Postpartum Weight Loss: Functional Training (Part 1)
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Welcome back to my Postpartum Weight Loss series. I've been writing a lot about ways moms can focus less on slimming down in the first few months after giving birth and more on wellness, self-love, and setting realistic health goals. Most of what I introduced to you in my first and second posts I have been putting into practice, along with slowly introducing more activities in my life that get me moving. From going for walks with the little one strapped to me, to filling my belly with meals that have more nutritional value, I have found that big things happen when you make healthy small decisions.
Now, we mothers don't need any excuse to get moving, for we are already constantly on the go. If you're a stay-at-home-mom, your daily activities and responsibilities could take up this whole article, and if you're a working mom, it's pretty much the same deal. It can be hard enough get some downtime when our little one finally decides to go down for their afternoon nap. When can we make time for ourselves to get going with our health and wellness goals?
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I have been exercising daily. At 7am I'm in the gym and usually train for 90 minutes. This has been a long time coming, and it's not something that new moms need to concern themselves with. Now that my little one is 10 months old I can be a little more vigorous with my exercise regime, and of course it helps to have an extra pair of hands, such as an ayi, to support introducing exercise back into your life. However, until then I have the perfect health and fitness remedy for women who are not only in the postpartum phase but also in the family-planning stages before pregnancy.
I have teamed up with former chef, personal trainer, and nutritionist Camila, who is fully qualified to provide pre- and postnatal functional training. The kind of training she offers will be specific to the demands of birth and specific to the needs of the trimester, and recovery period. The tailor-made programs Camila offers will cover all elements of fitness to help you build a body that is strong yet supple and able to endure the strains of motherhood.
Strengthening your back
Correcting imbalances caused by pregnancy
Returning your body to a good overall fitness
Along with all these benefits, Camila can also offer nutritional guidance that you can use to work around a busy schedule, with husband, kids and work. Again, this is not about weight loss but about regaining a sense of self, positively connecting with your body again, and focusing on inner wellness, physical strength, and wholeness. All these in turn will produce the physical changes you may be after.
Remember that during pregnancy and birth, the tissues in the abdominal wall and pelvic floor undergo tremendous stretch and strain and the synergy between these two components needs to be regained before the body resumes regular physical activity. Restorative exercises will help retrain the core efficiently and restore it to help with back pain, pelvic floor disfunction and also lingering pooch. Mommas, you have already gone through a physical, emotional and mentally taxing life-changing event, take it back to basics no matter what level of fitness you had prior to your pregnancy. Take it slow, rebuild, and progress gradually.
In my first one-to-one class with Camila, I was shown the following isolated movements, which moms can practice in the first 1-4 weeks after birth:
Core Breath can start 1-2 days after delivering your baby. Try and start with it once a day for three to five minutes. Lay on your back or alternatively you can use a stability ball or lay on your side if you need extra support. Place your hands on your rib cage and fill your diaphragm with air. Through pursed lips, you're going to exhale and try and engage with both your core and your pelvic floor. As you breath out for one or two counts, bring your belly button towards your ribs and your perineum towards the crown of your head. Relax. Repeat. Do as many reps as you can do without breaking form. To engage with your pelvic floor, Camila advised me to imagine trying to pick up a blueberry with my vagina. Now this may sound hilarious but it is the best method to use in order to try and isolate the movement needed to get the best out of this exercise.
You can begin trying out the Glutes Bridge during the second week after giving birth. You can practice this exercise once a day for three to five minutes along with the core breath routine. Lay on your back and raise your knees; shins should be vertical and your feet should be hip-width-apart. Rest your hands on the side and inhale and expand your ribcage. As you exhale, you are going to push the floor away and raise your hips, squeezing your pelvic floor, as you engage your core and bottom. As you lower your hips, inhale and repeat. Again you can do as many reps as you can without breaking form. To make the exercise more challenging you can place a small cushion between your knees. As you raise and lower your hips, you must squeeze your pelvic floor, core, and the cushion.
You can introduce the Clam at the three week mark after delivering your baby and practice this along with the other two exercises once or every other day. Lay on your side, support your head with your arm and slightly bend both knees towards your chest. This exercise engages all the muscles around your lateral glutes as well as your core and pelvic floor. Keep your feet together and inhale to expand your ribcage. As you exhale raise your knee like a clam; engage your core and as you exhale tighten your pelvis and bring your leg back down to join with the other. Do as many reps as you can without breaking form.
You can introduce the Laying Bent Leg-Raise in week four after delivering your baby and again introduce the practice of this exercise along with the previous routines. Position yourself in the same way you would if you were about to do the Clam. This time instead of keeping you ankles locked together as you raise your knee, you are going to raise your whole leg. Expand your ribcage again when breathing in and engage your core and pelvic floor as your exhale and bring your leg down. Repeat as many times as you can without breaking form.
Next time, Camila will be showing me what us moms can do during the 4- to 8-week postpartum period, and then we will be taking it up a notch with a nutritional food plan and a more rigorous exercise program. Stay tuned for tips, guides, and videos! We would love to receive your comments, and you can get in touch with Camila to find out how she can help you with your prenatal and postpartum goals! WeChat: camilabetin83
Photos: courtesy of Camila, Nicole Bonnah
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