Disclaimer: This is post was written in exchange for participation in FIT4MOM‘s Body Back Program. However, all opinions are 100% our own and we stand by FIT4MOM and Body Back in all that we endorse.
When my friend Allison approached me about trying out the work out class she was teaching through FIT4MOM, my first thought was, “No way, I am WAY too out of shape to work out.”
But truth be told, I was mostly worried about working out in front of other people. Because I WAS out of shape. I hadn’t run in recent memory. I’d taken a few barre classes over the course of the last year, but nothing consistent.
But, mostly because I know Allison is a mama of two little ones herself, I said yes to FIT4MOM’s Body Back program.
The Body Back program runs 8 weeks and when signing on you commit to:
- Working out 6 days a week (2 days of classes with your body back instructor, 4 days of working out on your own – you also get a DVD when you sign up!)
- Following the Body Back Food program and keeping a food journal (the recipes are SO YUMMY)
- Weekly weigh-ins
After going over the program, I realized what a HUGE life change this would be. Cooking every night, planning lunches. Eating clean. Exercising. All. The. Changes.
But the changes are great ones. During the program, we started going on family walks after dinner as a warm up to a short jog for me. My family ate healthy and I really didn’t miss sugar – that much. I woke up early 2 days a week to workout with this amazing group of mamas.
And that’s the thing that sets FIT4MOM and Body Back apart from other work out programs or group fitness classes – it is tailor made for mamas.
And let me just say, there is a real comfort in working out in a room of women that understand why you might pee a little while doing jumping jacks.
The community that FIT4MOM provides is second to none. I felt so encouraged and NEVER did I feel an ounce of judgment during those weeks. I learned that I AM strong. I learned that I CAN be healthy, and I can show my family how to live this way too. Oh, and I totally went down a size in jeans!
And I have good news for YOU! For the month of December FIT4MOM is offering Body Back Drop-In’s. Meaning – you can try out a body back class WITHOUT the 8 week commitment. Contact Mary Davis at [email protected] for more information.
If you’re looking for a great kick-start to your new year – the next full 8 week session of Body Back will run from January 4-February 24, 2016. The class times are: Monday/Wednesday 8:00-9:00 PM OR Monday/Wednesday 9:30-10:30 AM. Contact Mary Davis at [email protected] for more information.
I loved my experience so much that I asked Allison, who has met countless mamas through the last few years working out with FIT4MOM’s Stroller Strides classes and teaching Body Back to share some things she wished moms knew about their bodies, so you can get a taste of the environment you walk in to when you say YES to the Body Back program.
So, in Allison’s words –
5 Things Every Mother Should Know About Her “Mom Bod”
1) YOUR BODY IS AMAZING.
No, seriously. The miracle of physically and emotionally caring for a child is the most fascinating, primal, empowering experience out there. It is truly what our bodies and hearts are designed to do. Think you aren’t an athlete? You carry a giant weight (ahem, your child) around all day long, plus the diaper bag, plus groceries. You push a weighted stroller at the zoo. You chase your toddler down the grocery aisle.
2) SINCE YOUR BODY IS AMAZING, YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
From the moment we welcome those little souls into our lives, our purpose shifts. Suddenly your children’s needs trump your own on a daily, no hourly, basis. But, we cannot care for our children if we are not healthy ourselves. YOU can be a mom with all the energy and stamina to keep up with those tiny little superheroes, but only if you take care of yourself.
3) BE PATIENT.
We are bombarded with super-model moms who seem to bounce-back to their pre-pregnancy glory overnight. But, for us regular humans, the post-partum body takes a while to adjust—AND THAT’S OKAY. Not only is that okay, but that’s how it should be! Giving yourself the ability to transform over time, in a healthy way (read: NOT dieting and NOT eliminating entire food groups), is the way to ensure that it lasts. Getting healthy is not a race to the finish, it’s a lifestyle change that’s going to last your entire life.
4) STOP HAVING FEELINGS ABOUT FOOD.
Food is food is food. As a parent, you are probably conscientious of the food you give to your little ones. What if we gave the food we feed ourselves the same level of scrutiny? We eat when we’re bored, tired, frustrated, sad, happy, celebratory, on and on and on until the guilt sets in. What if we only asked: “Is what I’m about to eat going to give my body the energy it needs to accomplish my goals for today?” Exercising is a wonderful, important, necessary tool for us to live healthy lives, but changing the way we think and feel about food is the lynch-pin for long-term success.
5) YOU GET TO DECIDE HOW YOUR BODY LOOKS.
Your body is different now, but that doesn’t mean it has to look a certain way. There is no standard Mom-Bod. The only person who has control over how you feel and look is you. The only person who has control over your future health is you. YOU hold the cards, and guess what—YOU are capable!
Ready to enroll? Check out the FIT4MOM web site or contact Mary Davis at [email protected] for more information.
