My 7 Week Twin Postpartum Transformation

I can’t believe the twins will be 3 months old on the 12th!!! Time is flying by. We’ve been seriously blessed with great babies who are relatively laid back and sleep really well, which has made these three months easier than expected. Not saying it’s been easy – just easier than anticipated. Siena was a harder baby than these two combined so we’re pleasantly surprised (and she’s still the MUCH harder one as a toddler!). Having easier than expected babies and lots of help (my husband is currently working from home as a self-employed consultant and my mom comes for two days and nights per week to help) has also helped my own mental and physical recovery. Most days I’m able to squeeze in at least a 30 minute workout and I’ve been able to do some meal prepping (as you’ve seen in previous posts) to make healthy eating easier.

I was cleared to exercise at 4 weeks postpartum and I made a big shift in my eating habits around then as well. It really helped that I had a challenge group starting the Monday after I was cleared! During my pregnancy I got into the habit of eating chocolate after lunch every day and ice cream after dinner most nights (may have contributed a little to the 50 pounds I gained…). I still ate a lot of vegetables while pregnant (well after the nausea settled down finally at 16 weeks) but had made changes like eating more sandwiches instead of salads for lunch, choosing more rich meals for dinners, snacking on things like toast and cheese and pretty much eating whatever I wanted. I still ate fruit but not quite as much as usual. Once the babies came, I also started to have a drink at the end of each day to help relax (plus I really missed drinking while pregnant!).

At 4 weeks, I started easing back into workouts and began to drink my Shakeology every afternoon in place of that treat I was used to having. I stopped eating ice cream and replaced it with either BeachBar protein bars or green yogurt with fruit (or maybe a few chocolate chips). I reserved alcohol for date nights, girls nights and parties, not every night. I decided not to run until 6 weeks and chose some of the less intense workouts on Beachbody on Demand (including the postpartum yoga and postpartum strength workouts). I also started doing some of my Hab-It pelvic floor exercise videos to get more transverse abdominus and pelvic floor back into shape.

At 6 weeks postpartum I started the 21 Day Fix, but didn’t completely follow the nutrition plan at first. I continued to lose 1 pound per week and the final week of the program I followed the nutrition plan by using my containers every day (I increased my bracket by 1 plus add a blue container/fat to get extra calories for breastfeeding) and lost almost 3 pounds in that week alone (hello, it works! That was proof enough for me). I completed almost all the workouts -I did miss a few of them but also started running 2-3 days a week (only 2-4 miles at a time).

After completing 21 Day Fix, I decided to try out the LIIFT4 preview workouts, which are short (20 min) and effective, combining heavier lifting with high intensity cardio and core (I actually turn off the core portion and do my postpartum core exercises instead). I finished two weeks of the 20 minute preview workouts mixed in with running, postpartum core and more pelvic floor exercises to finish out my most recent challenge group. The accountability in the group helped me stick with my workouts and do what I set out in my weekly goals. I didn’t follow a nutrition plan, just continued to make healthy choices and splurge while on date nights and at parties (we had several), within reason (because honestly, you can’t be a twin mom without a drink!). I went back to my steady 1 pound/week weight loss and started seeing some major changes in my body and my strength.

Around this time (2.5 months postpartum) I really started to notice that my energy was skyrocketing. After a year of being pregnant with twins, I was feeling the best I ever had, despite sleeping much less! The motivation to workout and eat healthy poured over into other areas of my life – I’ve been more attentive and intentional as a mother to Siena and I’ve gained a new energy, excitement and motivation for my coaching business as well.

As of 11 weeks postpartum, after 7 weeks of healthy eating, drinking Shakeology daily, doing Beachbody on Demand workouts and running 2-3 times a week, I’ve lost 8 pounds and 3 inches off my waist! My clothes fit better, I feel more confident, and I feel proud of my body. I feel stronger, more energized, and motivated. I feel good you guys! I truly believe that my healthy habits are making a huge difference in my life right now during a pretty CRAZY time (3 kids under 3!).

So what’s next!?

I had planned to finally do 80 Day Obsession in July after having major FOMO watching everyone do it when it was released this spring while I was pregnant with twins, but after doing the LIIFT4 preview workouts, I decided that I really wanted to do this program and that the 4 day a week 30-40 min workouts would fit better into my current fitness and lifestyle than the 6 day a week, more intense and longer workouts in 80 Day Obsession. I am still planning to do 80 Day Obsession at some point and I can’t wait to make that commitment and see the results from it, but I had to be honest with myself that now is not the time.

Instead, I made the decision to start LIIFT4 on it’s release date on July 16th – I absolutely can’t wait for this program and I’ll be going “all in” (thank god for the weekly cheat meal!) and am really looking forward to it.(Read more about the program in this blog post.)

So that’s where I am right now! I’m still about 18 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight but I’m not super concerned by the scale. I know I mentioned pounds a lot in this blog post, but that’s because it’s the most tangible way to talk about results. However, I truly don’t believe that the scale is the goal here (and I’m already anticipating I will probably land above my pre pregnancy weight due to having more muscle!). The goal is how I feel about myself and how my body performs – specifically when it comes to running. I feel really great! But I also want to get stronger and I want my running to improve so I’m going to keep going.

Who wants to join me on July 16th for my next challenge group!? Our group is held in a private app where you’ll log your workouts and get daily tips, motivation and support from your fellow challengers and me as your coach as we do this together! If you’re newly postpartum, I can help you determine the best program (or just workouts) to get you started and give you suggestions for working your core smartly as you gain strength back. If you’re a runner or someone who has been working out regularly and wants to mix in some variety, I really recommend the 4 day a week LIIFT4 program. Or if you’re up for a challenge and want to see major changes in your body composition, 80 Day Obsession could be for you (see my challenger Erin’s transformation here). Just fill out this form and let’s get your questions answered and set up to join us on the 16th!

What Non-Scale Victory do you value most? (Clothes fitting better? Energy? Motivation? Confidence? Feeling strong? Faster running times?)

P.S. Here are some quick results from my challengers during my last 3 week challenge group:

“I’m so much more confident with my body and feel SO strong” – Stephanie