039 – Breanna Maurer is a mom, personal trainer, and nutrition coach that struggled with her own fitness after her second pregnancy. Breanna shares what inspired her to regain control of her health and fitness and the simple ways she integrated it back into her life.
Topics Covered:
- Taking care of yourself as a mom
- Simple ways to ease back into being fit
- Doing what is enjoyable and works for you
- Integrating fitness into your family life
Today’s Guest
Breanna Maurer
Breanna Maurer is a mom of two toddlers who currently resides with her husband, south of Cleveland, OH. After owning her own dance studio for many years, she recently stepped away from dance to pursue a full-time career as a Fitness trainer & Nutrition coach. She has 10 years of running experience where she began by competing in triathlons but ultimately ended up focusing on trail running. Breanna has stood on the podium a handful of times and hopes to continue to improve within the sport, especially with her favorite distance – ultramarathons! After her second pregnancy, she really struggled and ended up becoming obese. She used running as a way to gain back her health and has set out to help motivate and encourage others to keep moving forward, one step at a time.
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Additional Resources:
- How Running Changed Me – By Breanna Maurer (Runners World)
- “Time on your feet” – Inspire Virtual Runs Podcast – Episode 2: Kickstart Your Running with Kevin Gregory
Listen to Inspire Virtual Runs Podcast:
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Richard Conner 0:00
Welcome to Episode 39. Today’s guest is going to share her journey as a new mom, and how she struggled after her second pregnancy, eventually becoming obese. She will share her inspiration for regaining control of her health and fitness in tips that will help you integrate fitness into your family life. Hope you enjoy. Here’s what you can look forward to on this episode of Inspire Virtual Runs Podcast.
Breanna Maurer 0:27
Oh, the biggest challenge I faced was just, I think getting off of the couch for one I mean, you’re always on the couch connected to a breast pump, you know, for your baby like this is the way I have to feed my baby. I am sitting here on the couch taking surveys for money on my phone. And I wasn’t completely thinking about the fact that I was eating a lot of food to provide for my baby for my body. But I wasn’t actually getting up enough to utilize all the energy that I was taking in and I was just taking in a lot of energy and and not putting it out so I had to get off the couch. It wasn’t going anywhere I knew that I needed to run.
Intro/Outro 1:14
Welcome to Inspire Virtual Runs Podcast, whether you are new to running or seasoned. Get tips and the inspiration that you need to achieve your health and fitness goals. Now, here’s your host Richard Conner.
Richard Conner 1:32
Hi, everyone, welcome to Inspire Virtual Runs Podcast. You’re so fortunate to have great inspiring guests on the show, and today’s no different. Today we have Breanna Maurer, who is a mom of two toddlers, who currently resides with her husband in south of Cleveland, Ohio. After owning her dance studio for many years, she recently stepped away from dance to pursue a full time career as a fitness trainer, and nutrition coach. She has 10 years of running experience, where she began by competing in triathlons, but ultimately ended up focusing on trail running. After her second pregnancy, she really struggled and ended up becoming obese. She used running as a way to gain back her health. And I set out to help motivate and encourage others to keep moving forward one step at a time. So welcome to the show, Breanna.
Breanna Maurer 2:28
Hi, I’m so happy to be here.
Richard Conner 2:31
I’m happy to have you on the show. You have such an inspiring story that I can’t wait to share with our Inspire Virtual Runs Podcast, lots of talk about here. So you know, let’s just kind of jump in. Because I think a lot of the things that you have been through in your life throughout your running journey and family will resonate with our community. So just really excited to kind of jump right in and get to know you a little bit better.
