Here's how to get over that hump of getting back into physical activity after having a baby! Read on to learn how I've been showing my body love through movement since little Sammi came along.
Start Small
When I first starting getting active again, right around the six weeks postpartum mark, I started with very low intensity, quick exercises to re-engage my core and pelvic floor. I looked up videos on Diastasis Recti and Pelvic Floor recovery to get ideas, and just did them while lying next to Sammi while she had tummy time on the floor.
Over time, I built up to taking long walks and going to intense vinyasa flow yoga classes. But that didn't happen right away! You have to give your body time to get used to movement again, and achieve some small, short term goals to build your confidence back up.
I have loved the Sweat app postpartum fitness track as part of my postpartum fitness journey because it starts you off small and builds you back in very gradually, almost too gradually. This was the way that I eventually found myself tackling bigger fitness challenges again.
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Be Consistent
It's hard to be consistent at anything when you have a newborn. But if you really set the intention to carve out time for movement a few times a week, you CAN do it! Sometimes I would just hand my husband the baby when he walked in the door and get it done. Or do it after the baby had gone to bed, or during nap time.
Sometimes I fell short of my goals or fell out of consistency. But I always drew myself back into the routine once I'd fallen off. The key is to keep setting goals, keep doing your best to achieve them, and--even when you fail!--keep trying to do better next time!
Practice Makes Progress
Perfection? Nope, not ever. Progress? All the damn time!
Instead of trying to do the perfect workout in the perfect way at the perfect time in the perfect outfit to get perfect results, just do the best you can. Some days, I get to the gym and the only thing I can bring myself to do is watch HGTV on the elliptical. That's not as good as a strength workout and some interval training, but it's better than nothing.
The single most important skill you are learning as a mom is how to deal with imperfection. Just because one feeding, or diaper change, or bath time, or sleep training session goes poorly, do you abandon your baby and never attempt to care for her again? Of course not!
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So why is this our tendency when it comes to our bodies? Give yourself some of the love, and grace, and nurturing that you're giving your baby. Just like your baby, you're learning lots of new things, having new experiences, and leaving the comfort of what it meant to be a woman before your baby came along. You're doing the best you can, and that's the most anyone can (or should!) ask for!
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