5 Reasons Why "Transformation Programs For New Moms" Are Plain Wrong
You’re awake at 2 am with, feeding your new baby and trying desperately to get him back to sleep. You’re tired and you haven’t had a solid sleep in what feels like years. You find yourself on Facebook killing some time. You see an ad, promising you a quick transformation with flat abs. Sounds good seeing that you’ve been trying to do this all on your own and nothing is working. You click on the ad, see that it includes workouts, meal plans and an accountability group.
Sounds like a great deal, right?
I hear you. You want to feel a little like yourself again and it’s important for you to have that piece of yourself. As a mom, you need to have something just for you that allows you to take care of you.
Restrictive nutrition programs and intensive fitness programs tend to be an easy sell.They appeal to all of your pain points and give you that sense of hope that you will once and for all succeed.
However, many of these programs are results driven. They don’t take into account where your mental and physical self are currently at (this can change day to day).
When your body is in a place of recovery and your life is chalked full of change, you may find what works for you now is much different than it was before your pregnancy. Your body is different and despite the message that you can “bounce back” post-pregnancy, this is unrealistic and a just plain bad messaging.
In my Post-Baby Fitness Guide:5 Steps To Loving Your Baby Body, you will learn simple and actionable steps to maximize your core and pelvic floor function. You’ll improve performance and avoid the complications that can arise from postnatal exercising. Download the free guide here.
Let me tell you why.
You may not be getting a ton of restful sleep which is the main factor of how you and your body react to everything from stress, hormone production, and even weight-loss. When trying to lose weight, you’re essentially stressing your body and high intensity fitness and dieting during this time may not give you the results you may expect.
You need between 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep most nights for your body to function well. Unless your baby is sleeping through the night, this probably isn’t happening for you, just yet.
Your Body is in recovery mode and this lasts much longer the typical six-week clearance. Your body has been gradually changing over a nine month period. It needs time to heal properly which means you need to allow for the healing process to take place. Jumping into high-impact fitness programs and strict eating plans may do more harm than good in the long run.
Give your body the time to heal and avoid forcing it back into shape. Eat well and choose a fitness program that encourages this process.
Your Core and Pelvic Floor need to be restored with the right type of fitness and nutrition plan before returning to high-impact training. As mentioned earlier, many transformation programs are intense in nature to give you speedy results. Getting back too fast too soon can lead to core and pelvic floor complications like unintentionally peeing your pants or a pelvic organ prolapse (when your pelvic organs descend down your vagina).
Your core tend to be stretched and a bit weaker during pregnancy and post-partum (Brauman 2008), and your pelvic floor may be stretched if not torn if you’ve had a vaginal delivery (Sleep et al 1984). With proper rehab, your can restore both back to full function but this needs to be the first step-before intensive transformation programs.
Getting assessed by a pelvic floor physiotherapist 6-8 weeks postpartum will give you an internal perspective as to how your core and pelvic floor are functioning. Additionally, this will give you insight into where your fitness readiness is at and give your direction on how to get started.
When choosing a fitness program post-pregnancy, working with a coach who has extensive knowledge on core and pelvic floor rehab is your best defense. My customized online coaching program will give you the guidance and support that’s right for you.
You’re Breastfeeding and your body needs a lot nutritionally to support all of its demands. If you’re exclusively breastfeeding especially in the first few months, exercising at a high level may make you much hungrier than usual. If you’re on a restrictive diet along with an intensive fitness program, you may not be meeting your daily intake needs.
To make sure you’re getting everything you need, you need to eat a variety of food groups that include protein, fats and carbs. And yes, treats when you feel like it. Eating healthy doesn’t mean that you can enjoy a little ice cream too.
Your emotional needs as a new mom are different and that’s ok. You may find that one day you’re on top of the world and the next you’re needing to vent. Working with a coach who understands the bigger picture and cares more about your emotional transformation will help you to stay focused.
Your body is incredible and has done something that no one will ever do- it gave birth to your baby. In today’s society, many women are in a rush to erase all evidence that they’ve had a baby and pushing themselves too hard too soon.
You have spent nine-months pregnant and had a baby. You have already been transformed.
Love your baby body,
Terrell
