#96: Why Your Workouts Leave You Shattered — Especially After a C-Section
You finally get 20 minutes to yourself. You think, “Right, I’ll do something for me.” Maybe it’s a Pilates video, a short workout, or just stretching on the living room floor before someone needs a snack.
But instead of feeling better, you feel... heavier. Floppier. More shattered than when you started.
Your belly feels more bloated, your back starts aching again, and by mid-afternoon, it’s like your energy has vanished.
It’s frustrating — especially when you’ve tried to do the “right” thing. You’re not lazy. You’re not giving up. You just want to feel strong, clear-headed, and like your body actually responds to the effort you’re putting in.
And maybe, deep down, you're wondering: “Is this just how it is now?”
What most mums don’t realise — because no one explains it clearly — is that movement after a C-section is a completely different conversation. It’s not just about “getting back to exercise.” It’s about understanding how your body heals, and why certain types of movement (even ones labelled “gentle” or “core-focused”) can leave you more exhausted than when you started.
Why Tired Mums Feel Worse After Exercise
After my own C-section, I followed all the expert advice. I did the slow return to movement. I stretched. I activated my TVA. I ticked every box in the postnatal rehab world — and yet, I still felt tight, drained, and unsteady.
Eventually, I realised: I wasn’t doing it wrong. I was just missing some crucial pieces.
First, let’s talk about energy. Most people think of energy as something you “build” by moving more. But your body doesn’t separate workouts from the rest of your life. It looks at the total load — and if you’re already running on stress, broken sleep, caffeine, and to-do lists, even a 20-minute session can tip you over.
Your nervous system plays a huge role here. It’s constantly assessing: Are we safe? Do we have capacity? When that answer is no, your body responds by conserving energy, tightening muscles, and prioritising survival over performance. That’s why you might feel more bloated, more braced, or even slightly dissociated after movement — especially if it wasn’t paced for your energy system.
Then there’s the issue of core compensation. After a C-section, the connection between your brain and your core muscles (especially your transverse abdominis) can be disrupted. If you jump into planks, lunges, or even basic Pilates without restoring that connection, other muscles will pick up the slack — usually your back, shoulders, or hip flexors. Over time, that leads to more tension, more fatigue, and the feeling that your posture is collapsing despite all the effort.
In short: you’re not just recovering from birth. You’re recovering from surgery. And that changes everything.
The Myth of “Gentle” Exercise — And What to Do Instead
So many mums I work with tell me, “I’m not doing anything intense — just light workouts, yoga, maybe some core.” But what’s often missing is an understanding of how movement affects your nervous system and hormonal rhythm.
If you’re exhausted, the goal isn’t to burn more calories. It’s to generate energy. That means choosing movement that doesn’t spike cortisol or create more inflammation — but instead calms your system, reactivates dormant reflexes, and rebuilds stability from the inside out.
Paul Chek calls this “working in” — and it’s one of the most powerful shifts I made in my own recovery. Instead of chasing the post-workout high (which always faded by 2pm), I started building a movement practice that gave back to me.
This included:
Breath-led core reconnection — not “engage your core,” but re-educate it with your breath and scar in mind.
Swiss Ball work to stimulate postural reflexes — your body naturally starts to stabilise without overthinking or gripping.
Movement synced with my cycle — learning to move differently depending on my hormonal phase helped me avoid energy crashes and inflammation spirals.
These weren’t big, sweaty sessions. Sometimes, it was just 5–10 minutes of focused movement while my toddler played nearby. But I started to notice something important: I wasn’t crashing mid-afternoon. My digestion improved. My back stopped spasming. I felt steadier, not because I was doing more — but because I was finally doing the right kind of work.
You’re Not Doing It Wrong. You Just Need a Different Map.
If you’re constantly tired, foggy, or feeling like your workouts are working against you, it doesn’t mean you’re unfit or too far gone. It means your body needs a different entry point.
You need a path that:
Acknowledges your scar and how it affects your posture, breath, and stability
Respects your energy and the real demands of your daily life
Rebuilds trust between your brain and body — especially if you feel disconnected from your core
This is the work I do now. Not because I read about it — but because I lived it. And I know how hard it is to try and “do everything right” only to feel worse afterwards.
You don’t need more discipline. You need better support — the kind that sees the whole picture and gives you permission to start small, stay consistent, and heal deeply.
A Gentle Start — That Still Builds Strength
If you’re nodding along, here’s a kind and effective place to begin:
Download my free C-Section Core Recovery Guide — it walks you through the foundational steps to reconnect your breath, rebuild deep core strength, and restore energy. These are the exact principles I used to finally stop the spiral of doing more and feeling worse.
You don’t need more willpower. You need a path that honours what your body has been through — and gently shows it the way back.
You are not behind.
You’re not too late.
And you’re absolutely not alone.
There is strength in you that hasn’t been accessed yet — not through force, but through connection. You deserve to feel energised, steady, and strong again — not one day, but soon.
Let’s make that your new normal.
With love,
Karo