Carrie Underwood: I want to feel like myself again, my body has not belonged to me

Carrie Underwood welcomed her second child, son Jacob, not even two months ago, on January 29. She has a tour coming up in May and events to prepare for along with a four-year-old at home, Isaiah. She’s got to be feeling the pressure to prepare and along with that comes body image issues. Carrie posted an Instagram from the gym along with a message about how she’s not going to be as hard on herself for not snapping back as quickly as she did with her first baby.

Here’s the photo and I’ve pasted the caption below so that it’s easier to read:

I’m going to be honest, “bouncing back” after having Jacob has been much more difficult than after I had Isaiah and I’ve been pretty hard on myself lately. I go into the gym and I can’t run as fast or as far. I can’t lift as much weight or do as many reps as I could a year ago. I just want to feel like myself again…for my body to feel the way that I know it can. As I was working out today, I realized that for the past 11(ish) months, my body has not belonged to me. It was a perfect home for Jacob. And even now it belongs to him every time he drinks his milk. As I prepare for red carpets and for life on tour, right now I make a promise to myself to start appreciating what my body CAN do and stop focusing on what it can’t. I promise to stop analyzing every angle and every curve and every pound and every meal. I’m going to keep staying the path because it is a journey and as long as I’m always working towards my goals, one day I’ll reach them. I’m going to take it day by day, smile at the girl in the mirror, and work out because I love this body and all it has done and will continue to do!

She just had a baby at the end of January! I didn’t work out for about six months after I had my baby, although I realize that I’m not a performer and that I’m lazy. Of course you’re not going to be able to do as much after having a baby. Notice that she’s comparing her abilities now to where she was a year ago, which wasn’t exactly postpartum with her first baby. I’m also hard on myself though and I get it. We can be our own worst enemy and we need to go easy on ourselves. Carrie isn’t about to postpone her tour or skip some red carpets, not that she would need to. She looks incredible now.

photos credit: WENN. These are from November 14th that’s not that long ago.

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