How It All Started
I've been asked and encouraged by friends to open up a little bit more about my own personal health and fitness journey and share how No Tummy Mommy all started. Hopefully this post will shed some light on how it all came to be and why I am so passionate about what I do. Thanks in advance for those who have come to the blog to read this and learn more about me, Trisha.
The Beginning
I can take it all the way back to my teens playing basketball for my high school team. Yes, I am 5 foot 2, but I could shoot. I also remember my first "real" workout and lifting a dumbbell for the first time was in my early teen years, but it didn't feel foreign to me because I grew up watching my mom and her exercise videos at home. It wasn't until University that my love for fitness really boomed, but more so it was my fascination for human anatomy and the effects of working out that pushed me through a degree in human biology and physiology. With no idea what to do with this degree, I landed a job at one of North America's leading Sports Supplement companies writing advertorials for their women's weight-loss products. I'm sure you have heard of Hydroxycut. I soon realized that I couldn't write content that encouraged women to pop a pill to lose weight; I knew from my own experience that it took hard work, commitment and sweat ... no magic pill could get you abs. I quit after two years.
Stepping on a Stage for a Competition
Speaking of hard work and commitment, a couple of years later I decided to step on stage for my very first fitness/figure competition. The training and eating regimen was intense; there left no room for an extra strawberry or a sip of wine. I hired a coach who specialized in competition training and I said farewell to many social gatherings with friends and spent most days prepping meals, working out and mentally exhausted. The experience was incredible and I am pleased that I can say I did it, but I knew I wasn't happy ... and I sure as heck didn't feel healthy. This is just my opinion because I have several friends who continue to compete and love it. I just knew that it wasn't for me. By the way, I did place 5th out of 20 something women.
Finding my own Fitness Vibe
I realized that I thrived on working out because it made me feel good (looking better in clothes was a bonus). I felt happier and had more energy ... and over time I learned how to make healthier choices when it came to eating. Prepping for that competition also taught me a lot about portion control and I have a way better sense of serving sizes when eating at home and especially when eating out. I discovered that lifting weights was 'my thing' and I wasn't much of a fitness class kind of girl. Bottom line, I found what worked for me and life was good.
Fitness & Pregnancy
A lot of people don't know this, but I actually didn't know I was expecting until close to being 8-9 weeks pregnant. As a result, I can say I wasn't exactly mentally prepared and in fact, did not show my baby bump as much as I probably should have. I often wore a lot of flowy outfits and didn't announce it until close to 5 months in. I still worked out, but at a lower impact. If you ask any of my close friends they would admit that I had difficulty embracing my changing body.
No Tummy Mommy is Born
After having Harper I was anxious to get back to working out, but I waited the recommended 6 weeks and the green light from my doctor, as well as a visit to a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist. Yes, I saw one (and you should too if you haven't). But then when it came to actually working out, going to the gym wasn't as easy as it used to be. Therefore, I resorted to sweating it out in my family room. I fell back in love with fitness in a whole other way! I enjoyed sharing my workout routines, healthy snack and lunch ideas with mommy friends, which then lead to getting officially certified in pre- and post-natal fitness training. No Tummy Mommy was born.
Today
My workouts might not be as intense or as long as they used to be and I do enjoy wine and eat pizza without guilt. I balance my 9-5 full-time job with day-to-day mom life. No Tummy Mommy is my passion project and my daughter is very much a part of it's evolution. She is actively involved in my healthy lifestyle - she helps me prepare meals in the kitchen and loves to exercise with mommy when she can. I don't have a six-pack and I'm not in competition shape, but TODAY I FEEL HEALTHY AND HAPPY ... and my hope is to inspire you through my blog to feel the same!