C-Section Saturday: Take Care of Your Body

Welcome to C-Section Saturdays! I am using Saturdays to discuss, teach, and learn about C-Section recovery. Be prepared, some of the information that we discuss will be graphic, but I assure you that I will do my best to cover each topic with the grace of the true southern lady that I am. With that being said lets jump in! 

Today I want to talk about expectations and reality. Things tend to go one of two ways with postpartum expectations. They usually end up being something like this:

"oh my gosh, my body is going to bounce right back and it is going to be wonderful" 

or 

"I hate everything I am going to fall face first in a box of doughnuts since I'm eating for two now anyways."  

And neither of these are good. 

The reality is, your body won't bounce right back. It takes time to heal from the trauma of pregnancy, let alone birth or worse, a C-Section. Your body will not look the way it did originally, no matter what magazines, advertisements, and fitness gurus tell you. You pushed a human being (or had one pulled) out of you. That changes a body. 

The other option of "I'm nursing so now I can finally eat for two" is not right either. You have to take care of your body. This is not the time to give up on yourself. Take the extra step, make the extra effort to eat real and healthy food. Get up and move your body when the doctor clears you to do so. You can't take care of a precious newborn baby with zero energy. 

In reality your body will be different, and you need to be ready for that. 

In fact, I remember thinking that I was marred for life when I first saw my incision. I cried alone in the bathroom at the hospital, just nine hours after my first son was born. 

If you want to see what a C-section body looks like you can see those images here. 

Be prepared, it isn't always pretty at first. If you don't like where your body is after your C-Section, get up, and change it. 

Put one foot in front of the other. 

Don't quit, don't stop. 

You can do this. 

Psalm 139;19 says that "God knit me together in my mother's womb". 

Isn't it amazing to be a part of the miracle of birth? Isn't it amazing what God made our bodies to do? Your body will look different. Your body will feel different. But your body is incredible and don't you let anyone tell you otherwise.

(As a side note, this has NOTHING to do with your size. I don't care what the label on your dress says. There are plenty of unhealthy size zeros walking around out there. Be a good steward of your body and help it to be healthy, not just thin.)

C-Section Saturday: The Baby Weight

Welcome to C-Section Saturday!

So, we spend a lot of time talking about C-section recovery, but recovery from birth in general is very hard especially in terms of body image.

Almost every woman wonders at some point how to get rid of the baby weight. 

That really depends on a LOT of factors. 

Things like your fitness prior to pregnancy and during your pregnancy, medications that you may be taking, sleep that you may or may not be getting, nutrition, and underlying health conditions can all impact your recovery.

So, assuming that you were healthy prior to getting pregnant, how much weight is appropriate to gain during a pregnancy? 

This info-graphic does a very good job of explaining where the "baby weight" comes from.  

Ideally you won't gain more than 35 pounds. 

HOWEVER....

I want to make it very clear that no matter much weight you put on during pregnancy, your focus should be on your health. I also want to tell you that your body is gorgeous and has just done something incredible. Giving birth is incredibly hard on your body, but it doesn't mean that you can't get fit afterwards. 

Focus on strength and mobility rather than a certain weight. 

Listen to your body and be reasonable. 

If you have questions or concerns always go see a medical professional! 

Wife to Wife Wednesday: Lingerie for Christians

Good morning! 

Welcome to Wife to Wife Wednesday, the day that we discuss any and all issues relating to marriage. 

This month my husband and I celebrate 5 years of marriage! In honor of that facet, I have been focusing my Wife to Wife Wednesday posts on physical intimacy in marriage. You can read the intro here and last week we talked about Body Image in the Marriage Bed. 

This week I want to tackle where to buy lingerie when you are a Christian woman.  

I have three small children so going into a store to buy just about anything is difficult, but it is especially difficult when I have to try things on! So when it comes to buying anything that I wear, I almost always buy it online. 

I don't know about you but trying to buy lingerie can be a super frustrating and embarrassing experience if you aren't super careful. 

I really do not want to see what is essentially pornography when I am trying to find an outfit to share with my husband. If you type in lingerie you will get a whole host of images that you just really don't want to see. So, where can a Christian woman go to buy lingerie without feeling gross or skeezy and at the same time not just trusting amazon? 

