P.S. (You can still enter the ebook giveaway at the post previous to this one.)
I’ve been getting a lot of emails lately asking for more information about Fit Yummy Mummy. I don’t mind at all, but there’s so much to say that It’s worth writing a post about. First, here’s my before and during pictures. The picture farthest to the right was taken this Sunday. I won’t reach my fitness goals until March, but every day is better than the day before.
I first found Holly, aka Fit Yummy Mummy, from a youtube video. I might have been searching for smoothie recipes–I can’t remember. Anyway, I was impressed, but skeptical. I found her webiste and was taken back by how long her sales page was and when I tried to exit, a pop up came. You know the “Wait, wait, don’t go” kind of popup. Those types of things make me wonder how legitimate a business it is.
I continued to haunt her on youtube and finally shot her a personal email. I just found out I was pregnant with baby #6 and was determined not to gain 50+ lbs again. But I knew I needed help. She gave me the standard answer. Don’t diet while pregnant. Eat healthy foods. After the baby’s born we can talk about weight loss. Grrr.
Fast foward. Grant is born after I gained 50lbs…again. And I received an email from one of my subscribers that said she broke down and bought the FYM ebook after I mentioned it and LOVED IT! Really? I promised myself as soon as I sold enough products to pay for the book, I’d buy it. It was right after I got home from Family Camp and had to find enough fat clothes to pack for the week. It was frustrating and I didn’t like how I looked in our memory pictures. Plus, I tired easily. Dragging all that extra weight around was hard work.
Babies are worth it, but a lot of extra weight is no fun.
I couldn’t wait to download her book and once the purchase was made, I was shocked at how much stuff I got. It was an ebook of over 100 pages, plus exercise videos, plus a meal planning guide, plus a quick start guide, plus, plus, plus. Her stuff made sense. It is current on the research for the best ways to loose weight. I could do it with grocery store food and basic home equipment like a stability ball and dumbbells. I could use protein supplements if I wanted to, but I didn’t have to. She promised the exercises only took 15 minutes a day. I could do this.
The e-book package came with a one month free membership to clubFYM (after the first month there is a subscription fee that you can cancel at any time), where Holly posts her new workouts every month plus pops in to give advice and encouragement daily. Even better it’s a place where I keep my personal journal, recording how I feel about the journey and write down my favorite meals, recipes and workouts. It’s a place where I can connect with other women on the same journey and give and receive encouragement.
Without ClubFYM I would have given up long ago, like I always do. Even though her program is the best, and I get more good food than anywhere else, losing weight and getting stronger is hard work. Sometimes I don’t feel like making good choices. And after so many bad choices in a row, I feel like giving up. But the FYM girls understand this and encoruage me through it. I can do this, and you can too.
I think my favorite part about club FYM are the challenges. There are 4 (at least) a year and are free for club members to participate in. If you are taking part in a contest you have short homework assignments 3 times a week to help stay on track. And you get lots more of Holly in the form of live video chats and teleconferences. Here’s my motivation board which was one of my assignments from this challenge:
I whole heartedly endorse Fit Yummy Mummy. I even tried to get my dad to join, lol. If I love you a lot, I’ve mentioned it, because it has made my life better. And I want you to have some of the happiness I’ve found.
Disclaimer: Because I like FYM so much, I signed up as an affiliate. I make a commission from the sales of her ebook (only if you purchase through the button on this page) but not from the sales of the club FYM membership. I would have written this post even if there were no affiliate program, but I wanted you to know.
I totally agree about the slightly off-putting website. I found her through your blog when you mentioned interval training at the start of last year, and read her super infomercial-y website and broke down crying because I felt so upset with my weight and shape after having my second son. I did not gain much weight during my pregnancy because of hyper-emesis, but the distribution of the weight I did gain and the over-all shape of my body was so upsetting. My son was 4 months old and I had reached a point of feeling hopeless. Within 4 weeks of very diligent food journaling and only so-so working out I was fitting into the pants that I couldn’t even pull half-way up my thighs at the start of the program. I felt so much better almost immediately and started finding little extra things I could do when I wasn’t even fitting in all of the 15 minute work-outs: I’d do squats with my sons at the zoo to lift them to see animals, I’d sprint with the jogging stroller in a short burst down the street at random times during our walks in the neighborhood, I’d pass on my customary second servings of dinner without batting an eye. It amazed me that I was not feeling starved or tired – if ever I did feel that way I listened to my body and ate a little more supportive food or took a nap in the hammock. I’m feeling a spark to get back into the program, though I am not able to join Club FYM for budgetary reasons right now. I am so happy for you and your progress photos are so encouraging! Thank you for renewing my interest in yet another personal goal. I feel like as soon as I start to drift into old habits, you are posting about exactly the area I am slacking. Thanks again, and keep up the awesome work, you fit yummy mummy, you!
