I held my miracle in my arms and the world melted away.
Worries of weight gain and stretch marks were trivial when I looked into the eyes of my newborn son. I found the meaning of life. Nine months of anxiety, fatigue, and physical metamorphosis ended in twenty-six hours of labor, c-section surgery, and a tiny human being that was perfect in every way.
And so began my quest to rebuild my post-baby bod.
I've encountered a great deal of curiosity about how I made it to the stage so soon after having a baby and how I manage to train through the trials and tribulations of toddlerhood. The answer is simple: hard work, time management, and burning desire.
The author, Ginny, was back on stage just four months after having her son!
Competition prep is very much like pregnancy. Alcohol is off limits, certain foods are forbidden, worry, elusive sleep, body aches, exhaustion, and delicious anticipation. If you have the chops to make a baby and survive as a parent there is nothing you can't accomplish.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends pregnant women without obstetric or medical restriction get at least 30 minutes of daily exercise. Aside from managing weight gain, exercise during pregnancy combats stress, aids in preventing diastasis recti abdominus (separation and weakness of the abdominal muscles), may reduce the risk of developing gestational diabetes, and improves bladder control—preventing incontinence issues late in pregnancy and postpartum.
Plenty of reasons to stay active with that growing baby inside of you, isn't it?!
Of course, physician approval should be obtained prior to engaging in any kind of exercise program while pregnant and immediately after giving birth. The average recommended postpartum recovery period is about six weeks, but this may vary depending on whether the birth was particularly difficult or required a c-section.
Here's another pertinent study I found interesting: The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) monitored strength and fitness levels in 124 women who were either pregnant or became pregnant during the course of the evaluation. Research concluded that fitness and strength levels decline during pregnancy but improve almost completely by 27 weeks postpartum!
It's reasonable to assume, based on this information, that an otherwise healthy woman should have no physical barriers to returning to pre-pregnancy fitness levels soon after she'd given birth to her bundle of joy.
There are never shortcuts on the road to the stage; we all must work hard to get there! A general perception exists that having had children in some way precludes you from achieving a competition physique. Guess what? That's nothing more than a myth!
No one's more qualified to blow that myth out of the water than Fitness America and Fitness Canada National Champion, Allison Ethier. A mere six months after c-section delivery of her son Zachary, Allison took the stage for a top ten victory at the 2006 Fitness America Nationals.
Amazing, isn't yet? Yet it's obviously very doable! Curious to know how she did it? Here's how Allison describes her re-entry into her routine:
"I took huge steps backward in my training (during pregnancy). Even though mentally I was ready to return to my regular routines, physically I was just not ready. I had to ease back into my weight training. The diet was relatively easy as I had been eating quite poorly near the end of my pregnancy, so eating clean was a welcome change. For cardio I just walked a lot. Running and any bouncing movements after having a c-section just didn't feel right."
Allison, finishing up a routine.
There is no greater responsibility than caring for a child. Managing the needs of your little one and preparing for a competition may seem impossible; you feel like you're living on borrowed time as it is! To juggle diapers, deadlifts, and deadlines, Allison recommends the following outline for success:
First figure out why you want to compete. What are your reasons? To get back into shape? Model? Gain exposure? Self challenge?
Create a budget and see if you have enough resources to support your desire to hit the stage. Include all possible expenses: gym memberships, babysitting, training, nutrition, supplementation, competition expenses, suits, costumes, music, and makeup.
Find people to support you through the whole journey. You are not going to be able to do this alone. Does this goal fit into your current schedule?
Good planning will help ease the burden of adding more to your day, but typically something has to give (usually it is sleep), so that you can achieve this goal of competition.
Nothing may be more taxing on your time and patience than an infant—except perhaps a teenage son. IFBB Fitness and Figure Pro, Michelle Mayberry began competing at the age of 39 and is the proud mother of Garrett, 16.
With some impressive wins under her belt and a little extra life experience, Michelle knows a thing or two about time management:
"Being a single mom, I had to be creative with how to fit all my training into my day. I learned to schedule my workouts when I wouldn't be with my son anyway, like when he was at school. He's 16 now, so it's a little easier to go off to the gym.
Sometimes he likes to come along with me and we'll do cardio together, or go for a run. I think it's important to keep him involved. I set up a home gym with a treadmill and weights so that if I couldn't leave for whatever reason, I had enough equipment to get a decent workout in."
She adds, "You have to figure out your schedule and see where you have extra time to workout. You might have to break it up—doing 30 minutes of cardio when you can fit it in, then lifting later in the day."
Michelle, during one of her routines.
Mommy-guilt is delivered in large doses along with the arrival of your child. The time and dedication required to prepare for a competition might seem like a pipe dream in comparison to the rest of your responsibilities. Parenthood has a way of readjusting priorities.
Just don't forget that while nurturing your child is number one, to do that well you must make time for yourself!
"You have to be the best 'you' you can be in order to be the best mom, wife, or whatever," says Michelle."If you're not happy and healthy, you're not going to be good at anything else for very long. You'll get burned out and feel resentful. You need to show your kids that you're important too and need to take a little time for yourself every day."
As I watch my son, Ethan grow into an inquisitive, funny, and sensitive little person, I feel that I'm better able to step back from my life in reflection and observation. This new vantage point allows me to keep things in greater perspective.
The things that used to frustrate me don't matter so much anymore. I worry less about what didn't get done and have a greater appreciation for the things I was able to mark off my list — even if it was just finding time to brush my teeth. Both Allison and Michelle have valuable insight on this matter.
"Now I have more confidence in my abilities, and no longer fear competition and being successful at it," Allison states. "Before, I'd always doubt the outcome and whether I was worthy or not of any accolades that came with competing. This was a fear that I held on to for a long time. I'm now less likely to make excuses, and make every moment count."
"Competing is a lot of fun, but it's not that important on the larger scale of life. My family comes first, and if I have a good day at a show, it's just that, a good day. My family is forever," Michelle adds.
In many ways, mommies are well suited to be competitors because they define daily the meaning of commitment, hard work, multi-tasking, and sacrifice.
The choice to compete is always personal and the commitment required is compounded when you have a family. Only you can determine how and when you reach the stage.
A rapid post-partum return may have some physical implications, such as the ability to maintain breast milk stores. The decision to breast feed is intensely personal and socially scrutinized, but is entirely up to you.
You'll also find your strength lagging in the months following birth, which may affect your ability to train to your full potential.
The author with her baby, Ethan.
Take the time you need to recover and enjoy your children. Listen to your body; treat it with compassion and patience. There are no timelines for post-partum recovery. Whether your journey to the stage is a sprint or a stroll, you have the ability to fulfill your dream of competition and raising a family.
Ginny Gardea makes her home in Portland, Oregon with her husband and one year old son. She is an NPC Figure competitor and trains with IFBB Figure Pro, Kristi Tauti. Ginny entered her first competition just four months after the birth of her son. She hit the stage and never looked back. Ginny holds a degree in Speech & Communications from Western Oregon University.
Ginny offers online figure coaching and can be reached for consultation at ggardea@impactfitnessproducts.com.
Medicine in Sports Exercise, American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM); Fitness, Strength, Measured Before and After Pregnancy; V37, No. 5, 832-837
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG); Exercise during Pregnancy; June 2003
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