For the record, I don’t think I need a “get-back-in-shape” post partum plan because I really don’t think I am out of shape right now! I am pregnant AND in shape (yes, that’s a thing!) and it’s bound to look different than not being pregnant and being in shape (duh!) But I still hold to the fact that I am pregnant and I am in shape. However, regardless of this, I do need a plan to get back to my pre-pregnancy size. I can’t just wing it and hope for the best, and while breastfeeding may help tighten and tone my uterus, there are TONS of other places on a woman’s body that need toning up after pregnancy (arms, legs, butt, thighs, abs… list could go on.)
So granted all goes well and baby and I are both healthy (prayers for that appreciated, because I know there are no guarantees!), here is an outline for my “get-back-to-my-pre-pregnancy-size-post-pregnancy” plan!
Eat clean starting ALWAYS… but especially now
Side note: eating “clean” just means “consuming food in its most natural state, or as close to it as possible. It is not a diet; it's a lifestyle approach to food and its preparation.” So for me it personally means eating lots of vegetables, eggs, fruits, nuts and lean meats.
I believe in eating clean ALWAYS! I don’t believe pregnancy is the time to “eat for two”, as anyone who has read my blog before knows. Pregnancy ACUTALLY is the time to eat better than even before because the little life inside of you needs good, whole foods to grow and thrive. But regardless, eating clean has and will never be more important to me than in these last 10 weeks of pregnancy and in my post-partum period. Why? Because:
1) My post-partum attitude and recovery will go a lot smoother if my body is well nourished.
2) Most women tend to gain a lot of weight in the last 10 weeks or so of pregnancy.
3) Because I want Roman to have the BEST start at life (I don’t understand these women who want an all-natural pregnancy\childbirth and want to breastfeed their kids but eat fast food two or three times a week and consider themselves justified… that fast food is a drug to your baby JUST like an epidural would be! So it’s counterproductive! Rant over.)
4) Because I want to lose the baby weight in a healthy way, fast!
5) Increased and nutrient-rich breast milk for little man.
Side note: I don’t want my pre-pregnancy body back because of vanity… I want it back because, for me, it’s what healthy looks and feels like. I want energy and stamina, and I want to take care of the vessel God has given me, as well as be an inspiration and good example to my son. Looking good is just an added bonus.
Since I won’t be able to get back into a workout routine for about 6 weeks after having Roman, I know that my best plan of action for getting my pre-pregnancy body back is to eat the best I can. While I feel like I’ve been eating pretty clean this whole pregnancy, I am going to really push this to the limit post-baby. By that I mean that I plan to meal plan as much and as best I can to ensure that NO unhealthy leaks get through the cracks. I am looking to my sister as an example of this because she is literally the QUEEN of CLEAN eating (thanks, Ju!) The prospect of all this planning (and eating!) excites me – I love to cook, I love to eat, I love to plan and I am ACTUALLY going to have the time to do so as a stay-at-home-mom! I am super psyched that I just got a Costco card and to ensure that I stay on track even in the weeks after Roman is born, I plan to prep a lot of healthy, whole meals in advance – meals that are balanced and clean, but that I can just pop into the oven after a long day.
Ease back into my “old” workouts
Obviously we've already established that I can’t go full out “back to normal” in the first few weeks post-partum, but I want to motivate myself to get there as fast as I can. Eating clean will help, but so will time and the continuation of some light walking and yoga. You know, things that are gentle on my body, and will help promote fast healing and even a little toning.
Once I get to the point where my midwife says “I’m good to go”, I plan to rely on the help of my husband to get my back into my pre-pregnancy workouts. Justin and I used to LOVE high intensity interval training (something you can’t really do during pregnancy… at least not to the extent that you do pre-pregnancy) so having him there to coach me along and motivate me will be so beneficial. He can watch my form, keep me laughing and be my cheerleader while I get back into the swing of things, because I’m sure I’ll need it at that point (HIIT is so effective, but NOT easy!) Lastly, I am relying on my typical “Alannah over-achiever self” to just do it and get back to one of the things I love most in the world – fitness!
I don’t want to make it sound like I haven’t been working out throughout this pregnancy, because I certainly have been, but there is no doubt that your body slows down a little while pregnant (big surprise there… yah, not really.) Instead of running like I used to, I walk on an incline. Instead of lifting heavy with lots of reps, I lift medium-heavy with low reps. Instead of getting in that extra 15 min of HIIT, I take time really stretch it out and squat. Instead of going to the gym 4 -5 times a week, I go 2 - 3 times a week, depending on energy level and comfort. In short, pregnancy should not cause you to stop working out all together (unless because of extenuating medical circumstances, of course), but it will definitely change the way you work out.
Show myself and my new post-partum body appreciation, patience and kindness
It really bothers me when I hear women say how much they are longing for their pre-pregnancy body. Why do you have to long for it? Tons of women have made it a reality by just working hard and staying focused! So, rather than pine for the past, why not motivate yourself to get back what you once had in the future? You CAN do it! I mean...your body just GREW another human for goodness sake! You literally delivered a child into this world, but you can't get rid of a little left-over baby weight? In the words or Dwight K. Schrute: FALSE. You CAN get back to pre-pregnancy size and you can make healthy a lifestyle! It wont' necessarily be easy, but neither was having and recovering from that c-section or passing a watermelon-sized baby through your va-jay, but you DID it, didn't you!? Exactly. You can do it. We can do it! But keep a few things in mind: it's normal and OK for your body to look and feel different than before (at least for a short period of time) and you should be proud to have made it through such a long journey. This doesn't mean you don’t work towards a goal, but it does mean that you show yourself the patience and kindness necessary for your body to heal properly. No negative Nancy-ing around or criticizing the beautiful body pregnancy has created. We just need to keep focused and sure enough, we WILL get to where we want to be, sooner or later! Not for reasons of vanity... but for reasons of health, healing and wholeness.
I believe in US, women, because never before in my life have I ever realized more the strength and stamina God has given to women. We are co-creators of life with God and that takes more than just a pretty face.
Grace and peace,
Alannah
The below shows my journey from pre-pregnancy to during pregnancy, and I gotta say, I feel pretty great about both photos. No shame here, just gratitude and thanks to God for allowing me to carry Roman... what a joy and privilege. I want to celebrate both stages of life! It's really a miracle!
During Pregnancy
Pre-Pregnancy
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