Itz Holistically Wholesome

So I have officially two months and two weeks post-partum, and I am feeling fantabulous, yippee! Like most things, I was eager to arrive at this point and could not wait to start getting back to my fitness routine before the baby. I was sure I would be able to crush this weight and get right back into the hang of things once I hit the six weeks mark, but that has proven to be much more complicated than I anticipated. Giving birth to a 9lbs 10 ounces baby girl certainly has its drawbacks.

Anyways, physically, I am feeling much more robust, and things are starting to settle down as my baby gets older and begins to have somewhat of a routine. My goal is to shed all the weight I have gained and get back to eating a much healthier diet because I have dropped off here and there. One such instance was I could not eat a wide variety of greens as I used to during my pregnancy due to aversion, and salads were almost a complete no, no!

So to kick off things, here is what I have been doing:

Eating habits– I have reverted to eating predominately raw fruits and vegetables. My diet primarily consists of fresh juices, smoothies, and a large salad bowl with plenty of greens. I have significantly reduced my intake of bread, fried foods, processed food, and most starches such as flour and rice. While I never consumed much sugar during my pregnancy, I have also kicked that to the curve. So basically, my sugar intake is from fruits and other natural foods.

Exercise

Walking – I have started to walk a lot more and am more determined to spend my days more active. Although, to be honest, I am a lazy nancy throughout the cold season, so I have to be more intentional about this.

Running – This is one of my favorite activities. While I am not running at the rate that I used to, I can now run up to 3 miles; that is the limit I have set for myself, as I still feel discomfort. I am excited to take my baby along as well, and I recently acquired a jogger stroller, and she loves it.

Aerobics/Strength training – I also exercise for thirty minutes a day. My exercises are whole body, and I have refrained from using weights until later ( I fear I will be bulky if I do, so I want to lose most of the weight/fat first). I also do a considerable about of squats; I love squatting. Regarding my abdominal, I am so happy that even though I just had a baby, my skin is very tight, and I do not have much sagging in other places. I do mainly standing abdominal exercises than lower body ones. I realized that when I fully extend my lower legs to do leg raises, sit-ups, crunches, mountain climbers, and so on, I feel a sharp pain inside my lower abdomen—that’s my cue that healing is still taking place.

Sign up for challenges – Around this time of year, there are always many challenges by various organizations looking to raise awareness or funds. Some of these include the Cancer Society, St. Jude, and countless others. I usually sign up for at least one each month and am doing the same this year. It is a great way to stay on track and remain motivated while doing something good.

So far, things as been going as planned, and I am meticulous in listening to my body as it continues to heal. Also, I will post more updates about my postnatal weight loss journey to crush sixty pounds.

Until next time God bless.