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How I Finally Lost My Baby Weight
Everyone tells you how amazing being a mother is and how much kids change your life for the better, and I agree with that. But no one tells you how hard it is to actually lose all the baby weight! Before the pregnancy, I was pretty fit and happy with my body, but my life has changed so much that I’ve had a really hard time getting back into my workout routine. It’s always about my kid (as it should be), but mommy needs some time to herself, too. One day I just woke up and said, “that’s it, this torture ends today.” From that day on, I implemented various strategies for losing my baby weight, and now I can finally say it’s gone for good!
1. I started going to the gym
Though going to the gym seemed like an impossible task when I first started, it actually helped a lot. I had one sort of motivation that I wouldn’t have otherwise. I was paying for the membership, so why should I let my money go to waste? The baby would be fine with her dad for a couple of hours.
Since I couldn’t really get “me” time at this moment in time, I used the gym instead. It became a sanctuary and I came home feeling better and more refreshed each time. Turns out that the small break from my baby made me love her even more. Plus, she got the chance to bond with his dad.
2. I joined a mommy group
I was having coffee with my neighbour one day and complaining about how I just can’t get back in shape. No matter what I did, the baby weight seemed to stay. Then she told me about a neighbourhood mommy group that worked out together. I had no idea that was a thing where lived! The group was very supportive and with me every step of the way. We used to (and still sometimes do) exercise together whenever we got the chance.
Three set appointments a week were our time to shred. Sometimes we would jog, other times we’d work out at someone’s house, and if the weather was nice, we’d move the session outdoors. The best part of a mommy group is all the support. These women understood exactly what I was going through and knew how to get to me. I’m not sure I would’ve made it without them. One other bonus is that I made friends for life.
3. I walked….a lot
When you have a baby, every chance you can get to exercise you should take. If the baby is sleeping, I’m using that time to stretch and get some basic exercises in. Of course, the baby rarely sleeps. So I had to create other opportunities. The perfect one arose when my mom surprised me with a brand new Mother’s Choice stroller. I needed to test this baby out.
So I put my baby in the stroller and we took on the world. Each day, we would take long walks around the neighbourhood. You have no idea how many calories you can burn just by getting out there and walking. The weather was nice, the baby was enjoying the view and me? I was getting fitter by the minute. I couldn’t be happier with the stroller’s durability, too. We really used every day to the max.
4. I exercised with the little one
When I first learned about mother and baby exercises, I thought they were rather weird. There was no way that was safe or good for the baby, I said. Boy, was I wrong. These exercises saved my ass- literally. The first time we tried them, I was wary and scared not to hurt my little one. I followed the instructions online to the T. I was expecting my baby to cry the whole time. But then, the weirdest thing happened. I heard giggling!
My baby was having more fun exercising with mommy than mommy was! Soon enough, I relaxed a bit more and we explored various exercises together. Each time I would get the same sweet sound of my child laughing and having fun. Soon enough, I was actually getting in shape! More than that, though, I was bonding with my child the way I thought I wouldn’t be able to until they were older. The days when we exercised together are the days when we were closest.
Conclusion
I know how unrealistic what I’m telling you may be, but remember that I was once where you are now. It was scary and hard in the beginning, but I just kept living in the feeling of pure ecstasy after every workout. It’s going to be hell the first few months, but trust me, you’ll just walk by your mirror one day and suddenly all the hard work will be worth it. You’ll finally be happy with your reflection, as much as I am now.
