In this post I’m sharing the inspiring story of how one mom lost over 53 pounds after having her baby. I love sharing the incredible stories of the women I work with as I know they are a major source of inspiration! Plus they deserve a shout out! Let’s share your success story next.
It has been a tough time for many of us, especially with COVID-19 still lingering around and causing a little extra chaos in our lives. It’s key to try and take time out for yourself. Whether that be a cup of coffee before the kids wake up or an early morning workout.
Trying to stay positive and focused in these testing times can be difficult for the best of us. Brenna seems to have got it down to a fine art even after having her little one! But how?
Let’s find out how Brenna bounced back after having her baby
Brenna is a new mom of her son who just turned 1 this May. She lives with her fiance and also helps co-parent his 8 year old daughter whom she loves! But it’s fair to say she has a house full and her hands full. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, she was juggling being a full-time middle school English teacher! While also running her own business and working part-time as a fitness instructor and yoga teacher. (I’m sweating just thinking about how crazy her day-to-day must be).
After having Emilio- her little one, she knew that she wanted to get back into fitness again but was very anxious following her pregnancy. She was unsure how she would get back into a routine and also attempt to do workouts. Taking into consideration her core was not as strong as it once was! Plus her concerns about how to look after her body postpartum when working out… It can become too overwhelming.
“I had not realized how pregnancy basically made me forget how to breathe properly. I also had no idea how weak pregnancy would make my core.”
It was important for Brenna to find the right fitness routine that fitted her postpartum and what would suit her lifestyle. This is why an off the shelf fitness plan is not always the ideal solution. Often moms and moms to be can hugely benefit from a personalized plan and routine. One that takes into consideration the changes your body goes through as Brenna found with her core.
I remember the day that Brenna reached out to me and explained how uncertain she was about making this change in her life. Brenna talked me through her journey, what she wanted, and where she saw herself a few months from now. She (like many other mothers out there) faced raising her child alone for a large amount of the time due to the long and irregular hours her partner worked. She was managing to breastfeed and feeding herself while healing from a c-section.
Her initial hesitations
Like I always tell moms, there is always a way – no matter how cloudy the water may get, hectic our lives are and impossible it may seem. There should also be no shame in wanting to either get back the fitness or a body that makes you feel confident! Or even look to create a better and stronger you. Brenna, like many other moms, had that initial hesitation. However, she knew it was the right move for her when she embarked upon her journey back into fitness.
“I won’t lie, I was a bit nervous about joining a program for a year. I was also processing mom guilt about purchasing a program just for me instead of saving the money for my baby. Joining the Mother Strong League has been the ONE thing since becoming a mom that is mine. It is the one place/thing that I have where I am taken care of and I don’t have to be the one in charge.”
Like so many others, Brenna was an avid gym-goer prior to having her son. She said that she was most nervous about getting back into things. She knew that she would struggle with certain movements that were a breeze prior to her pregnancy such as lifting the barbell. Brenna went from strength to strength, from having horrible plantar fasciitis postpartum… to now SMASHING high-intensity HIIT style workouts without even batting an eyelid!
What keeps her feeling challenged (especially with the gyms closed…)
With guidance and a workout routine that met her in the postpartum stage she was in, Brenna was able to rock her workouts while staying motivated and focused (even during the pandemic). I asked Brenna what she has been doing to feel challenged, given that home workouts are currently the ONLY option for her. Her reply absolutely hit the nail on the head and I LOVED what she had to say…
“I have loved the accountability aspect because it keeps me motivated and honest with myself. With this program, things have just clicked for me. Macro counting and flexible dieting are just so pleasurable and easy. I feel more confident in general about myself as a woman and a mom. I ask myself at times: why didn’t I just live like this before?.”
Finding her tribe
In hard times like these, especially with the recent pandemic. I really believe that it is important to have the support of a community. It can be the thing that makes or breaks your goals. People are faced with different challenges and after a large break in your fitness or not focusing on it at all previously, it may be hard to see how beneficial training is for both our physical health and mental health.
With the Fitness Programs community, we are there for each other. From the ‘wine and whine’ calls to the unity and laughters our Facebook group brings to our member’s lives. We have motivation, support, and sisterhood on tap – ready for you when you need it most! I asked how Brenna has found the Mother Strong League and how we have been there for her.
“The MSL group is an amazing online community full of positive people that are there to answer questions, listen, and help educate. The MSL is a community for women to re-find who they are or to become someone new all through fitness. I love to be challenged and the MSL offers a really progressive training program specialized for postpartum women which not many trainers know how to do.”
She said that she has found other groups to be strange (even annoying sometimes). But she found the MSL community really helped her stay on track and picked her up in those times when she felt like giving up. Our community isn’t just about advice… more importantly, it’s about knowing that you are a valuable member who will be there for others when they need it as well. No one ever truly walks alone in my Fitness Programs, no matter where you are in the world.
The Mother Strong League is our program for moms and moms to be, providing result-driven workout plans (Home AND Gym), nutritional guidance including a calorie calculator (suitable to pregnant and breastfeeding moms), easy to follow meal plans and delicious recipes. All built around your stage of motherhood and your needs. Aiming to make you as fit and strong as you can be.
How has the Mother Strong League helped
So, I asked Brenna how the Mother Strong League has changed her fitness. Considering she was an avid gym-goer and she now has been forced to make it work from home… She admitted she was apprehensive of the results when she started, considering the gym was all she knew prior to her pregnancy and the pandemic. But she was left shocked at her results!
She said, “The at-home workouts have really helped me tremendously. Yes, they are TOUGH and I am still seeing progress. In fact, I have abs starting to show. That was an exciting moment for me. Also after each workout, I was getting that natural high, which is so needed to keep me mentally strong and optimistic during this time. ”
With the endorphins flowing after each workout, Brenna was able to crush her goals and has lost 53lbs since giving birth!!
She did this all while being able to enjoy food and spirits throughout summer and over Christmas! Without gaining even one pound! This was all by staying accountable to her calories and the step-by-step guidance offered inside the program, plus keeping up with her training program. No more sad yo-yo diets, shakes for dinner or skipping out on the nice things!
I have watched Brenna grow and not give up at the setbacks she encounters, digging deep and getting the results she was after without extremes. She looks absolutely amazing and her journey isn’t over yet!
It’s by working with a tried and tested, proven system that will not only put your mind at ease but also help you succeed. To know that you’re not wasting your time or money and you will see the results you want to achieve. Nothing is impossible.
Her biggest win
I asked Brenna what her biggest win was to date during her fitness journey with my Fitness Program, she said that it was to just keep going, even when she felt like giving up and grabbing a tub of Ben & Jerrys, sitting on the sofa and feeling frustrated. She took each day as a new opportunity. A fresh challenge to work towards the best version of yourself, even if you don’t have all the answers.
I’m so proud of Brenna as she is such a strong mom! Fighting for what she wants and doing it all single-handedly. I loved to hear her talk about the Mother Strong League and how it’s helped her love herself again after having her baby. It’s so comforting to have this kind of support and community at a time like this. No matter where you are around the globe – we are here for you.
P.S. Already worried about Summer fast approaching? You’re not alone. That’s exactly why I’ve put together the 5 Weeks Super Shred! I’ll be going through this 5-week program with you! This means we’ll be able to hold each other accountable the whole time! Don’t wait, join today for exclusive early bird pricing! JOIN HERE.
This incredible mom lost over 53 pounds after giving birth. I want you to be the next success story. Are you ready?
Save this post to Pinterest to inspire other mamas! You might just find your community with us there too! You can also follow me for more inspo every day! (@nathaliamelofit)
