losing the baby weight & healing my core (12 weeks postpartum)
It's been 10 weeks since my last postpartum fitness update, and there have been a few new developments, so I thought I would share where I'm at!
Side note: In no way do I think women need to "bounce back" immediately after having a baby. I know it takes 9 months to grow a baby, and at least that much time to heal and get back to "normal." We are warriors, and our bodies just did something amazing! Having said that, I think it's important to love your body enough to take care of it, and take the proper steps to help it heal. Heck, I'll admit it - I even want to feel comfortable in my clothes again! I want to share my progress to inspire other new moms and show them that we don't have to accept looking frumpy for the rest of our lives - even if it takes longer than we thought! That's where I'm coming from with these postpartum fitness posts.
I was making great progress until about week 8 or 9, when I hit a weight loss plateau. By no means am I upset about this, but I did some research and brainstorming about how I could break through and continue to change my body composition. Here is what I'm changing up, and some things I'm continuing to do!
Nutrition
Changes
+ One big change I've been making is to start each day with a giant glass of water, followed by a mug of lemon water. It's supposed to jump start your metabolism and rehydrate you.
+ I don't think I'm ready to drink my coffee black, but I have switched to half & half instead of my beloved creamer. One issue I identified in my eating habits was that I would generously pour as much creamer as I wanted into my coffee, and possibly a second cup. I didn't really think about how those empty calories could be adding up. So I've been measuring exactly one serving of half & half in my coffee, mixed with one packed of Stevia in the Raw. I'm limiting myself to one cup a day.
Related: 6 Foods to Energize Sleep Deprived Moms
+ I've been food prepping early in the week, washing and chopping fruits and veggies for the week. It's made it much easier to snack on something healthy when the nursing hunger hits!
What I'm continuing to do
+ I'm continuing to drink two superfood shakes each day. They are the perfect balance of carbs, healthy fats, and protein. Sometimes I do a superfood protein bar instead of one of the shakes. Super easy to eat one-handed while holding a baby or nursing!
Related: Why You Should be Drinking Meal Replacement Shakes
+ Smoothies are still a great way to cram in some servings of fruits and veggies. My favorite add-ins are coconut oil, frozen cauliflower, spinach, flaxseed, and protein powder.
+ Still aiming for 100+ ounces of water each day. Love this tumbler!
Supplements
Changes
+ I'm adding Omega 3s to my daily regimen. Breastfeeding requires consuming a lot of healthy fats, and adding an Omega 3 supplement will prevent me from feeling depleted. It also helps with mental clarity! I use this one!
+ Coconut oil is another healthy fat to include in your diet! I add mine to smoothies, or in baked goods in place of butter.
What I'm continuing to do
+ I'm continuing to take a fruit and veggie supplement each day - think of it as insurance.
+ Flax seed is another good source of Omega 3s, and can boost milk supply.
Exercise
Changes
+ The biggest change to my fitness regimen, and one I'm super excited about, is starting the MuTu System! I feel like I'm in one of the "transformation montages" in the movies...you know the ones where they start out being winded by walking half a mile, then by the end they're a body builder who also competes in triathlons, and it happens in a matter of weeks? Yeah, ok, maybe not that extreme, but there's something exciting about having a PLAN.
I'm going to be very open and honest, here. Diastasis recti has been the bane of my existence for the past 2 years. It has affected my self confidence. It has caused me back pain before, during, and after pregnancy. It has led to uncertainty about what exercises I can and can't do, which led to analysis paralysis, and not wanting to exercise at all! I have avoided entire sections of my closet because I can't wear anything fitted, lest someone think I'm pregnant when I'm not. It's led to feelings of jealousy when I see other friends recover from their pregnancies with relatively flat stomachs. And really, it's just been a general worried thought in the back of my mind - will my stomach ever look or feel normal again?
Related: The MuTu System Final Review
I didn't do anything about it after my second pregnancy because (1) - I didn't realize I had it until about 9 months postpartum, and (2) - by the time I found out what it was, I didn't know how to fix it and I knew I wanted to be pregnant again soon. So during my whole third pregnancy I researched the heck out of diastasis recti, so I would be ready to fix it right away. The Belly Bandit was the first measure I took in those early postpartum days. It held everything together, and allowed me to wear my prepregnancy clothes with confidence. Now that I'm almost 3 months postpartum, I've set that aside, and am ready for the healing to begin!
I'm on my first week of the MuTu system, and already I feel myself breaking through my plateaus. I feel confident that I have a plan, and that someone with more knowledge and experience in this area is guiding me through healing and what exercises are ok. I will be doing a full review of the program about halfway through, and at the end, so if you are thinking of trying it, let me know what questions you have!
You can find more about the MuTu system HERE.
What I'm continuing to do
+ a big emphasis of the MuTu system is walking every day, which is perfect, since I was already doing that! I make sure to log at least 2 miles every day.
+ wearing the baby when out and about in my LILLEbaby carrier.
Wishing you wellness of mind, body, and soul.