Breanna Maurer 2:57
All right, for my beginning of my journey, but most people don’t realize this from the pictures because I was very obese. But I actually began running when I was 21. didn’t run in high school couldn’t run a lap around the track. But you know, I started running as a way to just kind of just stay in shape. I wasn’t serious about it. And I ran a few marathons, went into triathlon. Absolutely loved it. But then, you know, like any other woman, I wanted to have babies, I ran through my first pregnancy doctors say, go ahead and do all the activities that you you know, that you were doing before now won’t hurt anything. And so I did. It was a little uncomfortable. I mean, you’re growing a watermelon in your stomach, it’s going to be a little uncomfortable. And I just I kept doing it. I kept running. I had my baby and things were okay the first time other than the fact that I was a distance runner before I had babies, and a lot of people don’t know this, but when you’re running a lot of miles before you even have children that you’re more susceptible to a little bit of complications afterwards. Not everybody bounces back. I didn’t bounce back. My pelvic floor was stretched and shot. So you know I did I had some pain just trying to get back into fitness after my first one. But that didn’t last long because I was pregnant again. Normal having another baby. A lot of women do. I had another one. And this time, it was beyond pelvic floor physical therapy. This had to do with my mental health. It was hard for me to continue running the way that you know I had ran before but it was a blessing in disguise. The time that I took off running I did gain some weight, I had a hard time getting off the couch, I started feeling like I had to care for everybody else around me before I even cared for myself. It’s just a lot of emotions that come with being a new mom. And I think everybody says, it’ll be alright, kind of bounce right back. It didn’t happen that way for me. And I wish more people would know that, you know, it’s okay, if you’re going through a little bit of a rough time after you bring a life into this world. Because it’s, it’s not the same. I mean, you’re a mom now. And then it’s hard to take care of yourself and to feel like you need to put yourself first when you have little ones right in front of your eyes. So it was hard, mentally, you know, becoming a new mom and then trying to gain back my health.
Eventually, I ended up gaining, you know, I was over 200 pounds before I realized I have to go the other direction. I didn’t even want to be in pictures of my kids. That’s not what I ever envisioned, especially running through my first pregnancy, I was like, I’m going to be a fit mom. And, you know, we all have these, you know, mental images of what we want to be when we become a mom. And I wasn’t living up to mine. I knew that I wanted running back into my life. So I had to find a way to get it back into my life. So I signed up for a trail marathon. And I hiked to the entire thing, there was 100 mile race going on at the same time. Otherwise, there’s no way I would have finished it. It had a very generous cut off time because of that race. And I hiked, I hiked through the entire marathon, I stopped at every single aid station to use a breast pump. And I finished in last place in the dark.
Richard Conner 6:43
Oh, wow. Breanna Maurer 6:44
Yep, I was the last person on the course. And I said, I’m just doing this for me, something for me something that I want to do. And I knew that like my body physically wasn’t able to run. Honestly, it wasn’t even physically ready to even just to be in that place at that moment. But it’s something that I can always gonna remember because I was such, like I was in a dark place at the time. And I just really wasn’t focused on anything for myself. Now, when I step on a starting line, there’s a goal in mind back into that point of my life is such a surreal moment, because the only thing that I had was just, I’m here for me. So I always have to think that every time I step on a starting line, now I think of that moment, when it was hard to put one foot in front of the other, because that’s how I’m going to help other people is they’re starting where I was for me for just to do something for myself. So I always think back to that moment is very special.
Richard Conner 7:45
That’s wonderful. And thank you for sharing your story. I can’t imagine what you had gone through during that time through your first and second pregnancies, you know, the physical and mental aspects of that. So I really do appreciate you sharing that with us. And I’d like to talk a little bit more about it because you spent all those years running first. And I kind of I kind of laugh or chuckle a little bit when you say you weren’t really serious about running, but you’re out doing marathons that that’s actually that’s kind of funny.
Breanna Maurer 8:16
Probably it’s kind of funny when you think about it, but it was just me kind of trotting along and waving at everybody. It wasn’t anything as what it is now.
Richard Conner 8:26
Yeah. Well, congratulations. Completing the marathons at that. That’s, that’s great. That’s quite an accomplishment. And then, you know, so what was it like for you during that time? So this is before kids, you’re not very serious about fit, fitness and marathons. But but you are doing it like what, what was kind of going through your mind at during those days?
Breanna Maurer 8:46
In the earlier days, okay, so I had, I was always like this person that just wanted to climb up the highest mountain. And actually, if I could give any advice to a new runner, usually the reason that we’re getting injured over and over again, is because we’re just overly ambitious, like myself, I was always overly I was signing up for full marathons completely before I was ready. I went from a 5k to a marathon I skipped the other distances in between. Right now I can count maybe a handful or less half marathons that I’ve actually ever done. I’ve only ever raced one, if that shows you anything, I’ve raced one. So it’s like I kept signing up for these distances just to go like as far as I possibly could, and I kept getting injured. And then I learned that I’m just really ambitious and I can work with this. We just got to do it the right way at this point and I was taught, you’re training age, versus we know where you are. I was just a baby. I mean I was 21 years old trying to do a you know marathons and I mean a lot of professional All runners are young and but we have to understand that our own capabilities are different than other people’s. And as soon as I got that out of my head and started focusing on what I needed to do at the time, that’s when I started actually becoming a better runner. And I think I started becoming a better runner after I had children, because that mindset was already put into place. You’re focused on you at this moment, because I learned that trying to focus on everybody else wasn’t getting me anywhere, not before I had kids and not after. So to focus on you first, and ignore everybody else around you. So when I’m training is, it’s just me. And now that I’m in a career as a personal trainer, and a nutrition coach, I’ve learned that, hey, I need to do my workout first, before I manage anybody else’s training, it’s always going to be me first sight sounds selfish saying that, but it’s, that’s the way it works. For me for my own good. That’s that’s how it’s going to work.
