Most of my clients join the Lean in ’14 coaching group to lose body fat, gain a better understanding of how hormones effect things like hunger, energy, cravings and sleep, get access to quick efficient and effective workouts, and of course the support from a group of like-minded women that are facing the same challenges and struggles as themselves.
It is not necessarily a group geared towards moms, but seeing as the group is all women, I’d say we have a good amount of moms, and lately I’ve been getting a lot of questions about things like, how diet and exercise should change during pregnancy, how I got my “body back” after I had the boys, and how to fit in working out with little ones running amok.
Let me just start by saying it really doesn’t matter what I did, or what your sister did, or what you did during your other pregnancies. Every pregnancy is different, and no two people will experience the same things. You and I could eat the same exact things, exercise the exact same way, and we would most likely gain a different amount of weight during our pregnancies. We would probably have different cravings, different energy levels, different issues etc…You can do everything you think is “right”, trying your best to only gain a certain amount of weight, but you can only control so much. Get used to it…it’s just the beginning of realizing that life is about to change. Drastically.
My pregnancy was actually the first time in a very, very long time when I actually relaxed around food and exercise. I wasn’t counting calories or plugging food in on myfitnesspal. I wasn’t concerned with eating every 3 hours and making sure I had protein at every meal. Thankfully, I met with a great naturopathic doctor about 6 months before getting pregnant, who finally made me realize that doing 45 minutes of cardio 5-6 days a week, on top of lifting and other random classes, really wasn’t helping me in the fat loss department, OR the getting pregnant department. So the fall before I got pregnant I had begun walking more, stopped restricting myself during the week to only binge on the weekends, stopped all that unnecessary cardio, and went into my pregnancy at the lowest weight I had been at for years. Doing about 75% less exercise and not dieting. I’m thankful for that because had I entered my pregnancy in the “all or nothing” mindset I had been dealing with for so long, I know for a fact I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much as I did….
After I found out I was having twins, I remember reading somewhere that I should consume an extra 700 calories per day. 700. Seriously? That’s just ridiculous. I see absolutely ZERO reason to purposely eat anymore than you are hungry for. I remember having those thoughts, you know the ones that go something like this: “I’m gonna gain all this weight anyway, I might as well enjoy it” or “I’m going to have to diet anyway, what’s a few more pounds?”…But you know what? It doesn’t matter if you’re pregnant or not, if you eat like shit, you’re gonna feel like shit. Period. And it only took a couple times of me filling my face to realize that it wasn’t as fun as I thought it was gonna be.
Looking back, I don’t think I really changed anything at all when it came to my diet (besides a slight obsession with fountain soda diet pepsi). I honestly think that because I had finally stopped restricting myself in the months leading up to getting pregnant, that I just didn’t feel the need to eat as if all the good food wasn’t going to be there after I gave birth.
In my coaching group, one of the first things I go over when it comes to nutrition is the importance of what Metabolic Effect calls “HEC” (pronounced heck). It stands for hunger, energy and cravings and it is a great way to monitor how certain foods, exercise, your sleep patterns etc. are affecting you hormonally. A woman in my coaching group asked, “Should I still be monitoring my HEC?”. My response was “why the hell wouldn’t you”?
There are a lot of similarities between eating for fat loss, eating for pregnancy, and even eating while nursing….at least in my mind there are. In all cases, what works for one person will not necessarily work for the next, and in all cases staying away from processed foods and focusing on eating lean proteins, clean carbohydrates, fruit, veggies, good fats and drinking lots of water, are gonna go a long way.
I absolutely had my fair share of treats while I was pregnant. I definitely ordered things at restaurants that I probably wouldn’t have ordered before, and had desserts more often, but I really feel like it was in all in moderation because if I over-ate, I just felt horrible.
In my experience, nutrition became a little more challenging after the babies were born. Tandem nursing took a lot of time. If I had healthy food prepared, I was fine (as is the case all the time). If not, I would eat animal crackers and nuts all day. I had a client who would bring me rotisserie chicken and butternut squash a couple times a week and I remember having that for lunch almost every day. I made myself a protein shake (sun warrior was the only kind I could drink) with a banana and peanut butter, everyday morning because it was quick and easy for me to get in. I ate lots of nuts, yogurt, cheese sticks, apples, grapes and animal crackers…I ate lots of animal crackers! Just as was the case during my pregnancy, I didn’t purposely eat more because I was nursing. I listened to my body and I ate when I was hungry. I wasn’t trying to “diet”, but I definitely focused on healthy, whole foods. Moreso for the health of the boys though, than for me.
