Ambassador: Staying Fit (and Fashionable) During and After Baby
We are thrilled to feature fit mom ambassador, Melissa, as she explains how to stay fit and fashionable during and after baby.
If fit isn’t fashionable, I don’t know what is. Fit never goes out of style.
As a busy mom, it can be a little more difficult to keep a fitness routine, and even harder to bounce back after a baby.
A stay-at-home mom and full time fashion blogger at Fashionably, Melissa, finding time for fitness isn’t always easy. When fashion is your job, looking good is important, but feeling good and being healthy for my daughter is my number one priority. And keeping my family healthy is of utmost importance. Working, caring for my daughter, and maintaining a fitness schedule becomes a delicate balance, but a much needed one.
Pre-baby? Oh baby, the world was my oyster!
Let’s face it, when you don’t have runny noses to wipe, a million questions to answer, and someone’s demanding schedule to adhere to, staying fit is a piece of cake. Ahem, gluten-free, paleo cake!
But how do you stay fit (and healthy) safely during pregnancy and then amp up a routine after baby to get your pre-baby body back?
Be active. Make exercise fun. My husband and I fit in daily walks. It was time to talk about our day, talk about our future, unwind and keep healthy. And unless there are any complications, walking is one simple way to stay active.
Prior to my daughter, riding horses was my regular routine; and a great workout. I also worked in weight training and a variety of fitness classes. Having the luxury to choose when and where I would exercise made it so simple.
After becoming pregnant with my daughter, though, horses were a thing of the past, and the gym became what horses once were; my (almost) daily routine.
For most of my pregnancy, I continued a normal fitness routine, but swapped my pilates for prenatal yoga.
With the help of my nazi doctor (actually, she was really great), I only gained 28 pounds my entire pregnancy. I credit this healthy weight gain to a lot of prenatal yoga, walking, and regular fitness, and of course, that doctor who sternly advised me not to gain any more than 30 pounds. Actually, I’m very grateful to her as I think it helped keep me motivated even when I didn’t much feel like prying my tush off the couch! Where was she postpartum?
Healthy eating habits are just as important as exercise. I kept my diet simple with lots of green veggies, fruits and proteins.
After I gave birth, I hit a period that was tough for me. I was breastfeeding, and hungry ALL THE TIME. I’m quite sure feeling hungry was normal considering she was literally sucking out all the nutrients! But I was always a light eater (making healthy choices). What wasn’t normal was my desire to eat ANYTHING and EVERYTHING.
I just wanted to be healthy and look good in my clothes, but I felt like a sausage that couldn’t even look good in a sausage casing on most days. I didn’t feel good mentally. My desire to pass on positive body image messages to my daughter fueled my fire and was just what I needed to get out of my funk.
Settling into a routine that worked for everyone was key and the motivation I needed. Kick starting myself back to reality, I was well aware being fit (and keeping fashionable) depended on healthy eating and exercise.
I won’t tell you it’s always easy. I had to kick the ‘quick meals because I don’t have time to cook with a baby on my boob’ attitude and even enlisted my husband to help. I meal-planned sitting on the couch during nursing sessions and made family walks a priority. There were days I didn’t want to do any of it, but my end goal was more important.
Once I got the okay from my doctor to resume a more strenuous exercise routine, I picked up running… Okay, maybe it was more like speed walking because I wasn’t really a runner, but it was something I could easily do and once the babe was big enough for the jogger (and I’d increased my stamina and endurance), there was no excuse not to get out there; no memberships or fitness equipment required.
With my trusty ‘ol baby jogger, I was sprinting in no time.
I began with a goal and each day increased my goal. To say I didn’t have setbacks would be a lie, but it made me tougher. Now, I’m running 5 and 10k’s, with a half marathon on the horizon!
My eating habits evolved from just healthy to methodical choices for athletes by following a gluten-limited and semi-paleo diet. I’ve eliminated all processed food and I can see and feel the difference.
Staying fit during and after baby doesn’t have to be complicated and I’m not saying everyone has to run 10k’s and half marathons. Make two simple changes 1) be more active: swim, walk to the park rather than drive, take that fitness class you’ve always wanted to try one night a week to get you out of the mom role for an hour, and 2) eat well: swap one bad thing for a good thing and when you’ve quit missing it, make another swap!
Melissa’s a wife, mom, and lover of all things fashionable. Most days you’ll find her in heels editing blog posts between chauffeuring a toddler and running a household. Other days she’s lacing up sneaks chasing marathon dreams. For more about Melissa, follow her on Bloglovin‘, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest.
This post is brought to you by For Two Fitness®. For Two Fitness® is the premier maternity fitness apparel brand, proudly made in the USA and available worldwide. Visit our site to explore our maternity fitness apparel and purchase for you or a loved one today.
Leave a comment
Comments will be approved before showing up.
Also in The Motherhood- The Blog
How To: Getting Nutrition During Pregnancy: The Alphas and Omegas
Do you ever worry that you’re not getting enough nutrients from real food during pregnancy? Are you familiar with the Alphas and Omegas of pregnancy? Read the “nutrition during pregnancy” basics as it relates to alphas and omegas from fit mom and wellness expert, Kasey Shuler.
Alphas and Omegas. What are they and what do you need to know about how they impact nutrition during pregnancy?..
Put on Your Maternity Workout Clothes and Enjoy a Fit Pregnancy
Having trouble finding the motivation to get off of the sofa and to the gym? You’re not alone: many mamas-to-be struggle with decreased energy levels, increased aches and pains, and other deterrents which can interfere with staying active. However, fitness is an important part of enjoying a healthy pregnancy. Here are some things you can do to stay motivated...
Did you know? : 5 Fabulous Reasons to Give Maternity Yoga a Go
Maternity yoga, or yoga done during the course of your pregnancy, is a safe way to exercise and can actually help prepare the body for childbirth. If you’re looking for a way to stay fit or to increase your fitness level safely during pregnancy, read on for some great reasons to give maternity yoga a try...
For Two Fitness
Author