Learning to Love My Mombod {It Isn’t So Simple}

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I started this post a year ago. I was struggling to find my place in motherhood. I was unsure how to feel like myself again.

Embracing My Mombod- It's Not That Simple- Hiking in Las Vegas- Corpus Christi Moms Blog
I feel so much better when I’m active. I used to love walking, hiking, and practicing yoga. But once my son was born, I stopped everything. I shouldn’t have.

Prior to having my son, I was physically active. But when he arrived, my physical health took the back seat.

I was too tired to exercise and didn’t want the fuss of getting the both of us ready and out of the house. My body ached. I was exhausted. It was too hard to try. So I didn’t try.

When my son was about 9 months old, I took him with me to a mommy and me workout group. In my mind, I was still pretty fit. But I pushed myself too hard. I was shocked and embarrassed that my body couldn’t keep up. It was letting me down.

A few years prior I raced an athletic, 20 something guy up a rock climbing wall and won! I didn’t feel like a winner anymore. Clearly, I was in the worst shape of my life.

I left in the middle of that class, hurriedly and in tears.

So recently, desperately hoping to feel better, I started working to get healthy again.

The workout program I started required taking a “before picture.” Ugh. I was dreading it. I felt awful. Unattractive. Insecure. Uncomfortable in my own skin.

Learning to Love My Mom Bod is Not that Simple- Corpus Christi Moms Blog
My “Before” Picture. I never planned on sharing it. I took this picture for my reference and eyes only. But the image left an impression on me. It showed me I was being too hard on myself and that happiness and acceptance, not perfection, need to be my goal.

But as I snapped my photos, thankfully, my son toddled in. Seeing him made me smile. He lit up my face. He made me see two things.

First, I was being so hard on myself! Admittedly, my body has changed since having my son. Yes, I was out of shape and had a pooch around my middle. But much worse than that, I was beating myself up because I wasn’t feeling good inside. My outlook was negative. I had become short tempered and bitter. My attitude needed adjusting.

Second, I wanted to be happy! This was about more than losing inches or hitting a magic number on the scale. {Although those were definitely good things to shoot for.} I wanted to feel good about myself again. I wanted to be happy and enjoy life, like I was doing in that moment. I wanted to be grateful. 

And that’s when I realized…

This wasn’t just about embracing or fixing a mombod. It was about accepting myself and prioritizing a healthy body and mind.

So, I committed to getting better and started working out each day at 5:30am since my son gets up at 6am.

The days were so long. My friend, Fiona, an amazing mom and early bird, was my muse.

But two days in, I was wondering what I got myself into. Despite having felt ready to finally get back into shape, I was overwhelmed and disillusioned. The workouts were hard.  I’m not a morning person, so I struggled, especially when my son was teething or having trouble sleeping. I cried at how difficult the process was.

After two weeks of getting up so early that even the cats were still sleeping, I had to figure out something else. Thankfully, my husband offered to watch our son in the morning before work so I could fit quick workouts in. I really needed his support and encouragement. I could not do it alone.

The process of reclaiming my health opened my eyes in so many ways. I’ve been feeling so rotten! Certainly motherhood has brought its challenges. But this was a time I needed to care for myself and be kind to myself. I wasn’t doing that.

So, in addition to eating right and exercising, I was forced to push past my feelings of inadequacy and fear. I had to show myself that I was strong, capable, and worth fighting for. I had to open my eyes and choose to be blessed and grateful again!

Now, more than four weeks later, my clothes fit. I smile and mean it. My body doesn’t ache. My temper isn’t so short.

I continue to eat as healthy as possible. I meal plan and work out at home during the week, keeping weekends clear for family and rest. I also try to be kind to myself when I miss a workout or want to enjoy a little ice cream with my husband. {He is supportive, but let the record reflect, he is also a dessert pusher!}

Choosing to care for myself and my health during motherhood has been and will continue to be an ongoing struggle. It’s challenging to squeeze in something extra into an already full day. It’s also been difficult to find what works for me. But taking care of ourselves is so important and worth the fight!

For me, there is so much more to it than than simply learning to love my mombod.

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