As I write this I’ve got my 7-month-old strapped to the front of me. At times I can’t see my computer screen because of his head (and yet it’s the most productive moment I’ve had, and will continue to be if I ignore the fact that I’ve got to pee and that my computer’s about 15 minutes away from loosing all battery).
I’ve got a fresh perspective on a body after baby and I just wanted to share with you the three things that have helped me to maintain balance and motivation. I hope it helps!
1. Give yourself a break.
A human is walking, wobbling or crawling around this planet because you grew them inside of you and then got them out. That’s “amaze-balls” – remember that.
In the months before having a baby, I never prepared myself for what post-baby body would be like. I bought a few pieces to wear around the house when visitors came, but otherwise there was no wardrobe preparation because I was sure I would shrink back down to my original size.
When it didn’t happen as quickly as I had planned, I started sliding down a slope of self depreciation. And when I say “sliding down a slope” there were moments of straight drops to the ground as I thought of all the pants I would have to neglect because I couldn’t wiggle my butt into them.
Then I talked it out with my husband. Really just talking it out helped, but afterwards he reminded me that I needed to give myself a break. I’ve HAD A BABY. The body takes time to get over that and I wasn’t doing myself any favors by getting in fear over it.
After that, the fear and panic stopped and I was able to just relax. I even lost a little weight, and I think it’s directly because I stopped getting in fear about it.
2. Then hit the gas.
Once I truly found myself balanced out and done with stressing over my size, break time was over.
I had to wait till I got to the point of not being stressed about my weight to start working on it again. If not, I would have tried too hard and at the smallest sign of failure I would have melted down into a pile of Cheetos, gained more weight from the melt down, then started the cycle all over again.
Waiting until you’ve leveled out and gotten rid of all those roller coaster post-baby hormones is the best thing you can do. Once it’s no longer a fear-based workout or fear-based calorie counting, you’ll be able to relax and honestly loose more weight.
3. Always be thankful.
The biggest thing I’ve learned in this whole process? Be thankful.
Regardless of your size, your shape, your lumps or post-baby belly, be thankful for your body and who God created you to be.
Look in the mirror and find what it is you love about yourself. I stopped critiquing my post-baby butt and started owning it. I mean, it just won’t quit! *hive five.
Stop always seeing the negative things about your body and realize you are beautiful just as you are. I’m serious. Because there’s someone out there who is heavier than you are, wishing they were your size (just watch TLC).
Give yourself a break, relax about your body and just own it.
Quit talking about it, or pointing out your flaws to others. Replace that constant barrage of negative thoughts with what the bible has to say about you here, and replace the thoughts that you can’t loose the weight with this.
Look at that baby of yours (no matter how old they are) and envision them saying about their body what you think about yours – it makes you want to hold them close and tell them to stop it!
It’s no different then you saying that about yourself. Stop it. Be thankful and enjoy being you!
