I am nearly three months into my fitness journey and there’s so much that I am currently trying to process. Where do I begin?
Well, let’s start with how I haven’t actually lost any weight on the scale but somehow the results of consistent weightlifting and a well-balanced diet are becoming evident. I know I should be celebrating but my goal was to lose at least 7 kgs in the first three months.
It might seem like an unrealistic goal at first glance, but is it really? I was under the impression that the baby weight would effortlessly melt away, but alas, that was not the case. Sure enough, the initial 13 kgs vanished without a trace (I was 90 kgs just before giving birth), but a stubborn 12 kilograms persisted. The result? A wardrobe of ill-fitting clothes and I guess one does gets tired of wearing tights. But that’s not the point I am trying to drive right now.
As the first month of postpartum life passed by, my fellow mothers, including the sweet life giver assured me that as long as I continued nursing, my body would eventually adjust itself to its original settings. So, I waited patiently. Okay, not patiently but I waited and tried not to think about my body in a house with mirrors and reflective surfaces.
Once I got to three months, I knew this weight wasn’t going anywhere. At this point, for those of you who read the first blog, know that I enlisted the help of my good friend Yannick, A personal trainer at Soho gym. When we sat down to write my goals, I told him that losing 7kgs in three months was the target. He didn’t challenge that goal, but he also did say that it will take more time. I was so confident when I entered that goal in my Renpho Health app (shaking my head) and now that I haven’t attained it, I am weighed down with disappointment 🤦🏽♀️
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You might be thinking, "Who cares about the scale?" Well, let me tell you this, it does matter, but it shouldn't be the be-all and end-all. This is a lesson that I am slowly learning. I am coming to terms with the fact that weight loss might not happen as expeditiously as I had hoped. I am embracing patience as a virtue and learning to celebrate the strides that I have made thus far. At present, my focus is on consistency. Yannick has been drilling this into my consciousness time and time again - gradual and steady weight loss through progressive lifting, conditioning, and a balanced diet will yield the results I desire, even on the scale.
Who would have thought that working out could be as therapeutic as a session with a shrink? I certainly didn't anticipate that by hitting the gym, I would embark on a journey of self-discovery. I am not just talking about finding out how strong and fit I can be, but I am learning not to compare myself to others or even to my former self. I am learning to take other people’s advice with a pinch of salt because our bodies are different, and what works for me might not work for someone else. Moreover, I'm learning not to feel disheartened when I see other new moms shedding their baby weight without sweating it out like I do. I am constantly having to remind myself that I am on my own journey.
I am shifting my thoughts from what I haven’t achieved or couldn’t attain to what I am doing right, and that’s consistently working out and eating as healthy as I can. Now, doesn’t that sound like a therapy session breakthrough? Yay!
But before I go, let me leave you with a nugget I picked up during this time. Working out may be therapeutic and take you on a journey of self-discovery, but it's not always sunshine and rainbows. At the end of the day, it's not about being perfect; it's about being resilient and determined to reach your goals."
See you in a month’s time. Murabeho 😊