A fitness fanatic mother has revealed how her pregnancy weight gain motivated her to join a gym and lose four stone in six months – and she says she looks better now than before she had children.
Business owner and mother of two boys, Malin Bjork, 29, from Vaxjo, Sweden, has enjoyed being skinny her whole life, until she became pregnant with her first son.
Malin admits that she barely exercised and would eat whatever she wanted – consuming a 3,000 calories-a-day diet full of unhealthy junk food and home-baked cookies.
This unhealthy lifestyle caused her weight to hit 12st 8Ibs and a size 14 before she gave birth to her first son.
She decided to amp up her fitness regime in the hope of losing her baby weight so took up weightlifting and overhauled her diet. The mother, who is a vegetarian, now eats more vegetables, beans, lentils and clean food while focusing on incorporating more protein into her diet from other sources.
This lifestyle change completely transformed her body and she now weighs 8st 11Ibs and wears a UK dress size 8-10, consuming 2,200 to 2,500 calories a day.
Malin Bjork, 29, from Vaxjo, Sweden, has enjoyed being skinny her whole life, until she became pregnant with her first son. She hit 12st 8Ibs before she gave birth to her first son; she was a UK dress size 12-14, left and centre. But since giving birth, she has taken up weightlifting and totally transformed her body, right
Discussing her decision, Malin said: ‘I wasn’t comfortable in my bigger size since I’ve always been quite skinny and I always wanted to look more fit and strong’
‘I lost all motivation to eat healthy and I didn’t exercise during both of my pregnancies. I didn’t feel so bad because I knew that I will get back to my previous weight, but I never knew that my shape would be better than before my pregnancies,’ Malin said.
‘I wasn’t comfortable in my bigger size since I’ve always been quite skinny and I always wanted to look more fit and strong.
‘I love my body and my flaws, I’m not too hard on myself with the body I had before, I have some loose skin but that doesn’t bother me; no one is perfect and I don’t strive for perfection.
Revealing how she did it, Malin revealed that she started to exercise with weights, which caused her body to quickly change shape
She also skips unhealthy sauces, white bread, cereals and food with extra added sugar
Discussing her changing body, she said: ‘I challenge my muscles and I’m not afraid to lift heavy weights. I train every muscle every week with focus on my legs and butt’
‘I started changing my diet; avoiding sweets and fast food for a while and ate food high in nutrition and protein since I work out a lot.
‘I started to exercise with weights and I really loved this form of exercise. I strengthened my knowledge about weight training and what it can do to your body and I loved seeing my body shape change.
‘I now skip unhealthy sauces, white bread, cereals and food with extra added sugar. In my workout routine I do everything differently.
‘I challenge my muscles and I’m not afraid to lift heavy weights. I train every muscle every week with focus on my legs and butt.’
Despite not feeling completely happy in her heavier body, Malin says that the inspiration she’s had on other mums is the real joy she’s had from her body transformation.
‘My transformation inspired a lot of people, especially mums who think they can’t be fit after their pregnancy,’ she said.
‘I also feel better about myself than before I got pregnant. When you manage to do this kind of transformation twice, you feel very proud of yourself; no matter what goal you have.
‘My first transformation was actually easy, because I fell in love with weight training; I loved going to the gym. After my second baby I feel it’s more difficult to have time for the gym and my business; to keep pushing myself after I reached my goal. I try to balance everything and I have my routines.
‘People say I look good to have two kids and people like to see that even a mum can be fit and healthy and I want to inspire people to believe that it’s possible if you really want to change your habits or body.’
Malin says that the inspiration she’s had on other mums is the real joy she’s had from her body transformation
She still says she doesn’t feel completely happy in her heavier body but prefers it to being skinnier
The fitness aficionado says her transformation inspired a lot of people, especially mums who think they can’t be fit after their pregnancy
She advises anyone hoping to emulate her look to search for health information online
Before her transformation, she would eat whatever she wanted; unhealthy junk food and home-baked cookies adding up to around 3,000 calories a day
Malin says it’s important to know which food is healthy and unhealthy, technique on exercises and how often you need to train for results
Discussing her first transition, she said: ‘My first transformation was actually easy, because I fell in love with weight training; I loved going to the gym’
The fitness fan showcases the results of her new training regime
Malin Bjork, from Vaxjo, Sweden, has grown up to be skinny her whole life until she became pregnant with her first son but prefers her heavier frame
For more information visit: https://www.instagram.com/malinbjork/