Let me just say that motherhood first time around was like being in a huge bubble of love and mummy bliss. My first born was so adorable and such an easy baby that my daily schedule never really changed. I set a great routine right from the start and was able to do all the things I use to do quite easily. That included my exercise regime. As fitness professional, I was initially scared that I might not return to my pre-baby body and fitness level quick enough to set a good example for my clients. But with time to exercise and eat right I was on track and back in the groove very quickly.

Then came baby number two. BOOM!!! Oh how things changed. Number two was so different from number one – she definitely challenged my patience, had me second-guessing myself and demanded all of my time. I tried every routine and trick I had used on number one but Ella was different and needed to be rocked to sleep every night or in my arms every waking hour (which was a LOT of hours). No matter what I tried, she wasn’t taking any of my attempted routine. Needless to say I became tired, stressed, unsure of myself and completely out of shape both mentally and physically.

But the best thing about challenging times is that they make you focus on the really important things. Learning how to make my baby happy and creating a bond between us became more important to me than stressing about the number on the scales and how I looked. Yes, the reflection in the mirror was a little different than I liked and the extra rolls stayed on a little longer than I planned but I learned to love my body for what it had created rather than how it looked. A mummy’s body is the most amazing thing ever!! It can create, heal, feed, nurture and continue to evolve and adapt as we pass through every phase of motherhood.

This new way of thinking gave me freedom to just BE. Freedom to enjoy my time with Ella, freedom to enjoy life, freedom to have no timeline, which ultimately gave me freedom to become healthy again – both physically and mentally.

So if you are like I was and finding it difficult to feel good about your body or maybe you have returned to exercise but upset that the weight isn’t coming off fast enough, give yourself a break and try to re-set your focus. Don’t think about the end product; appreciate your body at every stage of motherhood and throughout your entire fitness journey. I always say…fake it till you make it. Even though you don’t like what you see, smile and say “you are one hot mamma!” I can assure you, positive self-talk will stop the sabotage, make you feel more confident, make better choices and make you feel and look more attractive to everyone around you!

Here are some other tips that can help you gain BODY LOVE:

Don’t become a slave to the scales:

Weighing yourself gives you a great benchmark but don’t become a slave to it. A number of things can have an impact on the scales including hydration levels, hormonal balance, time of the month and even time of the day. Often we react emotionally to the number – which can impact fitness goals. If it’s too high we may get frustrated and sabotage the rest of the day. And if it’s a little lower than we thought, we may think we can have a little extra treat as a reward. On a daily basis, this can have a drastic effect on behaviour patterns and physical outcomes. If you have to weigh yourself, try to keep it to once a week at the same time of day – that way you can imagine you have lost weight and start feeling better about yourself and make better lifestyle choices that will ultimately lead to weight-loss.

Focus on your Inner Beauty

When your friends think of you, I’m sure they don’t think of your ‘extra rolls’, or ‘jiggly bits’. They probably think of your kind nature or bubbly personality. Your physical appearance doesn’t define who you are so don’t let YOUR self worth rely on how much you weigh or how unfit you are. See YOU how your friends see YOU – AMAZING!!!

Find exercise you enjoy

There are so many quick fix weight loss programs for mums out there now, it’s hard to know what to choose. Most diets or pills may initially deliver weight loss but rarely are they healthy and most of them are completely unsustainable. Postnatal weight loss and exercise needs to be adaptable and maintainable. You need to be able to modify it to your routine and most importantly you need to enjoy it. You will never stick to something you don’t like. So choose an activity that you enjoy and you will reach your goals a lot faster.

Get support from your friends

There is no point in being a mater. Motherhood is HARD. Take it from me – don’t beat yourself up thinking everyone else around you is coping fine – cause they probably aren’t. Ask for help and why not engage your friends to join your fitness journey. Trade babysitting so you can get in a workout or have down time for yourself. Join a mums and bubs fitness group like our Stroller Fit to meet new people. Working out with other mums is a great way to ensure you stay consistent and it will give you the support and friendship you need to get through all the tough times.

So stop being so hard on yourself and start loving that amazing baby making machine – your body is the only one you’ve got and it is BEAUTIFUL!!!

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