7 months after I had my second baby, I truly felt like I was in the best shape of my adult life. Here are a few pictures just to show some "before and after" progress.
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| 4 months postpartum vs. 7 months postpartum after baby #2 |
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| 7 months postpartum |
So what happened between August and October? I worked my ASS off that's what! Okay but seriously here's what went down. Previously (maybe after I had Heidi...I can't actually remember) I had discovered Kayla Itsines on Instagram. She has a program called the Bikini Body Guide a.k.a. "BBG". I had maybe done 6 weeks or so out of the 12 week program but decided that this time around I would do all 12 weeks and stick with it. Y'all. It doesn't matter who you are or how in shape you are this program will kick. Your. Ass. For reals. There were a few days where I would just lay face down on the ground and SOB after my workout because it was just that hard. That being said though - it is HIGHLY effective. (If you don't believe me scroll through Kayla's Instagram to see tons of before and after pictures!) As someone who has always been a runner and relatively fit, the changes in my body that I noticed were things that running alone could have never done for me. The BBG program essentially consists of 28 minute workouts (four 7-minute circuits with 1-2 minutes breaks in between) done 3 days per week for 12 weeks - which is insanely do-able even for us mamas! I totally have 30 minutes per day (3 days a week) to spend working out. I would typically just turn on some music and let the kids play. They can usually entertain themselves for 30 minutes! (Side note: There is a little more to the program that is recommended, a stretch day, cardio/high intensity and low intensity/jogging/walking days too but I was still running occasionally and also breastfeeding so I didn't go crazy with sticking with her entire schedule.)
Anyway, I don't want to scare anyone out of this program by saying how hard it is - I would seriously recommend it to ANY one. If you are in a place where you are not happy with your body and you are interested in making physical changes to become more fit I say go for it. (But please note that I am in no way a fitness professional and listening to your body and knowing your limits is extremely important with any workout regimen.) Kayla has an app for the program but I DO NOT recommend going that route. It is expensive and also I *think* it's some sort of subscription based thing - meaning it's not a one time payment but a monthly or yearly thing. The workout program can be purchased in .pdf form and I personally think that is a WAY better and cost-effective way to go. There are a lot of way cheap (and I'm sure illegal) copies out there (*cough*ebay*cough*) but if you're more the legal-type Kayla has a discount website where you can purchase the .pdfs legally and affordably. Click here for the discounted website! (There is a BBG 1.0 and 2.0. The 1.0 is the first 12 weeks and then she semi-recently came out with the 2.0 which is weeks 13-24 I believe. I personally have purchased 2.0 but not done more than a few days of it.) After purchasing the guides, I just took a screenshot of each of the workouts and saved them to it's own album on my phone. That way I could easily pull up the workout for that day a refer to it during the workout.
As we all know, exercise won't really do much for you if you're still eating trash. Diet is SOO important - and I don't mean "going on A diet","dieting" or simply counting calories (also super not healthy) - I mean eating healthy, tasty, nutrient-rich foods. After I had my second baby, I realized that my relationship with sugar had gotten to a SUPER unhealthy level so I knew I wanted to do something that would help me realign the way I viewed food/sugar/sweets. I'm the kind of person where it's REALLY hard for me to just say "okay, I'll try to start eating healthier" and do it and stick with it. I really needed an all-or-nothing type of thing at that point in my life. SO we decided to do our first round of Whole30 - which cuts out ALL added sugars for 30 days. I don't want this post to turn into me trying to convince you how awesome Whole30 is (that's a WHOLE other subject I could go on and on about for sure because I love it so much) so I'll leave it at this: Do it. Look into it. DEFINITELY read the book before or during. And just do it. I promise it will change your life even if you already eat pretty clean. It's NOT a diet program and NOT intended for weight loss at ALL but truly helps reset your body AND your mind to get to a much healthier place.
The combination of truly changing my diet and also implementing a regular exercise program (BBG + running) is what got me to a place where I was happier and healthier physically that ever before. I feel confident in everything my female body is capable of - from being fit to growing and having babies to having a plump postpartum belly to being fit again (and repeat). Respect and appreciation are just as important (if not more important) than working hard physically.
Now, onto part 2 of this post...!! (PLEASE KEEP READING!!)
