Welcome to episode 1 of Realistically Consistent! Thank you so much for joining me today. Today’s episode is going to be really powerful..

 I will be sharing how I lost over 30 pounds within the first 6 months of having (almost) each of my 3 kids, but most importantly how that weight loss became what I consider the cherry on top of all the other changes that accompanied what it took to get there. 

But first, I need to introduce myself and my mission in starting this podcast in the first place. 

My name is Allison Smith and I am a mom of now 3 little ones. At the time of this recording, I have a 6 year old daughter, 4 year old son, and 5 month old son. 

I was a middle school teacher for 9 years and ultimately left just over 2 years ago now, even though it feels like a lifetime ago, to pursue my passion of helping other moms get to the place physically, mentally, and emotionally that allows them to thrive as a mom. 

Which leads me to tell you about a very pivotal moment in my life. After having my daughter, I was scrambling to figure out how to lose my baby weight. I had always been active, but really only did cardio.. And that didn’t seem to be working any more. I felt like I ate really well… but it turns out there was a lot I didn’t know or understand about nutrition. 

Flash forward 9 months and the world shut down for the pandemic. Some people really struggled and ended up gaining weight, I work with many clients who’ve been victims of this, while others took that opportunity to get in the best shape of their lives.

 I am fortunate enough to have a husband who pushed me to the latter. He had been pushing me to lift weights for a couple years now but I was always worried I’d get bulky and shrugged him off. 

When covid hit and we had more time together, I finally caved and did some workouts with him. I couldn’t believe how quickly I felt (and saw) a difference. From that moment on, I was hooked. Once I outgrew the workouts he was giving me (beause ultimately he’s not a female and didn’t understand my needs) I began looking elsewhere. Tried a few different programs and learned a lot. I was in the best shape of my life. 

Then I got pregnant with my second.. Tried to continue working out but ultimately stopped lifting during pregnancy. I had him in April and by the time school started back up again I was well on my way to feeling confident in my body again following what I learned during covid. 

What I didn’t anticipate was how incredibly difficult it would be to continue working out while teaching full time, having 2 practically under 2, and managing everything else as normal. I fell apart.. I stopped working out, stopped eating as well, and started slipping into a depressed state. I can still remember having a conversation with my husband about how I didn’t like who I was becoming, didn’t like the mom I was to my kids, and was scared about the future. It was after that conversation where he said “I’m here to support you, but only you can figure this out” no one was coming to save me but me. 

It was that night that I made a powerful (and emotion filled) decision. I can still remember exactly where I was standing it was so powerful that it became a core memory. I was going to change. I decided to try to wake up around 5 AM 3x per week to workout and to plan out my meals every sunday so I only went to the grocery store one time per week. The waking up is what made me the most nervous. If you’d told me I was going to be an early riser 2 years prior I would have laughed in your face. That wasn’t me. But I also realized it was my only option. I’d already tried working out when I got home or after the kids went to bed and it just wasn’t working. I was too exhausted. 

So I made a promise to myself and held on to a very strong why - that my kids deserved me at my best and I was afraid of slipping into a deeper depression. 

And I did it. I followed through. It wasn’t always easy, and it wasn’t always perfect, but I was damn proud of myself. 

Over time, coworkers would start making comments or asking questions about how I got in such good shape. Not only that, but I had been teaching a fun cardio class after school a couple days a week and absolutely loved it.. Working with women and watching them gain confidence and joy through movement was my passion. 

So when some unfortunate circumstances started arising at work, I knew I needed to get out and follow my passion. I hired a coach, worked my butt off to start my business and within a few months decided to put in my resignation. 

I’ve since had the privilege of working with hundreds of women in the last 2.5 years in some capacity.. Whether it’s been through my 1 on 1 coaching or through a masterclass or challenge that I designed to make a difference and put women on the fast track to lose weight realistically. And if you stay tuned, I am working on putting some of those things together for purchase to be done on your own timeline that I’m very excited about! 

So why listen to me? Not only have a created over one hundred transformations, many of which you can check out on my website allisonhalliefitness.com (linked in show notes), but I believe in 2 core things: 1. Educating myself and staying up to date with new research.. Which is why I am now a certified personal trainer through NASM and have precision nutrition training while continuing to research and adapt to new studies and findings. And 2. I believe in keeping it realistic. Keeping it doable for the busy mom. If there is one thing I am, it is relatable. I get it, I have 3 kids of my own and understand that having some “perfect” routine just isn’t in the cards for the vast majority of us. 

Which is why on this podcast, you’re going to hear me talking about some very real experiences from both myself, some my clients, and other moms who have created their own healthy lifestyles despite many challenges that could have otherwise stopped them. You’ll also hear me go through some very actionable, realistic strategies you can start implementing immediately to start seeing results in not just weight loss but energy, motivation, and strength quickly. 

Which leads me to why the title of this podcast making weight loss the bonus…because when you understand how to move and fuel your body .. the first thing you’ll notice is how much more energy you’ll have, increasing your patience, giving you clarity, increasing your productivity, your confidence, your relationships.. Heck when I really think about it, this transformation for me was the catalyst to quitting my job and building my dream life! When you understand what your body, your metabolism as a mom in or after your 30s needs, the weight loss will come.. And the trickle down effect will be so powerful, you may be surprised where your life takes you.

My mission: get moms out of survival mode, living as the version of themselves they dreamed of being when they pictured themselves as a mom

*send this to your mom friends who are in survival mode and deserve to get out

If this episode resonated with you, I’d love for you to subscribe and leave a comment letting me know what you’d most like to hear about! This podcast is for you.. So you can make small, realistic changes that will lead you towards weight loss, more energy, more confidence, more patience, and just feeling better overall. This is a new age of motherhood.. One where we put ourselves on the list too. So we can take care of our loved ones without feeling drained. 

With that, I can’t wait to see you in the next episode where I’ll be talking about some simple but game changing habits that will cut your bloat, get your energy back, and can even have you dropping a few lbs in less than a week!