Laur K.

What did your fitness look like before and during pregnancy?

Before getting pregnant with Quinn, I was in the gym 5x/week, with runs, walks, or yoga on the other days. Very active, very routine. I was up at 5am, at the gym by 6, getting in strength + cardio to start my day. It was my version of caffeine. I liked pushing limits but also mixed in things like Pilates, yoga, and long walks. I was consistent.

Biggest challenge returning after having your baby?

Not having a schedule. My morning routine has been part of my life for 10+ years and tied closely to my mental health. Letting go of that has been hard. I’ve had to accept that this chapter requires more flexibility, mornings now revolve around Quinn, not the gym.

The other challenge was letting go of expectations. Your body and mindset change more than you expect. I used to measure success by performance.  I now have to measure success by effort. That shift has been tough, and I’m still working on it.

How have you adapted your routine?

Letting go of control has been the hardest part. What’s helped is focusing on getting something in, not when it happens.

Early in pregnancy my body felt out of my control, being sick for months, low energy, and reduced cardio capacity. I adjusted by doing what felt right. Less cardio, more strength. Lifting still felt good, so I stuck with it.

I also added flexibility. I got a Peloton and started doing on-demand workouts when I had the time and energy. That, plus our home gym, made a big difference during pregnancy and early postpartum.

What are you most proud of?

Hitting my pre-pregnancy strength numbers again—back squat, strict press, etc. I credit that to lifting throughout pregnancy.

I'm also really proud of the work I've done for my mental health, getting my mindset to a healthier place. Being married to someone who still goes to the gym very regularly, absolutely crushes it, and isn't going through the same physical changes as I am often left me feeling envious or impatient to be "back to normal". Paul has been my biggest cheerleader though. His journey and mine are different but he has helped me get in a healthier frame of mind where I appreciate what my body has been able to do instead of expecting it to be the same. Good mental health has become such a critical piece of good physical health for me, and our marriage helps with that.

What simple habits helped?

Talking about how I feel with Paul, other women and my coaches, helped a lot. Realizing I’m not alone in things like needing modifications was huge.

Physically, I let everything go for the first four weeks and just survived. Then I added things back slowly: yoga, home workouts, classes, based on how I felt.

Nutrition-wise, I kept it simple: prioritize protein. That was my first building block. When I felt confident I was doing that well enough, I added another nutritional building block to the mix. I continue to stack the building blocks and will continue to do so until I hit my goals.

What would you say to another mom getting back into fitness?

Take a deep breath and remember this is going to take time. It took 9 months for your body to build a human, which is truly the most incredible thing that women's bodies can do. This is going to be a new chapter for your body. Speak kindly to yourself. Fitness is a journey, not a destination. You get to define what that journey looks like and no one else.