Let me tell you about my two favorite places!

I came across Virtuous Weddings that has a list of places where you can buy lingerie. This blog breaks each website down based on modesty of the images presented, sizes available, how... enticing the lingerie is. I think it is brilliant and could be a great tool for any wife looking to surprise her husband with something fun while also not exposing herself to imagery she really doesn't need to see.

I am in love with the website Honoring Intimates. I think that their lingerie is fun, affordable, and presented modestly. I love the fact that they don't assume Christian women are just looking for floor length nightgowns. Most of us want pretty, flirty, fun outfits to wear too, and HI delivers! They also go from size 2 to size 20, which means almost everyone can find what they are looking for. They also have a subscription option where each month you will get a brand new outfit (is that the right term??) delivered to your door! 


Don't be afraid to wear fun clothing in the marriage bed. Nothing in the Bible says that lingerie is wrong between a husband and a wife. Try out various things, ask your husband what he likes (with the modest images you can be comfortable showing him what you are thinking about!) and just have fun with it! 

Wife to Wife Wednesday: Body Image in the Marriage Bed

Good morning! 

Welcome to Wife to Wife Wednesday, the day that we discuss any and all issues relating to marriage. 

Today is the first edition of our series on Keeping the Spark Burning in Your Marriage and I am SO excited to jump in!

As I said in my series introduction last week, sex is a super important part of marriage. It is an incredible gift that can be amazing... but it can also be devastating when it doesn't go well. One of the number one complaints that I have heard from women in our fitness ministry is that they don't want to have sex because they are uncomfortable with their bodies. 

So what do you do when your view of your body negatively impacts your desire to have sex?  

Let me start by saying that I have totally been there. I have had three (9+ pound) babies in less than 3.5 years. 

I know exactly what it is like to not want to have sex because you don't like your body. 

My first word of advice to not deny your spouse affection just because you don't like what you see in the mirror. We (as women) tend to be VERY self critical and we don't want our husbands to see the "ugly" parts. More than likely your spouse doesn't even notice the things that you don't like about your body. He just wants to be with you. Don't let your body hold you back from him,  if you think HE doesn't like it. I promise, he likes your body just fine.

Now, I know I just said that your spouse probably doesn't even notice the things that you don't like about your body , but you do. In that case, I think it is totally ok to pursue health and fitness.  Little changes one step at a time can help you to love your body more. Next week I will be talking about how to pick out lingerie without feeling gross or sketchy about it, and that can be a HUGE confidence boost for your body image. 

Here is how I pursue positive body image in the marriage bed:

1.) Meal Plan

Meal planning is the number one way I recommend to my athletes to help them get rid of unwanted body fat. The reason for that is because having a plan for healthy and nutritious food prevents you from wanting to run through the drive-thru really quickly on your way home. 80% of your body composition is built on your diet... not the gym. I have this meal planner and I really like it. It is simple and easy to follow. You can find a TON of meal planning binders, planners and organizers on Pinterest. Try one or two out and find a system that works for you and your family. Make sure that you are eating plenty of vegetables and 9 times out of 10 that will make a huge difference in body fat composition.

2.) Meal Prep
I am a huge fan of meal prepping. Once you have planned out what your meals are going to be you need to assemble the ingredients in a way that makes sense for your family. I LOVE crockpot meals, especially since we have a little baby currently. I prep these Freezable Crockpot Meals about once every three months. They are great for the days that I just don't feel like cooking. I simply cut open the bag, dump them into the crockpot and walk away. This is the crockpot that I use.  

3.) Move your body. 

It doesn't matter if you are going for a light walk around the neighborhood or if you are trying to max-out your power clean. You need to be moving your body every single day. My recommendation for most women is to get up out of your chair and move at least once an hour. If you are the mom of little, when they play you play. If your two year old squats, you squat. If they are running races, run with them. Get up and be active. Get a yoga DVD to do in your home. Invite your husband to go on a walk with you after dinner. There are entire boards on Pinterest dedicated just to fitness. Check them out and get creative. 

