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How One Busy Mom Dropped Body Fat, Got Stronger, and Regained Her Energy

After years of putting her family first, Brittany Sewell discovered Shortcut to Shred—and found the energy to keep up with the people who matter most.

How One Busy Mom Dropped Body Fat, Got Stronger, and Regained Her Energy
Written By Jim Stoppani, PhD
Updated July 6, 2026

For years, Brittany Sewell's life revolved around everyone else.

As a full-time speech-language pathologist, a mother of three young boys (including twins), and a wife, her own health slowly drifted to the bottom of the priority list. Before she knew it, more than seven years had passed without a consistent fitness routine.

The former collegiate dancer who once taught yoga barely recognized the person staring back in the mirror.

"I told myself that I simply didn't have time to go to the gym."

"My goals at the start of this fitness journey were to get a healthy routine in place so that I could have more energy and stamina to spend time with my family for years to come," Sewell says.

Six weeks later, she had dropped more than 4% body fat.

But the biggest transformation wasn't what showed up in the mirror. It was what happened at home.

From Dancer to Exhausted Mom

Fitness had always been part of Sewell's identity. She danced throughout her childhood before spending four years as a collegiate dancer at Louisiana Tech University (pictured below). ("How 'bout them Dawgs!" she says proudly.) After graduation, she became a yoga instructor and stayed active.

Then life happened. Difficult pregnancies, three young children, and the daily demands of motherhood steadily pushed exercise further into the background.

"I've spent little to no time focusing on my health and body," she says. "I've been in the trenches of motherhood and ended up exhausted and with almost no energy to play with my three kids."

Like many parents, Sewell believed there weren’t enough hours in the day to get in shape. "I told myself that I simply didn't have time to go to the gym," she says. 

Eventually, she realized the opposite was true.

"In reality,” she says, “not exercising and not paying attention to my diet left me feeling more exhausted, burned out, and with less energy to play with and enjoy my children."

The Push She Needed

Sewell didn't discover the JYM Army by accident. Her husband, Reyn, had already experienced what Jim Stoppani's programs could do after winning the 2025 HIIT 100 Challenge . When he encouraged Brittany to sign up for the upcoming  Summer Shred Challenge , she decided it was finally time to make herself a priority again.

That didn't make the early mornings any easier. "He continued to give me nudges throughout the competition when my alarm would go off at 5:00 in the morning," she says.

Those predawn workouts became a non-negotiable part of her day—even when every excuse to skip was waiting for her. One unexpected source of motivation came from home.

"Occasionally, I would arrive home after a long workout to find my sons asking to see mommy's muscles!" she says. Moments like those reminded Sewell that every workout was about more than herself. "I hope to continue modeling a healthy lifestyle for them for many years to come," she adds. 

Trusting the Process

Like many people starting a new program, Sewell didn't feel amazing right away. In fact, the beginning of Shortcut to Shred was anything but comfortable.

"The first few weeks of Shortcut to Shred were rough!" she says. "I kept thinking to myself, 'When am I supposed to feel better?'"

She stuck with the plan anyway, and that consistency made all the difference. "By week four, I could tell that I had more energy throughout the day, slept better at night, and felt happier overall,” she says. 

Perhaps the biggest surprise? "I even began looking forward to my 5:30 a.m. workouts!"

"I can already see improvements in my overall health and how these changes have affected not only me but my whole family."

Along with following Dr. Stoppani’s nutrition guidance , Sewell made JYM products—specifically JYM Creatine+ and Post JYM —part of her daily routine to help power through demanding workouts and recover afterward.

By the end of six weeks, the numbers spoke for themselves: more than 4% body fat was lost.

Consistency Became the Victory

For Sewell, the body-fat reduction was exciting, but the habit she built was even more meaningful. "I’m most proud that I never gave up and never missed a workout," she says.

That's a significant accomplishment for someone who admits she'd started—and stopped—countless fitness programs over the years. Now, instead of wondering whether she'll work out, she already knows the answer.

"I still have more progress to make, but I’m so thankful to now have a routine and plan in place."

The benefits continue to extend beyond the gym. "I can already see improvements in my overall health and how these changes have affected not only me but my whole family," she says

And this time, she's not looking for a finish line, saying: "I have no plans on stopping now!"

Advice for Other Busy Parents

Sewell understands exactly how intimidating it can feel to start when life already seems overwhelming. Her advice to other parents is simple: Give yourself enough time to experience the change.

"For those considering one of Jim's programs , I would try it for a few weeks and then once you start you won't want to stop," she says. "It might be hard at first, but once you complete the program, your results will be immeasurable."

"I hope to continue modeling a healthy lifestyle for [my children] for many years to come."

She also credits the people alongside her throughout the journey. "Lean into the JYM Army ,” she says. “This community is unmatched when it comes to encouragement and advice."

For Sewell, the greatest reward wasn't simply becoming leaner. It was becoming the energetic, healthy mom she'd wanted to be all along—and showing her three boys what's possible when you refuse to quit.


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