My name is Joy. I am a stay-at-home mother to four beautiful children and wife to an amazing husband. Eight years ago I became pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl, and delivered them via c-section at 37 weeks gestation with no problems. Within 10 months I found myself pregnant again and quickly after my second delivery I was pregnant again for the third time, so that, in three years and three months, I had delivered all four of my children.
Pregnancy can wreak havoc on a body and after my last was born, I was determined to lose the weight and feel normal again. I felt completely unrecognizable to myself so 5 days post-partum, I began to workout in my home. I started with pilates videos that I could get at Target along with walking on my treadmill and gradually worked my way up to running alongside Cathe’s Low Impact Circuit and Bodymax 2 workouts. (These workouts were given to me by my mom who is also a hardcore Cathe follower.) The combination of cardio and weights began to shape my body and I began to see real results.
During those early years, I exercised six days a week in front of all four of my kids, pausing my videos or jumping of the treadmill to re-binky the baby or grab the kids a snack. After 4 years of consistent exercise I no longer choose to run on a treadmill but have moved to using Cathe’s workouts exclusively and love the impact it has had on my life. Impacts that reached places I didn’t think they could.
I started working out because I wanted my body back. I wanted it back the way it was and I have seen dramatic changes in my body composition, my capacity to lift weights, do pushups and overall cardio endurance. However, it has been the emotional, spiritual and ultimately relational changes in me that have been the most significant. I can’t have my body back the way it was and that is no longer the goal of exercise.
I heard from a therapist that if one could discipline physical exercise into their life, then they could discipline anything. They can discipline their mind and thoughts. They can discipline food and friendships. They can discipline their spiritual lives. I have seen this to be true and this is the reason that Cathe has been a significant part of my life. She has given me the means to workout at home with my kids in a way that is valuable.
I am a much sweeter mom because I workout. I am a much kinder wife because I workout. I have a cleaner house because I workout. Believe it or not, I have a better relationship with God because of exercise.
The full impact of Cathe’s work on my life is still working it’s magic, as I daily exercise for my personal health and the health of my family. I am blessed and grateful for the time and energy spent providing fun and effective workouts that improve my capacity to live life well.
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What a fabulous story, Joy! I agree 200% with everything you have described! Way to go! 🙂
Beautifully stated Joy! Congratulations on your beautiful children, your strong and fit body and your strong and fit life. You are an inspiration.
Love your story! I love how you worked your way into exercise after having kids and adopted Cathe as your fitness mentor. That’s exactly what I did! I also liked your emphasis on working out to be on your game in the rest of your life. It’s nice to know there are other people out there fighting the good fight.
Your story is further proof that regular exercise is the best thing for everyone.
I cannot do some things anymore due to rheumatoid arthritis so I have had to drastically modify all exercise routines.
Whatever I do I feel so much better emotionally and physically than if I did not workout at all!
What an awesome success story!! Thank you for sharing!
Wow, now THAT is a success story!!! Not just physically but mentally and spiritually. Thank you so much for taking the time from your busy life to share it to us. It’s success stories like your’s that speak more to me than any million dollar infomercial. My saying is Cathe is the stuff dreams are made of. I love her and love to hear how Cathe has helped other’s as she has helped me.
Joy, I loved your story. I especially liked the part where you likened physical exercise as a way of getting closer to God!! HOW true!!! I just have one question: I’ve had 2 C-sections, and my tummy ‘hangs’ over my scar. I was told that can never go away, no matter how much you workout or how much you diet. Did you have to have a laparoscopy, a surgical removal of the ‘elephant’ flab???
Well said, and very good for you! You are a great example for your children too!
Joy you are such a beautiful person both physically and otherwise! Your story resonates with me in such a major way. My children are 13 months apart and I had no idea how to reclaim my enthusiasm for working out after my daughter was born. Of course it came through Cathe. I try to share the gift of Cathe with any Mom who wants it. She’s so much more inspirational that ‘beach body fitness’ guys or anyone else I have found. I’m through my first year of nursing school and I used XTrain’s 30 day cardio and strength program several times over for a fast way to relieve stress and clear my head on crazy days. The funny part is that it was about my mind not even about my body.
I cannot wait for ripped with HiiT to come out. Thanks so much for sharing your amazing story. Your family is fantastic, too- Superwoman! Your babes are obviously major personalities… I love it.