You can know exactly what to do and still feel completely stuck, and that is where Laura found herself. She had stood on stage, worked with three different coaches, and understood training and nutrition better than most people ever will, yet the scale and the mirror were not moving.
Laura is a wife, a mom of two, and an HR professional who works remotely, so her days are full in every direction. When she tried to rebuild her body the way she did during her competition years, the workouts left her burned out and the results never showed up. She also noticed that the plateau was not staying in the gym. It was showing up in her confidence, her mood at home, and the example she wanted to set for her kids.
I wanted to have this conversation because so many women with an athletic background carry the same quiet guilt. You feel like you should be able to figure it out, so you keep pushing harder and keep blaming something else. Laura shares what she was blaming, what she finally admitted to herself, and what shifted once she stopped trying to do it alone.
In this episode, we talk about:
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Why copying your old competition routine rarely works years later
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The difference between real hormonal changes and using hormones as an excuse
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How a plateau quietly spilled into confidence, marriage, and parenting
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Why asking for help feels so hard when you already have a fitness background
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What made Laura skeptical of coaching, and what changed her mind
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How one small schedule change gave her more time, not less
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What "simple" versus "easy" really means
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Laura's advice for a friend who is on the fence
Laura is only a couple of months in, and what she describes goes well beyond the number on the scale. If you are tired of throwing spaghetti at the wall and ready for a plan built around your real life, press play, then book a call with me and let's see if the Powerhouse Academy is the right fit for you.
Ever wish you had a fit and straightforward BFF with over 15 years of experience to help you filter through all the information regarding fitness, nutrition, and life? That's exactly what you'll get when you listen to the Unfiltered Fit Life Podcast.
Join Former Bikini Olympia Champion, mom of 2, and fitness coach Nathalia Melo each week as she shares fitness, nutrition, and life tips to help busy working moms simplify their fitness journey so they can learn easy and simple strategies on how to lose weight and feel sexy AF.
After helping over 5000 busy working moms, Nathalia has found the blueprint to fitness, nutrition, and life success, which she will be sharing in this podcast: actionable tips that will help busy working moms be more present at work and at home.
This show is for you if you realize that nothing good comes from your comfort zone and are ready to challenge yourself to achieve great things. Follow Unfiltered Fit Life wherever you are listening to join us each week for a splash of sass, humor, and a whole lotta truth.
Podcast Transcript
Breaking a Weight Loss Plateau as a Former Athlete and Busy Working Mom
THE FORMER COMPETITOR WHO HIT A WALL
I introduce Laura, a remote HR professional, wife, and mom of two who spent years competing. When she reached out to me, her workouts felt ineffective and she was burning out. She had been copying the training and eating habits that worked for her in her twenties and getting nowhere.
WHEN HORMONES BECOME THE EXCUSE
Laura admits she started blaming her hormones and her age for everything. I share that hormonal changes are real, but it is very easy to hide behind them instead of asking whether what we are doing fits where we are in life right now. She also points out that her desk job meant she was moving far less than before.
HOW A PLATEAU TRICKLES INTO EVERYTHING ELSE
Laura explains how not feeling like herself chipped away at her self-esteem, her mood with her husband, and the example she wanted to set for her kids around food and effort. We talk about how women who have been fit hold themselves to a different standard and keep telling themselves it is not that bad, even while it affects every area of life.
ASKING FOR HELP WHEN YOU THINK YOU SHOULD ALREADY KNOW
Laura shares that she is stubborn and believed she could solve this alone. She had worked with three coaches during her competing days, but nothing guided her through the off season or explained why things worked for her. She talks about getting honest with herself that asking for help was okay, and that it made all the difference.
WHY THIS FELT DIFFERENT FROM PAST COACHING
Laura describes her past coaching as transactional and grind focused. In the Powerhouse Academy, she has a team that supports her mindset, self-talk, and time management, and coaches who feel more like mentors. She also talks about the community of women who celebrate each other's wins, and the fact that her coaches are available whenever she needs them.
FEARS, SKEPTICISM, AND THE DECISION TO COMMIT
I ask Laura about the fear that comes before investing in yourself, especially when you have been burned before. She tells me her biggest worry was repeating a transactional experience. Our first conversation showed her that we were committed to her goals, and she felt an equal commitment on both sides.
TIME MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE
Laura walks through the changes that gave her time back, including morning workouts, prepped meals for the workday, and her husband taking the morning school drop off. I make the point that the lesson is not to move your workouts to the morning. The lesson is to find the strategy that fits your life, with a team that helps you find the gaps, outsource, and communicate what you need.
THE WINS
Laura shares what has changed in just over two months, including reaching her initial goal, eating real meals again, feeling leaner, and having more energy. She also describes better sleep, sharper focus at work, and a confidence that carries into her marriage, her parenting, and how she shows up for her teammates.
ADVICE FOR A FRIEND ON THE FENCE
I play devil's advocate as a friend who has tried everything and blames hormones and a busy schedule. Laura tells her to commit, ask for help, and trust the process. She explains that this works because the support is real, the tools last, and the goal is a long-term change instead of a fad.
EASY VERSUS SIMPLE
Laura lands on the word simple. Things are simplified so they feel easy to follow, but you still have to put in the work. I close by reminding you that we remove the noise so you can focus on what actually moves the needle.