As far as exercise goes, during my pregnancy my doctor didn’t want me doing anything more than walking after about 20 weeks. She was on the conservative side. Another doctor in the same practice encouraged me to continue strength training, so I choose to listen to her. If I listened to everything I heard and or read, I would’ve lived in a bubble for 10 months. I knew my body, I knew how to exercise properly, I felt great, so I continued to do what I had been doing prior to getting pregnant. I walked my dog everyday, did 2-3 total body strength-training workouts and taught 1 spin class a week. After week 24, I added in swimming instead of spinning 1x per week, and pretty much kept everything else the same for the duration of my pregnancy. I had a scheduled C-Section at 37 weeks, 5 days. The boys were both 5lbs. 14oz. and 19 inches long. I had gained either 36 pounds and I believe that I definitely recovered faster from my C-section because I had been so active during my pregnancy.
Was I nervous about gaining a shitload of weight? Yes. Did I wonder if I would ever be able to wear a bikini again? Yes. Did I try to use every coconut cream available to prevent stretch marks? Yes. Did it work? No J
Prior to giving birth, I completely thought that I was going to be a crazy lady running around town with my double stroller trying to get my “body back” after giving birth…but when they were born, getting back in shape was the furthest thing from my mind. Like, the furthest.
I did nothing but feed them for the first 4 months. Literally. I was just a hot mess. The thought of working out was not even a thought. The only thing I did for strength work, was band rows for my upper back because I was so sore from sitting hunched forward trying to feed them for so long. I actually dropped the baby weight fairly quickly, not sure if it was due to nursing, or the fact that I didn’t gain a lot to begin with, but regardless I was in no way, shape or form, fit. Although the number on the scale said I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight, my body told a completely different story.
Once they started napping on more of a schedule, which was around 5 months or so, I would do a quick 20-30 minute strength- training workout (squats, glute bridges, TRX pushups, Side Plank, Band rows) during their morning nap in my basement. I didn’t do any running, jumping or anything intense until they were at about 6 months old. That’s not to say that I didn’t challenge myself, I just didn’t have the desire to go running, or to sign up for the first bootcamp class I could attend. I realized that I was getting results without all of that, so I continued doing what I was doing….
Over the last year, I’ve learned a lot more about what to do, and what not to do with women during and after pregnancy. I’m not a pre-post-natal exercise expert by any means, but this girl is, and after reading her stuff and seeing this woman speak at the Women’s Fitness Summit, I am a lot more careful with my programming for pregnant and new moms. I know that there is this sense of urgency to immediately fit back into our pre-pregnancy clothes, but things like jumping, crunching and burpee-ing 2 months after giving birth, is NOT a good idea. That’s an email for another day, but if you are pregnant, or planning to get pregnant, check out these women and educate yourself on the importance of taking things slow. I feel like although I didn’t purposely wait to workout, it really helped that I took I took my time.
Before having the boys, I was used to having a plan. A set workout schedule. Everything was periodized. I worked in 3-4 week “phases”. I did this on this day, and that on that day. I felt I had to do cardio for anything to “count”. I also always felt like I needed a training plan.
What I’ve learned is things don’t always go as planned with kids. They get sick, their schedules are constantly changing, they stop napping, and you just have to be flexible. Not having a specific “plan” is ok. I just focus on moving a lot (which isn’t hard with two 4 year olds) and keeping my diet in check. These days I aim for 3 days of strength training. I use the workouts that I give my coaching group (all under 24 minutes – the length of the boys’ favorite shows ;)) and I walk my dog everyday. I aim for one hard interval training session per week, usually hill sprints, and that’s about it.
I’ve been able to maintain my size without doing anything more than mentioned above. I’ve learned that although calories matter, hormones matter more, and a consistent diet that keeps my hormones happy, along with an efficient and effective exercise routine that focuses on strength training and walking has been what has worked for me (and my clients).
But having said all that…the biggest, BIGGEST, change has been my mindset.
I used to buy every new diet and exercise book out there and read it cover to cover thinking that they had the answer to why I couldn’t get a grip on my diet or why I was always obsessed with food and losing weight. I would jump on every workout bandwagon there was. Trying anything and everything that “she” was doing because I thought she looked better than me. I was always so critical of myself, always focusing on the negatives, zooming in on my “flaws”. And it just got me nowhere.
What I’ve found is that none of the answers are in those books. For me, the answers to finding “what works” were in the books about self-acceptance, habit change, questioning the validity of negative thoughts, and happiness. Focusing on my thoughts, and my perspective, has allowed me the opportunity to finally be comfortable exactly where I am right now, something that I never got from a diet or exercise book.
I’ve been leaner, lighter, less wrinkled, etc. etc, but I was never HAPPY with where I was. I never felt like anything was good enough, I never felt like I was good enough. Until now 🙂 My passion is to share what I’ve learned with anyone who is willing to try another way, whether you’re a mom or not. If any of what I’ve experienced sounds familiar, check out the Lean in ’14 private coaching group (you can add your name to the wait list below, It will be opening up soon!). It’s a place where we work on so much more than just getting leaner, and the results have been amazing.