The Real Deal
Posted: January 18, 2011 at 1:00 pmYou know what really irks me? Headlines on magazines like US Weekly with claims like the following: “See How So and So Lost All Her Baby Weight in 10 Days!” or “Celeb X Got Her Pre-Baby Body Back in ONE Month”. You know what I’m talking about. I don’t know if these were actual headlines, but they sure do sound familiar. And okay – it’s true you can lose all the baby weight that fast. As for your body achieving the same shape? For your average Jane without the trainers and nannies, not gonna happen that quickly. It just won’t. That is why I plan to tell all (openly, honestly, and with pictures) here on FFF.
I delivered baby B one week ago. My body looks like this right now.
And it is absolutely perfect. Just how it is. It carried my child for 9.5 months. It nourishes my little man right now. It plays with my beautiful daughter. It is me. It is real. It is beautiful.
Sure, I have fitness goals I want to achieve…but that’s more about caring for myself and doing things I enjoy. I still need to love my body where it’s at in this moment. And I do.
In sharing my “body after baby” journey, I hope to show that it is possible to regain fitness and get back in shape with balance, moderation, and consistency. I want to reflect the reality that it takes time, dedication, and effort but that it can happen.
More important than anything though, I want to express the strength and beauty of our bodies. They can do miraculous things – whether carrying a child or running a mile or hugging a friend. Please love yourself today and every day. I’m beautiful! And you are too.
Question of the Day – What about your body amazes you right now? Remember – be confident!
And for those interested – I shared a link to the sneak peek of Braedon’s newborn photos on my Facebook page. 🙂
Tags: body after baby, early post-baby days, love yourself, positive attitude, post-pregnancy fitness, progress pictures
This was awesome. I admire your strength and openness and I love the message! Thanks!
I rarely comment because I read on the go (unfortunately my commute is my only real “down time”) but I had to on this one.
You are incredible. Amazing. Inspiring. Your blog has quickly become my favorite. Thank you for you honest, real words.
Thank you so much for the comment today. I understand not having time to comment very regularly, but certainly appreciate the supportive words you gave today. 🙂
My body was able to deal with the excitement and stress of a 5 1/2 hour class last night, and waited patiently until 9 to have dinner. It is healthy and happy right now.
You ARE beautiful! 🙂
You look beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing this post with us! I will admit that I am worried about my post-baby body and if I will ever get back my figure. But loving yourself where you are right now, and the miracle that is childbirth are so much more important than that! This is my first time on your blog, I’m excited to start following your journey. 🙂
Thanks! I have visited your site quite a few times and always love it. Guess its time I start saying hello, huh? Always fun to make new blog friends. 🙂
Yay! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂 I am following you on Twitter now, I love making new blog friends too!
I love this. Granted, I haven’t had any babies yet but sometimes I still need to be reminded that I’m lucky to have a healthy body and that it’s perfect just the way it is!
I love this! Thank you for posting and for being open!
Your body is beautiful, especially because you have given birth to two kids!! I hope to look half as good as this after I have kids 🙂
I think you look awesome! Thanks for always being so open and honest girl!
You are AWESOME!
What a great post!!!
I’m focusing on strength training really for the first time, and my body is constantly amazing me at how strong it really is 🙂
That’s part of why I love strength training. It’s so fun to see just how strong our bodies are. Such a great feeling.
I love your confidence and pride!! It is so inspiring to me 🙂 Right now I love all the strong muscles in my legs and back…I’m gettin’ fit for the new year!
You look great!! I love this positive post. It makes me less nervous to start having kids, especially after I have been and continue to be working on losing weight and getting fit.
The one thing that amazes me about my body is even though I let it get a little out of shape, I push myself harder and harder and achieve all that I put my heart, head, and body into 🙂
You are so awesome and beautiful, Tina! 🙂
You are beautiful. I absolutely love this post and your confidence shines right through 🙂
You are beautiful!
my legs ran 26.2 miles last week…and carrying the most weight that they have ever seen.
Tina, you are so inspirational! You’re absolutely right that while it’s great to have fitness goals, it’s most important to love our bodies exactly as they are at any point!
Right now I’m in awe of my body’s ability to heal itself. It’s amazing how resilient our bodies are.
I love this! You are beautiful and such an inspiration! 😀
Beautiful, bold and brave! I’m so impressed and inspired that you’re posing in a bikini a week after giving birth. Thank you for showing what REALLY happens to our bodies and reminding us that it’s natural and wonderful. You’re awesome!
I hope to always be open and honest. It’s one of my biggest things I try to give here on the blog. Thanks for appreciating it!
True! You are very beautiful! And the photos were so cute! 🙂
tina, you are AWESOME.