Richard Conner 11:02
Yeah, I can totally relate to that. I mean, when you’re on the airplane, right when they say, but in the case of an emergency put your mask on first before helping others in it. It’s counterintuitive. You’re like, well, I’m sitting next to the ones I love, like I want to put there’s on first, you have to be in good shape and good form to be able to do that. Right?
Breanna Maurer 11:21
So it’s all moms need to need to hear this as athletes, you Are you a human taking care of your body first. And that’s important before you take care of others need to take care of yourself first. And ultimately, it’s going to make you a better mom, it’s going to make you a better coach. Put yourself first, it’s okay. And it’s okay to do that. Well, thank
Richard Conner 11:45
you for sharing. I love how you approached it in terms of being intentional about your training, being intentional about taking care of yourself, so you can take care of care of others. I really love that. And thank you for sharing a little bit more about your running journey, like definitely, you have to take the right steps, or else you’re going to get injured, or you’re gonna get burned out just just like with anything, right and get the proper,
Breanna Maurer 12:10
tiny steps. Yep
Richard Conner 12:13
So let’s transition a little bit. So we talked about it a few times before becoming a new mom, and you’d mentioned how you know, fitness wasn’t a priority, and you went through some physical and health challenges. So let’s go a little bit deeper there. Like what were some of the biggest challenges that you faced. During that time.
Breanna Maurer 12:31
The biggest challenge I faced was just, I think, getting off the couch for one, I mean, you’re always on the couch connected to a breast pump, you know, for your baby like this is the way I have to feed my baby, I am sitting here on the couch, taking surveys for money on my phone. And I wasn’t completely thinking about the fact that I was eating a lot of food to provide for my baby for my body. But I wasn’t actually getting up enough to to utilize all the energy that I was taking in. And I was just taking in a lot of energy and and not putting it out. So I had to get off the couch. It wasn’t going anywhere I knew that I needed to run, I knew that I needed to get my body back to where I felt good about myself, you know where I was active again, I wanted to live the life that I wanted to before I became a mom, I said I wanted to be a fit mom and I I’m not gonna sit here on this couch taking surveys all day. But I wasn’t bouncing back as quick as I could have. But I had to do it on my terms. So I started doing step count challenges with friends. I kept that watch on and I cleaned my house. I was up I was moving. I wasn’t necessarily back to running yet. And I was okay with that. I was just trying to be a little bit more active. So this is before we’re running miles. This is long before that I was up cleaning my countertops, I was walking as much as I could sweeping the broom. I was using all of that daily energy that I needed to do to be productive and to feel good about myself and my surroundings and taking care of my kids. And then take you know doing my hair and my makeup and I’m feeling good about my body. Eventually, baby steps. I would walk outside. It was a little bit nicer. We would go outside in that stroller that I made my husband by that very expensive running stroller because I said I was going to be very serious about getting my running back but I totally wasn’t I was like feeling bad. Because I made my husband buy this like really expensive running stroller for his running wife that currently was not running.
And we would walk to the park and we would we would walk everywhere so I was just trying to win the step count. by being fit mom walk in her little kids to the park every day and and it wasn’t running yet. And I was okay with, you know, I was okay with that because I started seeing progress, I was moving more than I was eating at that point. And I was feeling better because I was moving more. And you know, everyone knows the science, I you know, with mental health and how it’s important to exercise and eat healthy. I mean, everybody knows that science, but I wasn’t living it. And as soon as I started living it in ways that I could manage just by walking to the park to the playground with my kids, that movement added up. And then eventually, I was jog, walking. And then eventually I was kind of jogging. And then eventually I was, you know, I was my rest to work ratios, were actually becoming workouts on our strolls to the park. And I really didn’t need a couch or 5k program that says, hey, I’m going to try my best to run to that tree today. And then when I can’t make it any more, well, then I know the next time I’m going to try to make it to that tree. And then eventually, you know, you’re going to get there. So I really didn’t follow a program. I just really listened to my body. And I really just listen to the fact that, hey, this is what I need to do. And I know I need to do it. And I’m just going to put another small step today into the process.
