We're the Fit Mommies, Katie and Kelly. We're both real moms who have regained our pre-baby bodies in a healthy way—not by using celeb air-brushing or fad diets. After our transformations, we knew our calling was to share what we learned with women everywhere. So, we created the Fit Mommy Manual—and we'd like to present parts of it to you here on Bodybuilding.com!
Bottom line, if you're pregnant, or have just given birth, and aren't sure what to do about your new and changing body, we're here to help!
Fit Mommy Transformation Tips
As a new mother, your first priority is your baby. However, you can't forget to also take good care of yourself. Here are eight tips to help you become a fitter, healthier mommy.
Fit Mommy Nutrition Mistakes
Bad information has a way of seeping into the mainstream. It's far too easy to get caught reading and implementing nutrition "facts" that turn out to be wrong! Get the right information so your health is never at risk!
Fit Mommy Recipes
New moms need the best nutrition. Make sure that you give your baby and your post-natal body the healthy calories it needs to run efficiently. Here are three recipes to get your started!Embrace Your New Body
There is no doubt about it: Pregnancy and giving birth change our bodies permanently. And while not all of these changes are desirable, they make you who you are. The stretch marks, loose skin, varicose veins, and droopy breasts are here to stay, and we can't change them. Rather than spending every day beating ourselves up about our flaws, we have to embrace them.
The Fit Mommy Manual was created to help new mothers change their mindset. Instead of seeing stretch marks, we ask them to see stripes they earned carrying a healthy baby for nine months. Instead of seeing saggy skin, women should see medals honor for enduring childbirth. Be proud!
Meet The Fit Mommies
"After gaining more than 42 pounds during my pregnancy, I gave birth to my daughter Heidi in August 2010. After a 74-hour labor, I was more than a little surprised to find that I still looked pregnant! Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting miracles, but having exercised my way through my entire pregnancy I was not expecting to still have my bump!
"In my line of work as a personal trainer, I knew I had to get back in shape quickly. But as a pre- and post-natal exercise specialist, I had to listen to my body and follow my health care professional's guidelines. I did not to return to exercise until I had been given clearance at my post-natal check.
"With a few exercise-free weeks ahead of me, I knew that if my nutrition was optimal, I would start to see significant changes in how I looked and felt. I wanted to be the fittest mummy I could possibly be—both for me and for Heidi.
"Just 10 weeks later, I'd shed 28 pounds and my abs began to be visible again. I felt energized and healthy. After my healthy transformation, I knew I wanted to share my secrets with new moms all over the world!"
"After the birth of Nevaeh, I felt an enormous amount of pressure to get my body back to the way it was. I remember the first time I looked into a mirror. I thought, 'How the heck am I going to do this? Is it even possible?' I couldn't fit into any of my clothes and my tummy just felt like jelly. I still wore my maternity tops for many weeks. My confidence as a new mother wasn't the best—I worried about everything.
"To make things even more complicated, Navaeh would only sleep on me. For the first six weeks, I had to learn to manage my time wisely because her sleep time was so precious.
"I didn't feel confident about my appearance, which made me feel very unsexy. I felt like my lack of self-confidence was a huge downer on my relationship with my partner. I felt like my role on earth was to be a feeding machine 24/7. There just wasn't any time for feeling sexy.
"This is when the principles of the Fit Mummy Manual saved me. Changing my mindset was essential to getting and feeling better. Being able to do workouts in my own home in my own time was a lifesaver."
We need to shine the spotlight on the parts of our body that we like, focus on the positives, and learn to love ourselves again. Your body is amazing! It has carried, nurtured, developed, and given birth to a human being. Give it the respect it deserves.