Getting Fit with Hypnosis and A Baby
Being a parent in America is hard in the best of times, and when you’re struggling with excess weight, it is even harder. I was a lean 125 pound woman before the birth of my daughter, hardened by hours of cardio. I used public transit and hiked up and down the mountains every single day to get to and from my home. The exhilaration of rounding the last corner of my private trail through the redwoods, and spotting my little cottage, was something I will never forget. My ability to carry heavy grocery bags uphill without even breaking a sweat most days is something that made me feel extremely empowered. I knew I was physically healthy and able to take care of myself in hard situations. Living in the woods throughout the seasons helped me understand the true meaning of grit and added a lot of value to my life in both physical and spiritual dimensions.
Throughout my pregnancy, I moved twice, and was helping a friend through a very difficult divorce. I was committed to staying as stress-free as possible, physically, as I knew the cascade of hormones would affect my growing child. I did surprisingly well here - I was able to find mindfulness during most tough situations and keep my body calm. However, I did eat. Oh, did I eat. My roommate’s brief stint at Whole Foods for two months afforded me a wealth of free cakes, pizzas, and cookies. I never bought these things myself, but suddenly, there they were. I was unable to resist as I moved through so many emotional changes. Unbeknownst to me, I was also anemic. Throughout my pregnancy, I would grow more and more unable to exercise. Nausea, lightheadedness, and extreme fatigue plagued me as my baby grew larger throughout the summer months. Although I was once a daily weightlifter and and an avid walker, I would gain 65 pounds before her delivery. The one relief was, I started getting less unwanted attention from strange men on the street. Sadly, that was a definite plus. Prior to my weight gain, life was much tougher in this aspect.
Baby came, in the way that babies do. It was painful and that is a story for another day. The first year postpartum, I lost 35 pounds. At the time, I thought it wasn’t enough. As I struggled through daily hot flashes, fatigue, breastfeeding difficulties, and more, I still showed up at the gym from the 4th month onward. I got us gym childcare and started to feel pretty good in my body. Not happy, but like I was getting somewhere. This has all changed. Due to life medical circumstances and personal choices (to eat, eat, eat for emotional comfort) and enrollment in college, all the weight has come crashing back. Choosing to wean means I also am losing the 500ish calorie burn I was getting with breastfeeding.
Our country does not value health. We see this in the decrepit, corrupt medical system. We see this in the food that is processed, packaged, and sold to us as “normal” food, although so much of our food is banned around the world. People from other countries bemoan the lack of quality in our fruits and vegetables. I know nothing else, I grew up this way. I do know, when I was eating less-processed foods, in great shape, and out in nature; I felt a world healthier. I worry for myself and my daughter as we now live in a suburban hub in the city. Nature isn’t apparent here, nor is simple living. The pressures of fast, convenient food surround us and the noise is incredible. I knew I needed to make a change in order to be a role model for my daughter again, and to ensure I am here for her as long as I can be.
I decided to finally give in and do the darn thing; exercising WITH the kiddo around. I downloaded and joined OneLeaf; “Oneleaf is on a mission to promote healthier living. We provide convenient, accessible health support at everyone’s fingertips.” They provide hypnosis tracks for all sorts of physical and emotional struggles; including a weight loss program. In the first week, I found myself listening to the soothing tracks and feeling reassured that I was able to make positive changes in my brain, even while holding my cosleeping child. Finding comfort in this routine helped allow me to see that even when I was “doing nothing” physical (except calming my daughter’s nervous system, providing her with lifelong benefits), I could still make a difference in my health mindset. After 3 days of hypnosis, I actually did find myself reaching for more unprocessed foods the next time I went shopping. I laughed to myself a little and thought, “Wow. So it does work.”
I’ve ordered some affordable pieces of gym equipment - barbells from Walmart, a hip thrust machine on sale during Christmas-time, and have now been training with my daughter in the early mornings, before the rest of the household wakes up. I’ve lost a few pounds so far and have noticed my body responding with relief as the muscle memory kicks in. Our bodies don’t want to be sick. They want to move and be joyful. I was so stubborn in insisting that I needed my own dedicated time to train (kind of a bodybuilder thing) that I missed the benefits and joy of just doing the damn thing, whatever the cost. My daughter now has a healthy role model. She never saw me training in the gym, she only really knew that I said I was “working out”. While I do hope to get to the gym again someday, I see the value in the 30-40 minute sessions I am able to have with her. We play fitness games and laugh and dance. I am also so excited for warmer weather! I see us moving our sessions outside, extending them, and being able to get lovely Vitamin D which is so important for our body’s health.
The hypnosis tracks, the kiddo in my “gym”, and my overweight body are things I never imagined doing or having. The joy I am finding in these spaces is also unexpected. I want to share my experience, hope, and story in the event that it helps another parent overcome their hesitations or suffering in the weight loss space. Don’t be stubborn like I was, be flexible and seek your own new “program”. Your future awaits. Your child’s eyes can’t wait to see you succeed and be happy.
Tools I am currently using:
Hand weights from Walmart
Booty Sprout; https://www.bootysprout.com/collections/all
Roman Chair from Walmart
Gaiam mat from Amazon
