5.12.2015

Getting Back in Shape: An Update

Back in January I shared with you my goals for losing the baby weight and getting back in shape in this post.   Since it's been four months since that post and six months since Matthew was born I wanted to give you all an update.   As I mentioned in that post I really wanted to focus my time not solely on losing baby weight but on getting myself back into pre-baby shape.  The journey has not been an easy one but I'm slowly working to get there.

After my pregnancy with Miller most of my baby weight came off rather quickly and my body went back to the same size.  This time around has been completely different and stuff is in totally different places. 

Here is a look at my progress.  I never intended to share these with anyone but since I'm hoping to document my progress and see how far I've come I decided to post them.   So apologies on the bad quality photos ;) 


6 Weeks Postpartum



8 Weeks Postpartum 





Shortly after I wrote my post in January around 8 weeks postpartum I was doing a decent job of making it to the gym 1-2 times a week and doing at home workouts.  Well between the snow, freezing cold weather, two small kids, and not being able to take Matthew to the gym daycare yet it got harder and harder to go. 
I was also feeling really defeated because by three months postpartum with Miller most of my clothes fit again and my stomach was flat.   This time around it was not like that.
Instead of feeling more motivated I spent most of February feeling sorry for myself and eating M&Ms.  To help get me motivated and feeling good I joined a new gym and Kyle got me some personal training sessions.  That still didn't help.   I just felt so blah and I was convinced I was never getting my pre-baby body back.
Yes I know at this point it had only been three months but I have always been lucky with my body type and metabolism that I could eat like crap, or skip workouts and still be skinny.   This time around that was not happening. 

Finally when Matthew was four months old I knew I needed to do something.  I am lucky enough to stay at home with my kids and I was so sick of being out of shape and stuck inside that I knew I needed to take advantage of the gym daycare and start taking care of myself again.



I started taking them to the gym daycare the first week of March.  The first two weeks were really rough with Miller and he hated it but after that it was fine.  Now he loves going there and loves seeing all his friends. 
I started to slowly ease myself back into running and lifting but I still felt a little lost.  My friend Amy had told me about this women's strength training class she was going to take and encouraged me to sign up. It was a 10 week class that met two times a week and focused on strength training specifially for women.  It sounded like exactly what I needed to do so I emailed the instructor and signed up.   

It's been five weeks since our class started and I haven't felt this good in a long time.  I'm lifting weights I didn't know I could and I've seen more progress in the five shorts weeks I've been in this class than I have in years.  The goal of the class is to help women feel strong and to make us realize that we can deadlift 100lbs and we're not going to look like bodybuilders!  Our trainer is encouraging and supportive without being scary or screaming at us and the fact that it's all women encouraging one another is awesome too.  The plans that she has built for us are really easy and could be done on your own at the gym or with weights at your house. 

Here is how I look today:

6 months postpartum



Weight wise I'm still about 7lbs from my comfortable weight and about 12lbs from my ideal weight but to be honest I'm not worried about that right now.  I'm still nursing Matthew 80% of the time and I know I will hold onto some weight until I quit for good.   I'm still working really hard for my flat stomach but core workouts don't come as easy as they used to so I'm taking my time with those too but I'm losing inches all over.  I can fit back into a lot of my pre-pre baby clothes but not all of them. 

I'm slowly coming to realization that it might take me a long time until I feel comfortable again with my post baby body.  I'm also realizing that I'm the only one who can make a difference about it.  Sitting around feeling sorry for myself and snacking on m&ms is not going to get me back into my old pants again so I might as well be proactive no matter how slow I have to go. 

My workout schedule looks like this right now:

- Tuesday and Thursday- Strength Training Class for 1 hour from 8:30-9:30
- Walk 1-2 miles 2-3 times a week (with stroller and dog)- this varies day to day. 


I would really like to add 3 days of hard cardio/metabolic workout into my schedule and I'm going to be testing that out next week.  

I will be back on Thursday to share an example of my strength training workouts, what my diet consists of (still can't kick that sweettooth), and some of my workout gear favorites. 

Would love to hear from others about your favorite diet, exercise, or workout gear that keeps you motivated!!

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25 comments

  1. Girl!! Good for you for owning it and getting yourself healthy. Pounds don't matter--it's how you feel and it sounds like you feel great, and you are looking great! Keep it up--you are inspiring!

