Postpartum is a journey of you navigating through so much newness. How am I doing? I get this question a lot. I’m surviving, yasss! Ezra is 3 months old, thriving, and over 13 lbs! With all of the changes, I am understanding that this is my new normal and I am finding my way. It is so easy to forget about yourself as you’re taking care of a tiny human for 24 hours out the day. With my last pregnancy it literally took me one whole year to feel like myself. This time around, in the midst of finding my way, I am being very intentional with making time for Sheila as well. It’s necessary for me and for my family.
At 6 weeks postpartum I had my follow-up with my doctor and was cleared to start working out. Once I was cleared, the following week I got to it. Not because I was pressed for a snapback, but because I really missed the gym and that post workout feeling. Hello, endorphins! One thing that I do understand is that it takes WORK getting your new body right. Yes, new because you will always be different from pre-pregnancy. You can have a snapback, but it’s not overnight like social media would like you to believe.
I am My Own Goals
When it comes to any goal you want to make it a SMART goal. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant to you, and Time limited. As you work towards your goals, be open to set backs and always reassess and adjust.
- I want to be consistent. I plan to one day be my own fitness goals, and consistency will get me there. Currently, I’m working out 2-3 days a week. This includes at home workouts and some gym days. I would love to increase this to going to the gym 4 days a week. 2 days for upper body and core, and 2 days for legs and glutes.
- I want to be strong not skinny. Story of my life. I have always been the skinny girl trying to get ‘thick’ LOL. But these days I finally understand what this entails if you want it to look good: EATING a lot of good calories and lifting HEAVY. It takes timeeeee so patience is a must!
- I want to correct my diastasis recti . Diastais recti is abdominal wall separation that happens during pregnancy. This creates a bulge in the middle of your stomach where your abdominal muscles are supposed to meet. I have about a 2.5 inch separation, which is almost a 2 finger width gap. It was never corrected after my first pregnancy. I plan on being very intentional with my exercises to get this closed.
- I want fitness to be a lifestyle. Ultimately I want fitness to be a true lifestyle for me, and not a chore. Yes looking good is a thing, but heart health is of utmost importance.
- I want to see a transformation After all the work that I’m about to put into my fitness journey I want to see my body like I’ve never seen it before! It took 9 months for my body to stretch and birth a baby, so I need to give myself at least 9 months minimum. I will be checking back in on this transformation in December. Hold me accountable!
How I’m Staying on Track
- I love my body. It is so important to love your body in all of the stages. I was just the home to my son for 9 months, and I am also providing nourishment for him now. To love my body means that I am dedicated to treating her well and giving her grace through it all.
- I set a date in my planner. It is helpful for me to plan my gym days in advance. I’m on maternity leave now, so just knowing my husband’s schedule allows me to see when the best day to make it to the gym would be. It truly is a luxury for me to go to the gym since Ezra isn’t in childcare. I make sure to also plan out what exercises I want to do as well, that way there’s no time wasted.
- I have an accountability partner. You will not always be motivated, you have to learn to be discipled. Checking in with someone will help keep you in check too! My sister is also on a fitness journey, so it’s awesome that we keep each other on track and she’s also my gym buddy. If you don’t have an accountability partner or anyone to go to the gym with, there’s an app called Activvley that’s pretty much the Tinder of fitness. Link up with someone and make it fun!
- I have my go-to apps to help. My Fitness Pal was helpful when I was trying to really understand what appropriate calorie intake and macro intake looked like for my weight. I used it for a month straight recording my intake, now I am able to read labels and calculate without it. For my at home workouts, I like to make sure I still get a good burn in using my own body weight. Some apps that help are work out for women, Nike Fitness app, and Fitbod. Fitbod is also good for when I want to target a certain muscle group, I use it for references on different exercises to try.
- I keep a photo diary. What would I do without my proof of progress lol. Some days it just seems like nothing is happening or I just don’t feel like working out. All I have to do is look at some pictures for a reminder. This keeps me going knowing there is still so much potential I have left to tap into.
- I understand that diet plays a big role. Nutrition is so important with fitness goals. Fitness rule of thumb is 80% diet, and 20% exercise. To help me stay on track, in my house we batch cook. We will typically cook almost a half week serving of multiple items. We’re able to mix and match to create other meals such as quinoa bowls and salads. I also snack in between meals with good quality macros. This helps me reach my calorie intake without feeling too full.
- I make it fun. Doing challenges and joining in on fitness classes are fun! This is an addition that I started last year. You can join your gym classes or find one around your city. Some that I’m looking forward to joining in on is Glute Camp at Loft Atlanta, which is awesome! A new one is Trap Zumba also at Loft Atlanta. I would also like to try out the #ShedSweatSeries at Ponce City Market and #SummerTimeFine with Keri at Tolleson Park in Smyrna.
What are your fitness goals? How do you stay on track? Do tell! xo
