A Slice of Humble Pie with P2
🥧 A podcast where we curiously explore nutrition, fitness, mindset, sports, wellness, & beyond. ☕️Host @parastoobadie
A Slice of Humble Pie with P2
Redefining Mom Bod: Bodybuilding, Self-Care & Balance with Tess Franklin
In this episode, I’m joined by Tess Franklin, bodybuilder, Oxygen Magazine cover athlete, and mom, for an honest conversation about strength, identity, and navigating fitness as a high-performing parent.
We explore:
- How bodybuilding and motherhood reshape your relationship to your body
- What #redefinedmombod really means in practice
- Balancing training with the chaos of family and career
- The importance of support systems for active moms
- Why self-care is not a luxury, it is a foundation for sustainability
Whether you are a new parent, a seasoned athlete, or somewhere in between, Tess’s story is a reminder that strength looks different in every season, and you don’t need permission to prioritize your well-being.
🔗 Connect with Tess:
https://www.findyourfitwithtess.com
📬 More from the show:
https://parastoobadie.com/podcast
Instagram: @asliceofhumblepiewithp2
Email: asliceofhumblepiewithp2@gmail.com
Website: https://parastoobadie.com/podcast/
Email: asliceofhumblepiewithp2@gmail.com
Instagram: @asliceofhumblepiewithp2
Welcome back to A Slice of Humble Pie. Our guest today is Tess Franklin, a ninja, a super mom and an all-around awesome human being. Tess studied business in university, but she found her passion in fitness, which is totally related found her passion in fitness, which is totally related. I'm not sure when we met exactly, but our worlds crossed at some point in the fitness industry. You know, ottawa fitness is pretty small, but I'm so happy that our paths did cross and, tess, I'm really thankful to know you and I am so appreciative of your time and for your beautiful energy for coming on this podcast. She's always been a very kind soul, very approachable, very relatable and absolutely inspiring.
Speaker 1:Tess is a national figure model, an Oxygen Magazine cover model and a woman who wears many hats, including a mother of three. Tess is a personal trainer at Find your Fit and specializes in teaching women how to lift, eat and find balance between motherhood and fitness. That's fabulous. So thank you again and let's get right into it. Welcome to A Slice of Humble Pie. Loving to learn about you, I just want to learn a bit more and I want to know how you got into fitness in the first place and how you got into bodybuilding.
Speaker 2:So I was always a really active kid. We did all the sports. We grew up in the country did karate. That was my main sport growing up. Then went to university and just jumped right off the bandwagon like headfirst off the fitness train, had all the fun in college but then, like three years in, just started to feel we were talking about feeling fidgety, right, like when you're not active. It was manifest that fidgetiness just was manifesting in bad behaviors. So my boyfriend at the time introduced me to weight lifting because there weren't, like I didn't do any organized sports. I did karate. So he introduced me to weight lifting and light bulb moment.
Speaker 2:I just I fell in love with the concept of if you train this way and you eat this way, then you will get this result. I was like that's so simple. And then I really just dove headfirst into like how do we do that? And like why does this happen? It just it was beautiful to this, like XYZ concept. So I just yeah, I got really into that.
Speaker 2:And then I fell in love with bodybuilding when I started reading Oxygen magazine. So like that was right around the time where, like, aaron Stern was on the cover, will Wilkins was on the cover and I just thought that they were like the most gorgeous women I'd ever seen. And at that point they were like the Olympia winners, right. So I was like, okay, great, if I want to be on Oxygen magazine and I can't tell you why I wanted to be on the magazine. It just I just wanted to.
Speaker 2:I was like, all right, my path to that magazine cover is through bodybuilding. I have to like be a bodybuilding superstar that someone discovers me and I can be put on the magazine. That's not at all how it ended up going, but that's how I got into it. And then I fell in love with it Cause, again, it was this like you know, train like this, like this, get this result. And you know, you know, train like this, like this, get this result. And you know, it became less about the actual aesthetic, it was the chase, like I, it doesn't matter to me like the, the body. It's more just the, the goal of wanting to push myself and seeing what I can do If I manipulate these variables, like it was all about the process for me. So that's what kept me hooked and, coming back to it, tried other sports and I just love bodybuilding.
Speaker 1:It's such a cool sport. To me that's so interesting and I love hearing a different perspective, because I competed as well, didn't make it to the national, but I did a couple. I did four comps I think, and we all had our different desires. But I just remember young me looking at magazines and for anyone listening that's like looking at, like oh, I gotta be thin like this person, but I really appreciate your, your mindset, where it was like muscular women, like like especially for that time, that's awesome that you're like yeah, I'm not afraid of the muscle Like I want that delts.
Speaker 2:Like back then it wasn't popular, it was not pop culture stuff, like if you had a lot of muscles, a woman, you were seen as a man, basically, now it's a little bit more. It's much more mainstream Now. It's glorified and you know, like it's all over social media. Well, I don't know, maybe it's on mine because that's like the algorithm tailoring that content, but it's much more mainstream now. Um, but yeah, you're right, it wasn't at all back then. So it was as a special type of person who got drawn to it that's the super cool, though I'm super.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's, that's interesting. I wonder like what the underneath of it? But that's really cool that that's what you aspired. You're like yes, muscle, yes, muscle, um, like it it's like.
Speaker 2:It's like, you know, like those curvy cars. That's what it looks like to me. It looks like the female physique with muscle, just looks like a bunch of curves, like curves here, curves here.
Speaker 1:I like it, I think it's really feminine yeah, and that's that's beautiful for the conversations that we're going to have a little bit more is that your perception of what feminine is and like owning your body. And for those of you that don't know, tess, definitely check her out. We'll share like links and how to reach her at the end of our episode. But Tess like rocks the short haircut and just like, it's like the epitome. That's why I said ninja, she's just like a jacked queen and it's just stunning because it's like like um, the other aspect is you're challenging like the other aspects of like oh, what it means to be feminine, like you must have this, like luscious long hair and xyz, but it's good, I love that you're challenging that from beginning, like yay, yay, yay, yeah yeah, definitely.
Speaker 2:You know what was that? It was that confidence that drew my husband. He was like the manliest dude, but he liked that like all-in type of attitude that I don't give a type of attitude. He likes the short hair because he was like you're not, like you're not hiding behind anything, you're not pretending. So, yeah, I think, I think it's really just a matter to me, like the the most feminine and sexy is owning it, like it doesn't matter what it is, it's just the owning it that makes it really, really healing, you know, and it could be thickness, it could be short hair, it could be color, it could be whatever. It's just the confidence that like. Don't you agree? Like it's?
