If you had asked me after my first baby how I planned to get my body back, I probably would have talked about losing the baby weight.
After my second baby, my answer was completely different.
I stopped chasing my “body back.”
Not because I stopped caring about my health, but because I finally realized that rebuilding strength after having a baby isn’t something you accomplish in a few months. It’s a process. And if you’re breastfeeding, working, raising little kids, getting sick every few weeks, and trying to take care of everyone else, that process definitely isn’t going to be linear.
Some weeks I make it to the gym three times. Other weeks one of my kids gets sick, naps fall apart, or work gets busy, and suddenly my workout is happening in the living room while my toddler is climbing on me and my baby needs to nurse halfway through.
That’s just this season of life.
Instead of trying to do everything perfectly, I’ve been focused on building habits that I can actually stick with. I’m not looking for a quick fix. I want to be strong for my kids, have energy throughout the day, and build a healthy lifestyle that I can maintain for years.
If you’re in the middle of your own postpartum fitness journey, here’s what’s been helping me.
I Changed My Goal
One of the biggest mindset shifts I made after my second baby was changing my goal.
I wasn’t trying to lose weight as fast as possible.
My first priority was breastfeeding.
That meant I needed to eat enough to fuel my body and make milk. Trying to cut calories while asking my body to nourish another human just didn’t make sense for me.
I also knew that building muscle while losing body fat doesn’t usually happen all at once. Those goals can compete with each other, especially during postpartum and breastfeeding.
So instead of stressing over the scale, I decided to focus on what I could control.
I could nourish my body.
I could get stronger.
I could move consistently.
The rest would come with time.
Looking back, I think giving myself permission to slow down actually helped me stay consistent. I wasn’t constantly feeling like I was failing because I wasn’t trying to rush something that naturally takes time.
Protein Became My Foundation
If there’s one habit that’s made the biggest difference for me, it’s prioritizing protein.
Honestly, I didn’t really start paying attention to it until I was around six months postpartum. Looking back, it probably would have been helpful to focus on it sooner, but I’m also a big believer that it’s never too late to start.
These days I aim for around 100 grams of protein a day. That number works well for me, but everyone’s needs are different depending on their body size, activity level, and goals.
What matters most is simply making protein a priority at every meal.
One thing that’s helped tremendously is meal prepping foods that I eat all the time. When I make my favorite breakfasts or lunches, I already know roughly how much protein is in one serving.
I don’t track every bite with an app.
With two little kids, that’s just one more thing on my mental load that I don’t need.
When you’ve measured foods enough times, you start to recognize what 20 to 30 grams of protein looks like. I usually just keep a mental tally throughout the day.
Another simple habit that’s made a big difference is keeping easy protein options in the refrigerator.
Organic turkey lunch meat has become one of my favorite quick snacks. I’ll pair it with an apple, some tortilla chips, or whatever fruit we have in the house.
It sounds so simple, but before I started doing this, I’d walk into the pantry starving, grab a bag of chips because it was easy, and then an hour later I’d still be hungry.
Protein actually keeps me full.
It gives me energy, helps support muscle growth, and keeps me from constantly searching for snacks throughout the day.
Sometimes the healthiest habits aren’t complicated at all—they’re just prepared ahead of time.
My Workouts Fit Around My Kids—Not the Other Way Around
When people ask me what my postpartum workout routine looks like, they’re usually expecting something really structured.
The truth?
It’s flexible.
On a perfect week, my goal is to make it to the gym three times and squeeze in one workout at home.
Some weeks that happens exactly as planned.
Other weeks, someone gets sick, one of the kids skips a nap, work gets busy, or life simply happens. There have been weeks where I’ve only made it to the gym twice, and instead of throwing in the towel, I’ll replace that missed workout with one or two workouts at home.
Years ago, I probably would have looked at that week and thought, Well, I already messed it up.
Now I know better.
Doing something will always be better than doing nothing.
