I’ve never taken a selfie, and come from a generation that shys away from self-promotion. But I’m in the business of fitness and I firmly believe that you have to practice what you preach.
Soooo, I took a selfie at 3-and-a-half months post pregnancy.
I am not 100 % where I want to be physically, but having a baby is a tough gig. You are a vessel that carries another human being for around 40 weeks, but don’t think you get your body back the minute the child is born. No, the hardest part is yet to come.
Breastfeeding for me was (and is) a tough gig. I find it hard to consume enough calories to maintain my milk supply and am starving and thirsty ALL OF THE TIME!
Like most women though when I get to the 8 month mark of pregnancy I want to get my body back, get fed up of being pregnant and I also cannot wait to start exercising.
The cruel reality though is that strenuous exercise is a long way off and to harness a successful breastfeeding relationship with your little one, you must be kind to yourself and listen to your body.
I made the huge mistake of attempting to run four weeks post caesarean section – I do not recommend this. My scar hurt for an extended period of time and it took me so long to recover it set me back a few weeks. So I stripped back and started slowly.
Walking, gentle abdominal exercises and running around after a crazy toddler were my prescribed exercise up until now. I am now ready to take on the world – but I had to build a base first.
Even though I am consuming a huge amount of calories, it is still possible to lose weight whilst breastfeeding. It definitely is a fine line though, so you have to be very careful not to over or under eat.
My key tips for getting fit during and after pregnancy are as follows;
- Keep active DURING pregnancy. If there is no medical condition inhibiting you from moving, then MOVE. Walk, do preggie bellies, swim. It doesn’t have to be strenuous, but just moving helps blood flow and will help you recover more quickly after the birth. Natural or caesarean.
- Be kind to yourself. During and after pregnancy. Rest and don’t try to be a hero!
- Drink WATER, WATER AND MORE WATER.
- Eat a well balanced diet. Don’t try to eliminate food groups unless of course you or your baby has a diagnosed intolerance.
- Eat good, nutritionally dense food and do not shy away from fats (think avocado, nuts, coconut cream etc).
- Eat smaller meals more often (I had gestational diabetes during pregnancy and was forced to watch my diet more than I had before – I believe this is the correct way of eating whether you have diabetes or not)
- Eat unrefined foods. If it contains numbers in the ingredients list then don’t eat it! If it’s packaged, look for numbers.
- Eat fresh produce. Think clean eating.
- Listen to the experts and medical professionals. They know best.
- Pound the pavement. But listen to your body. If it feels too hard, it probably is. Slow and steady.
- Get help if you feel you cannot do it alone.
- Eat your protein - don’t drink it!
- Work on your mind as well as your body and don’t forget to take deep breaths!
The moral of the story? Be ultra kind to yourself, slow and steady wins the race and if you need help, please ask!
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Check out Loudy's selfie here.
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