Speaker 1:that confident, oh my god, yeah, no, I'm just sitting here just like vibrating in excitement and I'm like, yes, speak, preach, that's. That's super excited. Yeah, I am super pumped for you and I really appreciate that. That's, uh, the attitude you come in with, because super refreshing that it's about preaching confidence and having people embrace it, versus like, uh, um, you're less than so, let's try and change you. It's more of a very different approach and I completely like very appreciate that. Like good for you.
Speaker 2:Well, that's my whole thing is like your goal isn't any of my business, like, as long as you're being healthy, and like it's bringing you towards a joyful, happy place, the way you want to look at my business, my job is to help you get there in a sustainable, healthy way, in an efficient way. But I don't care if you want to be thick, if you want to be lean, if you want to be thin, if you want to be a power lifter or a runner or like and it's not anyone's business what you you know. Like you shouldn't care how you look. Some people do, and that's my business. Like I get to decide how I want my body to look. So, yeah, that's my whole thing. Like it's nobody else's business but your own. I'm here to help guide you towards a sustainable way of getting there. That's it.
Speaker 1:I love that. I love that. I think what you're, what you were saying too, really fits the body autonomy, I guess. Label yeah, which is yeah, label yeah, which is yeah, and that's that's I, I, I, I, I guess, connect autonomy with confidence and independence and agency. So those words were come up a little bit. That's really cool. So, from that transition though, um, since we're talking about balancing with motherhood, I just want to learn a little bit more about, like knowing what it takes to do, like those bodybuilding, um preparation, like yeah, so obviously things are a little bit different. So if you could speak a little bit about how your time and priorities change from, perhaps, like, when you were into bodybuilding uh, beforehand not that you can't see a blina now and and then, what happened now that you've become a mom, like, how has your priorities and time shifted throughout your fitness journey?
Speaker 2:So once I became a mom, everything got put into perspective, because you just don't have time to mess around with things that aren't important to you anymore. That's, it's simple. You don't have time for the little things, little things that don't fulfill you, that don't bring you joy. You really have to get ruthless about, like, only doing the things that are really important to you and your family, and that's it. Bodybuilding happened to still be one of those really important things. I got a lot of joy out of it and a lot of fulfillment. So I slashed events, people, activities that didn't matter to me anymore in favor of doing the bodybuilding. I also just got really organized. Like I got much more organized as a mom than I ever was beforehand.
Speaker 2:Like, if you knew me before kids, I was like all over the place, I was Mr Responsible, like I was just that person. And after kids, I was like, if you want this full, which takes a lot out of you, you also want to be the mom that you want to be. You're going to have to get your shit together and, like make an agenda or something. So, yeah, I just started planning and organizing and managing my time better. So that's how I made it work. Um, I think balance balance is actually. I wrote it down Balance to me means being at peace with the level of energy or attention that you give to the things that really matter. When I feel out of balance, it's because I'm giving attention to things that don't matter to me, you know, like spending time on things that don't fulfill you. So, yeah, I kind of lost my train of thought. That's okay.
Speaker 2:It's all welcome. I was really fulfilled by bodybuilding for a while and I was happy to give my time to it. By the last show that I did at Nationals, I wasn't feeling that fulfillment anymore and I started to feel out of balance, which is why I stepped away from it, cause it was like it felt like a chore, it felt not fun anymore and now I'm sacrificing time with my family for something that's not bringing me joy. That's not worth it to me anymore. So, uh, yeah, that's why I ended up stepping away. But, um, yeah, that's why I ended up stepping away. But yeah, balance is just making time.
Speaker 1:A couple of things that you just said that I just want to take a moment to highlight, because they were brilliant, is that it was always coming from that place of joy and fulfillment for you, so you wanted to do it. Because you wanted to do it, it wasn't that you're thinking, you're less than yeah, so you're like hey, I really enjoy this, I'm going to do it because you wanted to do it.
Speaker 1:It wasn't that you're thinking you're less than yeah, so you're like, hey, I really enjoy this, I'm going to do it. And then, when you stop being for you, you had like again that awareness to be like this is no longer what's fulfilling for me. I'm going to, like redirect my energy and you allowed yourself to reframe, to change, like something that was meaningful for you and to create new meaning for it. That's amazing.
Speaker 2:Um, so it's always from that lens, from what I'm hearing, right like yes, and like I love training and it was starting to take the joy out of training for me. So that's when I left. Um, I have had people come in and do consultations as a trainer, um, and they've said you know, I just, I know I have to go to the gym. I really hate going to the gym, but I know I have to go. Like, oh, you shouldn't give, you should do something else, do something you enjoy. And I'm sure you've had clients like that too, where it's like God, there's got to be that joy in there or you're gonna. Your life, you're gonna get a lot of balance is never gonna work. You're not going to hate your life, you're going to get out of balance, it's never going to work. You're not going to get what you need out of the experience, but like there's so many other avenues, so find the thing that you like and just hang with that.
Speaker 1:That's the balance. That's the balance. And then you said the word, I think, about a couple minutes ago. What really stuck out to me, as you were just describing your definition balance was, uh, when you were saying you pursued bodybuilding because of that, the pursuit and the process of it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so my that's my interpretation of balance is that you have to keep being like, okay, well, what, how do I have to change the process? Or what, what direction am I going? Okay, I went too far, bring it back, let's go this way, bring it back.
Speaker 2:So it's like a constant um yeah always like just rearranging it or kind of like nudging it over if it goes out of bounds. Just come back a little bit. Yeah, I like that, the process, that's true, because there's not like a destination of balance, right. It's not like, oh, once I get here, I'll be balanced, the world can shut down and you have to rebalance yourself.
Speaker 1:You're right. Case in point of pandemic yeah, exactly Right.
Speaker 2:You constantly have to like, adjust and adapt it.
Speaker 1:So, as a mom, then how did you balance using that word again, like fitness with fitness, with, like I always see on Instagram, like your kids are always involved when you're doing activities, and I know you mentioned that's like an upbringing hat, like you're, you're familiar with that um, so how did you incorporate fitness to something that um, was a little bit more achievable and attainable for you but, like throughout the kids, because you had one, then now you have three, so how does that look Like? What does that look like?
