View the yoga sequence forms in a video format HERE Motivation Monday Tip of the Day: What is more motivating than meeting fellow #LGSisters & letting their real life journey inspire your?! Today’s community spotlight & the winner of the week 1 pair of sneakers is… Meghan aka @familyof5fitness
Meghan shows you can get your body back after babies ((she has THREE)) & that despite all that comes with being a mother, wife, professional and so much more, making time for yourself and your health is a priority!
Tell us a bit about yourself!
I am a 30-year-old small-town Nebraska girl who is very basic, simple and easy to get along with. I can be too sarcastic sometimes and I like to make people laugh. I grew up with two big brothers, married to my college hunk of a boyfriend for 7 years now, and a teacher of 2nd graders. I absolutely love spending my day with my 7-year-olds because 1)they make me feel good about myself and 2) they teach me so much about life. Sometimes I wonder “Who is the teacher here?!?” I’m also Mama or Mommy or Meanest Mom Ever (depending on who you ask) to my 3 girls – ages 5 1/2, 3, and 1 1/2. Being their mom is the best, most exciting, interesting, proudest, and hardest thing I have ever done.
When did you first begin your health and fitness journey?
I was always naturally thin until I gained the Freshmen 15. I started working out my sophomore year (aka 30 minutes of cardio and sit-ups). Sometimes I would throw in weights here and there without knowing what I was doing. I gained between 35-55lbs with each baby, and lost it all three times, but once again – cardio and sit-ups. My REAL fitness journey started with my first LG challenge in May – #LGTeamKini. Lauren taught me how to tone up using weights, and I started seeing muscles I had never seen before. I had already settled on the fact that I’ll never have great upper body strength, and well, my babies were almost 10lbs so I just figured my abs were non-existent. It took me 30 years and 3 babies to figure out how to get the body I’ve always longed for – it’s never too late, ladies!!
How do you balance motherhood with leading a healthy and active lifestyle?
This is such a hard question! Motherhood and a healthy lifestyle have to go hand-in-hand in order for me to be successful. I am not a short order cook, so whatever meal Mom is making from the #lgmealplan is what all 5 of us eat. I also don’t keep many unhealthy snacks/foods in the house because I don’t want the temptation. However, I am all about balance so yes, we have pizza and cookies now and then. Nobody’s perfect, and with 3 kids around there are things you just have to learn to let go of. I don’t count calories or weigh/measure anything because I don’t have time. I make healthy choices 90% of the time.
As for the exercise – if Mama isn’t happy, nobody is happy! My kids are my priority, but I have to make sure I am a priority too, which is something that is so easy for a mom to forget. I NEED my exercise to be a patient, happy mom so I try to get up in the morning when they’re still sleeping. If I have to do my workout when they are around, I make sure it’s naptime for one or that they are busy with something. If you’ve seen my IG, you know my basement is my “no problem area” – it’s unfinished so they can do whatever they want while I workout and we don’t worry about cleaning it up because no one sees it. Having 3 kids taught me to let go of little things, don’t strive for perfection, do what you can with what you have.
What’s your go to meal for on the go?
I take my lunch every day, and most days it’s leftovers from last night’s meal. I immediately put away a portion for my lunch the next day. I only have 25 minutes to eat at school so my meals need to be low-prep and microwavable. If it’s not leftovers, it’s one of Lauren’s recipes that I have prepped on Sunday: tuna patty, turkey bacon wrap, or buffalo chicken wrap.
How has the LG Community played a role in your journey?
The LG Community is the BIGGEST motivation for me. True story: I was scrolling through my feed Monday morning at 5:40am, and after seeing that some girls were up already, I shot out of bed! I want to be able to share my journey with others so I make sure to eat something healthy to share, get my workout in so I can complain about it with the other LG Girls, and make progress because I don’t want to let anyone down. I also hope to inspire other moms who think they won’t get their body back. The LG Community is so amazing in that I have not come across one single person who is negative. Everyone is so encouraging and uplifting. I mean I seriously feel like a rockstar when someone thinks my Dubsmash is funny and no one made fun of me!
Do you have any advice for someone looking to get healthier?
Find a program – or even better: An LG Challenge! And stick with it. I needed someone to tell me what to do and when, and that’s when I saw results. When I did it on my own, I had no idea what I needed for my body to change. Following Lauren’s guides and free challenges (how amazing is that – FREE?!?!) forced me out of my comfort zone and changed my body. A support system is also essential to having success – and lucky for us, we have that right here in the LG Community!!
My whole life I’ve had lower back problems and planking is super difficult for me. Not too long ago, I struggled to maintain a plank for 30 seconds ((no joke)); for me, hitting just under 2 minutes is so much progress and I’m so proud!
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