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  2. You look amazing!! This really helps to read, I need some motivation! I swear there is no time to go to the gym, you are doing such a great job going with two babies!

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  3. Girl you look fantastic! I'm going to need to refer back to this post, because I think for most people, it does take time.....I know I'll be anxious (because I'm already hating the number on the scale) to get back to where I started. We have a daycare at the gym so it's going to be my goal to take full advantage of it!

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  4. You look great!! I'm 16 months post partum and I look almost the same as before, but not nearly as toned. With my husband's opposite schedule I just don't get to work out as often as I'd like anymore.

    liz → {sundays with sophie}

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  5. You are looking AWESOME girl, keep up the amazing work :-D

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  6. Natalie you are doing such an awesome job & you look amazing!! I definitely need to find the motivation to get back at it. I keep thinking I'm going to start walking daily but, with all this rain we've been having it's impossible! Keep up the hard work!! I can't wait to read about everything on Thursday!

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  7. You look awesome, way to go!

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  8. You look amazing! Kudos to getting back at it! I find it so hard to fit time in the day but I do feel so better! As for workout clothes, I am loving me some Target finds.

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  9. Way to go mama!! You look awesome. It's so funny that you posted this today, because I just saw your cute post with the two boys on Mother's day yesterday and I was like, "damn, she's looking so skinny!!" So your hard work is definitely paying off!! You look great and even better that you are feeling great. Can't wait for Thursday's post.

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  10. GET IT, Mama! You look so great and healthy. I'm so proud of you and you are such a motivation :)

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  11. you look amazing!!! ♥ great job!

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  12. You look really amazing!! I have 4 kids, and I've found it to be harder and harder to lose weight after each baby. Not sure if it's because I'm getting older, more tired, or busier (or a combo of the three)! ;-) Anyway, I quit nursing my youngest last fall and 5 lbs has slowly crept back on, so I'm determined to lose it in the next month. I've set a goal that I'll have it gone by the time summer starts (i'm a teacher)....and I'm hoping to stick with it!! Thanks for the motivation!

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  13. You look amazing and it's nice to hear you feel amazing too! You must be so proud of yourself for sticking to a routine. I think planning something routine is the hardest part of being a mother of a infant. You are rocking this motherhood thing!

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  14. You look AMAZING! I always avoided strength training, but after having baby number two it has been one of the only things that gives me results, and fast. I can't believe you're not into everything pre-baby because you are looking so tiny! It is crazy how much harder it is and how much more things change after the second baby, but you are doing a great job!

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  15. Way to go! You look amazing! It was hard for me after #2. I never got back to my normal size after #1 (they are 15 months apart). I started going to the gym 5x a week when #2 was four months old and it took about 6 months before I really got to where I wanted to be. I have a serious sweet tooth too. I cannot have chocolate in the house!
    Traci
    waltzmetoheaven.com

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  16. I'm terrified for post baby weight! I can only imagine how long it'll take me to lose twin weight! You look aaaamazing- hard work is paying off!

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  17. You look absolutely stunning! Congrats to you and your hard work! I have been doing a strength class twice a week now and love how much stronger I feel. Keep up the good work love!

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  18. You look great!! Congrats! I know EXACTLY how you are feeling. It's been a little over a year now, and I am about 5-8 pounds away from my wedding weight. I have actually been speed walking (try to at least 5 days a week) with my little one in the stroller. I just purchased an Elite City Jogger and LOVE it. I now combine both walking and running during my workouts. I also have cut back on my portion size at each meal, and make smoothies a lot. I have a bad sweet tooth, too, and really know that I can cut back, but can't completely give it up. Life's too short! Best of luck, and keep going! You can reach your goals!:) "No pain, no gain!" as my swim coach used to say!

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  19. You look amazing and I'm so proud of you for sharing your honest journey (and pictures) with all of us! I'm not a fan of strength training but know I'm going to need it to really get back to where I need to be after the baby comes. I've asked Trey to get me a few personal training sessions but I'll look and see if I can find a gym that offers something regular like yours!

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  20. You look absolutely fabulous! That class sounds amazing! Xo, Stephanie

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  21. You look awesome! And girl, baby #3's weight has taken me A YEAR! I just posted my one year postpartum update if you want to check it out.
    www.california-to-carolina.com

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