Speaker 2:So I'll be perfectly honest I don't like working out with kids Like it's a thing, like my workouts are my me time, the only time that I have for myself. I'm either with clients, I'm with my children, I'm with my husband, but it's the only time I get to be alone. So I cherish it. This year has been hard because I have to train in the house and they really want to come in and join in with me. So if it doesn't happen with them, it doesn't happen at all. So I'd rather get it done than not. But really, for me, the biggest blessing has been using my support network, and my biggest support network is my husband. He understands, because he's the exact same way, how important it is for me to go to the gym, have that me time, just go and like train my butt off and then come home and then I'm fully present. So he's really been good Like our whole marriage. We tagged all the time like he comes home from work exhausted, but we'll still be like, be like all right, I got dinner, you go do your workout, I'll take the kids and vice versa. You know like I'll do this for him. Um, but I also like outside of just my husband, my friends are on board with it, my family is on board with it, my neighbors are on board with it. Um, I look for resources everywhere I can like. If there's a daycare center or a gym that has child care, I look for those support networks everywhere I can Like. If there's a daycare center or a gym that has childcare, I look for those support networks where I can drop my kids off and go. And now the people in my life accept that, um, that's something that's really important to me and they helped me make that happen. You know, like, if we're visiting my mom, um, she'll say, hey, I figure you guys want to go to the gym, I'll take the kids. She doesn't even ask, she just says I'll take the kids and you go. The people in my life understand it. So it's been a lot of talking with them, them coming to terms with what I need and letting them support me.
Speaker 2:I think that's a big issue for moms is allowing people to come in and help you. They will. The people in your life who love you a lot are happy to help you will, like, the people in your life who love you a lot are happy to help you. But moms have this like, um, what's the word? Uh, like a martyr, like a martyr syndrome, where, like we feel like we have to some moms, I think, want to have that, you know, martyr status, uh, but at what cost? You're sacrificing your happiness, you're sacrificing your health. So, um, it's really about looking for when your network can help you and then ask them and allowing them to help you and kids are involved in that, by the way like they can be part of your support network too.
Speaker 2:I think we don't give enough credit to kids for being able to understand what you need and why. If you tell your kids, like mommy really needs to go work out because it makes me happy, it makes me healthy, if mommy exercises, then I'll have more energy for you and I can play with you. Get that Like you really understand, and you'll find that kids will be your biggest supporter. Sometimes They'll be like mommy, don't you have to go for a run right now? I know it makes you so happy. You're like mommy, you shouldn't be eating that because you said that's not on your diet. Like they'll call you out. They can be your biggest support network, so it's really allowing other people into your journey. That's, yeah, then, the biggest thing, so powerful that's really powerful you're.
Speaker 1:It sounds like you have an exceptional like support networking community. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:It's been a lot of grooming, like, really, people who weren't supportive of that didn't last, like if you weren't okay with me having this lifestyle, trying to just don't stick around in my life um, not not necessarily for me, like you know, chopping them out, but they just kind of phase out sometimes because uh, yeah, that's not how I roll.
Speaker 1:so well, that speaks really um, I totally appreciate that and it's cool that you have that from the beginning, like what you were just describing to your kids about how you approach fitness is like phenomenal because that you're coming again from a place of self-care, a place of like what your needs are. So you're teaching from a young age like hey, what needs are, what self-care is, how to communicate it, so that fitness isn't this like I'm only doing it to weight, I'm only doing it because of dichro, I'm doing it because it's my thing and I'm allowed to want it. That that's. I'm just like beaming here, like, for those of you that can't see us like, like, if you're listening, I'm just smiling like listening to tests and I'm like yo, mom goals, like, um.
Speaker 2:so oh sorry, yeah, no, go ahead, go ahead. I will say, with the kid thing too, though, that there was a point when I, when I reentered competition because I took a few years off and I was worried about how my kids were going to interpret that, as you know, like seeing your mom going through this very strict diet, like working really hard At that point it wasn't for my health, it was for aesthetic, like there's nothing about competition, that's getting healthy anymore. So I was worried about how that would them and how I would broach that subject. I don't know that they noticed or I don't know. It hasn't really come up yet. I'm sure they'll ask someday, but I hope it'll.
Speaker 2:Be more in the context of, this is something I wanted, and this is me pursuing my passion. Not I didn't think I was pretty enough or I didn't like the way I look. It had nothing to do with that, it was just a goal that I had. So yeah, it is. I mean, yeah, we do try to frame it as much as possible about health and well-being. Size doesn't matter, looks don't matter, as long as you're happy and healthy. But I know that that'll come up someday. You know, why did you do bodybuilding then?
Speaker 1:yeah, that I'm really curious how you would navigate that. Um, I don't, I can't know how to have that conversation, but, um, the part that just I immediately thought, as you were describing it, is that we're all looking at things from a different lens and it's shaped from when we're really young. So, like our perception me and you, like you know, we're preaching to the choir we're both fitness professionals. We view fitness as play and joy and so many other things. Like I, I don't become it. We didn't become a fitness professional to punish somebody. That's not what, right, it's part of our lifestyle. So I think, like I'm hoping, that when you frame that, because it's gonna come up inevitably, if you don't bring it up, it's in media, it's all over the place. They're going to be like they're your kids are young, right, they're all under um they're not, yeah, yeah yeah.
Speaker 1:So, like, if you don't bring it up at some point they're going to be exposed to it, but hopefully they're looking at it from that filter that you've taught them because, like, instead of looking at it as this magazine, I'm trying to be less than it's like oh cool, look at this muscle, like I hope so yeah yeah, I'll let you know in a couple years, yeah let me know in a couple years.
Speaker 1:So that's, that's really beautiful and good for you for really having that. That's actually um. I just had a moment in time where I went back as you were describing your process, because, yeah, for if you guys don't know, uh, competitions are not healthy, just FYI. It is a goal, it's something very specific and you don't just like think you're gonna sustain it, like we're aware of this. But, um, I can't say if mine was the pursuit of a goal or it was pursuit of feeling less than and I think I was trying to achieve an aesthetic, to feel that confidence or better about myself. So mine was coming from shame and not framed in your perspective. So I can really appreciate um like wanting a goal which I've defined now in my uh, I guess, adult years. Because I come from performance, I come from rugby, I've taken up you did karate as a child, but I took up Muay Thai boxing now as an adult, um as as a skill or a performance, because I put too much emphasis on the body and it went the other direction.
