Fitness post baby :-) How to get your baby blues and bump under control

Jo-Ann-29

Jo-Ann-30

Many people have asked me how to get back into shape after growing a little person in your belly for over 9 months. Good question, ladies! I’ll be honest, it was much easier with our first child and the battle with the bulge post baby 2 has been real. Yip, I repeat, the struggle is REAL! I am a strong believer in maintaining fitness and strength throughout your pregnancy. And the whole eating for two myth? Well, exactly that! It’s a myth. Myth debunked – you do NOT need to eat for two. You need to eat healthily for the sake of you and your baby. And the strength and fitness – you’ll DEFINITELY need all your muscles when you’re postpartum and carrying a newborn in a carseat up and down strairs with a baby bag in tow … and when you have a toddler holding onto your leg and begging to be picked up simultaneously? Sister, those Olympic weighlifters have nothing on you.

With baby one, I trained mostly with my incredible Pilates instructor, William Hall (AKA William the Torturer) and he helped me maintain my strength throughout. I trained up to the end (well, sort of – I think I stopped at 38 weeks) and with baby two, I trained with Tammy Rawstron for a few sessions of Fit Mama at Virgin Active. I picked up 16 kilos with my first pregnancy, managed to loose 14 kilos and then gained 19 kilos with the second pregnancy and am still working on the last 5 kilos. I’ll be honest, gym is not on my priority list with two little people and a relatively busy work schedule (and a household and a husband), but I’ve pushed it up my list as I realise that it’s not a selfish investment at all. I need to be as fit and healthy as possible to be the best possible mom and wife I can be. And being fit also helps when the baby blues start raising it’s ugly head – I’ll tackle this topic too in our subsequent posts.

So, I’ll be embarking on a fitness journey and would love to share this with you all. Share your fitness secrets and health tips below and let’s all get ready for summer together. Because summer bodies are made in winter 😉

Lots of love and light,

Modern Mommy Jo xx

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12 Comments

  1. Tammy
    Thu, 11 August 2016
    Reply

    You are an absolute vision and inspiration.

  2. Anneri Buitendach
    Thu, 11 August 2016
    Reply

    I am a new mommy of almost 4 weeks now. What a huge blessing!!! Speaking of getting back in shape..I was lucky enough too only gain 12kg during my pregnancy and already lost 8 so far. If I look back the credit can definitely go to Pilates! I trained until 38 weeks and started with the diaphragmatic breathing exercises in week one post pregnancy and can really feel the difference. Going back to training in week 6. If it worked for me,it can also work for other moms out there! The battle is definitely real though!

  3. Megan Daniels
    Thu, 11 August 2016
    Reply

    Thank you for this. Yes the 1st time it was easier losing the weight. But yes the struggle is real. My second child is now 4 years old and I am still trying. Super motivated now to lose the weight now.

  4. Thobela Kolweni
    Thu, 11 August 2016
    Reply

    I am a first time mommy. Gained 16kgs during the pregnancy. Attended preggy aerobic classes from 6 weeks until 37 weeks. I was due back after my 6 week checkup but I couldn’t make myself leave my little girl for about two hours while I go get a workout. Also she was breastfeeding on demand and refused to take her bm from the bottle.

    I also was comfortable that the weight was melting off with the breastfeeding! Lost all the baby weight by the time my baby was 4 months and I kept it off. She is now 16 months and I am weaning her off breastmilk and I can feel the kilos pilling. Being a working mom with a hubby who is away a lot and no helper at home I really don’t have a moment to workout ?

  5. Ashy
    Thu, 11 August 2016
    Reply

    I’m a mummy of 2 little girls, 2 1/2 years and a newborn who is a month old. I find this time I’m more impatient to lose the weight, myb because before pregnancy I was in good shape and I couldn’t exercise much during pregnancy coz I wasn’t well. But I suppose the weight cones on in 9 months, can’t expect it to magically disappear. But very happy to start getting back into shape. Can’t wait to read ur next post. You look great ?

  6. Gillian
    Thu, 11 August 2016
    Reply

    You are doing great Jo-Ann. In everything you do, you prove that hard work pays off. Keep on keeping on.

  7. Saamiyah
    Tue, 23 August 2016
    Reply

    Such inspiring messages ladies.It defnitely is work on a daily basis.Im not a new mommy but I know trying to loose the weight after second baby is much harder.Im lucky that I did not have a problem loosing it post partum.Lets keep on motivating each other.Wonderful read.

  8. Elani
    Thu, 25 August 2016
    Reply

    i am expectant now, and ‘baby fat’ is my biggest worry…. sometimes ii wonder if i will be able to get rid of the fat after baba comes… u know…the stretched bump! ypu’re a big motivation!

  9. Wed, 31 August 2016
    Reply

    You look fantastic.

    I don’t have a trainer and hardly the time so I climb the stairs instead of the lift, I park far from the entrance, I drink 2-3 liters of water, I chase my girls in the yard, We dance like nobody’s watching and I clean like the queen is visiting!

    Let’s make it happen mommies!

  10. Thabang Felicia Seemane
    Tue, 06 September 2016
    Reply

    Please post your exercise pics especially losing the bulge, cause I’ve managed to lose the weight but now I’m thin with a bulge,please help us,we desperate especially if you working out at home

  11. Gaironesa
    Sun, 18 September 2016
    Reply

    I’m a mum of 4, my youngest being 14 months. I have struggled to loose the baby weight. I started gyming at Curves in December last year and to date I have lost 19 kg. It’s all about being motivated and multi tasking as us mums have to do.
    You are trully an inspiration. All the best going forward.

  12. Setshego Msuthwana
    Tue, 20 September 2016
    Reply

    It’s been 6 months since the birth of my 2nd baby and I have been squeezing in some exercises in the house by squatting while I bath my older child in the bath tub. I also do crunches while I’m rocking my little one to sleep. Using add breaks to work out my arms and twisting my mid section while I mop the floor. #multitasking ?

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