Client Spotlight Story: Janna Yopyk
[I’ve been working with Janna for the last year, through pregnancy and now postpartum. It’s pretty much the coolest to watch all the developments through pregnancy and then have your client come back to the gym as a new mama, and to experience all the change that comes with that. Janna is doing fabulously since returning to the gym and you would never guess she’s only 7 months postpartum by watching her lift in the gym. She’s getting strong and stable, with her sweet girl watching from the sidelines!]
Name: Janna
Age: 31
Why do you prioritize exercise and healthful nutrition?
Leading a healthy lifestyle has always been important to me. When I became pregnant, I knew I wanted to continue that lifestyle to increase my chances of having a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. Now that I have a 7 month old daughter, I want to continue to prioritize healthy choices to set a positive example for her.
How long have you been training for?
I’ve been training fairly consistently for about 5 years. I met Jessie about a year ago when I was pregnant and another trainer told me Jessie was starting a “Preggie Bellies” prenatal class. I trained with her until I was 38 weeks pregnant…I gave birth to my daughter 5 days after a training session! Throughout my pregnancy, I also strength trained another 1x a week and did prenatal yoga 2x/week.
I started weight training with Jessie sporadically around 9 weeks postpartum and then more consistently when I joined her Postnatal fitness class around 4 months post partum.
Favourite lift/exercise/workout?
Prenatal – I loved squats and any variation of them. I found they helped with any pelvic pain I experienced, particularly at the end of pregnancy, and made me feel more stable. Jessie is always so conscientious of form and body mechanics…I knew I could push myself as hard as I liked because she was always being mindful of appropriate exercises and form. I always felt better, stronger, more stable, and less sore after a prenatal workout with her.
Postnatal – Exercises that work deep abdominal exercises like dead bugs. I was lucky not to have a large diastatis recti postpartum, but it has still been a slow process of finding my abdominal muscles again. I am really enjoying being able to control these previously stretched out muscles. I am starting to progress to and “enjoy” planks, mountain climbers etc now too.
What has lifting weights taught you?
Lifting weights has taught me that not only is my body capable of doing it, but that it feels and functions better lifting weights too. This is true all the time, but especially true during pregnancy. Overall, I had a very easy pregnancy and I attribute that to being active throughout, including lifting weights.
Most memorable part of your fit-journey, so far? Due to medical issues at the end of my pregnancy, I ended up having to be induced around 38 weeks. Because this was so out of my control, it helped knowing that I had controlled what I could and made many positive decisions throughout my pregnancy. In a way, this is analagous to when one trains and makes healthy eating decisions, but doesn’t lose weight/inches etc.
My labour and delivery went smoothly with little further intervention, and I pushed my daughter out in less than 25 minutes. It might have been luck/genetics, but I like to think that all those squats/lunges etc. with Jessie helped. So overall, the most memorable part is that being active during pregnancy made me feel empowered during a time when I could have felt very overwhelmed.
Favourite “sometimes” food(s)? Oh, lots! Cheese, fresh bread, chocolate. During my first trimester, these were “always” foods… 🙂
What inspires and motivates you to keep on this journey?
Working out has made me feel “normal” again after having a baby. Mentally, even on the tough days with little sleep and fussy baby, working out makes me feel happy and healthy. Physically, I feel great. I haven’t weighed myself since I was pregnant, but based on clothes, I think I have lost all the weight I gained during pregnancy (~35bs).
Also, I am motivated to keep being healthy to set a positive example for my daughter. Jessie’s postnatal class is “baby friendly” so moms usually bring their babies when they workout – you will see babies in car seats, carriers, on the floor playing. I think it’s awesome and so inspiring that all these babes are seeing women being active, lifting weights and working hard.
What’s your next training goal?
I have just started to feel less lax and stable while training and I am excited to start lifting heavier weight again. Overall, I would like to gain more overall strength and lean out some more.
What would you say to other women who might be nervous about getting into weight training?
Weight training is so incredibly empowering! It’s an awesome feeling to have ownership and control over your body.
What is one thing Jessie has taught you that stands out the most? Patience. Training during pregnancy takes patience because sometimes you have to modify slightly and sometimes move a little more slowly than you’re used to. Training post pregnancy takes patience because our bodies need time to heal, and recover, and slowly work back into exercises. Jessie has taught me that if you train properly, consistently, kindly to your body, and just have patience, your body will change and become strong, (or stronger!) again.
Janna’s story is so inspiring, because it’s so real. She’s just like any other new mama finding her way through her postpartum journey. I’m so lucky to be here watching it.
JMG
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