If you follow me on Instagram, you know that at one point (before little one) I was in great shape- meaning the best shape of my life. I was strong, could kill cardio and felt invincible.

I didn’t quite realize the toll that the latter part of my pregnancy would have on my fitness capabilities. I was diagnosed with preeclampsia at week 36+6 and began induction that day. Preeclampsia was not an issue throughout my whole pregnancy. I watched what I ate, wore stockings (didn’t stay off my feet) and exercised up to the point that I couldn’t move. My feet were swollen so bad that just moving them hurt. I had to wear slippers to work on most days and on other days, thank goodness for Rothy’s and their amazing stretchable fabric.

I went from a very healthy and exciting pregnancy…

To a very miserable one.

Everything happened right around Thanksgiving too, so watching what I ate was imperative. In fact, I didn’t make it past Thanksgiving weekend, but I did watch what I ate.

Surprisingly, the weight fell off very quickly. After about three weeks, I was down to my pre-pregnancy weight and could afford to do some toning exercises. Motherhood took over and working out took a back seat.

I tried to get moving several times, but the motivation just wasn’t the same as before. This past week was the first consistent week of becoming a healthier me. I began intermittent fasting, I cut the majority of carbs out of my diet with some healthy and simple lunch recipes and I began a consistent workout regimen.

I did not want to get in over my head with workouts, but I was looking for a simple yet effective plan. I decided to try an app called HIIT Workouts to get me started. This app has three levels with a variety of workouts targeting specific areas. The times vary and I will say I was surprised that I was sweating as much as I did. Either I’m terribly out of shape or they were decently outlined. The app provides a timer as well as a clip of what each exercise should look like. The part I loved the most- I could play music and the app would still coach me in the background. If you are looking for something to get you started, you should check it out. Some run from 8 minutes to 25 minutes- you can’t tell me you don’t have eight minutes in your day, even as a mama.

So I’ll apologize ahead of time for the workout posts, recipes and progress that will begin to be shared, but I hope I can inspire other mamas to make time for themselves, like I have.

If you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer them or do my best with my background to help you get started on your fitness journey.