And eventually I was asking my mom to babysit my kids, so I could go run three miles. So it was just these tiny little steps ended up like Hey, Mom, I really like this jogging stroller and all I want to try to do this today. And I did it that day. And I can’t I remember the first time I ran six miles with a jogging stroller pushing these toddlers around because they were toddlers.
Richard Conner 16:47
That’s amazing.
Breanna Maurer 16:48
Yeah, by the time I got to that point, they were toddlers before I could do it. So it’s just like, you know how like, you go to 5k. And there’s always that mom that’s passing your glide on that. 5k
Richard Conner 17:01
I was just about to say that.
Breanna Maurer 17:02
Yeah. And I was like, Man, I wish I could be that mom. I wish I wish I could read that mom. And here I’m it. I am that mom now. But they’re toddlers. They weren’t in an infant car seat back then you may you see moms that aren’t like they’re pushing an infant car seat around no big deal. But not every moms like that. And I was so proud of myself when I was pushing my three and four year old, a double jogging stroller and a 5k. Because I mean, that’s something that I was like, hey, I want to be that mom someday. So it just really it just went from like trying to get to the stoplight and back or to finally Hey, Mom, can you watch my kids? So I could do this on my own? Do you know today? Can I do it like and I could finally run you know, three miles without stopping. And that’s how I got my fitness back to where I’m going to sign up for an ultra marathon. Just wet. Just like just like that. Yep. Back to like, hey, 5k do a marathon? Well, I just had a you know, I had kids now I’m going to go from a while. Like, if I could push them in a stroller for three miles. Certainly I can conquer the world. What it felt like at the time, I’m sure you’re very excited. Yeah.
Richard Conner 18:20
Yeah, that’s awesome. And, you know, I love the progression that that you made during that time. And, you know, I’m just kind of wondering, like, what was kind of the turning point for you, like you went from the couch, taking surveys and taking care of your kids to know I really need to get off the couch, and I really need to get any steps. Baby steps, as you know, as you mentioned, like what do you think was a turning point in your mind that got you off the couch?
Breanna Maurer 18:45
Hmm. Oh, I remember being in a dressing room trying on clothes for family photos. And I cried, I cried in the dressing room. I was like, I can’t find any photo like photos. I can’t find any clothes that fit me. I didn’t feel good about the way I looked. And I know that like intrinsic motivation is like all about trying to improve your health. But then the extrinsic motivations about trying to win or look good for other people. Or I would kind of find out that I was like, I don’t feel good about myself right now. We’re looking in the mirror. I feel so much better about myself now than I ever have when I came to looking in the mirror. So my first I got off of the couch when I see myself in the mirror and I was like this, I just I’m not happy. I don’t want to I don’t want to be in pictures with my kids right now because I don’t feel happy about the way I look in those pictures. And that’s, you know, that’s really hard to say mean the whole body positivity thing. I’m definitely body positive on all aspects, especially as a trainer as a fit As coach, I want everyone to feel good about themselves. But it is okay. If you look at yourself and you’re like, I want to, I want to feel better about the way I look, you can work for it. If you’re, you know, if you really want to work for it, you can work for it. It’s okay to not feel okay. It’s okay to not feel okay. It’s as a statement that I always tell myself it is okay, if you don’t feel okay.
Richard Conner 20:29
Wow, thank you for sharing that. Thank you. And what a what a turnaround, I guess, right that you had and in your fitness and your feeling about yourself, I think that’s wonderful that you’re able to take those steps and, and I love you sharing the story because we want to inspire others, right to really kind of take those steps, they may be in a place where they feel stuck, they may not know what to do and, and hearing stories like yours is really, really,
Breanna Maurer 21:02
Everything’s pretty much temporary, we can always change how we feel with little tiny steps at a time. So even like, this is why I don’t follow a plan, a running plan, I never probably will a 50 mile race 100 mile race, a weight loss program, any of these programs out there. I mean, I make them myself. But here’s the thing, I think it’s so important to listen to your body, that never going to be offended. If someone comes up to me and says, Hey, Coach, I can’t, I can’t do this today, then we don’t do it today, we don’t do it today, you need a day off, do you need a rest, you need some time with your family take it, you’re gonna feel that good. And maybe you’ll feel like it maybe a couple days from now. It’s okay if you don’t feel like that today. So the whole perception of go hard or go home or, you know, out there training in the rain in the snow. If you don’t like training in the rain or the snow, they don’t train in the rain or the snow, find a treadmill, there’s nothing weak about that. You don’t want to do things with your life. Because it looks looks like you’re a hard ball. Let’s not it’s not good. Who wants to do activity that they don’t like to do. So I don’t like making a weight loss client do a whole bunch of burpees. If they hate doing burpees, I would rather you go up, I would rather you do something that’s enjoyable, find something that you can sustainably do and wake up and want to do it again tomorrow. So a part of that is just finding what makes you happy, how you can get success and how you can be happy. And you know, to promote that success, just wanting to do something. I don’t want you to hate running because you had to do it in the snow or in the sleet. I learned to run on a treadmill. There’s nothing wrong with that run on a treadmill.
