What I Learned From Three Weeks Of Being Active

Blog

What I Learned From Three Weeks Of Being Active

07/04/2018

When I became pregnant with my daughter, I was immediately told not to do any physical fitness activities, due to possible complications with my pregnancy. Although on one hand, I was extremely happy for the excuse to stop working out, on the other hand, I grew tired, lazy and far less healthy than I could have otherwise been during my pregnancy.

Flash forward nearly two years later and with a busy toddler, I had not restarted any kind of fitness routine. Sure I’d take stroller walks several times a week, but that was as far as it got. Like so many busy moms, I just couldn’t find a way to make it a priority. Furthermore, my targeted ads all over Facebook and Google were screaming slanderous slogans like “Bounce Back After Baby!” and “Find Your Body Again!” I couldn’t help but think, I never lost my body…it has been right here with me all along. I also began thinking about how all of the postpartum programs I’d been a part of had been geared towards weight loss; which was something that I was never that I was interested in. I was however, on board with getting healthy and feeling strong.

I decided to plan three weeks of Mom and Baby Active camps for the month of June. I made the commitment to facilitate each one, beginning in Orléans then heading to Barrhaven and finishing in Kanata. In addition to starting the summer off on a healthy note, and jump starting a healthier body and mind lifestyle, I was eager to meet and connect with other moms who were in similar positions to my own. I wanted to hear their stories, know their goals and share in each others strengths and weaknesses.

Here is what I learned:

    • Working out is WAY more fun in a group – Every morning of the three weeks began with a check-in about how we were feeling. I loved hearing all of the mixed emotions about how the moms were doing. “My legs and butt are in so much pain”, “I’m so not in the mood to work out today” and “I feel better than I’ve felt in years” were all things that were said by each one of us at some point throughout the camps. I can’t begin to tell you how nice it was to know I was not in it by myself. When we had a particularly hard workout, all it would take would be a look of “you got this” from a mom across the room to perfectly motivate the tired. Or while we were dancing to the Spice Girls with Emilie of Esther America Dance, we were laughing so hard at ourselves and each other, that we had forgotten we were even working out. The women in the group helped make the exercises fun!

 

    • If you’re going to succeed in being healthy as a busy mom, you have to plan your meals – As part of the program, we would end the day having lunch with one another while talking about some assigned journalling topics that promoted feelings of empowerment, confidence and self love. We all committed to bringing healthy lunches and snacks. Now, I don’t know about you, but I have found it almost impossible to prepare myself delicious, healthy meals while raising a baby. My daughter will have the most delicious, organic, nutrient packed spread laid out for her and I’m eating a box of mac n cheese because it’s fast and easy; so things had to change. At the start of each week, I would do my groceries and in addition to a lot more fruits and vegetables, I would buy things that I knew were protein packed and easy to make. One great option was to grab a Farm Boy Rotisserie Chicken and their pre-made Kale salad. This was good for at least 3 lunches and if I added a hardboiled egg and some avocado, it would fill me up for most of the day. We were also visited by Karen Seath Smith, R.H.N. to discuss Nutrition For Busy Moms. She provided us with tips on how to make meal prep easier on ourselves such as, roasting veggies in the oven while you’re playing with the little one. Filling your fridge with energy balls or hard boiled eggs so you have something quick and easy to grab while you’re on the go. Sharing the cooking/prep load with your partner. And finally, pre-making delicious smoothies the night before and storing them in the fridge.

 

    • There will be good days and hard days – We are only human. Although every day that I was with the moms I had FUN, there are certain days that exercise is just downright HARD and unpleasant. Maybe you overdid it the day before. Maybe you were up all night with a sleepless baby. Maybe you’d just rather be on the couch watching Netflix in your sweats. It will not always be amazing, but you WILL always be thankful you did it when it’s over.        

 

    • You have to love the workout you’re doing – This is kind of contradictory to the above point, but enjoying what you’re doing is a surefire way to continuing to do it. I am not a gym person; I never have been and the thought of fitting my postpartum body into spandexy clothes that are going to reveal my insane postpartum sweat stains, causes me an intense amount of anxiety. So it was vital that I find workouts that I did enjoy! Some that’ll have you grinning ear-to-ear include: Fitness with Jules – not only is she insanely relatable as a mom and person, she will have you laughing so hard, you’ll forget that you’re doing an insane workout. Salsa Babies – Doing anything with an extra 20+ pounds strapped to your chest is HARD! But dancing to Latin music with other smiling women, while snuggling with your baby, makes it easy and fun! Babywearing Street Dance – Instructor Emilie Phaneuf is the perfect mix of encouraging, hilarious, kind and energetic. Just being in her presence makes you feel cool, even though you have a baby strapped to your front! Best of all, she takes requests so in our group it was essentially 90’s central (Spice Girls/No Diggity). Sweaty Betty’s Fitness – The postpartum fitness of the West and South End! I loved that almost all of her exercises incorporated baby. Greco Kanata South – these guys must pump something into the air of the place because the second you walk in, you just feel GREAT! We were welcomed there on a “field trip” and had an amazing instructor Matt, lead us on an 8 station, circuit workout. It was probably the hardest thing we did that week, but the playlist, combined with Matt’s energy and the Greco vibe, made for such a fun time. Bottom line, you’ll enjoy the experience of working out FAR more if you can laugh your way through it. 

