After 9 months of carrying a baby around, I am excited to start a workout plan again and get my new postpartum body healthy, fit and strong gain.
It’s officially been about 6 weeks since our little bean was born and we are both working on our bodies! She is growing like crazy and I’m slowly shrinking.
Like all things post baby, my body is different than it was after my first pregnancy and changing at a must slower rate. I’m at least 12lbs heavier than before pregnancy, my old clothes don’t quite fit yet, and I’m still rocking maternity clothes… but I feel good, healthy and proud of myself. I did push a human baby out of my body after all.
The time has come, however, to focus a bit more on me and start getting fit again.
So here’s the deal, I know my body will never be exactly the same. But my hope is to get to a place where I am healthy, energetic and comfortable with my body. And I figure if it took me 9 months to grow a human, it will take me at least another 9 months to reach a good place.
Here is where I’m at right now…
Post Baby Body
Let me start with the 2 obvious places: belly and bust. After having a baby, my abs are basically nonexistent and I’m packing a nice postpartum belly pouch. This means my normal clothes don’t fit great yet and I’m in a weird in-between place when it comes to clothing. My old stuff doesn’t fit but my maternity stuff is too big.
Similarly since I am breastfeeding, my bust is on the much larger side and way more sensitive. This makes it much more annoying to exercise (aka run) and fit into tops.
As for the rest of my body, I’ve lost a lot of muscle pretty much everywhere, I’m shedding a lot, and I have that preggie line stretching up above my belly button.
Healthy Body Goals
I’ve made some realistic body goals and given myself ample time to reach them especially knowing the craziness that life is like with 2 tiny humans.
- Gain back muscle in arms and legs
- Gain back abs and a strong overall core
- Build back endurance and get into running shape (able to run 8-12 miles a week)
Timeline: by Summer 2018
By giving myself the fall, winter and spring months, I feel comfortable and confident that I can reach these goals slowly and in a way that’s doable, without killing myself. I plan on doing the best I can to get there, but if I don’t quite achieve everything, I know I will be OK.
Workout Plan
Here is the “how” part of my fitness journey. Looking ahead at the next 9 months, I’ve come up with a plan to hopefully match the seasons and weather in Minnesota.
Fall ‘17
- Walk and run 3-4 days a week while the weather is still nice
- Yoga at least 2 times a week
Winter ‘17/’18
- Core Power Yoga 3-4 days a week
- Stay active with toddler and baby
- Winter walks and hikes when the weather is nice
Spring ‘18
- Run when the weather is nice
- Yoga at least 2 times a week
Accountability
I sat down with the hubs and shared my healthy fitness goals with him. He vowed to help me stay motivated, and of course help me with the kids so I can find time to exercise. As a busy mom, finding time to exercise alone is a tough feat.
Also a group of girlfriends started at fitness Facebook page to hold each other accountable to working out and staying healthy. I hope to leverage this group of lovely ladies to hold myself accountable and stay motivated.
And lastly, I hope to check in on the blog to share my progress. I know my 9 month fitness journey won’t always be easy, so sharing with you guys will help me along the way 🙂
Now I should mention this plan is 100% personal and tailored to my fitness likes. In no way am I advocating that everyone try this. We all have different body types, lifestyles and fitness levels. I hope this plan works out for me and motivates others who need a little motivation. What I do know is that with a good plan, hard work and a strong support system, getting fit again is possible!
So here goes! Wish me luck! Time to get fit again!
Originally posted 2017-10-07 10:00:00.
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