4-steps to transition into a postpartum fitness program

4-steps to transition into a postpartum fitness program

The recovering perfectionist, extremist, yo-yo-queen, in me wants to tell you a secret that you PROBABLY already know in your heart:

The question has NEVER been “will x, y or z work.” I mean… the reality is that any pill, wrap, chemical powder, extreme diet or crazy workout program WILL work. For a little while.

But what I know is that most of us don’t have the time, energy or emotional resilience to ride that roller coaster anymore. We deserve so•much•better. Can we just be DONE putting our bodies through those crashes and disappointments?
D O N E.

And I’ll admit: I was afraid, coming off of the (breast-feeding friendly) cleanse that I did this Spring. I feared that I’d return to my eating-while-standing-with-my-baby-on-my-hip habits, grabbing whatever I could put together with one hand and hoping his extraordinarily long {and freakishly STRONG} arms wouldn’t intercept my next bite.

Rather than letting that FEAR eat at me, I chose to do what I recommend almost every single day:

I found RHYTHM that isn’t necessarily easy {planting my bod on the couch to Netflix & chill #literally #andONLYliterally is easy}.

But what I found IS a RHYTHM that I can SUSTAIN: 

I can MAKE time for a 20-30 minute workout. Daily. With my baby. It’s not easy, but I can do that. (I may have to play catch while lunging to entertain my munchkin, but I can do that.)
I can have food in my house that gives me energy. That makes me feel nourished rather than depleted. That is a long-term win rather than a short-lived pleasure.
I can plug into a community that lifts me up on the bad days and celebrates with me on the better days.
I can feel good. Darn good. In my own skin. As a mom. As a human.

And tell me:

Don’t we all deserve a life filled with movement, nourishment, a little fun and a whole lot of compassion? Even when we’re tired… ESPECIALLY when we’re tired?

Change is possible, when we believe we deserve to feel our very best.

5 months postpartum: FORGET diets

5 months postpartum: FORGET diets

If I could tell you about the GAP between these moments – the tears, frustration, sleep deprivation, teething… oh the teething – then it would make a little more sense when I share this:

F*ck diets, hot trends, and OTHER PEOPLE’s side-by-sides (including mine).

YOU need to find what works for YOU.

And (WARNING: tough love comin’ at ya) you need to STICK•to•that•plan.

I struggled for the first 5 months of my little man’s life because I KNEW what worked well for MY body. I knew what I needed, but I told myself that I didn’t have the energy, time, motivation, etc to IMPLEMENT.

Maybe that was true. It sure FELT true.

But the MOMENT I started OWNING my excuses + GIVING a little more to ME, my body AND MY MIND started to shift.

I felt a little less anxious.
I felt energy slowly return.
I felt my moods even out.
I felt stronger.
I felt capable. Finally.
I felt content in my skin. Confident even.
I felt like I get beyond survival mode.
I could think about issues outside our tiny family unit.

But it wasn’t just one walk or one healthy meal or one workout that got me there. It was a very simple, intentional plan that I stuck to… adjusted, stuck to… reassessed, and stayed committed to.

Past me would hate this fact BUT: it’s just not about one A-HA moment. A-HAs are so•freaking•powerful, but they don’t make a sliver of difference if we don’t do something WITH that insight.

So… advice? From one recovering crazy, anxious, sleep-deprived mama to another:
Find what works for you. Move a little more. Eat a lot more mindfully. And stick with it.

If you do THAT you will•see•change. Best case scenario? You’ll see it radiate from the inside-out and you’ll want to share YOUR path with others.

2-months postpartum: honor the journey

2-months postpartum: honor the journey

My sister and I were talking about how frustrating it can be to only see “the end,” particularly “the end” of the postpartum journey.

It’s definitely easier to share the “I MADE IT” moments.

While that can bring others, who are in the thick of the journey, hope, ONLY sharing the finish line can also leave the rest of us feeling alone…. like we’re moving forward at a snails pace… questioning if we’re even moving forward….

Some days I barely know the day of the week, I HOPE I’ll get through my embarrassingly small checklist, and I feel blessed beyond measure to get 30 minutes to myself to MOVE.

Other days are better, BRIGHTER, easier…
*and I have to be careful that I don’t ONLY share the light.

So, this is me today.

Still ON the journey.

Often feeling like I’ve barely begun.

Working my HARDEST to let go of that “not good enough” feeling.

Doing my best to become STRONG over thin, HONEST over surface-y, and KIND with my inner dialogue rather than plain old mean. ((Remember, we’re ALWAYS our first own worst critic.))

Let’s honor our freaking journey this year.
THE. WHOLE. THING.

If for no other reason than because THAT is what is real and THAT is what can empower each of us to LIFT one another UP as well as ourselves.