YOU GOT THIS: Woman transforms ‘mum bod’ after three kids
A mother-of-three who gained 30kg has documented her weekly progress in a series of images that show off her incredible transformation.
Welcome to You Got This, news.com.au’s weekly slice of fitness inspiration featuring tips and advice from real women who’ve experienced it all.
Tamsin Macaffer had given birth to her third child during lockdown in Melbourne, and while she ate relatively healthy during her pregnancy, it was her portion sizes that saw her put on an extra 30kg of unhealthy weight.
The 28-year-old disability worker said by the end of her pregnancy, she weighed close to 80kg.
“I don’t mind having my big pregnant belly, but once I had bub I couldn’t help but feel self-conscious,” Ms Macaffer told news.com.au
“Gyms were closed due to the pandemic and I felt myself just putting on more weight.”
She also had to stop exercising fairly early in her pregnancy due to hyperemesis and pelvic instability.
RELATED: Mum’s insane body transformation
“I hated seeing myself in the mirror or in photos. I wouldn’t even let my husband take my ‘before’ photo because I didn’t want him to see me like that,” she explained.
She said that a part of her was happy to be in isolation as it meant she didn’t have to socialise or try to find an outfit to “squeeze into for some event”.
However, since embarking on her weight loss journey after giving birth to her son in July, she has rediscovered her confidence and a new found respect for her body.
“My transformation wasn’t a huge shock as I worked hard to see results, but I was amazed that I was able to achieve such dramatic results at home in only eight weeks,” Ms Macaffer said.
She added that she has been working hard the last couple of months “to transform my mum bod” since having her son.
Ms Macaffer, who has three children under the age of four, went on to lose 12.5kg — documenting her stunning transformation in a series of weekly photos.
RELATED: Mum kicks $300 a week habit to lose 53kg
“While I usually eat pretty healthily, my portion sizes were quite large and I would indulge in a chocolate binge after putting the kids to bed,” Ms Macaffer said about her diet post transformation.
She began following Aussie fitness model and personal trainer Rachel Dillon on Instagram earlier this year.
“I saw that a new Train Like Me 8-week challenge was starting on September 14 and the fact that it could be done at home (as well as the gym) was what made me join,” she said.
“I hadn’t done her Bodies By Rachel program before, but I had seen many women’s fitness transformations on Instagram, so I was excited to give it a go.”
Soon enough, Ms Macaffer started to form a healthier relationship with food and even if she couldn’t be bothered working out, she prioritised it and made it part of her daily routine.
During the challenge, the disability support worker trained six days a week and also took the kids for a walk every day to keep her step count above 10,000.
“As we were in lockdown, and one of the only reasons to leave the house was exercise, if I were catching up with friends (when allowed) it would be to go for a walk or exercise at the park,” she told news.com.au
Ms Macaffer said she would take weekly progress photos and measurements “because you can really see the difference you’re making as the scales can sometimes be misleading”.
As for her diet, she likes variety and would change her meal plan every two days, rather than sticking to the same meal plan throughout the challenge.
“I hadn’t heard of flexible dieting previously but I found it makes it so much easier to stick to your macros (protein, carbs, fibre, fats) and actually enjoy your meals while in a calorie deficit,” Ms Macaffer explained.
RELATED: PT’s bikini shred eating what she wants
“My macros (base don her body and goals) during the challenge were 1500 calories, 130g protein, 60g fats, 110g carbs and 25g fibre. I am now going to gradually increase my calories to move into a calorie surplus to start gaining muscle.”
To keep her sweet craving at bay, Ms Macaffer has a yoghurt with berries and nut butter after she puts the kids to bed.
Since revamping her lifestyle, the Melbourne mum said her energy levels had increased “so much”, along with her self-esteem and confidence.
“I’ve accepted all my stretch marks and loose skin that comes with having babies but I feel so much happier now that I’m fitter, healthier and able to wear my favourite outfits again.”
Ms Macaffer also went on to win the $20,000 prize for the 8-week BBR challenge, where $5000 will be donated to the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne.
“My eldest daughter Sahara has a congenital medical condition and stayed on Cockatoo ward as a baby. She will continue to be an outpatient of the RCH hospital for the duration of her childhood so I am so grateful to be able to do this in Sahara’s name.”
If you’ve got a transformation story you’d like to share, get in touch with shireen.khalil@news.com.au