We asked for reader fitness questions and the topic of Postpartum Fitness seemed to be a recurring theme, today 041fitness columnist Nadine chats about everything you need to know when you’re looking to get active after giving birth.
I used to refer to life pre-kids as BC and these days, my empty nest life is referred to as AC.
BC was when my brain still functioned without my phone telling me where and with whom I was meant to be.
It was a time when my self-becomingness was in full bloom and my all-about-me life included working out in tops and bottoms that matched, always having socks, both ends of my body being equally manicured, a friendship circle that didn’t involve conversations about poo, and a flexible budget that allowed for a few spontaneous outings to events more rousing than a Babies R Us bargain hunt.
My AC life seemed to feel I’d had adequate time to find myself, could always opt for long pants when both ends weren’t met, could replace time wasted searching for missing socks with learning how to upload, download and in spite of alarms, still rock up late to a meeting about poo with matching orange baby vomit, tops and bottoms!
The weird part is that no matter how much time was delegated to my self-becomingness, suddenly here I was, a perfect stranger unto myself.
I remember the exact moment I had my mum-of-a-toddler epiphany.. sitting on the toy-strewn floor watching Dora the Explorer, I was suddenly aware that it was time for my bottoms to match my tops!
Hitting the gym is by no means an easy feat AC.
Most young Mums underestimate the mental reset as they focus unforgivingly on the physical.
A goal sheet will typically look like this:
TARGET AREAS:
✔️ THIGHS
✔️ BUTTOCKS
✔️BELLY!!
But in reality, it is a retuning of the mindset that should take priority.
It is so important to understand that for the past 9 months, plus whatever toddler years it’s taken to get us back to the Auto Toning Centre for adjustment of Parts (otherwise known as Gym), we have been reprogrammed to respond to the very miracle of human life.
We have been more dedicated and committed and ON TIME than we will ever in our lives be again.
Now, we’re being set free for an hour or two (if we’re lucky) and we’re suddenly supposed to know how to manage all this time effectively.
I am not surprised that you find yourself staring blankly at a bunch of heavy objects that don’t actually move unless YOU initiate it.
Luckily for me, I’ve always had a passion for fitness that led me to Certifying (thanks to a very flexible and understanding husband) as a Personal Trainer and Group Fitness instructor just a year before our toddler was ready for school.
Otherwise, trust me, I’ve clocked in enough gym hours to know that daunting feeling of incompetence and or bewilderment of being in a room with toys you didn’t have to clean up and had no idea how to play with!
So here are a few Postpartum Fitness tips on how to get started, once your GP has given you the go-ahead.
1) CHANGE YOUR MINDSET from “Mommy has to go to the gym” to “Mommy’s entering her own playground!” Believe me when I tell you that the body will not do what the mind does not convince it to.
So make it sound nice!
2) Make sure that mindset sticks by actually signing up for something that’s not just challenging but also FUN!
If you don’t incorporate the fun factor, don’t expect goals to be reached.
3)I’m not just saying this as a Professional in the business of charging an hourly rate from clients who don’t know anything about training, but GET EXPERT HELP!
I know the budget is already stretched but just investing in the right Coach (more about that later), could amplify your returns and also, ensure fewer breakages!
4) A good trainer will have first and foremost asked the relevant questions that are crucial to
•goal setting, •program design, •program progression
and
•goal resets.
Your trainer should know everything about your anatomy without actually having to see it!
I have encountered many women on my journey in this industry who have regrettably invested in cowboy trainers or clock watchers who are attempting to steer a ship without any knowledge of its moving or broken parts.
The result has been physically and mentally damaging.
And so, my final tip…
5)Make sure you prioritize
✔️MIND ✔️BODY ✔️ WELLNESS (in that order) over THIGHS, BUTTOCKS & BELLY.
In my follow-up article, I will give a few example workouts for PostPartum Mums, including some adjusted exercises for those who may have suffered a few complications from Diastasis Recti to PPD.
Having seen a lot of my clients through BC to AC, I have not just had to rely on the knowledge obtained from a few Certifications, but a wealth of hands-on experience within a field I have always felt privileged and excited to be in.
Nadine Lahana is a certified nutrition and wellness specialist, personal trainer, health writer for various publications, and Fitness Content Creator. She believes in teaching the basics of nutrition and empowering others to make better choices. Instagram TikTok and Facebook
For more on how nutrition affects your overall fitness check out Nadine’s expert advice.
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