How I Got My Groove Back

Happy Friday! I've had a lot of questions about staying fit throughout my pregnancy last year, and bouncing back *almost there* once baby girl arrived. I am in no way an expert, so please take my advice with a grain of salt and do what works best for you and your body. I'm outlining below what worked for me, and helped keep me happy and healthy this past year as my body went through all those wonderful changes.

Keeping up with barre and yoga throughout my pregnancy was an amazing experience. But let me tell you dragging myself to class during the 1st trimester nausea and exhaustion was no joke! However, once I was there I was so glad I forced myself, and I always felt so much better once class was over. I truly believe that staying fit and active helped me keep a lot of symptoms away (or minimal) such as swelling, back pain, and trouble sleeping. And cute workout clothes make it even more fun to get motivated and get to class.

I guess you could say I was a minimalist throughout my pregnancy. I did all the important things like taking pre-natal vitamins, drank plenty of water, kept up with my workouts, designed and decorated the nursery, slathered on all-natural belly butter, and attended all my doctor appointments. However, I didn't buy any maternity clothes (except for my baby shower dress), I didn't go crazy eating all the things, and I didn't even purchase a pregnancy pillow. A king size pillow worked perfectly at night to help me sleep more comfortably.

During Pregnancy

• I kept up with my workouts that I was already doing which were going to The Bar Method 3-4 times a week during lunch, yoga, weekend bike rides, and at home workouts such as Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred and George St. Pierre's Rushfit. 
• Modified my workouts to fit my changing body. No more twisting, jumping, splits, or any moves that required you to lay on your stomach like "supermans".
• Drank a lot of water
• Drank more water
• Slathered on all-natural belly butter after every shower 
• Didn't over indulge on food and cravings. Trust me, I had my moments and requests for Chic Fil A and trips to the local ice cream shop were common, but I mostly stuck to my usual eating habits of lean meats, salads, greek yogurt, cereal, and light pasta meals. Mmmm pasta. In the words of Emily from The Devil Wears Prada "I eat carbs".
• Took pre-natal vitamins and an additional vitamin D supplement daily

*1st post-bump blog shoot about 10 days post-partum*

*1 month post-partum*

*6 weeks post-partum, and cleared for workouts again*

*3 and 1/2 months post-partum*

* 5 months post-partum*

Post-pregnancy

• Took off the first 6 weeks from exercise which is standard until you get the ok from your doctor to resume working out. I was also recovering from an emergency c-section, so I thought I'd have to wait longer, but I was so thankful to get the go-ahead at my 6 week appointment.
• Lots of stroller walks around the neighborhood. We both got some fresh air and Vitamin D, and I was able to get in some light exercise before starting my workouts again.
• Continued to drink a lot of water. Great for me, and for the baby since I am breastfeeding/pumping.
• After a few weeks, I moved on to exclusively pumping due to a nasty bout with mastitis. Breastfeeding isn't for everyone, and a lot of moms find out that they're unable to. This is what worked best for my baby and me. She was happier with the flow out of the bottle, and no longer got frustrated and I also knew how many ounces she was receiving at each feeding. Some people  swear by breastfeeding/pumping to shed the baby weight. I honestly don't know if it made a difference, but it may have. 
• Eased back into a workout routine which is still modified to a degree since I can't jump or run without holding my c-section incision area. That will take about a year to fully heal according to my doctor. 
• I am doing ab work, but nothing crazy per the doctor's orders. He said ab work is fine, just don't overdo it and listen to your body.
• Staying active and present. As much as I love being that sweet little girl's mom I also make time for me whether it's blog related, pampering at the nail spa, or a night out. I am also still a wife, sister, daughter, and friend. Balance is key for every aspect of life.

For those of you at home with a new little one or will be at some point, I just want to let you know that no matter how hard it is, how exhausted you are, or how overwhelmed you feel those first few weeks - I promise it will get better. Those baby blues are seriously no joke! Fresh air and a change of scenery work wonders!

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If you're interested in checking out a barre class, you can find my comparison of Barre3 vs. The Bar Method here. I haven't tried Pure Barre yet, but have heard that it's similar to The Bar Method. And Central FL friends ~ don't forget about the Barre3 pop up in the park on April 22nd. Did I mention it's totally free?

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