Strength & Soul PT

Friday thoughts 💭:

Trying to keep it real as there’s too many people in the fitness industry sharing their highlight reel.

Becoming a mum has humbled me in so many ways and I want to use this space to share my feelings in the hope this will resinate with other people navigating postpartum.

✨ My body has completely changed and I’m stuck cycling a few outfits that are comfy but easily accessible for feeding. I can’t find clothes that fit because my upper body has increased in size (no longer part of the itty bitty t*tty committee anymore!). Trousers don’t fit because I’m petite but still have a bump/ my lower half has changed shape.

✨ I have completely lost who I am at the moment. From being a super organised and sometimes obsessive person over my schedule I am now at the mercy of a tiny person demanding b*ob like it’s going out of fashion.

✨I didn’t anticipate how hard breastfeeding would be. I simply thought your milk came in and that was that. I didn’t prepare it being a new skill to learn - for the both of us! I also didn’t anticipate being in and out of hospital due to Sam not making weight and multiple midwives and drs having completely different opinions and different feeding plans which changed on a day to day basis.

✨Not being able to be as active as I used to is tough and as much as I feel ready to get back into fitness I physically can’t until I’ve been signed off from my Dr due to my c section. (It’s so important to be practical and strategical on this to avoid complications). This is an incredibly hard skill to master as I’ve been so used to pushing my body past its limits when I was bodybuilding.

✨The days go by so slowly yet so quickly and it’s important to take every day as it comes and stay in the present where possible. Another skill I’m learning.

My best friend gave me this advice about breastfeeding but to be honest I think it can be applied to most things!

No matter where you are in your journey - everyone starts somewhere. We’re all rookies, learning new skills, getting it right - and wrong.

But the real beauty is in the journey, the ups and downs but also building new skills!

Whatever you are worried about starting - just go for it because I promise you - you will surprise yourself!

Last year I set up my LBT class in a local village and let me tell you it’s been so much more than a fitness class!

My ladies showed up and smashed it week on week, we built a community and pulled each others spirits high and it was our mid week boost!

I finished my class for maternity leave in March and put off posting this because secretly I was sad this part of my life is temporarily on hold but these ladies have been my rock and I’m so grateful to be surrounded by such amazing, inspiring ladies!

Fitness classes aren’t just about changing your physique it’s about building community, showing up together and having some time for YOU!

Thank you to everyone who showed their support and came to my classes I’m forever grateful and can’t wait to get back to class soon!

Hello? You, yes you! How’s your week going? As women we’re really good at checking in on everyone else but we forget to check in with ourselves!

There’s still time to make sure you do at least one thing for yourself before the week is through!

Make a commitment to yourself and pop it in the comments section!

✔️

What has this got to do with health and wellbeing?

It can be hard putting yourself first, it’s also hard setting boundaries.

But if we don’t do this, we can’t truly look after ourselves.

If people don’t react well or respect your needs and boundaries it isn’t your responsibility to regulate how others feel.

You only live once and it’s important you make sure to prioritise yourself. If you don’t look after yourself you can’t show up for other people/ areas of your life 🫶🏻