Loving Your Post Baby Body

PC: @lee_kristine

While I was writing this article, I came across so many sources that guaranteed they could give their readers tips on how to "fix" their post baby bodies. This is not that kind of post. I hope that with these tips, all of you beautiful moms can love your bodies and embrace a healthy lifestyle. It seems like most of us ladies put loads of pressure on ourselves to get back into shape pronto! Some lucky ladies leave the hospital in their pre maternity jeans, while others fight tooth and nail to shed the baby weight and feel normal again. For first time moms, that first glimpse of your body after birth can be horrifying. It can be hard to give yourself credit where credit is due, so here are some tips to love that post baby body.

Start From The Inside

Food is the fuel our bodies use to keep the engines running. When we feed our bodies right we benefit physically and psychologically. According to a Harvard Health Publication, the food we fuel our bodies with can have a profound impact on the brain. When we continually practice poor nutrition, our bodies can react with mood disorders, including depression.  This is why it is crucial to feed the body properly (and enjoy treats in moderation). Start by making small changes to your diet and get the whole family on board. Eating healthy is much easier when the whole household supports each other. Food brings us together as families and in social gatherings, so food should be enjoyable, not just edible. Here are some links to some healthy recipes the whole family will enjoy! Skinny Taste Recipes Bodybuilding.com Healthy Recipe Database

Set Realistic Goals

Social media and society have conditioned women to obsess over the appearance of the human body instead of focusing on a healthy body. In order to set realistic goals you need to be real with yourself. It took 9 months to grow that adorable little human, so give yourself time to heal. After giving birth, the body is going through many changes on the inside that you may not notice. Listen to what your body is telling you and adjust your goals as needed. Here are some examples of personal goals you could set for yourself:

• Workout (at home or the gym) 3-4x/week
• Throw out all the junk
• Organize & participate in one family activity per week (i.e. bike ride, hike, brisk walk, play in the yard)
• Eat more vegetables

In this digital age, many resources are available to you to help you start living a more active lifestyle. Search for local trails or parks where you can enjoy your family activities. Here are some links to help you with your goals: At Home & Gym Workouts Guide To Local Trails

Change Your State of Mind

About a year after I had my son, I finally had a positive relationship with my body. I was about 10 lbs away from my pre baby weight, but I felt good. I had a conversation with my husband and his response is something I will cherish forever. He said, "You don't have to be 10 lbs lighter to be happy, you just need to be healthy." I am not often left speechless, but in that moment, I sat there and thought, "You are completely right." At that moment, my focus changed from myself to my family. I decided that we needed to focus on living a healthy lifestyle so we can enjoy each other for as long as possible. When I stopped focusing solely on those last 10 lbs and started focusing on the bigger picture, I found joy. Life became about living and stopped being about my weight. According to Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck, all of us are one of two "mindsets." We can exhibit traits of the fixed mindset; where we believe traits such as intelligence, talents and basic qualities are fixed, meaning they cannot change. People with the fixed mindset believe they are born with the talent (or lack of talent) that makes them successful (or unsuccessful) and it cannot be changed. Others exhibit traits of the growth mindset; where we believe such traits can be developed, learned and changed with hard work and dedication. As hard as it may be to have that growth mindset, we must believe that anything can be changed, developed or learned. Our potential is limitless if we allow ourselves to grow. If you find yourself having that fixed mindset, remember that you are capable of changing your mindset and accomplishing any goal you may have. To you beautiful mothers out there, love your bodies. Set goals for yourself so you continually move forward in your personal growth. Believe in yourself even when it is hard and ask for help when you need it. If you're needing some more inspiration on fixing that relationship with your body, check out Brooke's blog from last week on "3 Tips to Loving Your Post-Partum Body." Written by Lindsay Helm