This time of year you tend to look back and think about all the things that have happened.
All the things you’ve done.
All the goals you made and checkmated (let’s just pretend that’s a real word 😉 ).
It’s also the typical time to start thinking about the goals you want to nail for the next year.
(And the things you want to stuff in a box and shove far, far under the bed to (hopefully) never think about again!)
I decided to go on a time warp trip myself and see what you loved on the blog in 2018.
These are the most popular posts on the blog this year and I can see why.
Pregnancy and postpartum fitness and wellness is full of so many questions – and so many different opinions about what the answers to those questions should be.
So I’m hopeful that these posts (and all the others) gave you some hope, inspiration and courage to keep going and maybe even try something new if what you’ve been doing just isn’t working or not making you happier.
Before we dive in I need to get a little mushy.
Thank you so much for being a part of the Jenna Dalton Fitness 2018 experience.
Your likes, comments, shares and emails have been incredibly kind, insightful and honestly kept me going when I wondered if starting a business with a toddler (and now another tiny human) was really the right choice for our little family.
And after all the hard work, stress and joy in business this year, I’ve come to the conclusion that yes. It sure is.
I love what I do and I’m so appreciative that your support allows me to keep going.
Thank you!
Now let’s check out those posts, shall we?
Pelvic pain is so common in pregnancy and postpartum and (unfortunately) so many woman believe that they just have to live with it (maybe even because they were told by a healthcare pro that it’s just part of the being pregnant package).
But the truth is there is so much you can do to eliminate or minimize your aches and pains – including SI joint pain.
Meg’s comment on this post was one of my favourite comments ever because it reminded me why I’m writing posts like this in the first place – to give you hope.
“This is the only heartening thing I found while consulting Dr. Google. Everything else seemed to indicate I’d never feel normal again (and possibly never have sex or run again) if it were a prolapse issue. I just needed something to make me feel better until I could see the experts, and this article did that. So, thanks!”
There are so many fear-based articles out there on the Google. And it honestly doesn’t need to be that way.
We – as prenatal and postpartum fitness professionals – can share information (even big, scary, life-changing kind of information) without just scaring the pants off you then leaving you to sob into your lukewarm cup of coffee.
So please remember that prolapse – while it may be life-altering – isn’t life ending.
There’s always hope.
When I wrote this short little gem I had no idea how loved it would become.
This one post has been shared over 200 hundred times and has become a regular reason moms email me.
“I lost my butt after giving birth. Help!”
And the truth is it’s not just about filling out your fave jeans.
There are other important reasons you want a booty that won’t quit.
Running after giving birth is a hotly debated topic.
Should you?
Shouldn’t you?
When can you start?
How far can you go?
The thing is there’s no one size fits all approach to anything postpartum.
But there are some general guidelines we can use as inspiration to help you get back into doing the things you love – like running.
Here are 7 steps you can take to get back into it in a way that supports your body (that’s still working on recovering from having that adorably demanding babe).
There are about a billion posts on exercises to do and not to do when you have diastasis.
Often it’s a short list of do this, not that kind of info.
And while this can be helpful (at times) it doesn’t take the whole picture into account.
I mean, we do so many lifts and twists and pulls and pushes throughout our #MomLife day that a key movement that’s on a lot of “don’t do” lists may actually be something your body needs (in a smart, well managed kind of way) to help heal your diastasis.
Because if you’re doing this movement on a daily basis but your body isn’t handling it well because you don’t know how to move well – or you just don’t have the strength because you’re not using those muscles in the gym – then it’s not helping you to stay away from it, right?
I’d rather you know how to rock this movement, and get stronger in this movement, than avoiding it entirely.
So here’s what you need to know.
Just the other day I sent this post to a woman whose sister had a C-section.
After reading it she said “I had no idea massaging your C-section scar was a thing!”
It sure is.
And there are plenty more things you want to keep in mind about C-section recovery.
Especially before you dive into that Mommy and Me barre class post-birth.
Here are 4 things you need to know.
We unfortunately live in a world where – instead of encouraging our mothers to rest, recover, and let their belly be squishy and thighs full of cellulite after giving birth – there’s pressure to lose all the weight, and get that 6 pack, and look like so-and-so celebrity.
And I’ve seen it firsthand.
So many moms ask me questions about losing weight during breastfeeding and I always ask them why they want that – not in an asshole “Ugh! Why would you even be thinking about that?!” kind of way. But in a gentle, empathetic, “Why is this important to you” kind of way.
It usually boils down to feeling that pressure that we all feel to look like you never even gave birth while holding your 6 week old.
Because that’s trendy.
Although I wish it wasn’t.
And the truth is that breastfeeding + weight loss isn’t as easy as “Eat less, move more.”
There’s so much more to the equation that you need to know about if the weight just isn’t dripping off you like you’d hoped.
That’s a Wrap on 2018
As we head into the next year I hope you continue to learn and grow and educate yourself so that you can become that much more confident inside the gym (and out).
Remember, having a baby is a life-changing experience for our bodies, our minds, our relationships. Everything.
But just because it’s life-changing doesn’t mean your life is over.
Regardless how your pregnancy and labour experience went, regardless the lack of confidence you have about it getting better, regardless what’s going on with your body right now, there are always options. Always hope.
So don’t settle if you’re not where you want to be.
Get clear on how you want to feel in 2019 and start pulling a team and some resources together to help make that happen.
And yes. I’d happily be one of the members on your team.
I’m with you.
Hugs,
Jen
Leave a Reply