Mom #1 has her first baby. She’s always been super active and pretty fit. But she ties much of her identity to her fitness, body, and what she can accomplish. She believes a GOOD workout is at least 45 min long, and she’d honestly rather do a bunch of hard cardio than strength train because it burns more calories. Fitness is what she uses to control her weight, and pregnancy was challenging as her body grew and it became more difficult to work out.
Now that she’s had her baby, she’s anxious to begin moving again. She is a little shocked by her postpartum body and wants to “get back to normal” as quickly as possible. She has no grace for what her body has been through, and honestly, she’s a little disgusted by what it currently looks like. She compares herself to everyone else she knows who has had a baby and feels like she’s behind. She’s envious of those who look like they lose the baby weight really fast, and feels like something must be wrong with her b/c it’s not coming off as quickly as she’d like. At the same time, she’s overwhelmed with this new life and taking care of an infant. She is exhausted and not even sure when to fit in a workout. She doesn’t want to lose her milk supply or get hurt by overdoing it, but she also wants to lose the weight as quickly as possible. She feels like her body is foreign and is failing her.
Mom #2 just had her 5th baby. She knows what to expect from her body after having 4 other babies. She knows that getting “back in shape” will take time, and she’s learned that pushing it too hard or fast will only set her back, delay her healing, and end in injury. She has learned to listen to her body and tune in to figure out how active she can be. She knows that her core has been through a lot, and she needs to start there, or everything else will continue to be hard.
She is patient with her body b/c she’s learned that this will take time. She knows consistency will be key, and a little is better than nothing. She’s figured out how to be flexible in getting her workout in – sometimes with kids at her feet, at weird times of the day, and it’s okay if her workout gets interrupted. She’s learned that consistency is far more important than how long or hard her workout is, and she also knows how important movement is simply for her mental health. She knows the weight loss will come slowly, but her primary goal is to be active and strong for LIFE, not just to lose the baby weight. She has peace over her postpartum journey and daily celebrates with thankfulness all her body has done for her and continues to do. She doesn’t shame or punish her body for how it looks or how it has changed, but instead refocuses with gratitude when she feels frustrated.
Both of these postpartum moms are me. I have been both, and can I tell you that my postpartum journey after baby #5 was so much sweeter than after #1.
Whether you are newly postpartum or 20 years postpartum, I’d love to show you that there’s a better way. You don’t have to be mom #1, shaming your body, punishing your body, constantly feeling anxious, worrying about fast weight loss, and obsessing over how to get “back in shape” as quickly as possible. There’s nothing wrong with having some health goals, but I’d love to show you how to do it in a way that brings peace, not anxiety. I’d love to show you that you can do it in a way that is KIND to your body, not one that causes injury, sacrifices time with your family, or makes your issues worse.
Join me in Refine Fitness next week. We open the doors Monday through Thursday, and it would be my honor to work with you. Let’s get stronger together in a way that will help you be active and healthy for LIFE, not just for a short-term goal.
