did not get my workouts in, I went for long walks. As a matter of fact, I did the stair climber the day before I delivered. I also did burpees until about 36 weeks!
Keeping up with my workout routine helped:
- prevent excessive weight gain
- maintain muscle mass
- reduced water retention and swelling
- alleviate body aches
- most importantly helped with postpartum recovery!
Here are a few secretes that helped me bounce back:
1. Start Slow:
I know how it feels to want your pre-pregnancy body back QUICKLY. But trust me, resuming exercise with an over ambitious attitude could sabotage your long term results. Resuming exercise after pregnancy may feel like you are starting from ground zero but you will be surprised at how quickly you see results. I think having a baby gives us extra motivation!
There is a hormone that is released in our bodies during pregnancy called “Relaxin”. The purpose of this hormone is to help soften the pelvis, ligaments and smooth muscle for labor. This is an amazing thing except it also softens every other joint in our bodies as well. Resuming strenuous exercise too quickly with high levels of this hormone still present could cause pain or injury to your joints. For example, my knees and hips were very sore and painful after many workouts that I overdid it. This would set me back a few days which did not help in my long-term goals. I had to slow down, listen t my body, and be patient.
2. Get organized and plan ahead:
Being organized with an infant sounds like a contradiction, right? But finding time to work out also seems impossible. So what’s the solution? The best way to find time for working out is to get organized and plan ahead. Once I was able to establish more predictability in my daughters routine, I was able to organize and plan our days better to allow myself time to exercise.
After becoming a mom, there is no such thing as having time. So we must make time. As I mentioned before, sometimes this meant going to the gym after the baby nursed at 4:30am. Other times it meant squeezing in a 30 minute session when my husband got home from work and before dinner. Even if all you can do is 15 minutes, that is much better than nothing! If you need convincing that 15 minute workouts are effective, check out this article.
Getting a baby onto a schedule is not easy. But for me, our family runs much more smoothly when we have a set routine. If you can, try getting the baby into a routine by following their natural rylthem. This will help you have more predictability in your schedule to make time for things like working out and meal prepping. Here are some FREE downloads to help you get orgnaized:weekly overview Daily todo. You can also sign up for my FREE 14 Day Get Fit Challenge with more free worksheets and workouts to help jumpstart your goals.
3. Eat Smart:
Weight loss results are the result of 80% Diet, 10% Exercise and 10% genetics. This means that even if you cannot squeeze in your workouts, making healthy meal choices is the number one most important thing to help you reach your goals.
If you are able to breastfeed, keep in mind that what you eat is passed onto your baby. Making smart food choices will have huge benefits for both you and your baby. We burn an extra 300-500 calories a day strictly from breastfeeding. I know the battle of wanting to be strict with my diet in order lose the remaining pregnancy weight but starving from the calories burned from my workouts and nursing. Finding the balance took some time and experimenting but once I figured it out, the results came much more quickly.
If you are not breastfeeding, eating healthy is equally important in order for your body to repair after pregnancy and maintain energy levels to care for your new baby. Bottom line, making healthy eating habits a priority is crucial to quickly getting your body back.
4. Drink half your weight in ounces of water:
Often times, our bodies have difficulty distinguishing between hunger and thirst. If you are breastfeeding or not, drinking plenty of water is crucial for weight loss and recovery. If you think you may be hungry, try drinking a glass or two of cold water first. Wait a few minutes to decide if you are still hungry. This could save you unnecessary calories and keep you well hydrated.
5. Trade “Quantity” for “Quality”:
Back in the day when responsibilities were minimal, I could spend hours in the gym if I wanted to. However, the irony is I am in better shape now then I was when I had all the time in the world to exercise. Why? Because I traded my long, slower paced workouts for quicker, higher intensity sessions. In order to squeeze in everything I wanted into my workouts, the intensity had to be much greater. Being in a time crunch had a very positive impact on helping me bounce back postpartum.
So, if you think you don’t have time, you are wrong, you do! Instead of thinking, “I only have 20 or 30 minutes to workout” say “How much can I get done in 20 or 30 minutes”. Working out harder requires your body to burn more calories AFTER your workout in order to repair itself. I love knowing that my body is incinerating calories even when I’m not exercising!
6. Wear a postpartum girdle:
I have never been a fan of the “corset” fad that has been around lately. However, I do believe a postpartum girdle can help shrink the uterus back to its pre-pregnancy size and provide support in the early stages of postpartum recovery. I really liked this Bellybandit girdle . Even though I did not have a c-section, I felt this stayed in place the best.
I also swore by a support band to help shrink my hips back down. Im not going to lie, it was pretty uncomfortable to wear while sitting. However, I wore it a lot around the house and when I took the baby for walks. I like the Bellybandit 2-IN-1 Bandit because it can be used during and after pregnancy. I am still using it in my second pregnancy when I experience hip pain.
7. Be Flexible & Forgiving:
Nine months without wine or sushi was long enough! As important as it was for me to get my pre-pregnancy body back, I was not willing to continue sacrificing some of my favorite indulgences. If you have followed me long, by now you should know that I am a firm believer in balance. Finding what works for YOU and YOUR lifestyle is important. Once I reached a weight that I felt comfortable with, I began allowing myself more opportunities to enjoy the things I love like wine and sushi.
8. Move Everyday:
Prior to babies, if I didn’t have at least an hour to workout, I felt there was not point. How stupid was I?! Even 15 minutes of activity is better than nothing. On days where I knew my time was limited, I would still attempt to squeeze in whatever I could just to keep moving, burn calories and tone muscle. If you need some convincing that 15 minutes is better than nothing check out this page. You will also find some fun, quick 15 minute workouts that can be done anytime, anywhere. Remember, SOMETHING IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN NOTHING.
9. Be active prior and stay active during pregnancy:
Last but not least, the number one thing that helped me QUICKLY get my body back after having a baby was being active prior to pregnancy and staying active during pregnancy. There is this really cool thing about our bodies called, “muscle memory.” As soon as I was cleared to resume exercising postpartum, my body respond well to the workouts and I was able to get my strength back quickly.
I was very lucky to be physically able to stay active through my first pregnancy and 8 months so far of my second pregnancy. I would never recommend working out during pregnancy without consulting your doctor first. Many people questioned my workouts during pregnancy. However, I consulted with my doctor first and was given the green light to continue working out as I was prior to pregnancy. I listened to my body and slowed down when needed.
For more quick workouts and recipe ideas, check out my Facebook or Instagram page. Also stay tuned for the launch of my prenatal and postpartum eBooks coming soon! To get updates on the launch straight to your email, be sure to sign up for my FREE 14 Day Get Fit Challenge!
Original article and pictures take http://www.strugglesofafitmom.com/how-to-quickly-get-your-body-back-after-baby/ site
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