Getting My Body Back
Before getting pregnant I weighed just under 140 pounds. I was actively involved in Crossfit, I had gained weight in muscle and was pretty happy with my body. I had always planned on being that woman who worked out as long as possible throughout pregnancy. That idea came to an abrupt halt as soon as we found out we were expecting twins. My doctor said only cardio and no heavy lifting which meant bye-bye to Crossfit. Between the four and five month mark my bed rest began so cardio was out too.
Since the girls were born two months early I ended up gaining less than 30 pounds through the entire pregnancy, but on me it looked like much, much more.
I knew that having a c-section would limit my mobility for the first little while, I shouldn’t have been surprised to learn just how difficult it would be to get my abs back after such major stomach surgery.
In the beginning of mommy-hood functioning took all of the energy that I had. Between feeding, pumping and lack of sleep working out was NOT on my mind. Putting on yoga pants (although yoga was NOT on the agenda) was part of my daily routine. Track pants, loose tops and big sweaters were my staple wardrobe items. I was uncomfortable in my body and how my clothes fit (or didn’t), but the fact that my body had changed because of my two beautiful babies made it much easier to accept. It wasn’t until the winter, once the girls had gotten a bit bigger, that I started to notice the pain in my back and the tingling in my legs after carrying them around. Being physically unfit was not only taking a toll on how my clothes fit, it was also affecting how I interacted with my babies. That’s when I spoke to some other fit momma’s that I knew and got the kick of motivation that I needed.
I liked the results that I had gotten from using the Beachbody workouts previously so I decided to give it another try, especially since they had just come out with a new 30 minute workout routine! (Note: I am not a Beachbody coach or spokesperson and I am not being paid to endorse it, it’s just something that has worked for me.)
So I ordered the workout package complete with meal replacement shakes. Now I had to figure out how the heck I was going to find the time to do this?!
The girls take their best naps during the morning so that’s when I decided to work in my daily workout. The exercises along with a daily shake for breakfast and changing up our meal plans have made a big difference. I can now do full pushups, lift heavier weights and most importantly, I’m no longer in pain after picking up my babies.
Don’t get me wrong, everyday is different. Some days it’s easier to press play than others and some workouts hurt more than others. I turn to my online support group on days that I need extra encouragement and I take rest days if I need them. I’m almost done my three month challenge and I can honestly say that I haven’t felt this good or this strong in years!
My goal now is to get back into a two piece bathing suit in time for summer. Fingers crossed.
