While expecting her third child, Domenica (Rach's middle name!), Happy Cook author Daphne Oz shared lots of pictures of herself on social media. But though she loved being pregnant, she found the stretch afterwards a bit more challenging, especially for her body.
And she knew there were other moms out there that felt the same.
"I wanted the women who follow me to realize we're in this part of it together too," she told us.
So just seven or eight weeks after giving birth, Daphne shared a pic of herself—in her bathroom, wearing only underwear—that really inspired and resonated with her followers.
"I wanted to be as forthcoming and as vulnerable about the aftermath of having a kid," says the daughter of our fave doc, Doctor Oz. Often, there's a tendency to focus only on the fun, attractive aspects of parenting, so the mom of three showed that accepting your post-baby appearance isn't always easy—but it's a journey that's really worth it.
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"I don't hate my body even though it doesn't look exactly how it used look," she tells us. "I love my body!"
And even though she's not 'back' to her pre-baby body, she's managed to embrace eating anyway. "I'll eat something that makes me feel like it's a celebration even though it's healthy," Daphne says.
She also focuses on creating a few self-care moments throughout the day, from taking a hot shower (not always easy when you've got kiddos running around!) to doing a face mask. And, even though she's not a natural gym rat, she forces herself to get out there and sweat, saying that the hardest part is just getting dressed and getting there (especially when you might get a few extra minutes of sleep instead!).
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Her recipes are packed with wholesome ingredients but also super delicious, so eating healthy can actually feel like a *reward.*
Case in point: She swaps spaghetti squash in for pasta in her cheesy, comforting cacio e pepe and adds a secret ingredient to these ultimate fudgy brownies: black beans!
She whipped these up with Rach on the show—all while wearing a beautiful dress she borrowed from her incredible mom.
