This post came about after several conversations that I had with my client Simi. During our prenatal strength sessions, we’d often chat about not just her goals during pregnancy, but what they’d be after having her daughter. During one conversation we discussed the varying messages in media and society. On one hand you have the people assuming the ultimate goal is the “snapback”. On the other end of the spectrum was the “all bodies are beautiful” “you’ve just created life” camp. In between sets of TRX rows, we concluded that both perspectives are valid, and that the gray area in between is probably the sweet spot. Weight loss is a valid postpartum fitness goal if that’s important to you, but it would be nice if society understood that your body has been through a lot and “bouncing back” without work (after taking time to recover) is not the case for most.
Fast forward to us talking nine months postpartum, and Simi shares, “I remind myself that my being healthy and active (and thus more happy and energetic) is great for me AND my baby! Some weeks I slip (and allow plenty of grace for that!) but overall the scheduling helps keep me in a good rhythm.” This is from someone that was SUPER committed during pregnancy, sometimes getting 5-6 workouts in per week. But her for the stage of motherhood she is in now, motivation for exercise now is to be “happy and energetic”.
Simi’s perspective is not uncommon. With every client I work with, I ask them their top goals. The most common responses:
Feel good about my body
Feel energized
Reduce pain/prevent injury
Build Strength/build core strength
Is that to say weight loss isn’t important? Absolutely not. It just means that for new moms there are other priorities and these are the priorities that society, pop culture, and fitness professionals should recognize. It also means that we can appreciate what our body has done, but still want more for it…again, that gray area.
Simi admits her view did change after having her daughter, "My biggest view change is how quickly I want to get back into my pre-pregnancy shape. While this is absolutely a goal for me, I now realize that achieving it as quickly as I originally wanted would require more sacrifice and time commitment than I am willing to give. Time with my daughter and husband together, time with just my husband, indulging in good food and some wine (even though I maintain a healthy diet overall!), spending time with the few family members we can right now, and mental health days are all things I’m prioritizing in addition to exercise. The balance just means slower results, which is okay for me!"
Let’s keep having this conversation. Let’s make that gray area (of what moms really want) more acceptable and known.
Ready for more tips? Download 5 Tips for a Stronger Core After Pregnancy.