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Bouncing back after pregnancy

Oh it is great to be back on my rebounder! I have been looking forward to it for a very long time! Although I worked out through most of my pregnancy, I could not work out at the same intensity as I used to when I found out that I was pregnant in January. The last couple of months before my beautiful baby boy was born, I could not exercise at all and it really frustrated me.

I got the all clear from my Gynaecologist a week ago and he suggested that I just take it easy at first and to work my fitness up to where I used to be before I fell pregnant. I was very excited and knew that it was not going to be easy to start rebounding again. I thought I would start with a short 20 minute class until I’m more fit and feel up to it again.

I need to exercise very early in the morning (at 5 am) in order to be ready when my baby wakes up and my hubby leaves for work. What makes it easier for me is to get everything ready the night before, so I will sit out a set of gym clothes with my rebounding socks, water bottle ready next to my rebounder, all accessories that I will need is next to my rebounder, etc. So I literally get up at 4:45, brush my teeth, put on my gym clothes and there I go!

I decided to do one of Lisa Raleigh’s FOMO classes that are an hour long, and I decided only to do what I feel up to and would push myself to do at least 20 minutes on my first session back. If for some reason something would not feel right I would stop immediately. I was very scared that something could still go wrong, even though I am 8 weeks post partum.

At first I was to scared to lift my feet off the rebounder while doing the warm-up. I was so scared that something would tear or that I would be in some kind of pain. I actually laughed at myself because my balance was a bit off after not being able to rebound for more than 4 months. I struggled with some of the moves as I haven’t done it in such a long time.

I was about 20 minutes in to the class when I really started to get comfortable and it was as if I haven’t missed so many months of rebounding. I had so much fun! I ended up doing the full 60 minute class and was really amazed of how well I was doing. Yes, don’t get me wrong, it was tough and I’m definitely not as fit as I used to be but it was easier than I thought it would be. By the end of the class I was sad that it was over – I wanted to keep on jumping as I was feeling great after the session.

I was not sure what weights to use on the rebounder as I used to use 1.5kg dumbbells and a 5kg weighted bar while rebounding. So, I started with the 3kg weighted bar and almost threw it out by the window – clearly having a 5kg baby boy to carry around all day long has its benefits. Needless to say, I only used the lower weighted bar for my first session and there after I used my normal 1.5kg dumbbells and the 5kg weighted bar and well as 2kg ankle weights.

Being a mom (and a first time mom) is really very challenging. In my experience I’ve found that I spend so much time with my boy that I seem to forget who I really am. I’ve decided to start doing things again that makes me feel like ‘me’ again. Rebounding is one of those things (even if it means that I need to get up very early in the morning to get a session in). I’ve gained quite a lot of weight during my pregnancy and I’ve decided that I will work on my self – in order the be the ‘old me’ again there are things I need to do for myself. One step at a time I will try my best to go back to living a healthy life and making more healthy choices daily.

Lisa Raleigh added quite a few new programmes and challenges while I was pregnant that I could not do, so I’m really looking forward to doing some of those programmes. I’ve done two HIIT classes during my first week and can highly recommend it – you burn a ton of calories and your heart beat is through the roof but it is a lot of fun!

Another programme I’d like to start within the next week is Lisa Raleigh’s Bounti Level Up programme which runs over 8 weeks. It is more advanced and includes some of the new Flow classes that Lisa has started recently. I will write more on that in my next blog.

Can’t wait to be a ‘new’ healthy and fit mommy!

Healthy greetings,

Nadine

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