POSTPARTUM UPDATE!

Postpartum Progress Continued!!

It has been a little less than 6 weeks since my last update!

Baby boy is 4 months old this week (17 weeks I think) and getting so big. 

At his 4 month check up
with my 5 year old. 

I just finished week 8 of the 12 week Busy Mom Gets Fit strength training program I am following.  Loving that still!!  Still nursing and just started TJ on some oat cereal because he was wanting to nurse almost every hour. 

                                  

I think the best way to sum up the past 5 weeks is with three categories, MENTAL, PHYSICAL and VISUAL.

Mental

I think I need to start with mental!! Knowing I had a photo shoot coming up for GORGO Women's Fitness Magazine has taken my thought process all over the place.  

As I did my last update I was feeling good about my progress and thought to myself "lets see what I can do with another 6 weeks…….I can REALLY ……..REALLY be all over my training and diet and hopefully look somewhat decent to have my picture taken".  My plan was to add an extra day or two of cardio and be a bit more restrictive with my diet. 

Did I mention I had a birthday, my husband had a birthday and there was that crazy night everyone gets dressed up and shoves candy in your face (an exaggeration of course).

The first few weeks went by and I made it to the gym and ate my balanced diet  keeping an 80/20 approach. 

But no extra cardio……you want to know why?  I don’t have the time…..that’s not an excuse, its real.  I train for an hour a day and at the most an hour and a half (I am rather social also….that takes some of my time).  Anything more than that is just too much. When I am at the gym other things are waiting for me…..not to mention baby boy in childcare. If two hours became my new normal…what after that? Slippery slope and I don't want to get on it!! 

Want to know what else…..I had cake at my birthday, my husband’s birthday and on Halloween.  I’m not training for a competition (yet) and I’m not racing anyone to see who can lose the most baby weight the fastest. 

So as I’m going through all these “ I said I was going to do this and I’m not" thoughts and emotions,  it hit me that……..this magazine is all about REAL WOMEN!!!  Showing where they are on their fitness journey, bikini body or not. 

Well I am a real woman….a real mom……and a really strong one at that.  If I don’t have the time…..let me say extra time…..most other women don’t either. 

I realized that I want the results as much as I want to attain such in a healthy and balanced approach.  Knowing that when I say if I can do it you can too, you really can. 

My approach to any weight loss goal is moderation……EVERYTHING IN MODERATION.  Too much exercise is not a good thing……a diet too restrictive is not a good thing……..too many sweets is not a good thing…..etc.etc. etc. 

I hit the gym 5 days every week since my last update and slayed my workouts. I stayed committed to eating enough to support weight loss but not so drastically I’m losing all my muscle or jeopardizing my breastfeeding.  Right now that is my plan….which leaves room for cake on birthdays, candy with my kids from time to time, and a reasonable amount of time at the gym for a busy mom. 

Physical

After I blogged this I was able to
add another 5 on each side!!!

Hammer Shoulder Press 50#'s
on each side. 

The biggest changes are in this category for sure!! I am feeling strong again…..doing so many of the things that I missed so much as my pregnancy progressed.  I am already back to some of my max weights on some of my lifts that I was at before I was pregnant. I hit the 45lb plates on the hammer shoulder press again (loading that up just makes you feel bad ass), un-assisted dips for several reps, my planks are less painful, I can do hanging leg raises with my legs extended, and my dead lifts are coming around (still working on my squats). 


While all of this is great and pleasing to me it came with consistent effort.  Showing up each workout to make changes.  With that being said there is still so much more to be done, always, always progress to be made!! Lifting weights makes that easy to measure……how much weight did I lift this time…. how many reps? You get my drift.

Now…...when I CAN say I did 4 un-assisted pull ups again I may come un-glued! Boy will that be exciting!!

Visual

I see changes, obviously not nearly as drastic as the first few weeks. At this point it’s in the little things that will help me measure progress.  I have had a lot of comments about the visual changes and that does a lot for my patience.  My pre-pregnancy clothing options are expanding and I’m enjoying that for sure…..nothing better than liking your outfit. 

Starting to see definition in my arms and abs…..obviously lower body fat helps with that.  Just excited about
seeing muscles…..period!!!!!

Still have some loose skin and belly fat to work on
but feeling strong……...and happy about that!!

So the scale…..I may have lost one more pound since my last update.  Id be lying if I didn’t say I would like to see more than that. At this point I know slow and steady……and I know I hold onto some body fat until I am done with nursing, at least I did with my last two.

This is 10 weeks difference, still plenty of progress to be
made but progress takes time!

So………...PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION………..RIGHT!!!  Glad I am able to remind myself of that also!!

Keep up with my Facebook page over the weekend….I travel Friday for the photo shoot.  Excited to see how the pictures turn out…meet some of the most amazing people for the first time, and see old friends that I miss so much!!  I will keep repeating to myself "I will get there" as I stand next to the likes of Bikini Pros, Figure champs, and long time fitness mamas!!  I will try to post some behind the scenes pictures for y'all as well….some sneaky peaky :-)

YAY for wearing clothes I like again!! And the picture on the right is my
5 year old building forts with all the blankets, pillows, and towels
she could find while I am trying to do these pictures. 

*I have had great feedback from sharing my postpartum reality, I know its encouraged a few new moms to hold their heads high and just make a start at losing that weight!! Sweat pants and all!!  So If you have a pregnancy journey you would like to share please message it to me and I can post on the page! I would love to flood the news feed with new…..sorta new….or even still pregnant mamas getting after their goals.  Message me your progress pictures and page if you have one! I know we are all recovering differently after children so more stories other than mine need to be shared.  
www.facebook.com/fitnix5

As Awlays,
LOVE, SWEAT, GRIT,
Christie FitNix