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| Stephanie "Wankiya Waci" Big Eagle |
Building up the strength of your body and mind is the
primary place to begin. In order to avoid injury, you must allow your body to
build up to where you ideally want it to be. Walking was my initial exercise of
choice for weight loss and building up my strength. Two days after having my baby,
I began walking between a half mile to two miles a day; being careful to pay
attention to how my body was responding. If I felt over exhausted, or any pain
within the womb, I would stop and rest for at least a day until my body let me
know that it was safe to resume exercise. Baby was so little at the time that I
would place him in an infant carrier and he would sleep for the duration of the
walk. It was a fantastic and very enjoyable experience for the both of us. At
first I noticed rapid weight loss as my body was adjusting to no longer being
pregnant, and no longer needing to retain water. Then the weight loss evened
out and I really had to watch my diet and exercise every day to shed those last
20 pounds. As my body grew stronger, I increased my daily walks by time,
keeping it between one to two hours a day. Good news Ladies! Walking is actually
the best way to lose weight through exercise! By walking at least an hour every
day, as fast as you can, you will safely and surely lose those extra pounds in
a reasonable amount of time. It is also great for the mind, as any exercise
naturally alleviates stress and heightens the release of good-feeling
endorphins; very important for mothers who need to give lots of love to babies!
Just be sure to not engage in any strenuous exercise until after 6 weeks
postpartum, as your body is devoted to healing from the incredible transition
of childbirth. Don’t overdo it and remember to adopt the pace of Nature:
Patience, and everything in its perfect season and time.
Walking is a great way to gently shed those extra pounds.
However, it is not going to tone and shape, nor is it going to condition for
those desiring to engage in a higher level of fitness. I am a professional
dancer, so it is vital that I condition my breath, heart rate, and endurance to
match the performance expected from me. So I began to run after my baby was 8
weeks old. I invested in a jogging stroller so that I can take baby with me on
every single workout! He sleeps the entire time and my mind rests at ease
knowing that he is enjoying my workout as much as I am! I started off with just
one mile, in between a two to five mile walk. At first it was very difficult to
complete even just one mile, but I kept it up. Your body is not conditioned for
running after having a baby, so it is going to resist, but you must “breakthrough”
the resistance, and stay dedicated if you really want to attain that higher
level of fitness. Just keep in mind that it is very easy to injure yourself if
you strain your body too hard, especially after having a baby, as the ligaments
and bones of the body were stretched and softened to make way for the baby. So
be sure to take your time and allow the body to gradually strengthen itself so
that you are not forced to stop to heal from a stress injury.
After several weeks of walking and running, I was able to
increase my runs to between a three to five mile distance. I kept my runs at
this space for one month and focused on building speed and endurance. Eventually
I maximized my pace at 3 miles in 19 minutes. Once I was able to accomplish
this, I stepped up to a whole new level and doubled my running distance to 6
miles just a few weeks ago. Now I am running between 7 to 11 miles in the
morning and dancing for up to two hours every evening after just 2 months of
conditioning! I intend to keep pushing myself beyond where I was just the day
before, and therefore BE-ing and doing the very best I can.
Let me tell you a secret ladies: The key to my success was,
and is, and always will be ~ my mind! There were many times that I wanted to
quit; when my body was aching and tired; when it was hot and humid and I just
didn’t feel like sweating and working so hard; but I kept focused on my “WHY.”
It is essential that you find your “WHY” for wanting to get into your best
possible shape. For me, it was really just to see what I was capable of, to see
how far I could go. I am now in the best shape of my life, emotionally,
spiritually, and physically, and it’s all because I have committed myself to my
“WHY.” I recommend getting out a piece of paper write now, and writing down
your “WHY.” Make a list of your goals, and give yourself a reasonable time in
which to accomplish your fitness goals, include your “WHY” at the top of this
list, and tape it next to your mirror. Read these goals out loud to yourself
twice a day, and commit yourself to achieving them. James Rippe, MD says: “Exercise
alone provides psychological and physical benefits. However, if you also adopt
a strategy that engages your mind while you exercise, you can get a whole host
of psychological benefits fairly quickly.”
The bottom line is that getting into your best possible
shape is a reality that only you can create. You must dedicate yourself to your
goals and your “WHY” and keep on keeping on. Find a workout that suits your
body and preference. There are so many options for being and remaining active! If
you find it hard to motivate yourself, a personal trainer can really help, or
find a workout buddy and you can help to motivate each other. Just keep showing
up, consistently and with a good attitude, and you will be amazed at discovering
what you are capable of! To look in the mirror and see the effects of all your
hard work is a reward that is priceless and well earned! Take the first step
today towards your better health, mentally, physically, and spiritually; write
down your “WHY,” make your commitment, and breathe, move and rock it!
“If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or
anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no
limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go
beyond them.” – Bruce Lee
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