Fabulous Spotlight!

It is a very rare situation to have a boss that you not only respect in a professional manner, but admire as a person and end up befriending them. The beautiful woman that you see featured above serves as the Career Services Coordinator at Troy University and was my former boss- her name is Lauren Cole. Before I began working as a Career Peer Counselor, I remembered seeing Lauren at various events I attended that Career Services offered, as well as around campus. I saw her on two occasions when she was pregnant, and I must say, she looked AMAZING! She was glowing, appeared to be very healthy, and most importantly happy.

After spending several months with her at work I was able to witness her healthy habits, discuss life, workouts, babies, relationships and careers. During this time I found her to be an extremely warm, caring and beautiful person inside and out.and I realized we had much in common! What I found most fascinating was her passion and commitment to health and fitness while still balancing career, husband and baby. Because I found Lauren so relatable and her fitness routine so realistic and encouraging for women postpartum, I interviewed her for her story on body transition after baby. Read on to find out how she was able to lose the weight following her son's birth and her advice for mom's trying to do the same!

MCBSS: Give me a rundown of how you came to be interested in health and fitness. I believe you told me that you received your degree in Nutrition Science? How did this influence
Lauren: I got my undergraduate degree in Nutrition Science. It was because I originally thought I would go into optometry and thought of this as a way to get into a professional school. I changes my mind about that, but I knew that I was so far into the Science program that I would have to stick with it. I liked the nutrition aspect and decided to stick with it and pursue that Nutrition Science.

MCBSS: Did you workout regularly during your pregnancy?
Lauren: I did. I was a member of a gym and did a lot of group fitness classes, so yeah, up until toward the end I did. But, it's always been a lifestyle choice for me. I've always worked out, maybe not as hard sometimes during college(laughs!) Not as hard, not as often and just because you don't have the extra money to join a gym as much then. But, I like the nutrition component of things that's always been interesting to me so that's kinda helped me, even though I don't always follow my own advice- I cheat on a regular basis...

MCBSS: It's okay! You have to cheat sometimes! I've read that it's easier if you already workout before you're pregnant it's easier to keep up with a routine, but if you decide to wait and say, "I'm pregnant, I'm gonna workout!" You're body might not respond well.
Lauren: Yeah, you do have to check with your doctor if it's something you've never done before because it might be to strenuous. So from my conversations with my doctor they really didn't worry about me continuing do so because my body is already used to it, other than too much weight-bearing.

MCBSS: That's what I was going to ask next, can you still lift during pregnancy?
Lauren: You can, you just don't want to strain so nothing too heavy.

MCBSS: What kind of workouts did you do? I know you mentioned the group classes, but was it cardio, yoga, did you do any barre classes?
Lauren: So the gym I was a member of at the time, we did spin classes, Turbo Kick, you can find it online, it's like a combination of cardio with Taebo, which I'm actually certified to teach! I also did typical lightweight lifts, machines and running on the treadmill.

MCBSS: How, if at all did your workout change during your pregnancy, if at all?
Lauren: It really didn't change much, other than intensity especially during the first few months when you are just drained and you just don't have energy.

MCBSS: Were you really tired during the first trimester?
Lauren: I was, and I was a little sick, but not too badly. The most important thing is to listen to your body, even if you're not pregnant and you start feeling aches and pains you kinda have to lay off what you're doing.

MCBSS: Only if you are comfortable answering, how much weight did you gain during your pregnancy?
Lauren: Oh, I don't mind! I gained about 50 pounds during my pregnancy. But, it's like you said before that weight gain isn't all fat. But, I definitely gained weight! I mean, I got bigger than I thought I would.

At this point during the interview another one of our co-workers joined us in the room.

MCBSS: Did you see her when she was pregnant?
Emily: I did and she was all baby, it was like a basketball in her stomach.
Lauren: Towards the end?! Nah-ah ya'll, I got big!

