Emma Frances Goode was kind to herself after the arrival of her son but slowly worked to transform her body. Photo / Instagram @miss_no_goode
Emma Frances Goode was kind to herself after the arrival of her son but slowly worked to transform her body. Photo / Instagram @miss_no_goode
When Australian woman Emma Frances Goode learned she was pregnant with her first child, she was thrilled.
But her pregnancy saw her exhausted and skipping out on the usual physical activity she’d always taken part in. And she experienced extreme cravings which she allowed herself to indulge in.
Speaking tonews.com.au, Goode, from the city of Shepparton in Victoria, said exercise slowed down and her eating habits ramped up.
“I’ve always been a very active person throughout my entire life,” said the 26-year-old.
“But when I fell pregnant, this slowed down. I felt heavy and exhausted.
“I wasn’t used to being so immobile. I’ve always been very into physical activity, and it took a toll on my mental health not to be able to do those things.
“I always had major pregnancy cravings and I didn’t restrict myself at all, I wanted to enjoy that special time in my life,” she said, revealing she “loves chocolate” and “craved chocolate mousse every day. I wanted cheesecake, flavoured milk, just anything with sugar”.
Emma Frances Goode before and after her weight loss journey. Photos / Instagram @miss_no_goode
Throughout her pregnancy, Goode says she didn’t “follow a diet or limit food intake, and I’d just order takeaway whenever I felt like it, sometimes several times a week”.
By the time her son, Harvey, arrived in October 2020, the new mum tipped the scales at 95kg, her heaviest weight ever.
But to make a return to her pre-pregnancy body, Goode says she was kind to herself and made simple lifestyle changes that saw her drop four dress sizes and lose 30kg.
She told news.com.au: “It’s hard enough growing a literal human life inside you, so I was kind to myself and knew that I’d get back on track eventually.
“For the first two months or so, I really took it easy. I honestly just started by walking.
“I’d take him in the pram, and do a light walk around the block. It was just a gentle way to get my body moving again,” says the single mum who couldn’t access a gym at the time due to the Covid pandemic.
“Even just cleaning the house was helpful, you can build up a sweat ... I’d often strap him to me and do household chores, and then use cans of food as light dumbbells.
“It was very small steps, but it made a huge difference.”
Goode has documented her weight loss on Instagram. Photos / Instagram @miss_no_goode
When it came to diet, Goode traded the chocolate mousse and takeout for a low-fat, high-protein diet with complex carbohydrates to keep her feeling full.
However, she said she still eats chocolate every day because she’s “not into restricting myself.”
“When I was losing weight, I made sure I was in a calorie deficit, I didn’t want to starve myself.
“Changing a few things is important, but you have to make sure you’re honouring your hunger. It’s all about making smart choices.”
She said by getting back into exercise and reviewing her eating habits, her mental health has also benefited.
“Working out and eating well not only makes me healthier, but it helps me keep on top of my mental health,” she said, adding that for anyone who wants to embark on a weight loss journey, assessing their mental health is important too.
She said she found the drive to change her habits stemmed from wanting to be a good role model for her son.
“Find your reason to want to change, everyone has one. Keep reminding yourself of it when things get hard.
“For me, I want to set a good example for my son. I want him to grow up healthy and with a positive role model.