Richard Conner 23:02
Yeah, definitely, definitely. I definitely agree with that. Finding something that you will enjoy doing, because then you’ll stick with it. Right? If you don’t like it, and you dread it every time that time comes at some point,
Breanna Maurer 23:14
right
Richard Conner 23:15
You’re probably not going to do it.
Breanna Maurer 23:17
So. yeah. So when I was learning to run again, I mean, I stuck those kids in a stroller and we did it to the park, we did it to the park. And then if I wanted to do some stretches, or I could do some pull ups or I mean, the pull ups back then were a little bit scary looking, but I could try my best. I could try my best. I mean, I could do a little workout at the park. And then we would walk, run, walk whatever we were going to do back. So we had to make this a part of our life, we had to make it something that was enjoyable. This was not exercise at the time, we didn’t want to think of it as like exercise, we wanted to make this something that we could do so that I could win my set count challenge. See my see some results on this scale. And then eventually it started becoming something of a habit, something where we could progress off of off of that face. And it was enjoyable, and I had fun. So if I had to tell any new mom, hey, all those HIIT workouts you’re doing if you hate those burpees don’t do. Don’t do them. Go ahead and go find something that you know that you enjoy and that you love. And for me it was it was running, but it was it didn’t start as running it started as walking, and that’s okay. It’s okay to start as a walker to become a runner. At any point in your journey. I still love walking. I actually consider walking a part of my training. It’s time on my feet.
Richard Conner 24:49
Right? And you know, it’s funny you mentioned that because my coach, my running coach, my Spartan coach, talks about that too, right time on your feet and
Breanna Maurer 24:57
Time on your feet.
Richard Conner 24:59
That’s super are super important. So and we may be different places in our journey. So I may be training for longer distances. So of course, I’m running distances. But if you’re just getting started walking for longer periods of time is going to help you improve. And
Breanna Maurer 25:15
I tell everybody, I mean, walking a mile and running a mile burns roughly the same amount of calories, one takes longer than the other. And there’s nothing wrong with just being out there and just enjoying yourself for a little bit longer. I don’t mind it, especially when I’m running. I’m a trail runner. So we’re I’m out there in those trees for four hours, and I’m okay with it. I don’t care if I just want to walk a mile right here along this river, I’m still exercising, I’m still having fun. It’s enjoyable. So I just want people to find that activity that they can love. And eventually it will turn more into running and running and running, and a lot more running.
Richard Conner 25:59
That’s great. Well, thank you so much for sharing that. I love everything that you shared. I mean, so many great insights here. I mean, especially for new moms, but also for anyone, right? Who, who’s looking to make a lifestyle change, I think you had mentioned something along those lines, right? It’s right, maybe just not a diet or some program that you’re taking, like, it’s really kind of changing your lifestyle, so you can live a better life and enjoy it. So you know, kind of as we wind down here, I’d love for you to share. So as a fitness and nutrition coach, what would be some words of wisdom or inspiration that you would like to leave for the community.
