If you had told me two years ago that I’d write the next sentence, I would have laughed. But right now I really really miss working out. As you might know if you’ve been following my blog for a while, at the start of 2017 I started at the gym and was absolutely loving how fit and strong I was feeling. I documented my fitness journey in a few blog posts, and I became really interested in fitness and healthy living. During this time I literally felt the best I’ve ever felt. I felt strong and healthy, and exercise became something I really looked forward to each day. As well as that, my diet was about as clean as it could be, and I ate very little sugar.
In September last year my gym membership ran out, and this coincided with us buying a house. We had a very busy and stressful few months, and while we continued to live in Dunedin until December, I just didn’t get a chance to renew my membership. We had planned on setting up a home gym when we moved, as there is no gym close to our current town, so the aim for 2018 was to continue daily workouts at home using a lot of the knowledge I had gained over the months at the gym.
When I found out I was pregnant in early November, my focus changed. For the first few months moving and renovating as well as being pregnant really took it’s toll on me, and exercising was the last thing on my mind. Now at 8 months pregnant, I haven’t worked out in months and I’m too scared to start so late on in my pregnancy as I think it would be really hard on my body to get back into shape, while also trying to grow a tiny human. This is one thing I definitely regret, and if we end up having more babies I will definitely making a point of staying as fit and active as I can during pregnancy! At the moment the most exercise I’m getting is about a 15-20 minute walk a few times a week, and I’ll be honest, I feel really bad about my current lack of exercise.
It’s safe to say, I can’t wait to get back into exercise once baby is born, and today I thought I’d share with you my plans on how I’m going to achieve this. I say “plans” loosely, as I completely understand that things just don’t snap back to normal after having a baby, but I’m determined to get back to my fit and healthy self as soon as physically possible.
From what I’ve read, generally it’s best to wait about 6 weeks post baby before starting back with physical activity (and even longer if baby is delivered by C-Section). Of course this is very different woman to woman, and some ladies find they need more or less time. I’m hoping to start back into fitness as soon as possible with gentle walks 4-5 times a week. Even if it’s only 10-20 minutes, at least it’s getting my body moving and easing back into it. After around 6-8 weeks, I then want to start to add in yoga and gentle stretching to help loosen out my body. I used to be so flexible, and right now I am anything but! That is something I’m desperate to get back!
Once I’ve been cleared to start working out again, I plan to get back into my HIIT fitness. I used to have a whole heap of HIIT routines that I did at the gym that worked on both cardio fitness and and a certain body part. One day was legs, one day abs, and one day arms. I’m planning on getting back into doing these exercises again 3 times per week for 20-30 minutes per day while baby naps.
Hopefully after about 2-3 months postpartum (and I know I may be kidding myself here), I would like to be working out 4-5 times a week, with HIIT sessions and yoga sessions. I’ll also try and add in daily walks around the town with baby in his stroller. I know a lot of mums are probably reading this through tears of laughter, and I know that’s it’s not going to be quite that easy, but it’s something I need to do for myself to make myself feel like me again. While obviously I’d love to get my pre-baby body back, my aim is to really get my fitness back. I actually feel like a different person when I work out. I sleep better, eat better, and overall make healthier choices. And I do miss that part of me.
I also wanted to talk about my outfit. Activewear is one of my favourite things to wear, and you guys know I love the maternity and breastfeeding activewear brand Cadenshae (and I wrote about them here). They kindly sent me a couple of new items to wear, so of course I couldn’t wait to show them off. I’ve literally been living in their clothes lately, as they are just so comfy and practical while you are pregnant yet they still look super stylish and put together. I can’t wait to test them out in terms of breastfeeding when I’m feeding little bub.
In these photos I’m wearing the Cadenshae Bamboo Long Sleeved Top in White/Grey and the Casual Hoodie in Slate Grey. The long sleeved top is so incredibly soft, being made from bamboo fabric. It’s an extremely flattering colour and fit, and I love the longer length, as it means it doesn’t ride up over the bump. The back is made of a breathable mesh, that provides a lovely contrast to the bamboo front, as well as keeping you cool while working out.
The Casual Hoodie is made from a thick cotton fabric, which makes it nice and snuggly for layering in the colder months. Again, it’s a longer length with lots of room for a growing bump, and a fitted band at the bottom to add shape. Both tops have double zips on the side, making them easy to feed with, without having to remove your top (which is going to be a lifesaver this winter!). The colour of this one is gorgeous, with a dark bluey/grey. I absolutely LOVE the hot pink writing and logo on the bottom, it’s so fun!
Casual Hoodie – c/o Cadenshae
Long Sleeved Top – c/o Cadenshae
Leggings – Cadenshae (read here for fit tips)
Shoes – Nike
Fit Tips: I have the Long Sleeved Top in an XS and it fits true to a size 6-8. I personally love the fitted look and since it’s stretchy there’s heaps of room for a bump. I have the hoodie in a size small and it fits like a true 8, again with lots of room through the bump area, and fitted at the band to create a nice shape. Size up if you prefer a little more room.
