VULNERABLE SHARE ALERT – As women, our bodies go through so MUCH from puberty to adulthood, and motherhood to menopause – there’s A LOT going on between hormones, weight gain… oh and, growing humans inside our bodies… etc. And through every stage we’re expected to love, accept, and embrace all the changes along the way. For some, that transition is easy. For most, like me, it’s been a STRUGGLE.
After having my first baby 6-years-ago, I worked my booty off to get back into shape. It was so hard but at 5-months postpartum, I was back in a bikini on-set shooting a new campaign for The London Hotel in West Hollywood.
Ironically enough, I remember being so uncomfortable and stressed that day feeling like my body wasn’t ready to be on display. It was literally my first booking from my agency after I gave them the thumbs up that I was ready to get back to work. With 24-hours noticed my agency called and say, “Yes girl… we got you booked, and this will be a super fun, glam shoot with an amazing crew. P.S. make sure you get a spray tan and a bikini wax because one of the looks is in a bikini by the rooftop pool.”
While writing this article, I looked back at some behind-the-scenes pics from that day and I wish a million times over I could go back in time and whisper in my ear, “GIRL, you look insane, no one can tell you had a baby. Everybody is loving these shots and just have FUN, because nothing lasts forever.”
Fast forward to pregnancy round-two… I’m 4 years older, I had twins, it’s a global pandemic so gyms are closed… oh, and I now have 3-kids so it’s way trickier to leave the house. Despite all this, I still has the SAME expectations that I would quickly bounce back to being bikini ready post-twins.
However, if I’m being totally honest, I didn’t spend an hour a-day working out like I did after having Henry. Instead, I spend most days super cozy at home with my 3 cuties. We created the sweetest memories that I’ll never forget, and I definitely drank lots of wine with my hubby post bedtime while our little loves slept upstairs. 6-months into to postpartum, I was starting to panic because my body wasn’t really going back to “normal.” I still had about 20 lbs to lose, the elasticity on my stomach was gone, and my skin texture on my stomach was different… not smooth or tight like it used to be. I remember feeling discouraged, sad and depressed, thinking OMG will I ever recognize my body again? But at the same time, I felt so guilty for feeling that way considering I was able to birth the healthiest and happiest twins on the planet. Ugh, Motherhood is packed full of so many mixed emotions. Does this sound familiar to anyone?
I remember having this tearful conversation one night about my body woes with my hubby and he helped me recognize that I wasn’t really trying to lose weight, instead I was just sort of wishing it would happen. If this was something I wanted, I needed to work for it! As much as that was hard to hear and absorb, he was totally right. A dream without a plan is just a wish, so last fall I started my bounce-back-body plan. My favorite trainer in the world was back to work after being on maternity leave, Katie Milne, so we hit the ground running and she helped me gain awareness around what I was putting in my body for fuel and how I was prioritizing exercise. From October 2020 to Spring of 2021, I was consistent and was able to lose most of my pregnancy weight. However, this time around, weight loss just wasn’t enough.
I knew in order to feel comfortable strutting around the beach, lounging by the pool, or basking in the sun on our boat, it would take more than the basics to get back to my baseline. I was so determined to figure out what those EXTRA steps were to meet my body goals. I even scheduled a consultation with a plastic surgeon! He however quickly dismissed my request for surgery to fix my stomach. He emphasized how time was on my side in this scenario and I needed to allow at least 2 years of healing before he’d even consider surgery, mainly because of the risks involved, the potential scarring, and it just might end up not being necessary.
I’m not the most patient person in the pursuit of my goals, *shocker*, I know! When I have my mind made up, I want to achieve things as quickly as possible. This however was different and a very humbling experience, to say the least. After getting a sense for my urgent goal, the plastic surgeon I met with strongly encouraged me to considered implementing several non-surgical steps in order to expedite my healing and boost me towards my bikini body vision. Right around that time was when I was introduced to the amazing and truly fabulous, Jennifer Washburn, the owner of Advanced Skin and Body Solutions.
Jennifer was so gracious, and I could tell she very much empathized with my longing to accelerate my body-bounce-back plan. As a mother herself, I think she very much related to my emotional story about how giving birth to twins had left my body – my stomach in-particular – barely recognizable to my former self. She was eager to help and was so excited to hear that I would be willing to document my personal journey with my audience.
Together we designed a multi-faceted plan that would help me achieve my bikini body goals and feel EXTRA confident come Spring Break 2022. Jennifer emphasized several times: the best things in life take TIME. It’s a true reminder that the most rewarding and worthwhile things in life always require the most patience, consistency, and hard work.
I’m so excited to take you ALL on this journey of recovery, healing, self-love, and success. Buckle up, babes!! This one might hurt a little (mainly for me), but it’s going to be fun. Most of all, my sincerest hope is that for all those beautiful, amazing mamas out there that are working towards various body goals – I hope this article provides comfort knowing you’re not alone, some helpful tips, and a roadmap to get you to your goals asap!
