This time around…my 4th postpartum…my motto for building back to fitness habits and feeling great–has been…”less is more”. Now, let me start with saying that for me, postpartum fitness secret #1 is—stay fit in pregnancy…it’s just so much easier to jump back in and your body responds so well if it’s a habit that was built over that time…rather than taking a break for all of pregnancy (if possible!)…of course the other secret is, mindful movement—it’s more likely to be long walks and playing with my kids or stretching on my porch rather than rushing to hit the gym machines. Functional movement is so good for us, when healthy flexibility, energy and mood is the goal.
So what’s your INTENTION for postpartum fitness? Let’s start there. It can’t be just to fit into a certain pair of pants, that just won’t feed us in the way that another motivation will. Some of us have been there, done that, and it’s a vicious cycle, when the focus is meant to be on nourishment, feeling energized and alive, nourishing our babies, and just enjoying this special season, even as you work to get to a weight that’s the healthiest for you.
I have alot of thoughts on healthy weight loss in PP…if you’re struggling in this area and want to connect–message me. And check out my body image bonus videos in the series below!
We want to be approaching postpartum fitness from a perspective of self-acceptance and honoring our bodies for what they’ve accomplished in bringing these children into the world. They are beautiful beyond measure.
And with my experience…3 very different postpartums before this, but often a common denominator of, even with a good focus on nutrition and supporting myself, still pushing myself and my body before I was really ready…this time has been easy…restful, slow (for me), and while I have hit some fun targets–prepping for and running a 7 mile race at 3 months PP (yay!), I haven’t been pushing myself on a daily basis or doing intense workouts. Instead, if given the choice between a nap and a run, I’m likely to choose the nap. And some miraculous days, I get both 😉
Well, in response to what I hear alot from moms in postpartum when I work with them—it’s hard to come to terms with these bodies–we want to love them, but sometimes they are unrecognizable to us, and their changes are causing us to wonder if life will ever be the same as “before”. Here’s a hint–it won’t. BUT, you deserve to be stronger, fitter, more energized and feel better than ever. Seriously. That’s been my experience in PP and it can be yours. So much of it starts with nutrition, hormone balancing, rest, resetting the nervous system, establishing patterns and structures of self-care and mental breaks that allow us to do the mothering well, when it can feel all-consuming.
Of course, you know about some of my favorite postpartum nutrition tools…you can find more about those here.
I decided to focus on a baseline of stretching, this time around. I knew I wanted to do a strong core recovery, after dealing with and reversing DR after my 3rd pp (thanks Every Mother!). I’m a big yoga fanatic, but even the standard flows can be too taxing in early postpartum. So this series is meant to be the most gentle, mindful movement possible, targeting the low back, hip flexors, shoulders, and all the areas that get tight and get used so much in daily motherhood. Pelvic mobility and gentle core awakening are the key for a great recovery, so I wanted to start there.
I hope this benefits other mommas as a habit, as it has me, and I wanted to also explore the important topic of postpartum body image, and share some reflections, both from my own experiences, and from the amazing moms I work with and coach. This is a bonus section of the video series.
If you’re not a mom but you know someone who would benefit from this—please share!
*You can also get 15% off the Every Mother early reclaim program I mentioned above, through this link, and entering MPIDEL15 when registering.
Downloadable e-guide & live video series available.
Cheers, friends. Life is meant to be lived to the full, with intention, as the best versions of ourselves. Yes, even in motherhood 😉 Our babies deserve it too, and these are days and moments we want to look back on with the most joy.