I was recently at a church event with a group of women where the conversation essentially led to "what kind of plastic surgery do you want"/"what part(s) of you body are you unhappy with". Those weren't the ACTUAL initial questions but the conversation had basically turned into that. So many women - ALL of the women - were talking about Botox and wrinkles and boob jobs. It just blew my mind how each and every one of these women were insecure/unhappy with the way they looked or hated at least something about their body. Some of the girls even said that after they undress to get in the shower they shield their eyes from the mirror as they walk by so they don't have to see their own bodies. My heart absolutely and completely broke in two for these women. I also can't tell you how strange it felt to literally be the only one at the table who didn't (doesn't) have a desire to change anything about my body, my face, the way I look or how God created me. But it definitely got me thinking. WHY do I feel this way? Why DON'T I want perkier boobs or plumper lips or a smooth forehead? Part of it might be that I do work hard (and God has blessed me with a lot that allows me to do so - a healthy body, a double stroller to take the kids on runs and a husband who watches the kids so I can go on a long run by myself). I also have gotten to a point where I never want to fight the aging process. My time/energy/emotions are better spent elsewhere and I think I will be much happier if I just accept that I'm going to get wrinkles and grey hair. It's going to happen. I've accepted it and I'm okay with it. I don't know how to tell anyone else to get to that place but I promise if you can get there you'll never regret it.
BUT. I think the absolute BIGGEST reason that I do not share those same thoughts is because of my mom. My whole life I have NEVER not once heard my mom complain about her body. As a child or adult, my mom has never complained - at least to me - about any insecurities that she may (or may not) have about her body or the way she looks. She's never talked about boob jobs, or having a flatter tummy or her wrinkles. This realization has been so eye-opening to me as a woman and also mother to my own daughter. Even if I start to get saggy grandma "bingo arms" that jiggle when I wave, or my midsection is soft and fluffier than I'd like or my boobs look like some flat-ass pancakes or WHATEVER it is - I NEVER want to let my daughters OR sons hear me complain about that. I want all of my children to see a mom who is confident and happy with the way she looks - however that might be. A mama who has love and respect and appreciation for all of the MANY things my body has done and is doing for me and for this world.
So a couple of things.
- Being happy with your body does NOT equal a flat stomach, a certain number on the scale or a specific pant size. AT ALL. (Please do not think this is what I am saying - especially since yes I realize this post started off with my workout and diet experiences.) For me personally, I am MOST comfortable and confident with my physical appearance when I feel like I'm working to keep my body healthy and in shape. (Sure a 6-pack is always nice but that's not where anyone should find their true joy or appreciation.) This is why I do work hard and I do want to share about my fitness journey and the process and goals. I don't think it's BAD to want to be healthier or lose weight or live a fitter lifestyle - but you DO have to be really careful in your motivations for doing such things. I also share because (as I have said before) we are capable of ANYTHING. The world tells us that after kids (or even just after a certain age) that we will and should be unhappy and discouraged with our physical bodies. "Post-baby body" has such a negative connotation and IT SHOULDN'T. God has proven to me over and over again - ESPECIALLY through my birth experiences - that it's just NOT about what the world says. And I believe that that means how we see ourselves and our bodies too. Do not listen to this world.
- How do you get to a place where you love your body FULLY? Well, I'm no professional so I really don't know how to appropriately answer this one. Also because it is so personal/unique for each and every individual. My gut says to start with prayer. Ask God to guide your heart. Is He leading you to live a healthier lifestyle? Or maybe just an attitude adjustment? Or a little of both? How can He change your heart so that you feel happy and confident? (If you're not the praying type maybe just ask yourself these questions.) How can we make adjustments to view ourselves in a positive, happy, healthy way? For our children's sake and for our own.
- Lastly, (and I'm just going to bold this entire paragraph because this is my whole point) the importance of getting to a place where we love and like our bodies and everything about them is so far beyond our own scope. As women, as humans (regardless of gender or phase of life) we must love ourselves for our own joy and happiness. But ESPECIALLY as moms/parents - it's more important than ever. We cannot instill body confidence and positive views of our physical selves into our children by merely speaking it but also by living it, feeling it and believing it for ourselves. So do what you need to do to get there. It's crucial. Whether it's a change of heart or a change in lifestyle. Maybe it's just looking in the mirror and focusing on all of the things that you DO like (which works for some people I've heard). I don't have all of the answers - but if you are someone who is unhappy with yourself or your body seek assistance. Talk to friends or family members who will positively influence you and/or can lead you to resources that will allow you to realign your view of yourself.
This is why I share. This is why I choose to be healthy. It's important for me as a woman, as a wife and as a mother to feel GOOD about my physical self - regardless of my pants size or fitness level at any given moment. Because my body is amazing the way that God created me and it deserves all the love and respect I can give it. And that's the kind of happiness and joy I want to instill in each one of my children.
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