Anna Strode has a message for her more than 48,000 Instagram followers: Even personal trainers struggle to bounce back after baby.
The Melbourne, Australia-based mom, who gave birth to twin boys, Samuel and Lachie, in May 2015, shared two photos of herself side by side. In one image she is kneeling on the carpet and her abs are completely flat; in the other, she is sitting and appears to have rolls and excess skin. The pictures were taken just moments apart.
“The pic on the right is one that might resemble what you see as you scroll your Instagram feed each day,” she wrote in the Wednesday, August 3, post. “The pic on the left probably reminds you of the ones you think you could never possibly share with the world.”
Strode, who has branded herself the “Fit Twin Mama” admitted she was nervous about putting herself out there. “I promise you as I post this, I am no joke, absolutely S- – Ting myself,” she revealed. “But the reason I’m doing this is to show you we’re ALL REAL! … Be proud, be kind, love your body for what is it has done. Stretch marks, loose skin, bellies and saggy boobs — embrace it mummas because you are BEAUTIFUL.”
The post has received nearly 3,000 likes and more than 200 comments. “It’s hard to adjust to saying goodbye to your old body and accepting the new. Your post makes this transition easier,” wrote one mother of twins, while another woman raved: “This is so encouraging. I needed this today.”