Without further ado, here’s my treatment plan developed by all the outstanding women at Advanced Skin & Body Solutions.
Step 1.) Daily affirmations – every morning while you’re brushing your teeth, look at yourself in the mirror and say 3 things out loud that you LOVE about your body. Followed by a statement of gratitude for what you’re wanting to improve.
An example of what I’ve been saying lately,
“ I love my smile, my blonde hair and my green eyes. I’m so grateful for the healing and rejuvenation of the skin on my stomach and the visible muscle tone of my core. I’m so grateful for the energy, resources, and plan I have in place in order to achieve my bikini body goals.”
Step 2.) Radio Frequency Micro-Needling on my stomach – hyper focused around my belly button and lower stomach area, where my skin looks the most damaged.
The state-of-the-art device used by Advanced Skin & Body Solutions is called the Intensif by Endymed. It combines both a “mechanical and a thermal controlled injury” to the skin to stimulate the production of new, healthy collagen. The Intensif handpiece is unique because it uses non-insulated, gold-plated needles which provide efficient delivery throughout the entire column of dermal tissue. This results in even, consistent, and controlled energy flow for safer and more effective radio frequency delivery.
It's a great option to help rejuvenate and reduce the appearance of various skin issues: acne scars, stretch marks, fine lines and wrinkles, and skin texture (my main concern in this area). Most people typically require a series of 3-6 treatments with 4-6 weeks in between each treatment, followed by maintenance treatments a couple of times per year. The recovery after each treatment includes a few days of redness/inflammation followed by about a week of dryness and skin recovery. For me, my recovery time has improved after each subsequent treatment, and I was honestly blown away by the noticeable difference in my skin texture after the first treatment!
Step 3.) CoolScultping on inner thighs and flanks. Post-twins, these were the areas on my body I felt were holding onto stubborn fat.
CoolScultping was developed by Harvard scientists (hmmm... I may have picked the wrong Harvard guy... JK hubby!) and it is they ONLY FDA-approved cold-based, nonsurgical fat reduction treatment available. It’s recommended to treat those stubborn fat patches that are slow to respond to diet and exercise. The best part – there’s no downtime and it really works! Obviously, going to a Medical Spa that is accredited and trained properly will boost your result. For the record, Advanced Skin and Body Solutions is the number ONE Cool Sculpting provider in the country. So, if you’re going to go anywhere, you might as well go with the BEST!
Here’s how it works: it’s proven technology freezes and kills targeted fat cells. The technical term for this is “cryolipolysis”. Once your fat cells are frozen, your body will naturally expel your dead fat cells with your body's natural waste cycles (i.e. when you sweat or use the restroom, etc.) in the weeks and months following your treatment. There’s a 20-25% fat reduction in each treatment area. These results take anywhere from 1-3 months to appear. My other FAVORITE fact about CoolSculpting is that the results are permanent! Bye-bye fat cells, see ya never.
Step 4.) Emsculpt Neo on my booty and my arms to enhance muscle tone.
Honestly, when this procedure was first described to me, it sounded too good to be true. The Neo is a revolutionary machine that delivers both heat and magnetic energy for increased muscle tone, while simultaneously boosting fat loss. It’s my new favorite way to work out – who knew you could build muscle while laying down, say what!?! It’s also very quick, 30-minutes per cycle and there’s no downtime or pre-treatment preparations required.
They say in one session you get 20,000 muscle contractions. This equates to about 2,000 squats in 30 mins, which as you can imagine really expedites muscle growth and overall tone. It works the best when combined with a consistent gym routine + a healthy, intentional eating plan. Most people are encouraged to do 4-8 treatments and each treatment must be performed less than a week apart for optimal results. The most exciting part about the NEO is that the results are instantly noticeable, and they continue to increase for up to 90-days after your last session.
Step 5.) Create a consistent workout plan & a clean, high-protein eating routine.
One thing that has really helped me stick to my workout plan is I now schedule my workouts. I add them into my calendar as if they’re an appointment or a meeting. This way I know exactly when I’m going to get my sweat sesh in (versus before where I would just get to my workout whenever, which often didn’t happen).
In closing, I just want to say that I strongly believe I was put here on planet earth to be an advocate, a voice, and a cheerleader for women as they navigate through the various stages of LIFE and MOMMYHOOD! As someone who’s lived their life very publicly, I feel a certain responsibility to share and be honest about how I’m actively working to overcoming my own body image issues and achieve my bikini body goals. If you’re wanting to elevate your body, feel genuinely supported, and have honest feedback, and a comprehensive treatment plan tailored just for you, then Advanced Skin and Body should be your next stop.
In the meantime, follow along on my Instagram as I document this exciting journey with ASBS team! Spring Break 2022 here I come!