Speaker 1:So right it's interesting how yeah, like that, that wasn't just, that was not fun, right, it's just like feeling bad, but if you're feeling fulfilled, that's fantastic. Like like that autonomy piece you were talking about, like, do it have more delts? I keep saying delts because I'm watching yours and they're beautiful and I'm like she's rocking this halter and her shoulders are exquisite and I'm just like looking at them too, with this darn shoulder impingement though, but right now I can't even throw a ball. Okay.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah. Well, it's injury. You know like that's going to happen anytime. You're an athlete and you've been at it for so many years Like I think anyone stays in sports or trains a lot is going to have to deal with an injury. But if I didn't do any kind of training I might be looking at some kind of chronic illness. So you're poison, absolutely. What do you enjoy?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I hope that's over with, like the heels quickly, but I know that you have the patience, clearly, and, like, you treat it holistically and yeah, yeah. So that I was bringing up a little bit about, like, I guess, my body experience, because I just want to ask you I know this is really really big for you when you have this hashtag even on your Instagram and it's redefined mom bod, yeah, and it's, uh, redefined mom bod, yeah, and so I so much appreciate, like from a fitness perspective, like pursuing a goal and achieving it. But then, when we're talking about, like, the narrative of moms and the pressure that they have to face, like you were always a bodybuilder but like was there any point where, um, you had this like perception of, like what a mom body is? And like when you're talking to your clients that are moms, like how do you help them navigate where they were before mom? And like all of the conversations that are right now about, like, getting your baby body back and, uh, you know all of those.
Speaker 1:Yeah Right, I was, I was, I was an air quote when I'm saying that Cause you hear that a lot and so yeah, anyway, how do you redefine mom bod Like what?
Speaker 2:does that mean? So here's my thing. Like there's this assumption Okay, we all understand that mom bodies after you have kids, right, we get that. Um, some people still don't get that, apparently, but for the most part we get it. I don't understand why the change has a negative connotation. Why is the change bad? Like, who decided that the change is bad?
Speaker 2:You know, and I think that's my issue with mom bod is that it's a derogatory word or it's used as one. Like when you say mom bod, you think of someone who is tired and who's not vibrant anymore, who maybe doesn't like the way she looks anymore. Yeah, she's probably got some like soft skin, she has extra body fat, and it's just that she doesn't like her body. But that's not been my personal experience. That's not been the experience of a lot of moms I know, like, why can't we be better after having kids? That's how I feel. I know plenty of women who have a better relationship with their menstrual cycle now, who feel better in their bodies because they're taking better care of themselves, who have more appreciation for their bodies because of everything that their body did for them, who are in better shape, like the way they look, just aesthetically more, because there's more curve. You know, like my sister just had a baby and she was like I love my hips. Like my hips got wider, I've got curves there. She loves it. So why are we still putting this like negative spin on it, mom, bod being a bad thing, I don't know.
Speaker 2:I say you do whatever the fuck you want. You know what I mean. Like it's your body, you can feel happy in it, you can go and like, just because you had a baby doesn't mean you can't go and pursue really cool hardcore things anymore. It doesn't mean you can't feel good about yourself anymore. You don't have to just shrivel up and disappear because you're a mom now, like you can step into your womanhood and fucking rock it. You know I get so riled up about this because, like I hate seeing women who, like we've done the most amazing, powerful thing on this planet and we're being beaten down. You know like pulled, you're. Like you just you just recreated a human in your body and now you have to just like your whole identity has to be gone. Like, oh, I can't even. Oh, it's just it's hard for me to process. Um, yeah, so redefine mom bod means that you get to choose what you do with your own body. That's it. Yeah, chills, sorry I get so riled up.
Speaker 1:Don't absolutely not that like that sentence step into your womanhood like fuck, yes. Um, absolutely fuck yes, because, uh, because the narrative's still out there in the mainstream, right, I know it's like. It's like let's, let's have that excitement right right now. Guys, we're both too excited to like announce it. So let me take a second and pause. I'm just like, oh, I'm so pumped up I don't have words.
Speaker 1:Um, in the fitness industry, there's still that language of like I spoke about this with another in another podcast episode previously where we're talking about, um, body image.
Speaker 1:There's still stuff like the assumption that, oh, you had a baby, now you're gonna have to lose weight, it's all about getting that body back. And, like you mentioned that negative twist, and it's like from the moms themselves because of this, like shame that's put on people. It's like you're assuming that, um, I'm going to have to change my body because everyone else assumes that I'm going to have to. And then from other people like I just want to talk to this for a moment, because you mentioned that you have created and cultivated a really supportive network of people that, like, understand your lifestyle and support fitness. But, like, how do you navigate if not for yourself, like with your clients, if the network around you still believes like this false narrative of you can't like you taking care, if you're doing fitness, it's a selfish thing. You should be losing weight to fit this assumption that when you're carrying a baby you have to look this way, get your body back. So how do you navigate that for clients Like? What are your thoughts on that?
Speaker 2:That was a very loaded question no, yeah, no, you know what? I can't say that I've doped much into that with a lot of my clients, mostly because when a lot of them come to me, they're they've been into fitness for a little while. Like they're coming at me with a like an intermediate level or at an intermediate level, so they've been, you know, into fitness. Most of them have already created that kind of support network. Um, but that is one of the very first questions that I asked them, like do you have the support network to? You know, get you through this.
Speaker 2:I've offered to talk to their spouses if it's not going well. Nobody ever takes me up on that. I think they don't want me to get their partners in any trouble. I think they don't want me to get their partners in any trouble. But you know what? Again, like I think a lot of people do have supportive partners if they ask them to. You know, like it's just, yeah, I know that my partner would support me if I asked to.
Speaker 2:So it's like, all right, well, your job this week is to go talk to your partner and, like, sit down and make a schedule together and a calendar, and that's sometimes an assignment that I give. Like we work on one thing usually, um and that has been something that I've given people is your job this week is to sit down with your, your partner or whatever, and figure out when you're going to work out, talk to them about, like, what your goal is, um, talk about why, um. Yeah, I'm just having those, creating the space for those conversations and making it happen, but I think a lot of people do want to help you. Just a matter of asking I love that.
Speaker 1:I love that, um, yeah, so the part with with, I guess, beyond. So let's talk about like the high level now and like societal expectations of bodies in general, because, like I love that we have the perspective of the self and like the self-love and like what you want. But I guess, um, let's talk about it the other way around and my intention with it is to look at it as for people that perhaps aren't there yet, that don't have that self-awareness or the support network, and they're in the, in the community, and they're listening to, like you know, the media or really like toxic things, like um on the other magazines that maybe weren't oxygen, yeah, or oxygen even, could be creating a bad image for them like it has.
Speaker 2:Yeah, something having bad, bad consequences.
Speaker 1:Really really good point, really really good point.
Speaker 1:So then, just looking at, I guess, like the various movements that are going on, so we have, like you know, uh, the body positivity movement, and we have also on the flip side, like different verbiage that's come out, so body neutrality, where you're not even like attached to either, or you just are, you're a p movement.