One thing I’ve learned during this season of motherhood is that you have to stop waiting for the perfect schedule. If I only have 20 minutes, I’m going to use those 20 minutes. If I can’t leave the house, I’ll work out at home. If my kids wake up early from their naps, I simply adjust and finish what I can.
That mindset has made all the difference.
Home Workouts Count, Too
I used to think that if I couldn’t get to the gym, the workout didn’t really count.
Now I honestly don’t believe that at all.
Some of my favorite workouts happen right in my living room.
Sometimes I’ll pull up a workout on YouTube. Other times I’ll ask ChatGPT something like, “Create a full-body workout that’s less than 20 minutes using the dumbbells I have at home.”
It’s surprisingly effective.
I don’t need fancy equipment or an elaborate plan. I just need something that gets me moving and challenges my muscles.
Those short workouts have helped me stay consistent, and consistency is what builds strength over time.
If you’re a busy mom, don’t underestimate what you can accomplish in 20 minutes.
Motherhood Doesn’t Pause for Workouts
One thing I don’t think people talk about enough is what workouts actually look like after kids.
They’re messy.
There are plenty of days when I’m halfway through a set of squats and one child starts crying.
Sometimes my toddler wants to “help” by climbing on my back while I’m doing push-ups.
Sometimes they’re chasing each other through the house.
Sometimes someone suddenly decides they’re starving and needs a snack immediately.
I’ve learned to laugh about it because this is simply the season I’m in.
There are days when I have to pause my workout, comfort a child, refill water cups, settle an argument, or nurse the baby before I can finish.
Before kids, I could work out whenever I wanted.
Now my workouts revolve around nap schedules, breastfeeding, meal times, and everything else that comes with raising little ones.
Instead of fighting that reality, I’ve learned to work with it.
The workout doesn’t have to be perfect.
It just has to happen.
The Time-Saving Trick That’s Helped Me Stay Consistent
One thing that’s made my workouts much more efficient is doing supersets.
If you’ve never heard of them, don’t worry—they’re much simpler than they sound.
Instead of doing one exercise, resting, and then moving to another exercise, I’ll pair two exercises together.
For example, I might do a set of squats and then go straight into shoulder presses before taking a short break.
Then I’ll repeat both exercises again.
I usually rest for about 30 to 45 seconds between rounds.
It’s such a simple change, but it allows me to get more done in less time.
Since I don’t always have an hour to spend at the gym, I love knowing I can still get a really effective workout in 25 or 30 minutes.
Most of my workouts are full-body workouts because they make the most sense for my schedule. I can work my upper body, lower body, and core in one session instead of trying to split everything up throughout the week.
As a busy mom, I don’t need the “perfect” workout plan.
I need one that fits my real life.
Consistency Has Been the Biggest Difference
If there’s one lesson this whole postpartum fitness journey has taught me, it’s that consistency always beats perfection.
I don’t avoid birthdays.
I don’t skip dessert on vacation.
I don’t believe one slice of pizza or one holiday meal ruins months of progress.
Life is meant to be enjoyed.
If we’ve had a weekend full of treats, I’ll simply make it a point to eat more fruits, vegetables, and protein the next day. Maybe I’ll order a steak instead of something fried. Maybe I’ll throw together a big salad for lunch.
Then I move on.
I don’t punish myself.
I don’t try to “make up” for it.
I just go right back to the habits that make me feel my best.
I think that’s where so many people get stuck.
They have a couple of off days, decide they’ve already ruined everything, stop meal prepping, stop prioritizing protein, stop setting their alarm for the gym, and before they know it, a few days have turned into a few weeks.
I’ve been there too.
That’s why I’ve learned that the most important workout is the next one.
The most important high-protein meal is the next one.
The most important healthy choice is simply the next one.
Your progress isn’t determined by one vacation, one birthday, or one missed workout.
It’s built by showing up again and again, even when life isn’t perfect.
And honestly, with two little kids, I don’t think life will be perfect anytime soon.
But I don’t need it to be.
I just need to keep showing up.
