Getting in Shape - After 2 Kids!
"Holy Cow! What happened to my body!?" (And my sanity - but that’s for another time!) I underestimated how much my body would change after two kids, and how much work it would entail to feel confident again!
It also didn’t help following the "Fit Moms of Four" on instagram - but I can’t say they didn’t inspire me at times.I knew after my daughter was born that we wanted another child so I wasn’t very concerned about losing the weight. I enjoyed my Dairy Queen to the fullest! What I didn’t know was how fast I would lose my confidence. After my second daughter arrived, I was determined to feel good again, which didn’t mean getting my old body back, but to be healthy and confident! In order for me to do this I personally needed to hold my self accountable - which translated into signing up for a Half Marathon. It was something that I had never done and knew it would force me to train, as failing was not an option. Especially when everyone knows I’ve committed to it.
After I signed up I began researching different training plans and found one that would fit my reality and get the job done. In case you missed it, my reality was a two year old and a six month old which equated to early mornings and late nights! I braced myself for 12 weeks of training which meant I was working out after the kids went to sleep about 3-4 days a week and then a long run on Sundays.
Over the course of my training, I naturally began losing weight. I would be starving after my runs but I made smart healthy choices. Instead of binge eating the moment I finished, I would eat a protein bar and wait for the hunger pain to be satisfied. Following this type of training routine my body began to transform and my mindset did too. I felt a sense of accomplishment after each run and looked forward to the next one.
At The Abs Company, one our core values is that “We believe that Fitness Changes Lives”, and I truly can attest to that because of my experience. I had endured a physical and mental change but because I chose a form of fitness, my whole presence changed for the better. I think some believe that in order to be fit you have to workout for hours, but you don’t and I am proof of that. Start small and find the types of workouts that bring you joy. As you gain your confidence, you will be more willing to try other forms of exercise and continue a path of a healthier lifestyle.