Speaker 1:And we have also, on the flip side, like different verbiage that's come out, so body neutrality, where you're not even like attached to either, or you just are, you're a piece of what's there and you're not attaching any form of of. I guess emphasis on how you look, because you may or may not love your body, but it just is, like it is a leg, like it's not bad or good, it just is, is a leg, like it's not bad or good, it just is. So how, how does that look for you? Like when you hear the word body positivity, or or you mentioned body autonomy, or I mentioned earlier, like in your experience, like has that ever resonated with you and have you seen other other bodies that maybe don't look like yours and perhaps like thought about that from that perspective, like how these movements have come to make more meaning for you now, perhaps now that you're a mom?
Speaker 2:I have to say no, for me personally, I've not ever felt that pressure to conform. I think, being a bodybuilderer, that was from the very beginning. I knew that I wasn't going to look like other people and that was okay. But I can certainly appreciate that and I'll also recognize that I have always had the type of body that is considered a nicer, aesthetically pleasing. I've always been on the more slender side.
Speaker 2:I'm not too tall, I'm not too short, like I'm white, like all these things that are preferable, except that I don't have big boobs, like that's the only thing. So that's the one thing that I would say that I did struggle with, and I do still kind of struggle with, is just not having large breasts. Um, but aside from that, yeah, I wouldn't say that I am, that I want anything else like that. But I can certainly understand how that would happen and I know that a lot of my not a lot of, but like my clients do struggle with that also like I should do this and I should look like that. There is no should, right, it's just it's what do you want? But it's even so hard to cut through the bullshit and figure out what they want, because we've been telling them what they should want. This whole time, you know, we've been telling them like they haven't even had the space to think about, like, what do I actually want?
Speaker 1:Yeah, that was a really good point. I just want to take a minute to uh, just bring attention to what you just said. They didn't have the space to think of what they want, because there's all this information coming at them and all you're asking is, like, what do you want? That's what I care about. It's like your, your decision, your body, um and to maybe even give them that opportunity to think of these things, because there's all these like external voices that are perhaps aren't even real, like we know, just having been in that environment, that, hey, that wasn't a sustainable body.
Speaker 1:So, like I yes, I was on a cover of a man. Well, I wasn't. I'm speaking on Tess's guys. I was not on a cover of magazine, but but I was on a cover of a man. Well, I wasn't. I'm speaking on Tessa's guys. I was not on a cover of a magazine, but, but I was on a cover of a magazine. But I don't walk around in that body 24, 7 all day long. Like you can, you can think of it from perhaps, the other perspective, whereas someone that's looking at this being like, oh my god, I'm going to do everything to achieve this, but doesn't fully recognize, uh, the process that you love so much, or like the sacrifices, or perhaps like the non-sustainability portion of it, so they're trying to achieve something that isn't actually tangible or sustainable. Um, but then it comes back to like did you want this? Or like, who said this? Like was that some childhood?
Speaker 2:yeah, who said that you have to? Who said that you have to go to the gym? That's a big thing too, you know, like go to the gym. Not everybody has to go to the gym, not everybody wants to, um, but now it's just so socially accepted that people go to the and I say that as someone who loves going to the gym and my clients go to the gym but not do but it's just so mainstream now that people think they have to. Like there's again that one client who came into me and she said I have to because my family said that I have to. I was like, well, excuse me, what do you want to do? And she said she hated it.
Speaker 2:I'm like, like that stuck out to me as, like this woman's been under so much pressure from her family, right, like the people who are supposed to love her the most and care about her well-being. Maybe it came from a good place of like I think you'd be happier if you were healthier. But like it got turned into something negative. You know, and I think that's the danger in this industry too is that sometimes our good intentions? You know, like me putting out fitness videos. You know people putting out inspirational stuff. It's with good intentions, you know, like me putting out fitness videos. You know people putting out inspirational stuff. It's with good intentions, but it's not always received that way and we have to take great care when we're putting out messages like that. Like you said, like the people reading it aren't always receiving it the way that it's intended to yeah, I think that's hard, though, like I had a lot of fear.
Speaker 1:That's actually. I can speak to that fully personally, because the the start of this podcast has been like a long time coming and I've always been very concerned with putting out content which is sort of ironic because I'm a very loud out there person but it was always a fear because coming from a comms background, it's like, oh, I'm not. Yeah, I overthought it because that's my anxiety, but I was like, hey, how is this person going to perceive it? I don't mean it that way. And now I've kind of come to a point of peace of yes, we have to take ownership for the content we put out there and have it with integrity and quality, as opposed to some of a lot of the absolute garbage that is produced, like amongst our industry.
Speaker 1:We can both speak to it. It's just like god stop. But then at the same time, we can't take that emotional burden and that responsibility for how every single person is going to perceive it. Because, yeah, that's a good point where you're like the people that are going to relate to you are probably people that, um, really like a mom that's like oh, look at Tess, like, like the way she's like, which is your target audience, which is going to make sense because that's who you specialize in, but perhaps like some teenage bodybuilder kid is not necessarily going to be into it, or like someone that plays baseball, I don't know, but like you're going to create your own community online and can't take full responsibility for every single person.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, that's a good point, Kind of attract the people who who are meant for you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. So going into, I guess, that area a little bit, talking about the beliefs that people may have just looking at you know even our content or whatever content, if, whoever, did you ever have a fitness that you really like, you were completely believed in a long time ago or like at the very beginning, and now you're like okay, I want to reframe that, just like the same way you reframe mom bot, like have you changed your perception on certain areas in nutrition and fitness?
Speaker 2:yeah, it was very much an all or nothing at the very beginning which led me into, like, very extreme dieting, which led me to binge eating. It was just if it's not perfect, it's not good. These beliefs when I first started to get into fitness, like I said, I was really excited about the idea of if I eat this way and I train this way, then this will happen. Well, I wanted that result. So I wanted to do everything as perfectly as I could to get to that result and I was afraid that if I didn't do it exactly that way, I wouldn't get the result. Now, with a bit more time, I realized you can still get there. You just go a little slower and sometimes you stumble upon new strategies and techniques that actually help you along the way. So, for me, reframing nutrition and saying it doesn't have to be all or nothing, it can be 80-20.
Speaker 2:I got into flexible dieting I-A-F-Y-M, which is really this concept that foods aren't innately good or bad, they're just foods. It's us who kind of put these associations with them. Are there foods that give you more nutritional value than others? Yeah, absolutely. But food has the purpose of enjoyment and nutrition and, like those are both really important for humans, for the human experience. Um. So yeah, reframing nutrition in terms of, uh, you know, you don't have to go all or nothing, it can be a balance, it can be 80, 20, um, eat well most of the time, um, and that served me really well, and I think that's that's a lot more conducive to mom lifestyle.
