Two Beautiful Babies, One Beautiful Mommy (Mary V)

Age: 24
Pregnancies/Births: 2/2
Children: 2yrs, 4yrs

I have been up and down over the last few years, blogging on this site has helped me so much. This morning I went to the gym, I go 3 days a week for 2 hours each day. As kickboxing was about to begin the instructor and I were chatting and she lifted her shirt to reveal her “mommy” tummy, it was my “mommy” tummy! She is incredibly fit and gorgeous, I was taken back by how confident she was, even while showing something that most of us go to great lengths to hide. I quickly lifted my shirt to share my dirty little secret, and now I feel incredible. I have been working hard to get fit, and I am done obsessing over things I can not change. I am lucky to have two amazing, smart children and at the end of the day I have a husband who holds me tight. Life doesn’t get much better than this!

21 thoughts on “Two Beautiful Babies, One Beautiful Mommy (Mary V)

  • Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 8:08 am
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    Wow!! you look amazing! Your story is inspiring and it is great to hear that through your choices you’re making a big different not only body-wise but mentally, too! You go, momma!

  • Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 8:42 am
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    Your “mommy tummy” is nothing to hide or be ashamed of. You have a tight, toned and sexy body to be 100% proud of!

  • Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 9:17 am
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    I love YOUR mommy tummy! wish mine was more like that! you look amazing!

    Blessed and Tortured

  • Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 9:29 am
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    Beautiful pictures, thanks for sharing :) No matter how much weight I lose, I still have that little ‘apron’ when I arch my back. The longer postpartum I get, the less it bothers me! I have a similar mommy tummy, mine is just a bit bigger because I am a little heavier than you.

  • Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 10:52 am
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    thank you, thank you, thank you – you have helped me SO much better about my mommy tummy too!

  • Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 10:54 am
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    Hey! That’s my stomach, too, and you look great. It is interesting to think how many well toned, mom bellies may be out there. I wish we weren’t so ashamed, since I’ve seen worse from shirtless men.
    Anyway, while I’ve been striving to be more mentally fit, seeing how good I could look physically through you, is a great bonus.

  • Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 11:02 am
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    yea for athletic mamas!

  • Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 12:10 pm
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    BEAUTIFUL :)

  • Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 12:21 pm
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    Thanks to your instructor! I love that she cared more about helping you than about what she looked like. I don’t even know what she looks like, but she showed character and that is beautiful. :-)

  • Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 1:52 pm
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    would you take a picture without you flexing and update with that- you look similar to mee but i have alot of slack with the core muscles so i poke out farther

  • Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 2:02 pm
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    Awww, you all are so sweet! I was so excited for this post to come on, I have a few previous postings and I just wanted to share how much I have changed mentally :) Its truely liberating to be at peace with my body!

  • Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 3:49 pm
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    I had a body just like yours for years, now I’ve put on 15-20 pounds of middle age weight. I miss it and wish I’d appreciated it more. I didn’t miss my pre-pregnancy body nearly so much back then either. Goes to show how far working out and staying fit can help with confidence and body image ! Thank you for the inspiration :)

  • Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 4:24 pm
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    You look great! And such a wonderful attitude

  • Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 8:09 pm
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    Wowie, you’re gorgeous! Your instructor rocks and so do you! You are so confident and beautiful! :)

  • Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 11:07 pm
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    You look so great but honestly how can you call that a mummy tummy? You have a fit, toned and flat stomach many women would love to have. Children or no children.
    I’m not shocked you are happy with your bod I would be too.!

  • Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 5:50 am
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    you look awesome! im sohappy to hear you know you work hard and look great…minor imperfections arent what life is about! a little extra belly when yiu sit down doesnt mean you arent fit and strong! your body is strong and toned…keep it up!

  • Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 9:09 am
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    My mommy tummy looks a lot like yours too! You look great, you really do. I wish I could feel better about my “dirty little secret.”

  • Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 11:21 am
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    I LOVE THIS ONE! we are tummy twins and i too go to great lengths to hide mine. on the two occasions when i was feeling proud and i showed people my tum, they were both shocked and confused. they’d never heard of “extra skin.” lame, but your teacher is now my hero and so are you!

  • Thursday, March 10, 2011 at 7:09 am
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    You look AMAZING! What do you do at the gym? My gym does not have classes, although I wish it did! You really look so great…you better wear a bikini girl!

  • Thursday, March 10, 2011 at 9:55 am
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    Thanks again everyone! I have been doing specific workouts and just started a strict eating regimin.
    Workouts 3 days a wk, 2 hours a day:
    -45 minute cardio warm up (pace should be set where you are breathing heavy, but not completely out of breath)
    -Upper body, pick 3 workouts (change them up each day) and do 20 reps and 3 sets of each. When using weights pick a weight where you are struggling on your second set, that way you reach peak muscle fatigue by the third set, this will force your body to build muscle and burn fat)
    -Lower body, pick 3 workouts… same as above 20 reps and 3 sets. Same weight standard when using weight machines.
    -Abdomen, same… I like floor ab workouts, isolated crunches, rowers, and reverse sit ups.
    -Finish with a 20 minute treadmill workout, 5 min warm up. 2 min sprint, 2 min power walk, 2 min sprint… and so on
    -15 minute stretch while drinking fast absorbing protein supplement.
    I also drink about 40oz of water throughout the workout.
    For my eating I use a few rules
    -Eat protein every 3-4 hours
    -Eat a carb full breakfast, half the carbs at lunch, and none at dinner
    -My veggies taper the opposite way, none at breakfast, half at lunch, and fill my plate at dinner
    -I eat fruit throughout the day in protein shakes or just to grab as a snack
    – I do not eat any meals after 6pm, but around 8pm I have a banana/casein protein shake (this protein specifically absorbs slowly so your body can recover over night)
    -I eat tons of healthy fats, coconut oil, olive oil, nuts, and real butter.
    I just started the eating part this week and I plan on staying true to it for about 6-8 weeks, then I will slowly add in cheats (I am a pizza, burger girl!). I have already started to see the results and I will post more pictures. I think my main issue is that I never stick to my plans, but this time I am going to put in all the effort and then maintain.

  • Thursday, March 10, 2011 at 8:48 pm
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    Wow I absolutely love your body! I am currently four months pp and my stretch marks cover the same area of my belly and my belly is somewhat flat already, but seeing how you look at two years after your last bub, I feel so optimistic over how I will look as time goes on. I am currently going into a career in modeling so looking my best is very important. thank you for being so inspirational!

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