Allowing my body time to heal, while also focusing on my fitness, led to me feeling more comfortable in my body 1 year postpartum.
It’s been over six months since I posted my last postpartum fitness update, so here’s a 1 year postpartum update. I’ve been pretty active recently. I’m super proud of myself for accomplishing my goal of running a 10k last month. I need to sign up for another one so I can keep my momentum going. Running made the largest difference for me in getting my body back to a place that I feel happy with. I try to run 2-3 times a week when the weather is nice. Most of the time, I run short runs with the baby in our jogging stroller. That’s mostly due to the fact that the stroller is so heavy that my arms get tired! I know that it’s a good workout with the stroller. But I love the runs where it’s just me and a podcast running several miles. 
It doesn’t look like I’ve made a ton of progress from 6 months ago to now, but I know that I have. I feel better, I can run and exercise more, and I fit in my clothes SO MUCH BETTER. I’m wearing jeans and shorts that I could barely fit in before I got pregnant. I seriously feel pretty amazing on most days. And exercise is the biggest factor why.
Ok, so here you can really tell that the more recent weightloss has been my butt and hips. This is why pants are fitting better. I also have done a ton of exercises for correcting diastasis recti. I sub in bridge ups, braces, and pelvic tilts for ab moves in workout videos. Also, running. For months after every run, my core would be on fire. I would get cramps and even my lady bits would be sore (sorry if that’s TMI). Everything was just tightening back up. 
My 1 year postpartum annual lady doctor check-up was last week. I got the ok to start doing actual ab work again since my ab separation has healed significantly. I also found out that my pooch area is also not going to completely go away. No matter how many ab workouts I do. It’s mostly just loose skin from the pregnancy. While that was a little disappointing to hear, there is nothing I can do about it. I’m not done having kids, so I’m not going to pay for any medical procedures at this point. All I can do is stay healthy, active, and happy with myself. I’ve also learned to embrace some different fashion choices like higher-waisted pants and skirts and looser tops. I may also buy a pair of spanks to help smooth out some areas so I can wear a few of my old dresses occasionally.
The biggest lesson that I’ve learned 1 year postpartum is that it’s not about a number on the scale or about not looking like you ever had a baby. It’s about being your best self, about looking in the mirror and being happy with what you see despite the extra skin or stretch marks. Don’t give up on your fitness goals. Just work hard and then work what you’ve got!