Eyerolls

Lauren: But, the recommended weight gain is like 25-30 pounds, but that's not always realistic depending on your weight before your pregnancy.

MCBSS: It's not because the wight gain includes not just body fat, but increased blood flow, the baby and other things your body needs so the baby can be healthy.

Lauren: Yep!

MCBSS: What did your diet consist of when you were pregnant?

Lauren: I"ve always kind of eaten a normal diet- let me rephrase that, I eat cheeseburgers, chicken fingers, pizza. We had pizza last night! So, on the weekends I pretty much eat what I want, but if you're trying to lose weight then you should scale back by eating pretty much lean proteins- none of the things I just mentioned!(Laughs) But, during my pregnancy I would pretty much not worry about having a salad if I didn't want to. if I have another baby I wouldn't do that because it just makes you feel worst, I mean I'll pretty much still eat what I'd like, but just in moderation. Now, I use lunch as my one meal to have whatever I want.

MCBSS: Do you feel like your appetite increased during your pregnancy? Because I've definitely heard that it does.

Lauren: You really do have cravings, my big one was Gatorade.

MCBSS: That's not a bad craving at all! 

Emily: I know right!

Lauren: But, you only need an extra 300- 400 calories a day. If you go overboard and add thousands of extra calories per day that's when you really start packing on the lbs.

MCBSS: I know you mentioned earlier that your energy level and how you were feeling during your first trimester kind of prevented you from working out, did that get better later on?

Lauren: It did. Since it's still always been apart of my life I would try to go every week day, but it kinda slacked off a little bit because the bigger you get the less effective you feel like your workouts are. But, I still liked getting in there and getting some cardio in so I would go three days a week instead of five. 

MCBSS: How long after delivering the baby did you wait to work out?

Lauren: I waited about 6 months because I had some complications, so I had to wait. But, most people are back within 3-4 months. Some people who have had a lot of babies so even get back to it within a month!

MCBSS: Was it hard for you to get back in the groove after not working out for so long?

Lauren: Yeahhh, just because at that point I was way out of shape from 6 months not going after having the baby and then the few months before the baby is born that you feel so big that a workout isn't even effective- it was hard. It was hard work, it's discouraging because you feel like I'm way more out of shape than I've been. But, I saw results pretty soon like the first month.

MCBSS: I've heard that breast-feeding helps also.

Lauren: Well I wasn't able to produce as much so that didn't really help me, but I did see even better results in 2-3 months and I had completely lost all of the weight in 6 months.

MCBSS: That's not bad at all! So this question is meant to focus on the positive, how has your body changed and what do you love most about it?

Lauren: I think I'm in better shape, I just really like the muscle content that I have and I think my percentage of body fat is a lot lower than it used to be. So, I'm really happy about that. It's hard work and it definitely takes dedication. I get to the gym at 5:30 in the morning and sometimes I go on my lunch break, but nutrition is the most important thing and a whole different aspect. 

MCBSS: It's funny you say that about your body fat percentage being lower because recently I was watching movie with my dad that Paula Patton was starring in and I said, "She made this movie after she had her son." Then he asked how I knew and I said in roles previously she was thinner and didn't really have any muscle mass, especially in her hip area. But, of course she looks great either way, but it definitely is a difference.

Lauren: Because you do get a little thickness going on!(Laughs)

MCBSS: Do you have any advice for women who have never worked out, or may not be able to get to the gym as often?

Lauren: Don't get discouraged! Some women who may not able to physically workout and they don't have a regimen, nutrition is the key. If you can get someone to help you come up with a meal plan and limit the amount of sugar you're taking in, cut out the sodas if you can and drink water. People see big results just from eating right, because you can exercise all you want, but that can be sabotaged by eating the wrong things.

If there are any moms out there that have any health and fitness tips that they would like to share please contact me at moneycantbuystyleorsense@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you ladies!

Be BEAUTIFUL. Be FABULOUS. Be INSPIRED.