By Samantha Chrysanthou
Meghan Hennessy is a World Fitness Federation (WFF) Sports Model, a fit-mom and a career-focused woman who is driven in every aspect of her life. She is setting the tone for young moms today as they peruse successful careers, raise kids and still manage to look amazing.
“As a young mom, I never thought that becoming a WFF Sports Model was on the cards for me,” says Meghan, who had her daughter when she was 23 years old.
Her daughter also arrived as she was building a career as the general manager of an international steel manufacturing company. “It’s a very male-orientated, stressful industry which requires hard work hard and dedicated focus. But despite the demands of the job, I continued training every day.”
Plan and prep
To fit everything into her jam-packed days, Meghan plans and preps down to a T. “Well, I do so as best as I can. Luckily, I have a very supportive family, which helps a lot.”
But now that Meghan’s daughter is following in her active footsteps, she does need to juggle their schedules to make life work.
“You tend to sacrifice a lot as a mom, so there are those days when I give up my workout hour to attend an athletics meeting or a swimming lesson, but it’s worth it.”
Meghan admits that it has taken a lot of time, effort and sacrifice to get to where she is today, but through the process she has learnt a great deal about herself and has gained so much confidence along the way.
Stepping on stage
As an added incentive to maintain her motivation levels. Meghan and her personal trainer discussed competing. “Honestly, I never thought I would have the confidence or courage to compete,” she recalls, but it wasn’t too long after the initial seed was planted that she decided to give it a go. “And I’m glad I did, because I’ve never looked back!”
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Meghan adds that receiving her Pro Card in 2018 was a significant milestone on her transformation journey. “That was my biggest goal for the year and receiving it was hugely gratifying for me.”
“I’m also roughly 10 kilos heavier than I was after I gave birth to my daughter because of the extra muscle, which has required a shift in mindset, but I’ve never been happier or healthier.”
Life lessons
Based on her experience, Meghan has a few valuable lessons to share with readers. “The key to staying in shape is consistency, both in terms of your diet and your training. I aim for one training session per day, with one off day a week. I also focus on eating a healthy and balanced diet throughout the day.”
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On an average day, Meghan generally eats between 6 and 8 small meals to keep her metabolism elevated and deliver sustained energy levels throughout the day.
“It can be challenging for most women to eat this many times a day, but the key is snacking on prepared mini meals throughout the day, whether it be a handful of nuts or an apple.”
And as for losing the dreaded baby weight, Meghan says the key to a successful post-baby bump transformation is to take care of yourself throughout your pregnancy.
“It is important to lead a healthy and active lifestyle during your pregnancy for both your baby and for you. I ate very well and a lot during my pregnancy, but I ate correctly and only gained 9kg. This made it much easier to drop the baby weight after giving birth to my daughter.”
And for anyone.who holds ambitions to step on stage to compete as a Sports Model, Meghan offers some a healthy dose of realism. “What most people see is the end result and the glitz and glam, but reaching that point takes serious dedication, sacrifice and hard work. It’s not just a short 12-week programme – it’s a lifestyle so you need to commit to the entire process.”
Follow Meghan on Instagram,
Images by BSH Photography – Jody Harrington & Marc Dryden-Schofield
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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