Joana Roush
This mother of two young children has been on quite a fitness journey, and now she's in the best shape of her life.
This mother of two young children has been on quite a fitness journey, and now she's in the best shape of her life.
Written by Joana Roush
I've been blessed to be picked to write and share my fitness story. I call it my "FIT 2 FAT 2 FIT" journey. Growing up, I was always long and lean, all booty and personality. I had nicknames like “olive oil," "breadstick," and "linguine.” Come to think of it now, I think those people just needed some Italian food in their life!
I graduated high school in 2004 weighing 135 pounds at 5’6". Fast forward to my first pregnancy in 2011: I worked out until I was 8 months pregnant. I gained 60 pounds, with my starting weight at 175 pounds (with lots of muscle) to 242 pounds on the delivery table. My pregnancy was easy, healing was easy and I was back in the gym within four weeks, versus the normal six weeks after a C-section. I breastfed for a year and trained as often as I could, doing the new “gluten-free” fad. I lost 75 pounds in 10 months post-partum and weighed 165 pounds.
But for my second pregnancy in 2014, I hadn't worked out in a year. I was sick of measuring, watching what I ate, cutting this, dodging that, so my starting weight was 200 pounds. I weighed 245 pounds on the delivery table for my second C-section. I gained 45 pounds of pure fat. I looked awful, I felt awful, the pregnancy was hard, recovery was hard, and I fell into post-partum depression.
I didn't care about anything but my kids. I breastfed for 19 months and used every excuse in the book, along with “I just don't care about losing weight right now” — the biggest mistake I could have made, not only for myself but for my kids and family too.
After trying everything from Plexus to Hydroxycut, I knew there was no easy way out, so I started my fitness journey in August 2015. A couple weeks after I started hard-core training again, I almost lost my second child to blood poisoning. That drove me; I knew he needed me around and I had to be a positive role model. I was 215 pounds and found a trainer who would come to my home. She was a CrossFit trainer, but that just wasn't my style, so I renewed my membership at the gym I trained at after my first child.
By then, I was 192 pounds. I found a female trainer who was ripped and I told her I was more into old-school lifting and figured she could help me. But her training became repetitive and I wasn't seeing much progress.
This brings me to Jim Stoppani and the discovery of this doctor in the fitness world. It was the end of May and I came across a video. I was so intrigued because the other supplements I had tried made me feel awful, so I just stopped taking them all. Needless to say I watched more videos and I began to read up on this doctor.
June 1, 2016 was when I decided to try one of his programs, and it was Super-Man. All I said to myself was “HELL YES, THIS IS MY KIND OF TRAINING!” I ordered Pro JYM, Pre JYM, Post JYM, Omega JYM, Vita JYM, and Shred JYM. I was so excited until I sat down and saw the meal plan. I literally said (and please don't take this the wrong way, Jim!): “This guy is NUTS! He wants me to eat 3,200 calories to LOSE weight?!” Well, what the hell right?
The FIRST DAY of following the sample meal plan my stomach was flatter and the scale moved. I was speechless. I continued with Super-Man 2, HIIT 100, and Daily Grind. My first challenge was Holiday Shred, my second challenge was New Year's, I did Back and Fourth, and I'm currently dabbling in Super Shredded 8 and 3 Prong Strong.
Jim’s supplements, the JYM Army, the admins, Jim and his generosity are what make the JYM brand. You're not just getting supplements, gains, and new clothes. You literally get an army, you get picked up when you fall down, and you have support whether you're a rookie or advanced. The pictures speak for themselves. By July 2017, I will be in the best shape of my life, with muscles I've never seen, friends that are now family, supplements that work FOR me, not against me, and endless amounts of training programs, support, love, and motivation.
I had to give up the excuses, make time for myself, and leave my comfort zone. All I can say to Jim is THANK YOU. You not only helped shape my new body – you shaped my mind, my outlook on life, my newfound confidence, strength, and the inspiration I can now be to others.
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