Naomi Osaka shares her “depressing” struggle with postpartum weight loss

Naomi Osaka reminds those who postpartum looks and feels different for everybody. In July 2023, Osaka gave birth to her first child, Shai, whom she shares with rapper Cordae. Although she has since spoken in regards to the confidence that motherhood has given her, the tennis star recently shared among the struggles that come with postpartum. This weekend, Osaka shared how giving birth modified her relationship with her body in an Instagram post documenting her “body changes over the year.”

“There were times this year when I was really ashamed of my body,” she captioned the carousel of photos. “I used to be always struggling with an awesome need for snapback. I started to confront myself with the sight of other moms shrinking immediately after giving birth to their baby.

For Osaka, her physical transformation means greater than just “snapback,” which usually refers to how quickly women’s bodies can regenerate or return to their pre-pregnancy state. The three-time Grand Slam champion explained the way it hurts her to “compare herself” and the way she also feels extra pressure to lose weight as an athlete.

“I felt like as an athlete I should lose weight faster than most individuals. I went to the gym (every single day), so the thought didn’t seem too unrealistic. Most weeks I felt just like the previous week and the weight wasn’t going away overnight, so it was a bit depressing,” she continued.

Since her break and giving birth, Osaka has been sharing snippets of her tennis journey with her followers. She previously shared the physical disconnect she experienced upon returning to the game.

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Despite the changes and adjustments, the tennis player says she is having fun with the postpartum “adventure”, emphasizing her respect for her body.

“My body has done so much for me and has adapted so well to the tasks I ask of it, I am beyond grateful and appreciative,” she added. “If I were to title this post, it would be very long and it would be: “Thank you for the journey over the last year. I look forward to learning more about what you are capable of in the years to come.” “