*On a side note, I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or fitness instructor. I am just sharing what has worked for me. You should always check with your doctor first if you have any concerns. Remember that all women have different body types, so what is working for me may not work for everyone.
1.) Wear compression wraps
If you have never used a compression wrap or this is your first pregnancy, I highly recommend you get one. I had some sort of compression wrap on my abdominals every day for at least the first 6 weeks after my babies were born. They offer support in your midsection, help shrink your uterus down, and help reduce pain. I love Belly Bandit’s compression wraps. They have a wide selection of postpartum wraps and you can even look into getting them covered by your insurance company. I have been wearing my Belly Bandit c-section shorts since about week 3 postpartum. I can’t believe my results. They give me a lot of support and were perfect to wear in the summer months under my dresses. (Read more about them HERE.) I also have their Mother TuckerⓇ leggings, which give me support while working out and going on walks. Along with the Mother TuckerⓇ leggings, I also have the Mother TuckerⓇ scope neck tank top. This will be perfect to wear with my jeans and under sweaters and cardigans this fall. It just smooths out my midsection while also offering support.
2.) Workout at home
As a mom, working out at home is the only way I can fit in a workout. Since I don’t love to workout, I find it easiest if I can just workout right in my living room. I can wear whatever I want and I can have my kids right there with me. I will also involve my baby into my workouts, especially when she’s being cranky and wants to be held.
Where can you find at-home-workouts?
I don’t see a reason to buy into a workout program. No offense to Peloton or Beach Body, but I feel like you can find a lot of really great workouts for free. I find all my at-home-workouts on YouTube, Pinterest, or Instagram. I use YouTube the most because I find it the easiest place to find good workouts. I just type in 10 minute or 20-minute workout, or whatever the exercise I’m looking for is. I’ve found a ton of good workouts just from doing that and I have yet to feel the need to buy into an expensive workout plan. On Pinterest, I just search for postpartum exercises and save the ones I want to try to my boards. I do the same thing on Instagram. When I see a good workout someone posted, I save it for later.
What do you need to work out from home?
Most of the workouts that I do don’t require any equipment. The only 3 things that you need to get a good workout from home are a yoga mat, 5 lb weights, and a pair of tennis shoes. That’s it! No need to buy a gym membership or an expensive subscription. It’s completely free.
What if I don’t enjoy working out?
I am not one of those people who love to work out. Sure, I love the feeling I get after a good workout, but before and during I often want to quit. A few things I do to make working out more bearable for myself is to watch T.V. or listen to a podcast. I prefer to listen to a podcast because I’m usually following along to my workout on T.V. I also like to pick out workouts that I enjoy. I hate cardio and I especially hate running. I always have, so I don’t run. If I want to get in some cardio I pick out something I enjoy like dancing. I always danced and did cheerleading when I was younger, so exercises like Zumba, Barr, and Yoga are things I prefer over high cardio like running. Another thing that helps me motivate myself to workout is to put together a cute workout outfit. I always feel better if I’m wearing something that makes me feel good about myself, so of course, cute workout clothes always help, even if you are just working out in your living room.
3.) Breastfeed
They say that you burn more calories when you breastfeed and I have found this to be true. Breastfeeding has definitely made me feel like I’m getting back to my normal size faster. Now I have no evidence of this because I can’t compare it to if I didn’t breastfeed, but I do feel like it has helped. Of course, not everyone can breastfeed or chooses to, but if you can, I think that burning calories is definitely a pro to it!
4.) Intermittent fasting
I’ve been hearing about intermittent fasting for a while now. It’s when you take breaks from eating for an extended period of time. Because I hate diets and counting calories, I find this to be the best way for me to limit my calorie intake for the day. I try to eat dinner early. I usually have dinner on the table by 5:00. After dinner, I try not to eat anything until the next day. Does this happen every night? No, but most nights it does. In the morning I don’t eat until about 10:00 am. After 10:00 I break my fast with something small, like a smoothie or a bowl of cereal with fruit. Then I eat lunch and dinner like normal and usually have a snack in between. I still have my morning coffee and I drink lots of water throughout the day. Trust me, I do cheat sometimes, but I find this to be the easiest way to eat normal, but still be mindful of my food intake. I do believe that food plays a huge factor in losing weight and if you can control this you can be successful in creating a healthy eating routine.
5.) Learn to accept your postpartum body
The most important thing you need to remember about getting back your body after baby is that it takes time. We all know that girl who hopped back into her skinny jeans a week after having a baby, but that is not the norm. No matter how small or big you are, it takes time. It’s important to accept your postpartum body and be proud of it. You just grew a human!! That’s amazing when you think about it. I have a c-section scar from my first baby and stretch marks from my second baby. Even though I know my body will never be back to what it was at 22, that’s okay, because I’m a mama. I gave birth to two healthy children and I’m proud of that. It’s okay to feel self-conscious of your post-baby body, but remember that it will take time and work to get it back and until then just accept it, don’t rush it, and enjoy your babies!
What things did you do to get your body back after your babies were born? Leave me your answers in the comments!
Katie🤍
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