Speaker 2:Uh like, think that's that's a lot more conducive to mom lifestyle. Uh like, I don't know any mom who hasn't survived off goldfish crackers for a couple of weeks, like, and when that happens not when that happens you can either kick yourself and feel bad about yourself or you can say, well, that happened on rolling, you know, because I think it's. When me anyways, especially when I was binge eating, it was that like the guilt and the shame. And you know, I really, really like I came down hard on myself Like, oh, you screwed it all up, what's it all for? And then I, you know, binge ate Whatever it's done now, whereas if I had just said oops, and then my next meal will be better, that would have changed everything. That's been a big one.
Speaker 1:That's a really powerful one. Thank you for sharing that and the struggles you had to. That's very just super relatable. I know a lot of people do, and especially with what you've accomplished. It's like this assumption that lookess is this like super fit person. She must have it all together that she's just walking around with like everything.
Speaker 2:And you're like, hey, like things happen like like what'd you say that happened, like that's great, like she put her hands up, guys, right now that she she Tess just threw her hands up in the air and said that happened and moved on um, I would say that's part of having my shit together is having the mindset of saying, like that's part of the plan, like I am realistic and planning for that stuff to happen. Like my mom life is gonna have cake, it's gonna have wine, gonna have goldfish crackers and burgers and pizza, and like we're going to have popcorn movie nights. That's going to happen. That's not a fail, that's part of it. That is part of having my shit together. So I guess, yeah, I would say yeah, I don't want to say that I have my shit together like like definitely definitively. Don't want to say that I have my shit together like like definitely definitively. But um, that can be part of your plan is to be realistic and and include that stuff in your life really good point.
Speaker 1:And with that reframe, um, because I think right now what I definitely did was project the what the definition of have your shit together means to me, because half the time I feel like I don't have my shit together. So I just and then I just immediately assumed, if I had three children, I'm going to be running around like, like, and so I really appreciate that reframe because it's like no, that is my acceptance, and me having my shit together means that I'm navigating all this. There is no all in or all out. There is no perfection, there is and I guess it goes back to what you were describing as what balance, like that's part of it.
Speaker 2:That's part of it. It's the acceptance and saying the stuff's going to happen. How do I make space for it?
Speaker 1:How do I make space for it? That's a really powerful question, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like, what can I give up? What other things can I give up? What can I move aside? Um, what's what's important, what's not? And yeah, how do I mix that, those important things?
Speaker 1:yeah, I love that. Um, I have a question about your. Just I think you were describing one of your, your clients, um, and them not liking the gym. So I'm just curious when you have moms especially because I understand, like the the reality of what you described with COVID and your kids coming in and out, like sometimes it's not realistic for them to be like cool, hold the baby, I'm going to the gym or maybe they don't want to, so like, how have you?
Speaker 1:maybe they don't want to, or maybe they don't want to, or maybe they don't want to. So what does fitness look like for some of your clients?
Speaker 2:Oh it's all over the board.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, it's all over the board and the really cool thing is seeing how different everyone has been. You know, I think everyone's looking for, like what's the magic time for moms to work out? There is no one, it depends. Like I have some clients working out in the morning and they've tried and they're like I'm going to be a morning person. They're not, they work on the evenings. Like I had one who was like I never thought, like she thought I have to be a morning workout person.
Speaker 2:That's when everyone says that's the best time for moms to work out before the kids wake up. Like, but I found this nice little pocket of time right between bedtime and dinnertime. Like you know, like there's like that dead time between your finished dinner but it's not quite time for bed yet. Like I just work out then. So some workout at work or, like you know, at lunchtime at work, some workout with their kids, some workout, you know, in the very morning. Like it just just it varies and it really really depends on your lifestyle, your family, what you enjoy, what time is good for you. Yeah, that's the really cool thing is it just depends. So sometimes it's a matter of just playing with it. You know, like I think I've worked out at every single time imaginable, under every single circumstance, over the past 10 years I'm just experimenting with stuff did the morning workout thing for a while. I don't care for it. I've done the mommy and me workout thing don't care for it, just kind of like learn what works for you and what works for your family.
Speaker 2:When I was working out in the morning, I didn't want to bother my husband, so I would get up at like four o'clock in the morning so that I could go to work out at 4.30, so that I could be home by six, because that's when my husband had to leave for work and I didn't want him to be inconvenienced by the kids in the morning as he's getting ready for work. So or sorry, I didn't want him to go home because he was tired. But you know what he didn't mind, he was like just go, it's okay. So, yeah, it was more important, or it was better for me to go to the gym in the evening, have a really solid workout, come home and be happy, than to train in the morning and I was miserable.
Speaker 2:So yeah, experiment with things, try different things and something will stick. And again, like adapt, it'll have to change. You know like things like COVID happen and your perfectly planned schedule just gets thrown right out the window, and I think that's kind of the mantra of motherhood anyways is adaptability. Like every couple of years, you have to change your whole lifestyle because your kids are different, their school is different, what they want is different. You know like it's always changing anyway, so take advantage of those changes and just roll with it.
Speaker 1:That's really good advice. Um, absolutely I, and I really appreciate the uh, like, even again, like, um, not as a parent because I'm not a mom, but I appreciate that language of like, well, figure it out. It's going to change, like you're allowing that to be part of the plan, where there isn't some restriction or some perfect approach, uh and so for, for moms that perhaps are navigating the younger phases or, like you know before, because I know that that's a little bit different, right, because, like, hard one, that's the hard one, versus like when your kids are a little bit older, I guess, and they're more independent, like you can leave them and be like cool, like you're safe, you're not going to do something, I'm going to go work out. So how do you, how do you like help them navigate or what tips do you have for them to sort of figure out the times or to experiment? Like, like, just tips on the experimenting portions or how to navigate it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, first of all, I would say, be realistic about your schedule. Plan for things to come up as in only plan to work out a couple of times per week. If you only give yourself four or something workouts, then you have days to play with. So that gives you plenty of space in your schedule for something to come up, and it will, I promise. Like when you have babies, there's going to be a night where the baby doesn't sleep and you're exhausted, can't work out, or the baby has a last minute and you can't go train because you have to bathe them. And you know like stuff is always going to come up. Even a little bit when they're older, but definitely especially when they're little, things always come up. So give yourself a couple of days where you can be flexible in your week and move your training around. You can like you know we can design programs for any number of days per week, ideally not just one, but like if it's three, four, like we just give you a little, it's full body workouts, we can make it work. You know, like there's a plan for whatever schedule you have. So just realistic, leaves in space for the unexpected, the expectedly unexpected. Um, I would say better to um, have, uh, try to find consistency as much as you can and build it into your whole family schedule, not just yours. So again, going back to like moms feel like it's all on them. We have to be the martyrs, we have to do everything. Put some of the onus on your family to make it part of the whole family schedule, not just mom's going to sneak away. Like, all right, this is mommy's designated workout time. This is the time when the kids do this activity, because mom goes and exercises or dad is home and he will watch the kids and mom will go exercise. Like, mom's health is a family affair. If mom isn't okay, nobody's okay, you know. So we have to start treating it as like something that the whole family is in on together and again, I really believe that they will rise to the occasion. So that's another one Trying to find schedules yeah, just play around with that support system.