4.) Make a list.
Make a list of all of your best attributes. Do you have fabulous eyes? Do you always see the best in people? Does your hair curl really well? Do you always remember people's birthdays and anniversaries? Do you have a gorgeous jawline? Do you manage your finances really well? Do you keep a clean home? Are your kids super well behaved? Ask your friends for help if you need it, bur physically write out a list of the awesome things about you. I bet your husband cares a whole lot more about those things than he does about the fact that you haven't lost that last 15 pounds yet. 

Finally, let me say, you are a beautiful gift from God. Your body is unique and wonderful. In the world hat we live in today we have been fed a line that if you don't look like the images in the magazines, movies, or porn, then you aren't attractive. 

I am here to tell you that is a load of crap. Don't you dare believe it.
You are a beautiful woman of God pursuing intimacy with your husband. You have nothing to be ashamed of with your body, even if there are parts that you don't like. Do not let your body hold you back from enjoying a brilliant sex life with your husband. 

Femininity Friday: My 6 Minute Look

Good morning! Welcome to another Femininity Friday. This is the day of the week when we discuss issues specific to being a woman. Topics range from health and fitness to femininity and feminism. Today I am going to share with you my six minute beauty routine! 

If your house is anything like mine, mornings can be a rough time of day. Being a mom of two little boys, ages 2 and under, makes getting ready in the morning feel like a struggle. My husband is in the Army and many mornings he has to leave before the sun is up. We run an in-home garage gym ministry that has people in my home 5-7 days per week, often before I have had a full cup of coffee. Taking the time to make myself presentable is important to me, but difficult. Trying to tame my very long and unruly hair is challenging enough, but trying to add putting on makeup early in the morning as well can feel like an arduous task!  

I am always on the look out for quick and inexpensive ways to help me look and feel my best each day. So today, I thought I would share with you my 6 minute look (yes I clocked it!) to getting out the door...  or in my case, to the garage. All of the things that I list out below are found in the cosmetics area at Walmart or, I have provided links to Amazon for the exact thing that I use.  

Phase 1: FACE IT

1. Wash your face: I use Clean & Clear Morning Burst Skin Brightening Facial Scrub, 5 Oz. I like the way it smells. You wouldn't think that would be a selling point for a face wash, but for me it totally is! 
2. Prime your face: I use E.l.f. Poreless Primer, 0.47 Fluid Ounce. I really like how smooth it is! With some primers I end up feeling oily and then I don;t end up using it regularly. This one is nice and light. 
3. Apply Foundation: I use COVERGIRL Simply Powder Foundation Classic Ivory Warm 510, .41 oz. I like a smoother matte look on my face. I live in the south and I associate the "dewy" look with sweat. Any other southerners feel that way? 
4. Conceal Trouble Spots:  I like e.l.f. Concealer, Ivory, 0.11 Ounce, I like this color a lot. I find with concealers sometimes that I end up looking like I have dark spots on my face if I am not very careful. This one is soft enough not to make it look like a bad contouring job. 
5. Rosy Bloom: I use COVERGIRL Clean Glow Lightweight Powder Blush Roses 100, .42 oz high on my cheekbones. I don't do contouring because, honestly what mom has time to do that every day? Maybe if I get a chance I will do another post with my "dramatic" look where I contour, but for now, this is it. 

Phase 2: EYES UP

1. Colorful Eyes: I use COVERGIRL Eye Enhancers 4-Kit Eye Shadow Urban Basics, .19 oz almost every day. If I am going to a special event or if I want something more dramatic I will use COVERGIRL Eye Shadow Quads Stunning Smokeys 715, .06 oz, but I really only use it for military balls, and maybe a special date night. I like color on my eyes so I tend to play around with different eye shadows often. What do you like to use? 
2. Line Up: I like to use CoverGirl Perfect Point Eye Liner Mechanical Pencil, Chestnut (w) 212, 0.008-Ounce for my eyeliner. I don't use a traditional pencil because I hate shavings from sharpening them, plus a sharpener with a 2 year old is NEVER A GOOD IDEA. I use brown unless I am using the smokey eye pallet above and then I will use black. 
3. Big Lashes: As I mentioned earlier, I am from the south and we LOVE big eyelashes! I use COVERGIRL LashBlast Waterproof Mascara Black Brown 835, .44 oz and I love it. If I am going to use the black eyeliner, I use this same mascara, but in black. 

