So you have made the decision to become fit and healthy, but where to start? I have promised to share my top tips that have helped me on my fitness journey, and I believe that one of the most important things is to know what your goal is and why are you doing it!
- Is it to lose weight?
- Is it to get much fitter?
- Is is to start a new hobby?
- Is it to take part in a sport challenge?
- or some other reason?
For me it all started after giving birth to our Isabelle more than 7 years ago, when I realised I put on 20 kilos (44lbs) during my first pregnancy, and had to shed the extra weight not only to feel like the old me, but to stay healthy too.
Thanks to media there is so much pressure on women to get back into their pre-pregnancy clothes, that many are too scared to even start! How long does it take women to lose the extra weight? Well everybody is different, and think that very few women manage to lose the extra weight in just a few months.
It took me just under a year, nothing like the celeb mums, whom it takes sometimes just 3 months … 3months??? Maybe if you have your personal trainer, childcare, your own chef and focus only on you and your body. But who can or wants to do that? I wanted to enjoy my new baby, and not to be stressed about the extra weight. Also as I was breastfeeding for almost a year, I had to eat properly, and breastfeeding did not help with losing weight at all. I know some women swear by it, but I can say I had the same a few years later when breastfeeding Olivia. Everybody is different, and maybe you are or will be one of the lucky ones, and breastfeeding will help you when losing the extra weight.
More than 7 years on, and I exercise to feel happy ( yes, you have heard me correctly!), keep in shape and mostly to stay healthy. My body has changed after two pregnancies, and even after training for 2 marathons, swimming 5km and 2.5km, attending numerous spinning classes, it never went completely back to what it used to be. Another thing I have learnt is to love my body, and be happy with what I have. I know I will never be a size 8/10, and am very pleased with my current size 10/12.
So ladies, get your thinking caps on, and take a minute to think about what your really want from this. I would love to hear about your goals, and hopefully we will achieve them together!
My top tip for today is: Set your goals & stick to them!
Great blog- positive and realistic insight into returning to exercise sensibly for women. Keeping it real- love it
Cheers to making and keeping goals!
Really inspiring, thanks for linking up x
Love the new blog and it’s right up my street. I’ve got about 7 stone to lose so will be sticking around looking for tips that’s for sure!
Thank you, hope my tips will be very helpful and inspiring!
Congratulations on the new blog, fab idea! As I was tweeting I just took up running again after a break and I AM LOVING IT. Look forward to lots of inspiration 🙂
Thanks Penny, good to hear about your running!
Looking forward to read more here! I really need advice from you 🙂
Lovely to see you on my blog Otilia!
Love this empowering post, you are an inspiration and I will be running today-by the way you have a great figure-for me running is about losing weight as I want to lose, particularly from my tummy but more than that to feel healthy, thanks so much for this x
You are so sweet. I think a very few number of women are happy with their bodies. I am never happy! Hopefully will be inspiring more to reach your goal too!
Love your new blog! I’m so with you – exercising makes me happy too. I know that the endorphins it releases are part of that but it’s also about taking time out for me where I can’t do anything except focus on moving my body and making it fitter and healthier. Goals give you somewhere to aim for and for me that’s my first 10 mile race in November. Fab post and looking forward to reading more from you! x
Good luck with your race 😉
First of all – congratulations on your new blog!! A brilliant idea, and I look forward to joining in soon and to reading your fab posts. I absolutely agree with you, it’s important to set a goal, however big or small, and just go for it. I practice yoga daily, and I think just deciding that 20 minutes or more is just fine helps enormously. xx
Thanks Zaz for the lovely words, Hope to see more of you on my blog soon 😉