Speaker 2:Maybe there's a daycare provider. Maybe there's a friend that you have after covid lockdowns lift. Uh. Maybe there's a friend that you could swap child care with. Uh, maybe there's, like mommy and play groups. I would just say try everything. Try everything that you can find. Join the groups, ask them what they do. Um and try and you'll see what ends up sticking and what ends up not sticking. It'll become very clear very quickly like this is a good one or that was bad, so just try everything. Yeah, that'd be my top three.
Speaker 1:The well, you just said that mom's health is a family affair. Like that's a powerful statement and absolutely like what an awesome like thought to make it so that it's not an afterthought. Like that becomes a self-care. That's not last minute, oh, I'm not important. That's literally involving everyone to recognize that this is a part of my self-care, or your self-care. Like health isn't this, fitness isn't I'm doing it because of something negative You've already like it's part of the conversation from the very beginning.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it is. It affects your entire family. Like, if moms aren't feeling okay, the kids like they feel it too. You know, like if you're unhappy, if you're tired, if you're sore, if you feel unwell, they pick that up. They can tell because you're not playing with them, because you're maybe tearing yourself down, they can feel that. So it is important, like I'll go out and say that I think it's our responsibility to take care of ourselves, for our kids, like, if not for ourselves, then for our kids, but also for yourself. Like we signed up when we became moms to take care of our children for the longterm, and part of that is taking care of yourself now so that you'll be around to take care of them later.
Speaker 2:I speak from a personal experience where, like my dad was someone who smoked his whole life. He had a very stressful lifestyle, he owned a hotel and he passed away very young. He was well, he was 60. Young to me, but I was 20-something and you know you're kind of left with this thought of like what if he'd taken better care of himself? Like would he still be around for me? Like I would have rather him spend an hour a day, 20 minutes a day, doing what he needed to do to take care of his health, that he could be with me later on so that he could be with his grandkids.
Speaker 2:You know, I wish that he would have done that and I I know that that's, you know, like not, he didn't do anything like that, but that's the thought that you have as a kid. Just, you never want your, your kids, to have that feeling too like, or what a feeling, um, so it affects your whole family, the way that you feel, um, not just about you, but it it should be for you. I don't know if I that distinction very well, but yeah, do it for you for everyone, do it for you for everyone, and I can.
Speaker 1:I can appreciate where you're coming from too, and it's sorry about your dad and seeing that, though, and translating it to something really positive to the kids and like it, that's really beautiful and it commends, like it speaks to the awesome mom you are, and I'm learning a lot here uh, even the recognizing, of course, tools of how to help my clients that are parents.
Speaker 1:But, like navigate just for myself, because I'm already recognizing some things that I could implement. Whether or not like being a mom is in my future, but I can see where, um, that there's a relatability piece for, like all women, I guess stepping into our womanhood, like maybe that's not, that's not um in someone's future. I did have a conversation about like infertility earlier, so it's just like if someone doesn't become a mom, like how do they? How do they, what do they do? With this conversation, it's like the themes you've spoken about are still translated. They can still apply to everyone that you know stepping into your, your own body, doing things for you, for other, for you, for other people, yeah, yeah, and that that's really, really powerful. So thank you for sharing that thought like that. That really resonated.
Speaker 2:My mind went everywhere as soon as you said that yeah, I think, as women in general, like we, we kind of have this like let's please everybody else, like we're. We're told to do that from a very young age. We're raised like that and we just we put ourselves last. That sucks, you know, but we're caretakers, we're natural caretakers and, like you said, I mean, even if being a mom or not, like you have to take care of yourself so you can take care of others. It's like a good analogy. I heard once was you know on the plane?
Speaker 1:so they say you got to put on your life support mask first yeah, I, I heard I've heard that too, and then, like, I've interpreted it as, um I don't know if you've heard the term that self-care is community care. Oh, I like that. Yeah, so that that's how my perception of it is is just because if we all do our individual little thing, then we're better for each other. Right, because I, I'm becoming a complete grumpy bitch, like if I haven't done some sort of exercise and then I'm having a conversation with, like whether it be my partner, my friends, my family or you like, and if I just sat here and I was just just vibrating, I wouldn't, I wouldn't be a very kind human and that's not how I want to enter the world, that's not how I want to walk around self-care.
Speaker 1:That's a much more eloquent way of saying it it was not mine, it's not mine, but yeah, I was like gotta write that down because it sounds like that's what you were describing, so that's what I was just sharing, like that, that language, because that's exactly what you're already teaching. Like you're, if you're having that conversation with your kids and your partners and your family and you're like, hey, this is fitness, is a part of this, then everyone takes their own ownership, and then it's like for the family unit, which is a community, and then beyond, whatever that looks like for you. So that's awesome. Um, you had like a lot of amazing little little points that really stick out for me. But just to wrap up our chat, I guess is there any other advice you have in helping moms develop a sustainable relationship with fitness?
Speaker 2:Aside from the being realistic about your, about your schedule, being realistic about your nutrition. Keep the nutrition simple. Really doesn't have to be complicated. Love macros, but that's that's. That's advanced stuff. You don't need all that. Just 80 20, you know. Keep it simple.
Speaker 2:Um, yeah, I would say, think about why you want to do what you want to do what you're trying to get out of it. Have a very, very clear plan too. Like I, moms don't have a lot of time to go and just screw around on on things that don't work or that don't serve them. Um, because things are always coming up. So, once you know what you want, develop a very clear plan for that. Have, like a workout when you go to the gym that you don't have to just walk around and be like what am I going to do today? Go in with a plan, stick to the plan, be focused, get it done. Then get back to your babies. Yeah. So very, very clear plan and I would say, have a goal that excites you. I think that's okay.
Speaker 2:I had written a little note on this Something you're excited about, because that's what's going to get you up in the morning, right, having a goal that you're excited about, that you want to work towards. That's the stuff that gets you out of bed before the kids, that pushes you through the really tired days when you know you don't really want to work out. That's what gets you through. Accountability is nice, but that's extrinsic.