Phase 3: Finish It Off

1. Lovely Lips: I use CoverGirl Outlast All Day Two Step Lipcolor, Nude 593, 0.13 Ounce on my lips and I love it. I don't have to constantly reapply it (again, I'm southern, we do that!) and that is a big selling point for me.
2. Set It Up: I use a setting spray since I live in North Carolina and it is hot and humid here. I like e.l.f. Makeup Mist and Set, Clear, 2.02 Ounce because it doesn't have an obvious odor to it. I can't stand smelling my own makeup all day. 
3. Luscious Locks: The last thing that I do is try to tame my crazy hair. You can check out my Pinterest board for hair ideas, but the thing that I use most often are Lila Rose Flexi Clips. I don't sell them myself, but I have a lot of them. They hold my very thick and heavy hair up without giving me a headache like when I wear my hair in a ponytail. Just for reference, i wear the small size for a half up look and the 2XL for an updo.

That's it! 

That is my entire 6 minute look. If my husband is already gone for the morning I  usually give my boys a basket of trucks to play with on the floor right outside the bathroom door and knock this out while listening to praise and worship music or a Focus on the Family podcast. If my husband is home we tag team it, he plays with the boys while I get ready and vice versa. 

What are your tips and tricks for getting ready for the day? 
I'd love to hear all about your routines, hacks, and favorites!

(Just so you know, the links are part of the Amazon affiliate program, if you purchase any of these things from my links I will receive a small commission off of your purchase.)

Military Monday: Fit For Service

 

Welcome to another Military Monday! Upon marrying a military man I learned that there is a LOT to know about life as a military spouse. Mondays are my day to talk about the things I am learning, the new language, military news and current events. Sometimes I post encouraging videos, stories, and cartoons as well. Today I want to talk about being fit to serve. 

In the military community a huge emphasis is placed on the physical fitness of our servicemen and women. Here at Fort Bragg, soldiers have to be able to run well, carry a massive ruck, absorb the physical shock of an airborne mission... and then be able to actually do their job. The Army (and other branches of the military) carefully plan and execute training opportunities to help the soldiers to be as ready as possible for the tasks to which they are assigned. Accountability is available for soldiers that struggle with the discipline of physical fitness. All of this is put in place to keep our service members fit for service. 

 But what about the families?

This is usually the point where I lose people.

The soldier is in the service and should be fit to serve.

Why does the spouse need to be?

 Can I let you in on a little secret?

Service members have to be gone often. Whether it is TDYs, deployments, or just being in the field our soldiers are often gone more than they are home.

So what does that have to do with fitness? 

When your spouse is gone over Christmas, can you get the decorations down from the attic? If you have to PCS while your soldier is en route to a training or coming home from a deployment, can you lift your furniture? When your three year old wants to play airplane like Daddy does, do you have the arm strength (let alone the midline stability) to do it? How about your overall general health? Are you having to go to the doctor over and over again for colds, aches, and pains? 

Military spouses absolutely serve their country, there is no doubt about it. Sacrificing holidays, first steps, last days of school so that your spouse can serve our country isn't easy. But it is a whole lot harder when you physically can't take care of yourself.

The word "resiliency" is thrown around a lot in our world.

We are told often to bounce rather than break.

I think the first step towards this goal is teaching military spouses how to take care of themselves through fitness and nutrition. Only when these spouses have the tools and understanding to achieve true health and fitness will our whole military family truly be fit to serve.

Modest Maternity:Black Leggings

Good Morning! Welcome to another Modest Maternity!

You can read more about my reasons for wanting to write about how to have a modest (yet stylish!) maternity wardrobe here. As I mentioned previously, the goal of Modest Maternity is to feature one item of clothing each week. I will show you four ways to style the featured piece of the week. I will try my best to tell you where it came from (including a link if possible!) as well as how much I paid for it. Since the term maternity includes postpartum, I have decided to include my postpartum wardrobe in our Modest Maternity series! I will post up pictures of the clothes I wear that help me to feel beautiful and allow for easy nursing.

Today I will be featuring my leggings! I so enjoy these tights, I pair them with tunic style shirts which I bought in the plus size section on clearance at Walmart. I wear these tops because they are so easy to nurse in and they are very forgiving of my post baby body. The leggingspair nicely with them. These tights are capri length and solid black. They also come in  many other colors and styles. 

