Swimsuit Edition

"They" say it takes the length of your pregnancy to get your pre-pregnancy body back.  Well,  since Jack is now 11 months I guess that means I've had more than enough time.  It's now the moment of truth.. time to see if "they" are right.  The only bod picture I have from before is a... (DUN DUN DUNNN) swimsuit pic.  I have a picture from our honeymoon that was taken almost two years ago to the day,  which would have been about 4 months prior to getting prego with our little Jack bean.  You've probably seen it before considering I posted it in the midst of my pregnancy blogging because I believe I was missing my pre-pregnancy bod or something.  Anywho, I figure that would be the perfect comparison pic.  

Back story complete so let's get back on topic: the dreaded swimsuit pic (repeat the dun dun dunnnns)!  Fortunately for me, I'm not dreading it one bit.  No, it's not just because I didn't have a hard time losing weight (which is because I didn't gain more than 16 lbs - 8 of which was baby), but because I honestly don't give a s*** if I look better or worse than I did before I was pregnant.  The reasons are two-fold:

1. I feel great!  So even if I'm fatter, softer, rounder, stretchier (ladies, you know what I'm talking about - yes, stretch marks) or uglier (lack of sleep does wonders...), it doesn't matter!

2. I've become super confident, not only because I achieved my goal of being fit throughout my pregnancy and then staying fit and active with a new baby, but because I've done it with Jack by my side (so I'm not taking precious time away from him), and while running a business, and while keeping a clean home, and while getting all the shit I need to get done, DONE. Oh, and we moved which is no easy task either.

With all that said, time to see these damn pics!  Same suit, same girl, unfortunately not the same place nor the same amazing tan - however my shorts and sports bra tan def deserve props:

Can't complain. The swimsuit selfie is great and all, but I think the sporty spice selfie is more my speed:

I don't know why people hate on selfies so much. People take selfies because they like themselves and like what they see in the mirror. Last time I checked that's not a bad thing, in fact liking yourself and being content with your appearance is an important piece to your happiness puzzle.  Here's some food for thought for the selfie haters: taking a selfie is the same thing as having someone else take a picture of you, especially if you ask to see the picture immediately following, and then continue to retake it a million times (which I think to be worse than a selfie considering the level of annoyance felt by the photographer).  People who take selfies are just cutting out the middleman. Selfie takers are efficient, time saving photographers. #selfienation #endtangent

The Secret To Getting Your Pre-Pregnancy Body Back

I'm baaaaaack!  Yes, it's been a while since my last post.  Between being a new Mommy, training my clients, and moving, I haven't had much time to do anything else.  I know, I know, those are just excuses (and good ones if you ask me), but those excuses do make a perfect segue into this post!  So let's get to it... 

Here's what 8 months postpartum looks like on me:

What this pic tells me:  I need to clean the mirror, get a tan, and Jack likes selfies as much as Mommy...

As you can see, there's no evidence of childbearing besides the baby on my hip. So what's my secret?  Unfortunately, I have no awesome secret to tell you, just the truth.  

As a new mom, who tries to also maintain a small business and a household, I'm not left with much "me time."  The only time my hair sees a blow dryer is if we have an event to go to and it's mandatory I look decent.  I've mastered the art of putting on make-up with one hand while holding Jack in the other (hence why "hot mess" is my new go-to look.... but I think I pull it off nicely).  I can't even remember the last time I went to a mall (I said mall, not Target), not even at Christmas time!  Needless to say, I don't have time to hit the gym for hours on end either.  Even if I did have the time, I definitely would not have the energy!  With the lack of sleep and the constant care Jack requires, caffeine has become a close friend of mine, not to mention carbs, sugar, and maybe wine too (shhhhh!  Only sometimes).  I just make sure to keep everything in moderation, plus I try to keep active as much as possible.  I take Jack on walks or jogs, dance around with him, and play with him all the time.  We're constantly moving.  I also put him in his exersaucer while I do a 15-25 minute circuit, which he loves.  He'll mimic jumping jacks and other exercises I do.  I have made a gym appearance here and there, but by no means have I made a routine out of it.  As a mom who works, I don't like to take any extra time away from my baby.  Luckily, I have a flexible schedule with part-time hours so I still get to spend the majority of my day with Jack.  Even though I'm not gone that long, I still don't want to miss any more time with him than I already do.  Every minute counts.  These times are precious and won't last long, so I don't want to miss a thing (I bet that Aerosmith song chorus is running through your head now... sorry). 

With all that being said, I'd like to give some advice rather than a crazy secret:  Don't obsess over your post baby bod,  just do what you can to stay active and make good food choices.  If there was a secret,  I guess it would be to stay in control during your pregnancy.  If you don't over gain, you won't have much to lose.  That's what made my pre-pregnancy body very easy to regain.  After all, preparation is the key to success, or at least according to Alexander Graham Bell, but I agree with him.    

I do have one more secret to share with you... my Jack bean is freakin' awesome!  Oh wait, that's no secret :)