Speaker 2:I think the intrinsic stuff to having a goal is the stuff that gets you through the hard stuff. It doesn't have to be a big goal, but it just has to be something Something for you, something for yourself, not for anybody else. Just something that you really want for anybody else. Just something that you really want, whether that's like run a 5k or, you know, pick up a heavier set of dumbbells or I don't know, like be able to go on a long bike ride without getting tired or fitting into a dress, like whatever that is. Just have something just special for you that you're working towards. Because that's that's really exciting, I think, because that's really exciting.
Speaker 1:I think that's awesome. Those are great advice, very tangible, right, and it's like yeah, absolutely, it doesn't have to be this black and white, like you mentioned, and that's what makes it sustainable, because it's not this like giant back and forth. Before we wrap up, I just I had a thought as you were describing that I think we haven't spoken about. I was just wondering, like for other moms that perhaps are we talked about some of your hats, but I want to talk more about how the people that are wearing all of the hats manage it. Like, if you're speaking, like, for example, like people that are working in an office, like a mom that is working and has a young kid, how, like what advice? I guess you? I don't even know if what the my question is advice, but like I just want to acknowledge those moms, Cause I don't I don't.
Speaker 1:I don't think we brought on like the cause there's a really busy moms with like the other layers, like whether you're not in um, but if you're a single mom or if you know you're a working mom, like how does that look like? Like how does your fitness.
Speaker 2:look, that's a whole other beast. Like I don't know how single moms do it. Um, I don't know how shift worker moms do it, who are like working all night and they still get it done. I I actually don't know how, it's a mystery. For that I would say I like the idea of dedicated workouts where it's just you going in and like you get your shit done, then get out. But I think sometimes you just have to find small ways to like.
Speaker 2:I think of my mom, my mom, who, like she was a working mom, was a teacher. She taught piano in the evenings. She taught piano to all of us and she had six children. So like she was busiest and what she just huttered a lot. She like kind of do laps around the house as she was, you know, cleaning. She made it like into a workout circuit. You know just did like shoulder raises, that kind of thing, or, yeah, shoulder presses. She fit in steps where she could, she took the stairs, Like she never had time to do a structured workout in probably 20 years, but she just kind of kept busy.
Speaker 2:And I think that if you don't have the resources to, you know have support networks, someone who can take your kids. If you're just too busy, that's not even an option. There's no time to work out. I would say just try to find those little pockets, those little tricks. Eat as well as you can so that you don't have to I hate the word train it off, but setting your body up as well as you can with nutrition, yeah, Like, just make, make the best decision that you can in any given moment. That's it. I don't know, Amen.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know I'm like I'm like power to all moms first of all. So that's why I appreciate that you like full as said, like I don't know, I'm like power to all moms first of all. So that's why I appreciate that you like full as said, like I don't know, and that's very fair, because you have a different circumstance, and that's what's really really important, just to sort of. I just wanted to reiterate that for everybody, because I know I came in super, super apprehensive half the time because I'm like I don't know what to say. My situation is different, like can I even offer any wisdom? Like I'm not a parent, but I guess it's, and then, vice versa, it's just like, well, I don't know how, like working moms do it, and that's that's really important to recognize, because everyone, like to your own words, has a different situation. What are you doing for you? How can you make it sustainable in a structure that fits you in your life and your goals in your body? Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:The nice thing about where we're at now with social media and internet is that there's a coach or a program for everybody. Like you could probably find something online for the busy single working mom of three. You could probably find something. I'm sure a very, very smart person has done it, um is out there and they can help guide you on it, um, so that's the other. You know, like, that's another resource that we haven't really talked about, even though we're coaches, but that's another form of support system, right, as coaches. So, if you can afford to, I'm very good at selling ourselves here, huh, but yeah, that's another thing. Like, ask the people who have done it before what did they do? Um, how do they make it work? That's another support system that you can tap into. There's groups. There's facebook groups, yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, a lot. No, I know we covered a lot and that was just a lot, uh, but I really really appreciate your time and your wisdom and you had a lot of like just very tangible tips that just seemed really doable and, like I mentioned, like relatable, and so I really appreciate your time thank you, and you gave me some nuggets also to think about, like oh, I'm gonna go process that.
Speaker 1:Oh, I appreciate that and yeah, but honestly, if something comes up and you're randomly having a light bulb moment in the shower, as, as it happens, uh, and you have something you want, yeah, right, and I'm like, oh, I need, I need a notebook, like in the shower, um, if you could share with me, that would be awesome and we could like follow up on them. For I would love to see because, again, like it's just really just thinking of those golden nuggets, taking that information, learning more, because I'm a believer that maybe, if I'm not in that personal situation, it's not going to be wasted, because knowledge isn't wasted and if I could pass it on to someone else to connect them to someone else, by all means. So, thank you so much, tess, for your time, time for your wisdom and for joining me. It's been an hour and I really I can't.
Speaker 1:The time flew, it felt like five minutes, but I know again, again, speaking of busy moms, I really honor that and I did uh want to make sure that I don't keep you more than your time so you can get back to get back to being super ninja mom thank you also on behalf of moms.
Speaker 2:I I think that that, um, it's a segment that's overlooked or that's misunderstood by a lot of trainers and and underserved because people aren't. They just kind of are forcing programs without asking moms like how is, is your life? How does this work? Will this work for you? So I appreciate you coming from a place of trying to understand, like, how can I serve my clients better, how can I make this doable for my mom clients? So thank you for caring about this unity of what I think are really cool ladies.
Speaker 1:Thanks, tess, that means a lot and no, I have a very big. The one thing that I just want to wrap a call with and just reiterate is what you said of stepping into your womanhood. Like that is amazing and if I can be in that, put me in that club where I can hang around with all of these exceptional women, and that's amazing and I love it. And I just want everyone to be empowered out of fitness and especially when you're like creating another human being, like I can't think of anything that's like more of a literal superpower, physical, like I'm, like you've like literally created that's magical, that's some unicorn dust shit, so like what's your superpower?
Speaker 2:I'm like I made you.
Speaker 1:There you go. That's amazing.
Speaker 2:You made a human.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much and I'm definitely really excited to see like what comes like. If you have golden nuggets and I'm going to share, I'm going to use all of this. I'll probably reisten to this a few times and absorb some stuff from my clients. So thanks for your time. Everyone that's listening. Thank you for joining us and I will put in the show notes how to get in contact with Tess if you would like to contact her or just follow her journey along. And thank you so much for joining us for a slice of humble pie. Thank you for having me Absolutely.