I’m so completely jealous of your courageousness, your reality, your truthfulness, and your confidence. you go, girl!
p.s. I got a new baby this weekend! check me out! =D
I just want to say how absolutely amazing you are! Thank you for your inspiring posts!
You’re amazing. Amazing. That is all.
you look amazing!!!! tina!!!!
you are nursing, you just had a baby (and 2 babies within 3 years!) and you’re looking wonderful.
but it’s your attitude and confidence and SELF LOVE that i am lovin’ most 🙂
This is the best blog post I think I have ever read, ever. I have this big goofy grin on my face here at my work desk because it’s just so real and open and honest and … confident. I love it. 🙂
You are absolutely beautiful. Thank you for sharing yourself with the world. You have probably already reached more people with your love and honesty than you will ever know.
I <3 you so much!
I am actually so emotional reading this!! I love you Tina! You are SO real and honest and AMAZING. And you look gorgeous to boot. 🙂
It is so refreshing to have someone be REAL about what happens to our bodies after we have babies. Thank you for this positive post–I just love it. 🙂
You look amazing! And I completely agree… it’s disturbing to read headlines like that, which is NOT the reality for the average person (without trainers, chefs, nannies… like you said). I look forward to reading and following along with you and your REAL transformation!
I think I’ve been most amazed by my body when I was pregnant with Little H. It was truly a life altering experience for me!
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by tryseeah, Tina Reale. Tina Reale said: The Real Deal: You know what really irks me? Headlines on magazines like US Weekly with claims like the followin… http://bit.ly/hVNduv […]
Thank you for showing what it is really like! I love that my body is healthy again after 2 weeks with a kidney infection!
Thank you Tina for being so open and honest and showing us the “real deal”. I needed to see that. Having given birth 1.5 weeks ago and having the post partum body myself it helps to have the reality check that it is supposed to be that way and I am not meant to fit back into my prepregnancy clothes for awhile. I need to appreciate my body for what it has done for me and my children and keep it healthy.
Right now my body amazes me that it can produce exactly what my baby girl needs to grow. I find breastfeeding amazing and hope I can do it for at least a year or more just as I did with Little Miss B.
Exactly! Its crazy how smart the body is. A truly miraculous thing. 🙂
Awesome! Thank you for sharing this. Too many women rush to lose the “baby weight” like its something to be ashamed of. Yuor body did something amazing and you should love it!
Wow– can I just echo everyone here and say that you are AWESOME for posting these photos?! Your body is doing exactly what it was meant to do right now, and you are brave and strong for embracing that fact!
You are gorgeous !! Love your confidence and strength!!
Can’t wait to follow your journey:)
Your outlook on body image and self-love is so inspiring! Improving your body is a journey, and you definitely embrace the journey and the process and love what you body can do for you & your baby. I love it!
What a fabulous post, honey, and oh my goodness, yes, you are so beautiful in every way. I swear you bring tears to my eyes so often when I read your blog. I just adore you and the things you have to say. You look so feminine and so RIGHT and I love that you’re not ashamed to share that because there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. What you’ve done and what you continue to do is nothing short of miraculous.
You are inspiring and beautiful! Thanks for having the confidence yourself to post those photos and document your journey through childbirth and fitness. Love, love, love it.
Oh my gosh you are lovely and awesome!
This is a GREAT blog, and you look so beautiful! I am so glad you posted the pics. You need to be making plans to write a book girl!!
I loveeee that you posted this. I am sending it to all my clients who have had babies and are working to get back into their pre-baby shape. I hate magazines that do this!!!
Awesome! I’m all about getting out a real message. 🙂
Bravo! This is such a good message!
You are such an inspiration. I think it’s great that you love your body, and you should!
What amazes me about my body right now…
that when I do bicep exercises they seem so easy. I know the muscles in my arms are getting stronger.
Phew… that was hard 🙂
I am amazed when my body has strength that I did not know it had (holding yoga posses longer than I thought I could).
So many of my friends (I’m not a mom) rushed to get trainers and pushed themselves the minute the doctor gave the go ahead… They wanted their bodies back pronto! I almost feel like they didn’t even take time to enjoy the beauty of what their bodies just helped them achieve. I love your honesty in this post, it’s too bad the media has portrayed after pregnancy bodies the way they have. If they focused on positive body image and attitudes like yours, new Mom’s would save many wasted hours worrying about how they look post-pregnancy.
You look great and I admire your confidence!
You look great Tina and what a great post. I’m in the same place as you and its just refreshing to hear from someone that gets it. I don’t always post but I do pop in from time to time. Congratulations on your little Braedon. He is absolutely beautiful.
You are beautiful, and I’m glad you know it 🙂
<3