“Never give up on reaching your goal the process is a tough one but if you can fight the pain and the obstacles anything is possible.” – Christina Vargas, IFBB Pro
Christina Vargas is an IFBB Pro Bikini Athlete who has been competing since 2007 and graced the Olympia stage two times and the Arnold Classic stage once. Christina is also an online coach/personal trainer, and is working on publishing her first cookbook later this year. She recently had her first baby – Isabella Nina Spilotros – on January 27, 2016. During the past 6 months, Christina has lost a significant amount of weight and is back on her way to competing in the IFBB one day! In this interview, Christina goes into detail about her fitness tips and secrets to successfully getting back her post-baby body.
FitRX: Hi Christina! You recently had a beautiful baby! Congratulations. What was it like going from IFBB competitor physique to pregnant to post-pregnancy body.
Christina: It was something me and my fiancé really wanted. My pregnancy was definitely a hard one I was sick the whole time. I kept up with my fitness until I was 9 months pregnant. I stopped at 9 months due to being seriously sick. It was extremely hard to be pregnant I am glad that it is over but I would do it all again for my baby girl. She is the best thing that has ever happened to my life.
FitRX: What kind of workouts did you use while pregnant?
Christina: I created my workouts based on how I felt that day… I did low weight and high reps my whole pregnancy.
FitRX: I’m not sure how motivated I would be to eat really healthy all the time if I were pregnant. I’d probably eat ice cream everyday Did you follow any particular diet while pregnant? Did you have any weird food cravings?
Christina: I actually couldn’t follow a diet when I was pregnant because I had intractable reflux. I couldn’t have protein only carbs. I was on iron pills my whole pregnancy. I just picked foods that were easy to come up like ice cream and mac and cheese. Now I hate both of those things. Ha-ha.
FitRX: So you had to really adapt to your pregnancy in both your workouts and diet and listen to how your body felt. Now that you have had your baby, you seem to be back on plan and having great results! You were in Great shape before pregnancy and competed in the Olympia! Do you plan to compete again?
Christina: I do and the only reason why I want to compete again is because I had a baby.
FitRX: Awesome! What type of workouts have you been doing to get back into competitor shape after having your baby?
Christina: I do everything from HIIT training to boxing to isolation. After the baby I started back on my diet and started to workout right when I was cleared. I work out 6-7 days a week. I do 45-60 minutes of cardio a day. I let my body tell me when I need a break.
I breastfed for 3 months after having the baby, but I kept a diet that was healthy and good enough to produce the milk. With working out, I gained my strength back and tightened up. When I stopped breastfeeding, I started losing more weight.
FitRX: Great info! Thanks. I saw that you were out in Las Vegas this past weekend! You seem to have a great balance of work, family, working out, and having fun. What is your secret to being balanced?
Christina: Me and my love just switch off with the baby. When he comes home from work at 11pm at night or later, I go to the gym. He works 12-15 hour days so it’s hard. I usually do cardio and abs at home so my gym workout can be quick. He has Sunday off so we try to do something after I workout.
FitRX: That sounds like great teamwork and a good balance of fitness and fun. What would be your best advice to pregnant moms and new moms who want to stay fit and bounce back to a better body after their baby?
Christina: It is very important to incorporate fitness when you are pregnant. There are so many health benefits to help the baby grow healthy. Working out grows the placenta, and so does its capacity to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. It helps the baby’s cardiovascular health. Moms who workout are less likely to develop gestational diabetes and gain excessive weight. It also helps you bounce back faster after the pregnancy. There are so many more benefits.
The one thing I can say is that new moms or anyone trying to get in shape will battle the mirror and the scale. It is important to not let those things steer you away from reaching your goal. Especially if you’re breastfeeding, you will hold onto weight for the milk supply. Your hormones are all over the place until months after you stop.
FitRX: Thanks so much for sharing! I am looking forward to following your journey back to the stage! Is there anything else you would like to share?
Christina: I am re-doing my site www.ChristinaVargas.net as well as creating my eBooks for healthy recipes and desserts. I’m working on creating more workout programs for new moms.
FitRX: Awesome! Those desserts look delicious!! Thanks again, and best wishes to you and your family and business!
For more on Christina:
Website: ChristinaVargas.net
Facebook: CVargas26
Instagram: @ChristinaVargas
YouTube: ChristinaVargasTV
