A mother-of-seven says she’s in better shape now than when she was in her 20s – and reveals she gets mistaken for her daughters’ sister.
Jessica Enslow is 43 – although you wouldn’t know it – and is in incredible shape thanks to eating well and getting regular exercise.
The mum, from Utah, US, gave birth to her first child in 1994 when she was 19-years-old, having her second in 1996.
Over the next 19 years, she extended her family and had her youngest child in 2013.
Jessica regularly posts on Instagram, sharing family photos, progress shots and work-out videos.
Whenever she posts photos of herself with her eldest daughter, 22-year-old Alyssa, her Instagram followers are quick to tell her she looks more like her sister than her mum.
Jessica said she ‘quickly gained weight’ while pregnant with her first child and said she didn’t realise she wouldn’t ‘bounce back’ to her pre-pregnancy size ‘immediately’ after giving birth.
She told Mail Online:
I literally got home from the hospital and immediately put on my pre-pregnancy jeans only to find they wouldn’t go any farther than mid-thigh.
This is when extreme fear and a little depression set in.
Speaking about how she managed to lose weight, Jessica said the support from her husband and older children was ‘crucial’.
She started ramping up the fitness regime last year, before that, Jessica said she used to eat Nutella every day, (same) and only did random workouts she found on Pinterest.
Being busy, she had to find the best ways of getting time to work out, revealing:
I used to eat Nutella by the spoonful and on my toast and on my bananas.
That’s when things started getting really out of hand with my body composition and finally prompted me to change my daily habits.
Jessica now makes sure she goes to the gym three times a week while her children are in school and gets up early every Monday morning to get some cardio in.
Writing on her Instagram page, she said:
I also know if there’s a will there’s a way. It’s been an adjustment for us, but it’s working really well for now. I always say, ‘You do what you can!’ Be strict about your goals & flexible on how to achieve them!
There are plenty of moms out there who have made tons of progress from their own homes.
Make modifications, if necessary, but we can all improve our health if we really want to!
When it comes to her diet, Jessica says she now eats ‘intuitively’ and has trained herself to stop eating when she’s satisfied, rather than completely full, stating she’s more mindful during mealtimes.
Jessica said she eats plenty of protein at each meal and keeps snacking to a minimum.
She also avoids ‘cheat meals’, as her metabolism ‘just can’t handle a burger, fries, milkshake, and dessert once or twice a week’.
Jessica said she’s also a fan of supplements:
I’ve noticed a big difference with appetite control, fat loss, energy and focus compared to last year when I decreased my workout time and lost tons of progress.
Jessica said she’s lucky to have escaped lots of stretch marks and loose skin, however empathises how the ‘huge majority’ of mothers ‘wouldn’t trade their children for a flawless body’.
Adding:
We all kinda know that’s part of the deal.
Great motivation!
