What have you learned or gained while coaching our 5 Mommy Makeover Contest participants? 

These women with their drive and tenacity have inspired me on so many levels. They embraced everything that was thrown at them and day after day worked their hardest to achieve their goals. Being on check-in webinars with these women and watching them commit and follow through on goals we help them set gave me more fulfillment than I ever imagined it could. I’ve been where many of these women were, and the grace and humility they showed was nothing short of amazing.

Model Behaviors is a place where we can all be ourselves, share, learn, support, and love. And be honest. The latter part of the contest was smack in the middle of a time where I took on too much and said yes to too many things. They all felt important and worthwhile and I truly wanted to be involved in all of them. I couldn’t see myself saying no to any of them, and some had been set in motion many months before. And of course as women we tell ourselves we can do it all.

Besides being an adviser on this contest, I started a new full-time job and was preparing for the inaugural event of a women’s organization I was a founder of in Dallas. Most importantly, I was trying to still be an ever-present mother, one who attended almost all of her daughters’ activities, spent as much time as possible with them and was the last person they saw before they went to bed at night. Not to mention trying to be a good wife, daughter, sister, and friend. I realized I’d taken on too much and as I told some of my friends I was “maxed out.”  I was trying to give everything my all which on some days seemed to be going well, and on other days felt like I was failing miserably. But I was committed to completing all of these to the best of my ability and following through, because otherwise I would be letting everyone down and to me there was nothing worse than that.

I write all of this not to complain, but  because I know how many of us have been in this same place before. What I didn’t realize when I decided to be an adviser for this contest was (as cliche as it sounds) that in helping these women they would end up helping me. And while I couldn’t comment on every post in our Comeback Circle Facebook group, I would look at it daily. Seeing everyone’s updates, how hard they were working, their lack of excuses, how they continued to inspire, support, and encourage each other despite everything they had going on in their lives, served to motivate me many days throughout the last six weeks of the contest.

Being a part of this contest reinforced to me that there is nothing more fulfilling than helping people achieve their goals. As you may have heard me say, and will hear me continue to say, I love supporting and empowering women. I consider it an honor to have been able to help these women. I couldn’t be more proud of everything they’ve accomplished and my only hope is that they will continue to make these lifestyle changes part of their regular routine in the future. I would love to continue our Comeback Circle group and include more women who are on a similar journey.

What final piece of advice do you have for anyone out there, mom or otherwise, who’s striving to make a similar lifestyle change?

It’s never too late to begin a lifestyle change! If you weren’t able to start today, try again tomorrow! And if you have been doing very well but have a couple off days or weeks, that doesn’t mean all is lost. Try again tomorrow! And most importantly find a way to keep yourself accountable! Whether that’s an accountability partner who helps you stay on track or using one of the accountability apps I’ve written about on Model Behaviors in the past know that a support system will help yield success. It was the defining factor for many of the women during the Mommy Makeover contest. As I mentioned above we cannot do everything on our own, and we are made stronger by leaning on and helping each other. Find the people in your life who are there to listen to you, help you, and guide you. Toni has cultivated an incredible team here at Model Behaviors that is more than happy to help you as well.

Laurie

What have you learned or gained while coaching our 5 Mommy Makeover Contest participants?

Through this 90-day challenge, I’ve learned the importance of surrounding ourselves with like-minded people! If you want to lose weight, surround yourself with other people who value a healthy lifestyle and can share fun tips for exercise and eating well on a daily basis with you. Accountability is everything, which is exactly why I’ve always hired a personal trainer to push me over the past 20 years! I love keeping healthy people who take action in my inner circle of close friends. I’m inspired by the way each of these participants have taken action to change their lives.  One day at a time, turns into a week, which turns into three months of a new habit and a new mind and body transformation!

What final piece of advice do you have for anyone out there, mom or otherwise, who’s striving to make a similar lifestyle change?

The first step in making a lasting lifestyle change is to admit that whatever you are doing is not working. You have to be willing to make room in your life for YOU! Taking one hour each day to flex your muscles and exercise fresh air into your lungs is more important than anything else in your day. If you don’t have a healthy body, you are allowing room for disease to fester. Trust me, it will absolutely rear its ugly head in one form or another. Then, how will you be able to be such an awesome Mom?

I would also offer that making nutritious food choices is not about depriving yourself or sacrificing taste! Throw the word “diet” right out the window. Eating healthy is about replacing one nutrient-poor food item with another nutrient-rich and flavorful option! I eat like a truck driver, and I love the taste of yummy food! No way would I be able to sustain a bland diet of tasteless tofu and jugs of water. Instead, I’ve learned over time which healthy meals and snacks I love. Joining a group of healthy women who lead healthy lives is the best way to change your own unhealthy ways. We are all in life together and it’s so much easier to rely on each other for support and resources!

Thank you so much to our wonderful advisers! We could not have done this without their amazing guidance and support.

So now, without further ado, here are our top three Mommy Makeover Contest participants!

Danielle Koprowski

Renee Manocchio

Vange Villalpando

Congrats to these amazing ladies! Be sure you check out our final results post and then cast your vote for which woman should win our grand prize using the form below.