Thank you much for posting this! I love to hear personal recommendations from people I “know.” With all the talk on the Grocery Shrink Yahoo list, I am considered making this purchase again.
I seem to remember when I first looked at the program that I would need additional things to do the workout (exercise ball, weights maybe something else?) Are there other things required to do the workouts? I have nothing available to me except a set of 1 lb weights and exercise band.
Dawn, Holly has body weight only exercises that you can use if you don’t have equipment. But if you want to get very far with your fitness you will want to invest in some basic equipment eventually. This is a great way to use your swag bucks Amazon gift cards! So far I have found these things to be important: a stability ball, 5, 10, and now 15 lb dumbbells (thankfully my husband already had these, plus bigger ones that I will use as my fitness improves.) And an 8 lb medicine ball. Kettlebells are optional and I don’t have any yet. The exercise band is a good thing to have on hand. Most FYM members use theirs to assist with chin-ups until they are strong enough to do them unassisted. The 1 lb dumbbells are worthless. A 9 month old baby can lift those. A gallon of milk is 8 lbs. If you can’t afford weights yet, save 2 gallon milk jugs, wash them out and fill with water. You can do a lot with them while you save up.
One extra thing that I haven’t heard Holly talk about, but that I use a LOT is my gymboss interval timer. It is cheapest to order direct from gymboss.com and I just got the basic model in hot pink. My husband has the fancier model and I really don’t like his as well.
I can not eat eggs or fish. Would I still be able to use the diet portion of the book?
Can you really not do this while pregnant? I am 27 weeks with my 7th and I was not in good shape when I got pregnant and I feel so weak and I have been thinking about doing some strength training.
Missy, Yes you can do the diet without eggs or fish. You ultimately create your own meal plans. Holly just guides you in making good choices. You would simply choose from the foods you can eat.
The answer to your second question is yes, and no. The meal plan is fine to use while pregnant as long as you eat enough calories. It is good, healthy sensible eating that is protein and produce rich–perfect for growing a healthy baby. But you should not be doing interval or short burst training while pregnant. The book does not guide you in doing the program while pregnant but there is a whole list at clubFYM just for pregnant members. And Holly is present on the club to answer questions and guide you. Her youngest is turning 1 this month, so she has recent memories of pregnancy and how she modified the program during that time.
I bought her ebook two weeks ago and have been reading through the material (I wish it was a book, not an ebook) and doing the exercises. I can’t do all of the exercises yet but I do what I can and I can feel it. I do it along wiht my regular workout video.
Lisa, I’m so glad you took the plunge! You might read through her material again or take advantage of the free month of the club and read everything you can. There’s a reason why Holly has designed her exercise program the way she has. You won’t get the same benefits by doing it with your regular workout video. Start with the introductory workout only if you find her workouts difficult and do as many reps as you can just the way she prescribes it. Stick with it for 4 weeks, each time doing as much as you can until you can do it all. Then at the end of 4 weeks move up to the next workout. If you go back and read you’ll see Holly recommends doing workout A (supersets of strength building) then interval training. Then workout B, then intervals repeat. I like to do one each morning for 15 minutes a day or you can choose to do the supersets first and interval training right after for 30 minutes every other day. If you want more activity, don’t throw on a video. Play with your family and have an active lifestyle. It’s better and there’s a reason why, but you’ll have to read it on the club. It’s way too much to post here.
My daughter is 6wks old and my doctor has said I can begin exercising. I can’t remember if you mention nursing Grant. If you did…did you have issues with your milk supply? I know I need to start a program and I’m very encouraged by results. Way to go Angela!!!
