After baby, don’t bounce back. Bounce forward! | Tiffiny Hall | TEDxDocklands

TEDx Talks
15 Mar 201914:04
EducationalLearning
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TLDRIn this inspiring talk, a fitness industry professional shares her journey through pregnancy and the societal pressures to 'bounce back' postpartum. Initially terrified of the impact on her business, she faced severe morning sickness and weight gain, yet chose to prioritize her health, baby, and self-care over a quick physical transformation. Embracing her postpartum body, she advocates for a slower, self-love focused recovery, ultimately finding strength and a new perspective on body image.

Takeaways
  • 🤰 The speaker initially feared pregnancy would end her fitness business but found joy in becoming a mother.
  • 🎉 She experienced a significant physical transformation during pregnancy, gaining 30 kilos and feeling unwell throughout.
  • 🏥 Her business suffered due to her health issues, which included frequent hospital visits and an inability to create content.
  • 👶 The birth of her son Arnold brought a new perspective on priorities, focusing on her baby's health and well-being over her physical appearance.
  • 🤔 The societal and professional pressures to 'bounce back' quickly after giving birth were immense, causing the speaker to reflect on the importance of self-care and realistic expectations.
  • 🏋️‍♀️ Despite being a fitness expert, the speaker struggled with the idea of rapid weight loss postpartum, understanding the toll it could take on her body and baby.
  • 📸 She chose to share her postpartum reality on social media, embracing her body's changes and challenging the narrative of immediate 'bounce back'.
  • 💪 The speaker's journey back to fitness was slow and mindful, focusing on foundational strength and functional health rather than rapid weight loss.
  • 👙 She rejected the societal expectation of regaining a 'bikini body' quickly, instead celebrating her body's capabilities and the changes it underwent.
  • 🧘‍♀️ The importance of self-love, acceptance, and finding moments of self-care amidst motherhood and work was emphasized.
  • 🌟 The speaker bounced forward, not back, emerging stronger in mind and body, with a renewed appreciation for her journey and the lessons learned.
Q & A
  • What was the speaker's initial fear regarding pregnancy and her business?

    -The speaker was terrified that getting pregnant would kill her business in the fitness industry, as she believed a change in her body would be the end of everything she had worked hard to build over twenty years.

  • How did the speaker's perception of her pregnancy change after she became pregnant?

    -Initially, she thought she could handle pregnancy due to her fitness background, but she became very ill during the first trimester and could not continue her work or exercise as she had planned.

  • What impact did the speaker's pregnancy have on her business?

    -Her business suffered as she was unable to produce content for her fitness videos and services due to her severe illness during pregnancy.

  • What was the speaker's reaction to the public's comments about her body after giving birth?

    -The speaker felt pressured and scared by the public's focus on her body and the expectations to 'bounce back' quickly after giving birth.

  • What was the speaker's strategy to cope with the pressure to lose weight postpartum?

    -She chose not to bounce back quickly, prioritizing self-care, healing, recovery, and her milk supply over rapid weight loss.

  • How did the speaker deal with the expectations of the public and media regarding her body after pregnancy?

    -She posted a before-and-after photo on Instagram, showing her body in its postpartum state and stating that she was not bouncing back, which went viral and received a lot of positive feedback.

  • What was the speaker's approach to her fitness journey postpartum?

    -She focused on simple movements, activations, and contractions, setting small fitness goals and prioritizing self-love and acceptance.

  • How did the speaker's mindset shift regarding her body and fitness after becoming a mother?

    -She shifted her mindset from exercise to simple movements and focused on the functional body rather than the bikini body, valuing her body's ability to heal and care for her baby.

  • What advice does the speaker give to other women about postpartum body image and expectations?

    -She advises women to take the pressure off, prioritize self-care, and take their time with recovery, emphasizing that there is no need to bounce back fast.

  • How did the speaker's relationship with her husband support her during this period?

    -Her husband provided emotional support, telling her she looked beautiful and encouraging her to appreciate what her body had done.

  • What was the speaker's professional background before her pregnancy, and how did it influence her perspective on postpartum recovery?

    -She was a high-ranking martial artist, fitness coach, and had experience helping others transform their bodies. This background initially led her to believe she could easily manage pregnancy and recovery, but she later realized the unique challenges of postpartum recovery.

Outlines
00:00
🤰 Pregnancy and the Fear of Change in a Fitness Business

The speaker, a highly accomplished fitness professional, shares her initial fear of how pregnancy would impact her career. Despite being a martial artist and a coach on 'The Biggest Loser', she experienced severe sickness during pregnancy, which affected her ability to work and maintain her business. She gained significant weight and faced societal pressure to lose the baby weight quickly, which she found daunting. The narrative highlights the struggle between her professional identity and the reality of pregnancy.

05:01
👶 Choosing Family Over Bouncing Back: A Mother's Dilemma

The speaker discusses her decision to prioritize her newborn and family over the societal and professional pressure to quickly regain her pre-pregnancy physique. She faced numerous requests for 'bounce back' photoshoots and felt overwhelmed by the expectations to lose weight rapidly. Instead, she chose to focus on healing, recovery, and self-care, understanding the importance of a healthy milk supply and the well-being of her child over a rapid physical transformation.

10:02
🏋️‍♀️ Embracing Change and Bouncing Forward, Not Back

The speaker shares her journey of accepting her postpartum body and the decision to take a slower, more mindful approach to fitness and weight loss. She emphasizes the importance of self-love and acceptance, focusing on functional fitness rather than appearance. By setting small goals and celebrating her body's capabilities, she managed to regain her strength and vitality without compromising her health or her baby's needs. The narrative concludes with her realization that she didn't just bounce back, but bounced forward, feeling stronger in mind and body.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Mind over matter
The phrase 'mind over matter' refers to the power of mental strength to overcome physical limitations or challenges. In the video, it is used to introduce the theme of overcoming fear and physical changes due to pregnancy. The speaker initially feared that pregnancy would end her fitness career but later embraced the changes, showcasing the triumph of mental resilience.
💡Pregnancy
Pregnancy is the state of carrying one or more offsprings in the uterus after conception. The video's narrative centers around the speaker's experience with pregnancy, including the physical and emotional challenges it presented to her career in the fitness industry, and her ultimate acceptance and celebration of the changes it brought.
💡Fitness industry
The fitness industry encompasses businesses and services related to physical exercise and health. The speaker's career was deeply rooted in this industry, and her identity as a fitness professional was challenged by the physical changes of pregnancy, highlighting the societal pressures and personal fears related to body image in this field.
💡Body image
Body image is a person's perception of their own body, including its attractiveness and its capabilities. The script discusses the speaker's struggle with body image during and after pregnancy, as well as societal expectations for women to 'bounce back' to their pre-pregnancy bodies quickly, which she challenges by choosing a slower, self-care focused recovery.
💡Bounce back
To 'bounce back' in this context means to quickly return to one's pre-pregnancy physical state. The speaker reflects on the pressure to rapidly lose weight and regain a pre-pregnancy appearance, a concept she ultimately rejects in favor of a more gradual, health-focused approach.
💡Self-care
Self-care refers to practices taken to maintain or improve one's own health and well-being, particularly through self-directed care. The video emphasizes the importance of self-care during the speaker's postpartum period, as she prioritizes her health and her baby's needs over societal expectations and pressures to conform to a certain body image.
💡Postpartum
Postpartum is the period following childbirth, during which a woman's body undergoes various changes as it returns to its pre-pregnancy state. The script discusses the speaker's postpartum journey, including her decision to take a slower path to physical recovery and the societal pressures she faced regarding her body's appearance during this time.
💡Functional body
A 'functional body' refers to a body that is capable of performing its necessary tasks effectively, rather than just appearing a certain way. The speaker's focus shifts from achieving a conventional 'bikini body' to regaining a functional body that allows her to perform activities like martial arts and motherhood without pain or limitation.
💡Self-love
Self-love is the act of having a deep affection for oneself, valuing one's own well-being and happiness. The video's message emphasizes the importance of self-love in the speaker's journey, as she learns to accept and love her body post-pregnancy, and encourages others to do the same by focusing on the positive aspects of their bodies and experiences.
💡Prioritization
Prioritization is the act of arranging tasks or issues in order of importance. In the script, the speaker prioritizes self-care, healing, and her baby's needs over the societal pressure to quickly return to her pre-pregnancy body, demonstrating a conscious choice to value long-term health and well-being over immediate physical appearance.
💡Transformation
Transformation refers to a significant change in form, appearance, or character. The speaker discusses her physical transformation during and after pregnancy, but also her transformation in mindset and perspective, choosing to embrace the changes her body underwent rather than fight against them.
Highlights

The speaker expresses initial fear of pregnancy impacting her fitness business.

Despite being a highly accomplished fitness professional, the speaker faced unexpected challenges during pregnancy.

Pregnancy took a physical toll, with sickness and weight gain, affecting the speaker's ability to work and maintain her business.

The societal and professional pressure to 'bounce back' postpartum was intense, causing the speaker to question her body image and business future.

The speaker discovered a new food, sausage rolls, which helped her cope with the physical changes during pregnancy.

The birth of her son, Arnold, brought a new perspective on priorities, shifting focus from business to family.

The speaker chose not to rush her postpartum recovery, prioritizing her health and baby's needs over societal expectations.

The speaker's decision to share her postpartum reality on social media went viral, sparking conversations about body image and societal pressures.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of self-love and acceptance during the postpartum period.

The speaker's approach to postpartum recovery included simple movements, activations, and focusing on functional fitness rather than weight loss.

The speaker found creative ways to incorporate self-care into her busy life as a new mother.

The speaker's experience with her own postpartum recovery led to a deeper understanding of the needs of her clients and followers.

The speaker's journey to regain her functional body involved a gradual and mindful approach, focusing on consistency and patience.

The speaker's return to her fitness business was marked by a new perspective on body image and a commitment to self-care.

The speaker's story serves as an inspiration for women to prioritize their health and well-being over societal expectations of postpartum 'bounce back'.

The speaker concludes with a powerful message about the importance of daily self-love, drawing from her grandmother's wisdom.

Transcripts
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