If you’re a mom, you know one of the biggest struggles is trying to maintain your shape (well, that and raising toddlers—let’s be real). For me, it was both emotionally and physically draining. Trying to look like my 20-year-old self—or worse, scrolling through Instagram and seeing women who seem to have it all together—just made things harder.
I honestly tried everything out there. I’m not someone who expects a quick fix—I knew I had to put in the work. But no matter how hard I tried, I still felt bloated, exhausted, sometimes my body would be a thousand degrees, but my feet would be freezing, everything was just… off. My hormones were all over the place, and my confidence was nowhere to be found.
Here’s just a sample of what I put myself through:
- P90X (I can still hear Tony Horton’s voice in my head)
- Boot Camps and all kinds of group fitness classes
- Running, early morning workouts, extra cardio sessions
- Low carb
- Keto
- Intermittent fasting
- Juice cleanses
- “Clean eating”
- You Name It!
And through all of it, I still felt stuck with my body image. I was exhausted, hungry, and honestly, frustrated that nothing ever seemed to actually work long-term. All this while trying to raise a family, keep up with work, and do all the daily things that moms do.
I think my lowest of lows came when I was down to on some weeks 1,000 calories a day just to maintain my weight. I felt bloated, was irritable, and my cycle was completely messed up. I was just done.
My Turning Point…. and it took a lot of convincing for me to do it.
I am a young mom…. well I used to be a young mom. I had my first son (Camden) at 20 and now he’s 23 years old. After seeing my struggles, he became a trainer specializing in women’s health. He insisted that he could help me. I love my son, but honestly I didn’t want to do it. I felt like there was nothing that works and honestly I didn’t want to let him down.
It took him 6 months of convincing, showing me case studies of his clients and finally I decided…. what the hell? I was still scared I would let him down but he assured me that not only could he help lose weight and get the body I want but also help with all my hormonal problems.
Step 1 – Increasing Calories – The Hardest Part (for Me!)
Honestly, this was the toughest step. Increasing my calories felt impossible. Any time I ate even a little more in the past, my weight would go up. So why would I intentionally eat more calories?
My son explained it simply: years of cutting calories had slowed my metabolism way down, and that’s why we needed to “reverse diet.” He also pointed out that I’m not alone—diet culture pushes so many of us into this cycle.
He worked with me to gradually raise my calories each week, focusing on more protein and a good balance of carbs and fats. Each week, we’d bump things up just a bit—tweaking protein, carbs, and fats as needed.
I won’t sugarcoat it—this is the hardest part. Eating more sounds great, but when every diet you’ve ever tried says “cut calories,” it really messes with your head. It took about three months to slowly increase from 1,000 up to 2,100 calories (yes, 2,100!). Around month two, I started to panic a little because I’d gained a couple pounds and felt like giving up.
But I stuck with it—.
Step 2. Lifting Weights and Walking More
Step 2 happened right alongside Step 1. Cam gave me a training program focused on lifting weights. I’d always used lighter weights before (because, let’s be honest, we’ve all heard “lifting makes women bulky”—which couldn’t be more wrong). This time, I started lifting heavier, four times a week, and it made a huge difference.
He worked with what I had at home—just some dumbbells, bands, and a bench—so no fancy gym needed. Along with that, he had me start tracking my steps. I just used my iPhone to aim for 9,000–10,000 steps a day, and made sure I got in four workouts a week.
Honestly, this part of the program became my favorite. I felt myself getting stronger every week, it wasn’t as exhausting as endless cardio, and I genuinely started to look forward to my workouts.
Step 3: The Deficit
This is where it all clicked. I was already feeling stronger, but now it was time, as Cam says, “to cut.” He dropped my calories down to 1800 for about three months, and immediately, the weight started flying off. For the first time, I was actually toned. I could see my abs, which honestly felt unreal!
The best part! There’s no way to describe the joy of going through this process. My body had gotten used to eating 2,100 calories, so even when we lowered it to 1,800, it never felt like I was starving. In fact, I was still eating almost 80% more than before I started the program—and I WAS LOSING WEIGHT.
It felt incredible to finally see results without having to go hungry.
Step 4: Returning to Maintenance
One of the biggest keys to success was returning to maintenance calories. Cam wanted my metabolism to get used to eating 2,100 calories—not get stuck at 1,800. So, after my cut, we brought my calories back up to 2,100.
Now, I can confidently eat well, work out, and enjoy life—without stressing over every bite. I truly feel like I’m in the best shape of my life, and I’m not afraid of food anymore.
The Results! I’m in the Best Shape of My Life at 43 years old
It’s wild to say, but I finally feel strong, healthy, and truly happy in my own skin. I’m not obsessed with the scale or exhausted all the time—and for the first time, I genuinely like the person I see in the mirror. (Honestly… I love the person I see in the mirror now. ) Plus, my hormones are so much better, a regular cycle, no more sudden hot flashes. Life is Good!
Would I Recommend This?
Obviously, this is my son, so you might think I’d recommend anything he does—but that’s not the reason I’m sharing this. I wrote this because I know exactly what it’s like to feel stuck, hopeless, and just plain miserable in your own skin. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
(To be perfectly honest, he keeps telling me to stop promoting him because he can’t take on more clients! I keep reminding him that he needs to expand his team, because there are so many women out there working so hard with so little to show for it—and it’s just demoralizing.)
I’ve truly never felt better in my life, and I’ve met so many of his clients who feel the exact same way.
Sometimes, the answer isn’t another strict diet or set of rules—it’s about learning to listen to your body. And as much as it pains me to admit it, sometimes your kid really does know best.
If you want to check out his program, it’s called Mamian Fitness. I am sure he goes into a lot more detail there…. and do not be discouraged by the waitlist there (I know he opens up spots a few times a year), and I’ll keep bugging him (as a mom should do) to open up more and more spots.
Amber is the CEO and mama in charge at Rookie Moms! She is raising six amazing humans and has been through a lot as a mom including high-risk pregnancy (preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome), adoption, navigating special needs, working from home, and more. Now she’s on a mission to pass along the knowledge she’s learned… from one mama to another!