Ciara accepted that her body will never be the same again since having children

Ciara accepted that her body will never be the same again since having children

Ciara opens up about accepting her body's changes after having three children. The singer opened up about how the condition shaped her overall approach to caring for her body when she experienced diastasis recti after giving birth in a new interview for Women's Health.

Staying active seems to have always come naturally to the 37-year-old, who was a cheerleader and ran track during her school years. But after welcoming her three children, she seems to be taking a more gentle approach to fitness.

"I've accepted that my body will never be the same again," she told the magazine. "I have diastasis recti, which is when your abdominal muscles break down after giving birth," the "Goodies" singer explained. "When I learned this, it was game-changing because you can train your abs wrong. I had to educate myself and learn how to retrain my abs."

ICYDK, diastasis recti is a common condition that affects up to two-thirds of birthing women, according to a 2016 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The condition occurs when a person's left and right abdominal muscles separate from each other, reports the Cleveland Clinic. It typically occurs in mid to late pregnancy or during the postpartum period.

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As the abdominal muscles expand through pregnancy and/or childbirth, they sometimes become loose. "The abdominal contents can 'leak' between the muscles, similar to a hernia," Mary Jane Minkin, MD, a clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Yale University, previously told Shape. While it sounds super painful, it usually isn't, said Dr. Minkin.

Healing involves specific exercises to activate and strengthen the deep abdominal muscles. But common core movements like crunches and sit-ups could actually make things worse, notes the Cleveland Clinic. As Ciara pointed out in her recent cover story for Women's Health, the right form and support is key.

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When it comes to her workouts these days, the hitmaker is definitely mixing things up. For example, she enjoys boxing for her physical and mental health. "I like boxing when I'm trying to figure things out," she told Women's Health. “That’s part of [my] ‘therapy’ – exercise.”

Other exercises in her current routine include "a combination of plyometric training mixed with weights and cardio because I dance," she said. Because the uninitiated plyometric training involves explosive moments to accelerate your heart rate and hit muscles large and small with exercises like jump squats, jump lunges, skaters and plank jacks. Ciara has been doing this type of training for years and notes that celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson created momentum 60-minute plyometric sessions that included her love of boxing in a previous interview with Shape.

"The amazing thing is that you get a three-in-one workout: it works your muscles, it's a cardiovascular workout and it's a mental exercise," she shared at the time. "You have to be super focused when boxing. After a few rounds I feel like I could conquer the world."

Ciara is also a long-time Peloton supporter. “I love Ally Love,” she said in a recent interview. “She’s my favorite.” (Read more: Peloton's Ally Love isn't here for one-note wellness routines)

Ciara has previously opened up about both her diastasis recti and her heavy sweat sessions. In 2018 - before welcoming her youngest son, Win - she took to Instagram to share a selfie with an empowering caption. “I have diastasis recti from both of my pregnancies, so I have to work extra hard to regain my core strength,” she wrote. "Determined. Let's Go Mamas!"

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In 2019, she told People that she was prepared for the condition to return in future pregnancies. "I expect that when I have children again, I know that my body could very well go back to square one with the diastasis, and I'm okay with that because the outcome is much better," she said. "I know I can work hard and come back. Mentally, it's a lot of work, but when I look at my kids, they bring me the most joy, so it's all worth it," she shared.

For now, Ciara seems to be enjoying her current workout routine and embracing the changes to her body that come with motherhood.