Margarita wanted core strength and weight loss
“I started my MUTU journey 2 years after I had my 4th child. And for a multitude of reasons, I was having a hard time getting back in shape. I really needed to regain core strength and weight loss was my goal. I was at my lowest point at my highest weight when I was at the cusp of being considered obese at over 12.5 stone. I was mortified at what I had done to myself and shocked that it didn’t seem to take that much to be considered obese.
“My core was so weak that I would throw my back out just carrying my child or a bag of shopping.”
Looking at my body, I looked like I was 4-5 months pregnant. And that was before I had eaten anything. Having 4 kids had done a lot to weaken my core and I had developed DR. My core was so weak that I would throw my back out just carrying my child or a bag of shopping. I was at the chiropractor at least every 2 weeks. I tried to start running but that would throw out my back as well. I felt absolutely helpless. I dreaded having to go out. I felt like nothing looked good on me. And no amount of Spanx will convince the world I didn’t eat one too many cupcakes.
I thought I needed to lose 50 lbs. That felt like a million lbs of weight loss! I decided to finally do the MUTU programme because I needed to start somewhere.
“I had stopped listening to my body”
I remember Wendy’s words vividly from one of her videos that brought me to tears “Your body just literally made a whole human, your child, and now you’ve stopped talking to it.” It was true. I had stopped talking to and listening to my body. I didn’t like the way it looked and didn’t think it deserved to be fed good food. I felt like it should be punished by exercising. How mean was that? I wouldn’t treat my child that way, so why was I treating myself like that? I was so out of shape that with the first workout video, I was so winded and thought the end of the workout must be near because I was sweating buckets and my thighs were burning from all those squats, until I realized that was just the warm up!
I changed my way of eating – lots of vegetables, fruit, eggs, and some lean meats. My progress was agonisingly slow. I don’t know if I had messed up my metabolism from the constant dieting or if it was because I was 41 yrs old. Most months I only lost 2 lbs, if I’m lucky 3 lbs. Some months I wouldn’t lose anything at all. But I just couldn’t accept going back to my previous sedentary lifestyle and way of eating. And losing 1-2 lbs a month–or none–was still better than gaining it. Bottom line is, whether I’m 13 or 8 stone, I still have to eat clean and exercise.
“It had to start with healing my core”.
After 3 months of following the MUTU programme, I felt I was strong enough and signed up with my local gym where I got a few personal training sessions and attended some group classes. I saw my chiropractor less and less. As I regained and increased my strength, my workout intensity also increased.
Now I’m able to do high impact/intensity workouts 5-6 days a week and absolutely enjoy it–just for the sheer fact that I CAN do them. But it had to start with healing my core through MUTU. I have since lost 3 stone and, as you can see, I’m still squishy in some places. But I’m happy where I’m at now. I’m a whole lot stronger, I can run, I can carry my toddler without throwing off my back, I’m no longer pre-diabetic, and I just overall feel healthier.
