In addition to the stress of taking care of a newborn, the majority of women add the burden of getting their “body back” ASAP after having a baby. A lot of the time, the added pressure makes it difficult to lose weight (seriously. We’ve all read those studies on cortisol, right?).
As a former athlete and fitness junkie, I’m just as eager to drop a few pounds. But I won’t be doing it in any sort of fanatical, new way. I go to the gym 4-5 times a week for 2 hours. I run on the treadmill. I use the resistance equipment to do a few circuits. And I eat healthy foods. Despite my healthy habits, people always want to recommend their new ideas to me. But in regard to fitness and dieting, I’d like to go on record with the following:
1) I will never, ever do “crossfit”. For every great thing I hear about it, there are lesser known side effects like bleeding, callused hands and bruised shins. Um, no thanks. I’m going to the gym to get skinny, not beefy and gross. There’s no part of me that wants to exchange my soft, pretty hands for those of a construction worker. Also, I like being a girl. I can be fit and toned without looking like a body building competitor. So, yeah, no crossfit for me (and, frankly, I don’t think you should do it, either).
2) Exercise with a kettlebell. For those of you who don’t know, kettlebells were invented by Russians in the 1700s, and if you think today’s Russians are nuts, please open a history text book and read up on the tsars/czars. I’m not touching anything those crazies decided was a good idea. Plus, just thinking about the words “swing”, “jerk” and “kettlebell” taking action in the same room seems incredibly dangerous.
3) None of you are doing the paleo diet correctly. Sorry, but making waffles out of coconut flour, imported vanilla, and honey is not mimicking the diet of our caveman ancestors. Seriously. There were no waffle makers in the paleolithic era. Zip. Nada. None. Also, if cavemen found a coconut, they just ate it. They did not do this.
Because every once in a while, I want to actually enjoy my life. And that includes enjoying the food I’m eating. And, if one day a week that delicious life moment is a burger and cheese fries from Shake Shack or a platter of sushi with white rice, then I’m going to eat it. I’m not going to obsess about the tone of my tummy or the shape of my arms. Yeah, I’ll indulge in my cravings. And, no, I won’t apologize for it. Because I’m not a fat slob, and I don’t need any drastic measures.
Ladies, give yourself a break. Don’t beat your brain up while you push off the pounds. Accept who you are today. Be confident. And don’t miss out on enjoying any more moments because you’re too caught up in obsessing about your body.
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