Pregnancy and motherhood are life-changing experiences but the demands they place on your life and body can also take their toll.
Julette Cordier was 34 years old when her first daughter joined the family. “I gained 25kg over the course of my first pregnancy but managed to lose all the weight by eating properly.”
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Family first
However, the new commitments of motherhood meant Julette was never able to get back to a regular exercise regimen.
“As a full-time working mom, all my spare moments were spent with my newborn and new family.”
And her family expanded again in 2018 when she fell pregnant with her second child.
“I was 36 when our second daughter arrived in January 2019. I gained 30kg over the course of my second pregnancy but I again managed to lose most of it by focusing on my diet.”
Julette breastfed both daughters for 18 months and dedicated every spare moment to her family.
“With two little ones in my life, there was even less time to train. Or so I kept on telling myself.”
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More ‘me’ time
When Julette stopped breastfeeding her youngest daughter in August 2020, she decided that it was time to do something for herself.
“I hadn’t exercised since 2016 before I fell pregnant for the first time. But I was rapidly approaching 40 and needed to make a change.”
The fact that the country had been in lockdown since March 2020 made her return to training more challenging.
“We were working from home full-time and had easy access to food all day. The kids were also at home. I had all the excuses in the book to postpone making a change, or delay it and continue on the trajectory I was on. But I wanted to be healthy again.”
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Step-by-step guide
That’s when Julette came across the USN Body Makeover Challenge.
“I started in September 2020 and decided to enter because I reckoned it would be a good starting point to create healthy eating habits and get back into a training routine with a guided plan.”
Julette started training at home using the at-home workout guide from the USN Body Makeover website.
“I thought that training from home would be a challenge, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as I could easily fit my workouts into my busy schedule when time allowed as I didn’t have to travel to gym.”
She was also concerned that her children would create a challenging environment, but those concerns quickly evaporated.
“They actually turned out to be my biggest supporters. They joined in on the HIIT workouts and now eat broccoli because they want to be as strong as their mom. In the end, it was a win-win situation for everyone!”
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Everything you need
Julette says following the USN Body Makeover was a convenient and easy way to change her lifestyle and transform her body.
Julette’s must-use supplements:
- USN BlueLab™ 100% Whey Protein Speckled Egg flavour
- USN All9 Amino
“The easy-to-follow 12-week guide takes you through the eating and training plans step by step, which makes it possible for anyone to follow. The approach is also based on sound principles. I knew that if I simply followed the guide, I would achieve success.”
According to Julette, making small, daily changes in this way ultimately adds up to big results.
“You can be your worst enemy or your best friend. It’s up to you to decide. I saw a quote by James Clear that says ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day but they were laying bricks every hour.’ If you commit to this approach by investing in yourself and taking the time and make positive changes every day, no matter how small, you will succeed.”
Beyond the physical changes, going through this transformation has changed other areas of Julette’s life as she now has more energy and self confidence.
“This journey also instilled positive habits in the whole family. Even the kids join in on the workouts and they enjoy them.”
Julette now plans to refocus her efforts on gaining lean muscle mass.
“I followed the intermittent fasting eating plan during the challenge to help me lose body fat. Going forward, I will increase my meal frequency to five smaller meals throughout the day, rather than eating between 12 and 8 pm, to add some lean muscle.”
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Quick facts
- Age: 39
- Lives: Johannesburg
- Favourite healthy dish: Chicken on the braai with a salad
- Favourite training move or workout: HIIT full-body workout
- Top diet tip: Select an eating plan that can form the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. Anything that’s too restrictive will not be sustainable in the long run. Strive for progress and not perfection.
Author: Pedro van Gaalen
When he’s not writing about sport or health and fitness, Pedro is probably out training for his next marathon or ultra-marathon. He’s worked as a fitness professional and as a marketing and comms expert. He now combines his passions in his role as managing editor at Fitness magazine.
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