Major Weight Loss: Brianna Bernard, a new mom, now 100 pounds lighter and stronger in every way
On October 27th, 2012, I became a mom to a sweet little boy named Tye. Throughout my pregnancy I gained a total of 70 pounds, and the week Tye was born I weighed 245. At the time I wasn’t overly concerned about all of the weight I had gained because I was positive it would come off quickly after the baby was born. And when Tye finally arrived, like most new moms, I was entirely too overwhelmed and busy with feedings and diaper changes to care about what I looked like!
Before I knew it, Tye was turning ONE! I hadn’t exercised or watched what I ate the entire year. My knees and feet hurt from carrying around extra weight, I was always tired, and I felt disgusted and embarrassed when I would see a picture of myself or catch a glimpse of my reflection in a mirror.
Unconsciously, I gave up on myself. I stopped taking care of my needs. What or who did I need to look good for anyway? I was home with my baby all day in my pajamas with no makeup on, covered in drool and spit-up! None of my pre-baby clothes fit me and I didn’t feel like I had the energy, time or motivation to do anything about it. And even if I’d had the desire to make a change, I felt guilty to even consider taking time away from my baby to do something for me (even though I was with him 24/7). I had come to terms with the fact that this was the size I was going to be for the rest of my life.
The bottom line was, I didn’t feel like me anymore. My life was all about Tye… and that was ok because I was absolutely LOVING motherhood and being a stay-at-home mom. But after hearing Dawn Bryant’s incredible 130-pound weight loss story, I began to closely follow the Bodies by Burgoon Facebook page. I thought that if these trainers and this gym could have such a profound impact on this woman’s health and life, then maybe they could help me, too. I knew I couldn’t lose the weight by myself. And although the gym was a 35-minute drive from my house, I knew in my heart that I needed to come here and surround myself with these people.
My first meeting with Jason was January 9, 2014. We talked about my goals, how many calories per day I should be consuming, clean foods to incorporate into my daily diet, and foods to eliminate. Jason told me that he could help me lose those 30 pounds in 12-15 weeks on this plan. I remember thinking, “WHAT?! This man is clearly insane. That is not even possible.” But I just smiled and nodded my head. And although I barely knew him, I trusted him. So I started training at the gym three days per week.
I carefully tracked my meals and snacks in the MyFitness Pal app, cut out all processed foods, dairy and grains from my diet, and started drinking 100+ ounces of water each day. And 11 weeks later, I had lost 30 pounds. The workouts were intense, but I loved it! I started noticing a difference in not only how I looked, but also in how I felt. And those three hours away for myself each week were helping me rejuvenate and be a better mom for Tye.
The workouts did not get any easier; but I got stronger. Six short months after my first workout at Bodies by Burgoon, I was down 50 pounds. My jeans went from a size 16 to a size 0, and today I weigh 100 pounds less than I did the day Tye was born!
Becoming a part of the Bodies by Burgoon family was the best thing I had ever done for myself. Initially I was just trying to lose the baby weight, be skinny, and hit a certain number on the scale… but the journey came to mean so much more to me than that. Each day and each workout, I strive to be stronger, lift heavier, hit harder and move faster. I am physically and mentally stronger than I have ever been. I have a renewed sense of self-confidence that I haven’t had in a really long time. And I am so proud of how far I’ve come. I had no idea that it was possible to feel this strong. I am unstoppable, and I truly believe there is nothing that I cannot do. I am forever changed and forever grateful.