Post-Pregnancy Fitness Tips

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First, I want to start by saying that I am no expert in fitness, but here is what 
I am doing and have learned.

Now that my pregnancy is over, I am so ready to lose the baby weight and

turn into my pre-pregnancy wardrobe. I gained 48 pounds with this pregnancy! Yikes. With

AJ I only put on 25 pounds. I still have about 10 more pounds to lose to reach my pre-pregnancy weight
and now that I have been given the okay by the doctor, I am working out.
I am really enjoying this workout dvd, but just to warn you that it is intense.

I was aware that light exercise (such as walking and stretching) can be

safely performed within days of giving birth as long as you have had a normal vaginal delivery.

But something I didn't know was that in order to move to a more intense workout
with abdominal exercise involved the abdominal muscles had to be close to their original
position and the best way to check for this is make sure your abdominals pass
the finger test (and check with your doctor to be safe). Below are the steps involved
with this test. For more information on this, read this article.

Finger Test (Source: Baby Center)

1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent.

2. Place the fingers of your left hand, palm facing you, just above your belly button.

3. Place your right hand on your upper right thigh.

4. Inhale then exhale. As you exhale, lift your head and shoulders off the floor and

slide your right hand up your thigh toward your knee. This will make your abdominals

tighten, and you should be able to feel the gap where the muscles have separated.

5. If the gap is three or more finger-widths, you can gently begin to strengthen your

abdominal muscles with pelvic tilts and leg slides.

6. Once the gap narrows to only one or two finger-widths, you can start 

doing crunches or sit-ups.

7. And don't forget to check with your doctor.

P.S. My days are quite busy with two kiddos and a new home.
But I am sure it will get better soon. Hope to visit you soon.