 

    • It’s easiest to get it over with early It turns out, I actually CAN work out in the morning. I have always been amazing at making excuses for why this is impossible but the truth is, I loved waking up early and getting a one hour workout and one hour walk over with first thing, so I had the rest of the day to do all the other things a busy mom needs to do (or nap). I know that this isn’t always doable, especially as multiple kids come into the mix, but it felt really great to know I could carry on with my day and the hardest part was over. Plus, I had more energy for the rest of the day.

 

    • Working out DOES make you happier – By the end of the first week, I was not only feeling happier, but things that normally got on my nerves, started not to matter as much! I found I felt happier towards my partner, laughed more, felt more inclined to socialize and had a lot more patience. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain. Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. The last time I felt this way was when I was hot yoga obsessed while preparing for my wedding and maybe I equated the happy feeling to my upcoming nuptials more than the physical activity I was doing.

 

    • No matter the shape, size or weight of a person, we all have our own challenges – Do I need to say more? As each woman shared their story it became blatantly clear to me that just because someone may look otherwise “perfect” doesn’t mean they feel good, strong, or confident. Many women find it incredibly difficult to recognize (or like) their new bodies, however remarkable it may be. Even those who appear to have “bounced back” can be left with negative feelings towards their new shape.

 

    • Stretching is important –  I’d always be the one sneaking out quietly during the cool-down portion of any workout. I always thought the importance of stretching was a myth that the gym teacher told us to get five minutes of quiet.  I’m joking of course, but honestly, I didn’t know just how great it could feel until we were visited by Olga of Olga’s Way in Orleans, and Claudia Hoyos of My Yoga At Home, in Kanata and Barrhaven. Each instructor guided us through a deep, cleansing stretch that worked our tired and aching muscles. It felt great and we all took home valuable tips on how to relieve common “new mom aches and pains”.

 

  • Your confidence CAN reach new heights – Along with the happiness factor, when I realized that I actually could take control of my lifestyle and be healthier, I started to feel more in control, which lead to an increase in confidence. Coupled with the fact that I spent three weeks talking about how amazing the female body is, I began to look at my body in an entirely new light. Gone were the negative thoughts of cellulite and stretch marks and what replaced them were thoughts of kindness and self love and appreciation. Our final task of the week was to write a letter to our body, personifying it. If you’re still reading this, I challenge you,  to sit down, pen to paper and write your body a thank you note for all of the amazing things it has done. Once you actually think about it, you’ll realize that your body never left you and in fact, has been there creating miracles all along.

The following poem was written by Chelsey Paton Stewart; Mom of beautiful Sara and my friend <3

Body, Oh Body, Where have you gone,

I don’t know you anymore, You have me feeling glum.

I hate you for the way you look, My eyes they do not lie,

For when I take the time to look at you, I always want to cry.

Routines don’t feel right anymore, Running, walking, it just isn’t the same,

The pounds are weighing down on me, My Body, my mind, my soul are in pain.

Even after all that you’ve put me through, I’ll tell you from my heart,

You’ve given me a new life, a new start,

My little smiley, cuddly, all around sweetheart.

I feel it is important to be sincere,

You’ve made my life complete,

Allowing me to carry, grow, and feel, Her little kicks, hiccups and heartbeat.

Although it wasn’t easy, They cut me pretty deep,

You’ve been mostly strong all along, Holding me up on my feet.

So even though I have some doubts, Of ever seeing the old you again,

The new you isn’t so bad, I’m glad to call you a friend.

Special THANKS to all the amazing businesses that worked with us over the three weeks!

  1. Karen Seath Smith’s Facebook group for the empowerment of women, recipes and health tips 
  2. Iron North Studios 
  3. EVX Bootcamp
  4. Fitness With Jules 
  5. Sweaty Betty 
  6. Salsa Babies Ottawa 
  7. Emilie Phaneuf of Esther America Dance
  8. Olga’s Way
  9. My Yoga At Home
  10. Karyn Jacobsen Hughes, Belly Dance 
  11. Greco Kanata South 

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Give your inbox a dose of delight.

Sign up to receive helpful parenting info, program updates, contests, and special offers - right in your inbox.

Let’s be friends!

Join us on Instagram for the latest Mommy Connections news, promos and updates.

WE ARE HONOURED TO BE TRUSTED BY: