A mum who continued working out during pregnancy to lose the baby weight in two months has advised other pregnant women not to “neglect their body for nine months”.
Izabela Simonsson, 31, from Copenhagen, Denmark, has always been active and knew she wanted to keep up her fitness routine when she found out she was pregnant with her first baby.
The mother-to-be continued deadlifting 60kg for the first six months of her pregnancy before dropping to 40kg in her third trimester.
Izabela was still training three days before giving birth, at 40 weeks pregnant, to little Gabriela on June 5, 2023.
She lost her pregnancy weight in two months and “got back” to her pre-pregnancy body in four months.
Izabela Simonsson, 31, from Copenhagen, Denmark, kept working out throughout her pregnancy so she could lose the baby weight in two months and says you shouldn’t “neglect your body for nine months” (pictured, 40 weeks pregnant).
Marketing director Izabela said: “I was training for three days before giving birth. It’s about not neglecting your body for nine months. There are many benefits. I’m happiest when I exercise.”
Izabela has always loved training and does a combination of weight training and HIIT workouts.
When she and her husband, Tomas Simonsson, 38, a business owner, found out they were expecting a baby in September 2022, she decided to stick to her routine.
She said: “I tried to read a lot of books. It said that it is beneficial for the baby if the mother is healthy.”
Izabela stayed safe by keeping up her same workout routine and didn’t try anything new during her pregnancy.
She said: “I had a very good pregnancy with no complications. In my first trimester I was bedridden most of the time.
‘It’s 45 minutes once or twice a week, it doesn’t take much time. I kept the weight off throughout my pregnancy.
“I just changed my weight after the first trimester. In the end, I became more mobile. I did more cardio and weights.”
She lost her pregnancy weight in two months and “got back” to her pre-pregnancy body in four months (pictured three months after giving birth).
Izabela has always loved working out and does a mix of weight training and HIIT workouts (seven months after giving birth)
Izabela gave birth to Gabriela on June 5, 2023, weighing 8 pounds 3 ounces, and met the eight-week guideline before returning to the gym.
The mother-to-be continued deadlifting 60kg before dropping to 40kg in her third trimester (pictured at 38 weeks pregnant).
Izabela stayed safe by sticking to her same workout routine and not trying anything new during her pregnancy.
Izabela gave birth to Gabriela on June 5, 2023, weighing 8 pounds 3 ounces, and met the eight-week guideline before returning to the gym.
She said: “I went for good walks. Within three weeks everything had disappeared. I felt quite comfortable after two months. After four months I felt slimmer.”
She gained about 1kg during pregnancy, but managed to lose that weight three weeks after giving birth.
Izabela also believes that breastfeeding helped her lose weight, but she believes there are many benefits to working out during pregnancy.
She said: “It’s about being the best version of yourself and your baby. Do what you need to do to feel your best.”
Izabela said strangers on the internet were “amazed” by her snapback. She said: “There is a misunderstanding by doctors who say you should just stay in bed.
Izabela was still training three days before giving birth, at 40 weeks pregnant.
Little Gabriela, Izabela’s baby, was born on June 5, 2023 and now often goes to the gym with her mother.
Izabela found out she was pregnant with her second child in July 2024 and is now 18 weeks along and plans to resume training again, saying it’s “healthy for the baby and the mommy.”
‘I approached pregnancy with a physical attitude. Mentally I was thinking: ‘Oh no, I’ll gain 30 kilos and it will take me a year to get back in shape.’
“I found it impossible to do. It was like proving the doctors wrong. There were comments about why I’m obsessed with my appearance.
“People think it’s not normal to recover quickly, that it’s a bad thing. I stay healthy for the sake of the baby. It’s a different motivation when you become a mother.”
Izabela found out she was pregnant with her second child in July 2024 and is now 18 weeks along and plans to resume training again, saying it’s “healthy for the baby and the mommy.”
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