I was always active, but minor medical complications partway through my second pregnancy forced me to give up my workouts. And I had been giving in to pregnancy cravings (Dairy Queen!). By the time my son was born, I didn’t fit into any of my clothes, and I made a promise to myself that while I was on maternity leave that I would become healthier and get back into shape.
Determined to lose all of my baby weight (and maybe even more), I knew that it would take a combined approach of nutrition as well as getting back to a physically active lifestyle. What really appealed to me was Sarah’s straightforward and common sense approach – no gimmicks, just a focus on smart choices and listening to my body so I could properly judge how much of what I needed to eat. More importantly, Sarah helped me find my own self-motivation and the strength to say “I can do this” which continues to help me through the process. Getting back into an active lifestyle has changed my life greatly. My energy levels are up, and my entire family benefits because we eat healthier, more nutritious food. At the end of my maternity leave, I went back to work in the best shape I’d ever been in, and looking fantastic.
I had always been an occasional runner, but had never really seriously trained for an event. Having a goal in mind was the best motivational strategy for me, so I started a running training program with Sarah to complement my fitness activities. I was so impressed by the improvement in my stamina and speed that after doing very well at a few local runs (came in 2nd in my category!), I decided to get serious about running and train for a marathon. With Sarah’s help, I’m on track to run my first marathon in December… and qualify for Boston!
A year ago, I never would have considered this was even possible. To date, I’ve lost 48 pounds and gone from a 1:56:51 half marathon (May 2003) to a 1:47:35 (May 2012) and then a 1:39:56 (Sept 2012), using a combination of Sarah’s nutrition program and run coaching, exercise routine and healthy cooking. I look and feel great and know that I am an inspiration to others and a role model to my children.
-LeeAnn O’Regan
After Baby #2: 172 lbs, 33% body fat
Today: 124 lbs, 15% body fat
