The first time I did BodyBlitz, I looked great and my husband thought so too – he couldn’t keep his hands off me! Hence baby number three arrived and like many other women who have given birth, I struggled to get back into a good exercise routine.

The sleepless nights and constant tiredness – not to mention the extra weight I was carrying after birth – made it difficult to get that pre-pregnancy body back.
When my baby was four months old, I needed to get back into shape and signed up for the BodyBlitz challenge again. I was happy with the result, but unfortunately it was short lived – I lost sight of my goal somewhere along the way.

I got caught up in the pressure of caring for three kids and by the time my youngest was a year old, I was feeling exhausted, sleep deprived, depressed and fat (yet again). I struggled with these feelings for a long time, and while I knew exactly what I had to do to get back in shape, I heard myself making excuses all the time. I was always too tired, too busy with the kids, too exhausted, too upset about my appearance – the excuses were endless.

I went back home to New Zealand for a month after feeling homesick – it was the first time in 10 years I spent time with my family during Christmas. As much as it was great for recovery and relaxation, it wasn’t so kind on my waistline. I really let myself go and ended up weighing in at 75kg after the trip. This had been my weight after giving birth. What a wake-up call it was!

It was time to get moving. I started keeping a food diary, ate sensibly and exercised five to six days a week. I managed to lose about five kilos without going to the gym or seeking out a PT. However, I hit a plateau. I couldn’t seem to lose any more weight and knew if I really wanted to make a difference, I’d need help and support.

From previous experience, I enlisted the help of Jenny Kozuharoff and her assistant Bree Cassidy at Jenfit. Under their guidance, I attended a mums and bubs circuit class every Monday and Friday. They offered child-minding classes, so how could I refuse? I also booked one hour PT sessions during the week and when my partner was home at nights to look after the kids, I squeezed in another circuit class or asked my neighbour to baby-sit.

The regular sessions kept me accountable and motivated enough to maintain a routine. The healthy eating and regular exercise has improved my life tenfold. I am able to manage my depression and feel so much stronger and happier – it shows in my appearance and daily life.

With all the added energy I have, I have managed to get around to doing things I’ve been meaning to do for years, like painting my home. I’m very happy with what I’ve achieved over the last 12 weeks. My goal now is to keep a healthy balance in my life and maintain this healthy lifestyle and weight. c