Ok, so I’ve been there, done that. That scared feeling when you realize that your pregnant and that your body is going to grow….and I mean grow (my booty had a mind of its own!) Then, you start thinking, “Is my pre-baby body GONE, forever?!” You hear all those women say, “My body was NEVER the same after having a baby” & “No matter what I do, I can’t lose the baby weight!” Here I am, 34 weeks pregnant. I ended up having my daughter at 36.5 weeks, so I had a couple weeks more of belly and butt growth after this picture was taken.
Sure, my bladder isn’t exactly the same and my tummy skin isn’t as tight, but I can tell you its possible to get in better shape than before baby, and thankfully it happened for me. Well it didn’t exactly ‘happen’. It was with HARD work and a good nutrition program. I’m not one of those women (we all hate), where within a couple months they look like they didn’t have a baby. Me? I had to fight for it! This is 7 months after…so trust me, if I can do it, it can be done.
My best tips for getting in shape after baby….
1) CALM DOWN! Don’t panic!!! After I had Sienna I wanted to get back at it almost immediately, but lets be realistic. I was very tired with the frequent feedings, especially breastfeeding. For the first 4 weeks postpartum I focused on eating healthy foods regularly and depending on how you feel (depending if you had a c-section etc and by what your doctor says) some walking should be ok. This is what I did.
2) START SLOWLY. I didn’t really get back to the actual gym until 4 months post partum. Before this, walking was sufficient. At 4 months, I also started getting more sleep so I could wrap my head around the idea of having the energy to go to the gym.
3) HIRE A TRAINER. Even trainers have trainers, no shame in that! Its nice to be able to go and not have to think about your workout…just do it. All you have to do is show up! Most trainers will also provide you with a program that you can do when your not training with them, just ask! It will keep you focused and you will reach your goals faster. Even just hiring a trainer for 1 month is a great jumpstart and it will help get you motivated.
4) EAT MORE & MORE FREQUENTLY. Its easy to forget to eat as a new mom, or eat whatever you want cause your burning all these extra calories breastfeeding. You may not be burning as many calories as you think. 5-6 meals a day and plenty of lean protein, veggies (unlimited), a bit of complex carbs and fruit. Don’t forget plenty of water too. Keep the treats to once per week only.
5) WORK HARD & GIVE IT TIME. Results don’t happen overnight, but work hard when you’re at the gym. Each time you exercise you should feel like you had a great workout (sweating, out of breath). Challenge yourself. Workouts of this nature combined with healthy eating equals results that will come quicker than you think!
Please feel free to ask me any specific questions you may have! I’ll always respond.
