Mum-of-two reveals how her bum went from pancake to peachy just by using £10 resistance band
Julia Meadows, 34, from Melbourne, Australia, squeezes in at least 100 squats a day while brushing her teeth or hanging out the washing
WHEN celebrities share images of their toned bods, they often get criticised for having the cash and an army of people to help them.
But this mum-of-two has proved that with a few hundred squats a week, dedication and patience, you can transform your figure without breaking the bank.
Whether it’s while waiting for the kettle to boil, brushing her teeth or on the phone to her friends, Julia Meadows, 34, from Melbourne, Australia, will take every opportunity to get in her daily squat quota.
“I try to squeeze at least 100 squats in a day, even if that means while I hang up the washing or waiting for my smoothie to blend I’ll do a few squats,” she told .
“I aim to do about 20 each time until I reach 100 for the day — it makes a huge difference.”
Since sharing an image of her pert bottom in an online mum’s forum, she has been inundated with messages asking her to share her “secret”.
“People ask me what I do in particular and to be honest it comes down to my booty resistance band — before I do my at-home-workouts, I strap it around my thighs and use it to activate my glutes,” she said.
But having a solid behind and toned body hasn’t always been the case for Julia.
She suffered from depression after splitting from her husband in 2016 and sought comfort in unhealthy foods.
Julia would often find herself lying on the couch devouring takeaways and sweet treats – and on really bad days, she would replace her dinners with two tubs of ice cream.
Despite weighing a respectable 10st 4lbs (66kg), Julia knew she was extremely unhealthy and had to make a change.
“I had to learn that scales don’t always tell the truth and now I rather go by my progress pictures to reflect on my achievements,” she said.
After having her second daughter three years ago, Julia decided she wanted to be a healthy role model for her kids, while also reclaiming her happiness and confidence.
“My days can be hard and tiring being a single mum, but I know I feel so much better being on track with my healthy eating and after I’ve done a great workout and it leaves me more energetic to tackle life’s issues,” she explained.
Julia said since joining (Membership starts from just 15p per day! ), a parenting health site exclusively for mums, she lost almost two stone (12kg) in 12 months following its 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge, as well as having one to two Healthy Mummy smoothies a day.
“I really noticed a change to my body after four weeks of training,” she said.
Julia admitted the main thing she struggled with was portion sizes and overeating.
“I didn’t realise how much I was actually eating. I have never been a good cook and don’t have a passion for it but these recipes really helped me understand about portion sizes and were really quick and easy to make,” she said.
She also fulfilled one of her lifelong goals — running two half marathons.
Julia said it is important to set yourself short-term goals to stay motivated - whether it’s playing outside with the kids for 30 minutes or banning yourself from wine for two weeks.
“I also have a motivational board with before and after photos of myself,” she added. “It always reminds me of where and why I started, which I find helps a lot.”
Julia exercises six times a week at home, which involves waking up at 5.30am to train at her local F45 gym before work.
“I’m definitely more energised, happier and confident — I am always out and about with the kids now, going to the park and not just sitting there on my phone, but actually playing with them,” she said.
MOST READ IN FABULOUS
The , which has half a million subscribers, has launched a health and fitness app aimed at busy, tired mums who would love to stay in shape or lose those extra kilos, according to its founder and former ACP Magazines sales director Rhian Allen.
It includes a personal trainer, dietitian, meal planner and motivational coach and is available from today on both iOS and Android.
This story originally appeared on .