4 Week Blogilates Challenge: How Did I Get Here?
It's no surprise that pregnancy takes a toll on your body.
I always pictured myself as a perfectly fit pregnant woman. I thought I would gain just enough weight to have a healthy baby, and no more. I thought I would exercise (safely) everyday. I thought I would eat only the healthiest of foods.
I thought wrong. I wasn't a perfectly fit pregnant woman. I was healthy, yes, and when Danger was born I knew I had done what I needed to have a perfectly healthy baby. A perfectly healthy 8 lb 6 oz baby. A perfectly healthy 8 lb 6 oz baby with no drugs or anesthesia. And I was proud of myself for that (though it still makes me cringe). But I couldn't help feeling disappointed at the weight that I gained, the muscles I didn't build, and the kegels I most definitely didn't do.
It didn't help that I was not able to bounce back after the two-week postpartum point. I was in pain, moving slowly, and had no energy. I had expected this of the first week, and even the second. But well into week three? It was discouraging to say the least. Would I ever go back to my normal self? Would my clothes ever fit again, or was I destined to buy a whole new wardrobe? (Side note: I don't particularly like clothes shopping.) I decided there was nothing I could do. After all, I was weeks away from my six-week check up where I would be cleared (or not) to exercise. And I was nursing! Though it hurt like the dickens (more on that in another post), didn't that mean I needed 500 extra calories? Sure it did. And so this was the week three to week six slump.
Week six came and went. I was feeling better. It was so gradual that I almost didn't notice. Breastfeeding was more effortless and a lot less painful. And lo and behold, the doctor cleared me for exercise.
But wait! I had just moved... with an infant! Poor me had no time to exercise or cook healthy meals! No, I should just cuddle my baby and unpack my new apartment. Yes, I thought, that is my life now. (The cuddling for the rest of my life? Awesome! Unpacking for the rest of my life? A little pessimistic. A little.)
Then week eight hits. My apartment is coming together. My sweet boy has a new magic swing that helps him nap longer. My days are getting longer, I seem to have time. I spend an afternoon browsing Pinterest. And suddenly it hit me. Where it came from, I cannot pinpoint. Maybe I was tired of wearing the same two pairs of workout shorts everyday. Maybe it was the clean and cleared kitchen. Maybe it was the pin I saw that reminded me of workouts I liked- short, difficult, entertaining.
Blogilates to the rescue! I had done these fun Pilates videos before, courtesy of my sister-in-law, but never consistently. To be truthful, I have never stuck to a workout plan or style for a long period of time. I've gotten one or two weeks into training for a 5K, yoga, basketball, Just Dance, Wii Fit, gym time, and a handful of stitched-together at-home workouts. I don't know if I get bored or busy, but I never stick with it. My husband works out differently than me, so I also have never had a true workout buddy. But Blogilates caught me with a (seemingly) fool-proof plan: a beginner's calendar! After a little digging on the website, I even found an updated beginner's calendar that includes new videos. I could do this!
So I completed Day 1. I was burning, but I made it through. It didn't take a ton of time, but I knew my muscles were working. I knew it was perfect. The only problem was, each of my previous workout plans seemed perfect too. How would I stay accountable and stick to it?
Thank you, social media pressure. I did something I don't normally do- I posted something personal on social media. Instagram, to be exact.
It may not be a cute picture of Danger, but I posted it anyways. I still, however, had a feeling that I would fall behind. So this happened:
I always pictured myself as a perfectly fit pregnant woman. I thought I would gain just enough weight to have a healthy baby, and no more. I thought I would exercise (safely) everyday. I thought I would eat only the healthiest of foods.
I thought wrong. I wasn't a perfectly fit pregnant woman. I was healthy, yes, and when Danger was born I knew I had done what I needed to have a perfectly healthy baby. A perfectly healthy 8 lb 6 oz baby. A perfectly healthy 8 lb 6 oz baby with no drugs or anesthesia. And I was proud of myself for that (though it still makes me cringe). But I couldn't help feeling disappointed at the weight that I gained, the muscles I didn't build, and the kegels I most definitely didn't do.
It didn't help that I was not able to bounce back after the two-week postpartum point. I was in pain, moving slowly, and had no energy. I had expected this of the first week, and even the second. But well into week three? It was discouraging to say the least. Would I ever go back to my normal self? Would my clothes ever fit again, or was I destined to buy a whole new wardrobe? (Side note: I don't particularly like clothes shopping.) I decided there was nothing I could do. After all, I was weeks away from my six-week check up where I would be cleared (or not) to exercise. And I was nursing! Though it hurt like the dickens (more on that in another post), didn't that mean I needed 500 extra calories? Sure it did. And so this was the week three to week six slump.
Week six came and went. I was feeling better. It was so gradual that I almost didn't notice. Breastfeeding was more effortless and a lot less painful. And lo and behold, the doctor cleared me for exercise.
But wait! I had just moved... with an infant! Poor me had no time to exercise or cook healthy meals! No, I should just cuddle my baby and unpack my new apartment. Yes, I thought, that is my life now. (The cuddling for the rest of my life? Awesome! Unpacking for the rest of my life? A little pessimistic. A little.)
Then week eight hits. My apartment is coming together. My sweet boy has a new magic swing that helps him nap longer. My days are getting longer, I seem to have time. I spend an afternoon browsing Pinterest. And suddenly it hit me. Where it came from, I cannot pinpoint. Maybe I was tired of wearing the same two pairs of workout shorts everyday. Maybe it was the clean and cleared kitchen. Maybe it was the pin I saw that reminded me of workouts I liked- short, difficult, entertaining.
Blogilates to the rescue! I had done these fun Pilates videos before, courtesy of my sister-in-law, but never consistently. To be truthful, I have never stuck to a workout plan or style for a long period of time. I've gotten one or two weeks into training for a 5K, yoga, basketball, Just Dance, Wii Fit, gym time, and a handful of stitched-together at-home workouts. I don't know if I get bored or busy, but I never stick with it. My husband works out differently than me, so I also have never had a true workout buddy. But Blogilates caught me with a (seemingly) fool-proof plan: a beginner's calendar! After a little digging on the website, I even found an updated beginner's calendar that includes new videos. I could do this!
So I completed Day 1. I was burning, but I made it through. It didn't take a ton of time, but I knew my muscles were working. I knew it was perfect. The only problem was, each of my previous workout plans seemed perfect too. How would I stay accountable and stick to it?
Thank you, social media pressure. I did something I don't normally do- I posted something personal on social media. Instagram, to be exact.
It may not be a cute picture of Danger, but I posted it anyways. I still, however, had a feeling that I would fall behind. So this happened:
Now that I had posted a day-specific blurb, I felt the pressure. I had to at least finish this month. I even started taking pictures and measurements of myself to track my progress.
Now, three days in, I'm writing a blog post about it! If this isn't commitment, then what is the internet even for?
This is how I got to a 4 Week Blogilates Challenge. Go ahead and click the link to see what I'm up to! Feel free to join me in the challenge, or just cheer me on!
What do you think? If you have had children, or if you have rarely stuck to a workout plan, does this sound similar to or different from your story?
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