With that being said, lets begin!  

Black Leggings: Amazon $10.98
Blue Tunic Top: Walmart $5.00

Black Leggings: Amazon $10.98
Maroon Tunic Top: Walmart $7.00

Black Leggings: Amazon $10.98
Pink Tunic Top: Walmart $5.00

Black Leggings: Amazon $10.98
Teal Tunic Top: Walmart $5.00
And my awesome little helper, William!

So these were my outfit ideas for this week's Modest Maternity series. 

I hope that you enjoyed it. 

You can see more of my Modest Maternity outfit ideas here. 

 I will be posting more of these outfit examples often to my blog.

It won't be on a regularly scheduled day, so be sure to check back often!

What did you wear this week?

Are you looking to link up? If so, you should check out all the places I link up. 

You can find them here!

Modest Maternity: Denim Leggings

Good Morning! Welcome to another Modest Maternity!

You can read more about my reasons for wanting to write about how to have a modest (yet stylish!) maternity wardrobe here. As I mentioned previously, the goal of Modest Maternity is to feature one item of clothing each week. I will show you four ways to style the featured piece of the week. I will try my best to tell you where it came from (including a link if possible!) as well as how much I paid for it.

 The article of clothing that I will be featuring this week is my pair of denim leggings! These leggings are awesome. I bought them at the Walmart for $9.00 and they have been a great investment. I love that they fit well under my baby belly and don't cause any abrasions or rubbing, like so many other pants. With that being said, lets begin!  

Denim Leggings: $9.00 from Walmart

Shirt: Old Navy purchased from a thrift store for $1.00

 Denim Leggings: $9.00 from Walmart

Sweater: No label, purchased from a thrift store for $3.00
Scarf: Purchased from Walmart for $4.00

 Denim Leggings: $9.00 from Walmart

Shirt: No Label, purchased from a thrift store for $1.00
Scarf: Purchased from Walmart for $4.00

Denim Leggings: $9.00 from Walmart

Shirt: purchased from Walmart for $12.00

Sweater: Purchased from a thrift store for $1.00

So these were my outfit ideas for this week's Modest Maternity series. 

I hope that you enjoyed it. 

You can see more of my Modest Maternity outfit ideas here. 

 I will be posting more of these outfit examples often to my blog.
It won't be on a regularly scheduled day, so be sure to check back often!

What did you wear this week?

Are you looking to link up? If so, you should check out all the places I link up. 

You can find them here!

Modest Maternity: Teal Leggings

Good Morning! Welcome to another Modest Maternity!

You can read more about my reasons for wanting to write about how to have a modest (yet stylish!) maternity wardrobe here. As I mentioned previously, the goal of Modest Maternity is to feature one item of clothing each week. I will show you four ways to style the featured piece of the week. I will try my best to tell you where it came from (including a link if possible!) as well as how much I paid for it.

The article of clothing that I will be featuring this week is my pair of teal leggings! These leggings are awesome. I bought them at the Walmart for $9.00 and they have been a great investment. I love that they fit well under my baby belly and don't cause any abrasions or rubbing, like so many other pants. With that being said, lets begin!  

 Teal Leggings: $9.00 from Walmart

Shirt: No Boundaries, purchased from a thrift store for $1.00

Sweater: Target, purchased from a thrift store for $2.00

 Teal Leggings: $9.00 from Walmart

Shirt: purchased from Khols on clearance for $4.00

Sweater: Target, purchased from a thrift store for $2.00

 Teal Leggings: $9.00 from Walmart

Shirt: Motherhood Maternity, purchased from thrift store for $3.00

Teal Leggings: $9.00 from Walmart

Shirt: No Boundaries, purchased from a thrift store for $1.00

Sweater: Purchased from a thrift store for $1.00

So these were my outfit ideas for this week's Modest Maternity series. 

I hope that you enjoyed it. 

You can see more of my Modest Maternity outfit ideas here. 

 I will be posting more of these outfit examples often to my blog.
It won't be on a regularly scheduled day, so be sure to check back often!

What did you wear this week?

Are you looking to link up? If so, you should check out all the places I link up. 

You can find them here!