To ask how you got your fitness back post baby?

[postbabyfitness]

I'm almost 14 months postnatal. It's time to address the post baby weight!

I'm 5' 9" and been a toned size 8-10 my whole life before this baby. I used to run and go to the gym, it was something I really enjoyed. I'm now a size 12 and whilst I accept this is not huge, it is to me because I was very slim before. My tummy, thighs and bum wobble where they used to be firm and I utterly hate catching sight of myself in a mirror post shower. I won't allow DP to see me fully naked anymore, I hide under tops that cover my tummy. I was never like this before.

Some of it is I'm sure because DD was a larger than expected baby at 8lb 3oz. My ab muscles were stretched to absolute capacity and basically separated down the middle in the late stages of pregnancy. It's left me with a lot of wobble on my tummy and I hate it. 😢

Anyway. I'm struggling to find the energy to exercise and I don't know where to start. It used to be such a key part of my life. I even ran a half marathon 5 years ago at my peak fitness! Now the thought of half a mile is making me want to cry never mind 13 miles. I've totally lost my confidence with it and never have any energy to face it as I'm exhausted dealing with DD and working almost FT.

Anyway... i went for a little walk / jog this evening at DP's insistence (think he's sick of listening to me day how much I hate my body). And once I took those first little steps it actually really helped, I got my stride and (albeit very slow!) I managed 1.7 miles of walk/run intervals. I feel very proud of myself but this is just a small start - not sure I will be able to keep it up!.

Does anyone have any success stories of regaining their fitness post baby? Any tips? Words of wisdom or motivation? Thank you

@again2020

Funny you should say that, I just did a 30 second plank! I used to be able to easily hold 60 seconds. I WILL get there! I'm determined!

I used this one @Jellycatrabbit www.thelactationnutritionist.com/calorie-calculator

Thank you!

I honestly began with get fit with Rick walking videos on YouTube. They're about 10 mins long so easy to fit in and low impact. I found I needed to get some exercise related endorphins going to get back into it, and doing punishing workouts wasn't the way. I gradually wanted to do more and more and so it snowballed.

Running and yoga. I had to be careful as I'd had a c section so patience and a gentle approach were required, but it felt good to do something that felt like me.

Everyone has their own war wounds, so take it easy at first and listen to your body. It'll come back in time.

Good luck OP! I’m in on my second baby and losing weight is so much harder this time around. With my first it dropped off so easily that I was skinnier than I’d been in a decade by the time I was 9 months PP.

I do a specific postnatal fitness class, walk miles every day (at least 15k steps) and I’m about to add a dumbbells routine to tackle my arms. Weirdly I am carrying weight in only some places - upper arms, belly mostly. My arms were always so slim before babies. 😥

I’m pretty sure that this time around a lack of sleep is slowing weightloss and making me reach for the sugary snacks a lot more. I’m now watching what I eat a bit more. Less carbs, more protein, fewer treats.

It does vary baby to baby. I found that anything I did whilst breastfeeding didn't help with the weight loss and felt so unbelievably hard but once I got to about a year and a bit I was able to both shift weight and get fitter. By two years post baby I think I was pretty much there, right in time for pregnancy number two!

First thing I did was a specific postnatal pelvic fitness class (SO IMPORTANT for setting foundations) and then built up gradually to running and circuits. The build up is really important for long term pelvic health. It took me maybe 6 months to get properly fit but pretty much snowballed and I ran a couple of marathons by 2 and a bit years post partum that were in decent times too.

You can get there, it just takes time and consistency. One just happens and one is easier when you're sleeping properly!

Get a running buggy and do the couch to 10km, or walk, run, sprint at equal intervals.

Pilates will be kind but I would strength train with body weight, Sydney Cummings is great.

Back when I was post natal we did the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred, 20 min workouts

If you think you still have diastasis recti do not do planks, or anything that causes your abdominals to bulge out. You need to do core exercises on your back like toe taps.

I’m 2 months in to getting my fitness back post 2nd baby (8 months old). And I’m 1 stone lighter and have shaved 9 minutes off my 5k time when I started and recently did my first 10km and I feel amazing I have so much more energy! I’ll be back to my PBs in no time at this rate (and all of them were gained after having my first child!) every run you do it will get easier and you’ll feel better!

You can do it!

@bjjgirl

Do you have any recommendations for running buggies? They're all so expensive!

@doadeer

Oh really? Why is plank not recommended with muscle separation?

Hi OP, I started a month ago to take getting back to pre kid fitness / close to that weight seriously. My youngest is 2.5 :-) but its taken this long for sleep to be consistent enough for me to stick to it. I find my best time to workout is 6am, and sometimes he's with me watching paw patrol. I paid for Les Mills on Demand so if I'm at home I do 30 mins of body pump or body attack and I try to get out and run 3 times a week. I also joined a running group called This Mum Runs - they are in lots of places in the UK and a good extra motivation to get out on a Sunday morning. I'm tracking what I eat on My Fitness Pal. Have lost 2.5kg so far and hoping to loose at least the same again. Good luck with your fitness journey!

If you are dealing with diastasis recti, you should avoid doing exercises that can make the separation worse, such as crunches, planks, and twists. Jumping out of bed is also a no-no (always roll to the side first), as is any movement that causes a visible coning, or doming, in your ab muscles.

It can be really serious you need to do specialist exercises. I have a friend who needs surgery because she didn't get help for this. Not to alarm you but you should see a physio and get checked before you exercise.

Back in 2009 I got a out and about nipper running buggy, it is a while ago now but they do get sold on eBay

Don’t worry OP - I put on weight when breastfeeding and it’s surprisingly common!

with my first I really cracked it with eating loads of protein and veg/fruit and less carbs. Saw a nutritionist to help. Game changer. I was about where you are post partum when I started. Lots of walking also helped and really playing with my increasingly active DD.

I still have a huge ab separation so after this baby that is going to be my focus.

good luck OP! Xx

My sis used Fresh Fitness Food (UK only) - I think they have a maternity/breastfeeding/pregnancy plan. She said it was a lifesaver! It’s meal prep so no cooking, but the meals are actually good (she gave me a couple here and there so I got to try them - definitely wouldn’t have thought it was meal prep if I hadn’t known otherwise lol). They always seem to running offers for the trial so worth looking into :)