As they say, every professional was once a beginner. When clients train with me or take one of my group fitness classes many assume I was always into fitness, but that couldn't be farther from the truth.
For YEARS I struggled to lose weight and keep it off.
It wasn't until I became a mom that I found the motivation to ditch the fad diets and make a lifestyle change.
My journey may have started with losing weight but it has obviously grown into SO much more. Here are a few of the highlights. For a more in-depth look at my journey grab a copy of my inspirational memoir Better After Baby on Amazon.
New Year. Fresh Start.
In January 2014, as a new mom of two under two, I began working out to lose the last of the almost 50 pounds I gained during back-to-back pregnancies.
At the end of my pregnancy I read every article I could find on sustainable weight loss, resistance training, and post-natal fitness. I also spent far too many hours on Instagram and Facebook to find "Fitspiration"- other moms and women who transformed their bodies through diet and exercise.
I created a vision board with scriptures, quotes and inspirational photos for added motivation and a visual reminder of my goals.
I got together with my husband and shared my goals with him. I also told him I was ready to join a gym.
90-Day Challenge
Every day after my babies were fed and in bed I laced up my sneakers and hit the gym.
After a few weeks of trudging away on the treadmill and stairmaster I found out my gym was hosting a 90-Day Fitness Challenge.
It was the perfect motivation I needed to reach my fit mom goals and get the tools I needed to make it happen.
The challenge changed my thinking on exercise and introduced me to resistance training, high intensity interval training and clean eating.
Over the course of the challenge, I lost a total of sixteen pounds and six percent body fat.
I actually weighed less than I did before having my first child. I was blown away with my personal progress on and off the scale.
Non-Scale Victories
When I started the challenge I could barely hold a plank for 20 seconds. After two back-to-back cesarean sections my core was extremely weak. But overtime and with consistent effort, I got better. I got stronger.
I also cut two minutes off of my mile time.
While I was extremely pleased with my weight loss I quickly realized true transformation isn’t just about the weight you lose but the strength and confidence you gain.
That confidence led to me signing up for my first Spartan Sprint where I proved I was so much stronger than I thought.
It’s a Lifestyle
I've since fallen in love with fitness and working out. I’ve learned that taking care of my body is no longer something I have to do, it's something I get to do at least 3-5 days per week.
My newfound passion led me to create FitMomFergie.com a fitness and lifestyle blog to share my story. The hope was to inspire, encourage and empower moms to live a healthy, fit lifestyle they love too.
Becoming a Fit Pro
In 2016, I decided to take things to the next level and become a certified group fitness instructor and coach. I joined FIT4MOM a national fitness franchise helping moms find strength for motherhood.
Six months into the year, I taught my very first small group fitness class where I had the opportunity to coach a small group of moms through and 8-week transformation program.
In 2019, I began personal training and opened my own personal training studio.
What's next?
My personal and professional fitness journeys are far from over. I have plans to continue growing as a trainer and entrepreneur. I also want to tackle a few more Big, Scary Fitness Goals to train for. So stay tuned and subscribe to my email list because I'll share all the deets here first.
If you have any questions about anything you see or read on the site feel free to shoot me an email.