April, I’m still nursing Grant exclusively. He is 5.5 months old. When I first started FYM Grant was 9 weeks old. I was also supplying milk for my neice who had failure to thrive. So supply was a concern for me. I started taking fenugreek supplements for supply (which also help with weight loss) and noticed an increase in milk even though I was watching what I ate and exercising. I found how much water I drank was more crucial to supply than how much I ate, though I get plenty of calories with the FYM program. I aim between 2000 and 2200 calories a day for a 1lb a week loss.
The beauty of Holly’s program is the execises are short enough that it doesn’t sour my milk with lactic acid, but they are intense enough that it boosts my metabolism so I can eat more of the right kinds of foods and still lose weight.
i do not have access to a computer on a daily basis, is this beneficial to me. i have had three babies in 4 years and could use all the help i can get, but i don’t want to purchase something that i cannot use.
Rebecca, It’s not an online program–meaning it is written down in a ebook/video and you do it from that. The videos are for learning only, not to workout along side. It is helpful if you can get on the computer at least once a week to check in with the club and write in your journal. You can print the pages from the book that you need to write in and the exercise guide sheets. You will need to print new ones every 4 weeks. The club is online only, but it is meant for encouragement and to answer any questions you have. As long as you can get to it once a week it will help.
So yes, you can still do it. I had my first 3 babies in 4 years and know just how you feel. I started at 125 lbs and my third one was born when I weighed 205!
Could you share more about fenugreek supplements? I am pregnant with my fourth child, and I have a history of struggling with milk supply the first two months.
I suspect that working out too soon may have contributed to the shortage, but the first two weeks are the worst, and I wasn’t working out.
Thanks in advance –
Heather, I buy fenugreek in capsules and take 3–3 times a day. It naturally increases milk supply. So much so that you should watch for signs of oversupply (green seedy stools, projectile spitting up) and cut back if necessary.
Fenugreek also binds to some carbs when taken with food and keeps them from being digested. This can promote lower blood sugar and weight loss.
Working out shouldn’t decrease your milk supply unless you aren’t drinking enough water to counterbalance the water lost during perspiration. Milk supply is more senstivite to water than any other factor.
Impressive pics! Way to go!
Hi Angela,
Congratulations…keep up the great work! I am expecting our 8th child (10th pregnancy) and hoping not to gain too much this time (I usually gain 20-25 lbs) but I am a bit heavier this time around and my midwife told me I could just maintain…but I’ve already gained about 15 lbs and I’m only halfway! I usually nurse for 12 or more months and lose the weight from the pregnancy pretty quick, but not any wieght I had before the pregnancy! I was wondering how much the program costs? Are the exercises time consumming? I already have an exercise ball, dumbells, and exercise bands ..I just don’t use them:(
Thanks,
Joanna <
Joanna, You should click over on the button and read all about it! It costs $37.99 for the ebook package. It is several ebooks plus video instruction on how to do the exercises. It takes 90 minutes a week to do the exercises. I like to do them 15 minutes a day or you can do them for 30 minutes 3 times a week. The monthly club is $19.99 after the first month. The first month is free with the purchase of the ebook package. I hope that helps!
Hey Angela!
Thanks so much for posting about the FYM program! I just downloaded the book and all the extras this week and have tried one of her intro workouts, and was very impressed. The fact that I was done in fifteen minutes, and felt the workout without it exhausting me was amazing. I’m really excited that her program grows as my ability grows. I’m not a fan of working out because I don’t like the nasuea I get from it, and now I know it was because I was pushing myself too hard to keep up with the moves of a “normal” excercise video. I’m a little sore and can tell that the workout did target all of my large muscles, lol.
You’re looking amazing, and you’ve really inspired me to get healthy!
A quick question, are you feeding your whole family the way Holly from FYM recommends or do you make yourself seperate meals?
Thanks Again!
Katrina, Usually I cook myself a separate meal–mostly because I believe the family needs more carbs than I am using right now, and also to save money. But there are times like last night when we had supportive chili that we just all eat together.
Usually my dinner is a big salad or 2 egg veggie omelet that throws together in about 5 minutes. I often put a small chicken breast on the Foreman personal size grill while cooking the main dish for the family. Then all I have to do is slice it over a big salad and sit down at the table with everyone else. So even though I cook 2 meals it’s not elaborate or time consuming.