Breanna Maurer 26:39
As a personal trainer, or nutrition coach. So we’ve obviously talked about finding an exercise a way of moving that you can do consistently. That’s obviously my number one. It’s everybody likes to do different exercises. Of course, I’m a runner, so I’m going to pick anything on my feet, whether it’s walking or running or hiking, different environments. I’ve I’ve done it, I’ve tried to include running and walking into different environments in different ways, such as trail running, running through, I’ve done some really weird things like running for a cemetery. Yes, it’s a little spooky, it’s probably more fun at Halloween, but running through the cemetery, you can actually see like, a person died in the 1800s. That rock has been here a very long time. Yeah, you can do all sorts of stuff, right? So we go to the zoo, and I know I’m going to be walking around the zoo, I’ve put 20,000 steps at a zoo and you and you know, it’s like, you know, as a mom and a runner, your feet, your legs can only do so much at one time. So I actually incorporate my daily life into my training. So if I’m going to the zoo, and I’m going to be walking around a zoo or an amusement park all day, hey, that can be equivalent to putting in 20 miles on your feet, you know when you do your regular workout and that. So there’s a lot of ways that I kind of combined that into my life. So my my normal life as a mom and a wife, and my life as an athlete, so I can kind of combine those things together. That’s kind of how I actually set up my workouts. That’s how I would encourage other people to set up their workouts to always put yourself as a human first and an athlete second. And also things like sleep. I’m a huge fan of sleep. If I don’t get enough sleep, and I don’t feel great. I actually switched my workouts around so that I work out on a better body mind set up than I would sleep deprived. So I think just finding and encouraging athletes to use, you know, your your whole life as the platform for your training, but not to put your training up above your life. So many people are stepping into those training plans that I’ve never been able to follow one ever in my 10 years of running. I’ve never been able to follow a training plan. Not even the most basic.
Richard Conner 29:08
Yeah, well, I’m personally a rule follower. So you need the training plan.
Breanna Maurer 29:14
You need Oh, yeah, there’s a lot of people that really need a mentally they need to know like, I got to do this. I got to do this today. I’ve never had a problem saying I could do that two days from now. And I’ll be ready for it mentally, physically. So be it like that. I’ve just never very good at pushing through. I have to do this today because I have to do it today. I don’t want to do it today. I just I don’t do it that day.
Richard Conner 29:41
But I think that’s a really important point. That flexibility because if you are so rigid, yeah, fall into a trap where well I didn’t do it today. So I just won’t do it this week. Right. Right. I missed the day and and I am flexible with my own training in that regard. But I think that would be helpful for people to know like you said, you know, give yourself Grace. If you’re not in the right state of mind or you’re not, then don’t do it, then you know, kind of have that flexibility.
Breanna Maurer 30:05
Right. I think, especially as moms, you never know when you’re going to be picking that kid up sick from school. And then you know, a babysitter falls through on on something and your schedule or agenda, it all gets pushed back changed. But I think especially as a mom and someone that’s going to get into a workout routine, it does help when you wake up earlier, I know a lot of moms have to wake up a little bit earlier to do their their me time. You got to do what you got to do. Unfortunately, though, I have kids that like to stay up really late. So you know, you have to figure that out. And I also have a husband that works and then wants his wife home in the evenings and so you can’t do the workouts then you have to you have to figure that out so that it’s working with you and your schedule and and making it work for other people. But most importantly, again, always yourself. So
Sage advice for listeners Breanna I really enjoyed this conversation. I really appreciate, again, you sharing your story sharing tips for our community to help inspire and motivate them again, if they’re no matter where they are in their journey. If they’re stuck, or they’re just getting started. Really just to kind of inspire them to kind of take those first steps take those baby steps really, really appreciate it. How can the Inspire Virtual Runs community find you and follow you online.
I’m usually active, somewhat active on Instagram, @breannarunningmom I’m doing a little bit more on Instagram now hopefully to inspire others, other moms, other athletes just to keep putting one foot in front of the other think it’s the most important thing we can do because forward is forward regardless of your pace.
Richard Conner 31:55
Excellent. Excellent. Breanna. Again, thank you so much for your time today. Thank you for having this conversation with me. And you know with that, I just want to wish you a great day and weekend.
Breanna Maurer 32:06
Yeah, thank you. Thanks for having me.
Intro/Outro 32:11
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Transcribed by https://otter.ai
Welcome to Episode 39. Today’s guest is going to share her journey as a new mom, and how she struggled after her second pregnancy, eventually becoming obese. She will share her inspiration for regaining control of her health and fitness in tips that will help you integrate fitness into your family life. Hope you enjoy. Here’s what you can look forward to on this episode of Inspire Virtual Runs Podcast.
Breanna Maurer 0:27
Oh, the biggest challenge I faced was just, I think getting off of the couch for one I mean, you’re always on the couch connected to a breast pump, you know, for your baby like this is the way I have to feed my baby. I am sitting here on the couch taking surveys for money on my phone. And I wasn’t completely thinking about the fact that I was eating a lot of food to provide for my baby for my body. But I wasn’t actually getting up enough to utilize all the energy that I was taking in and I was just taking in a lot of energy and and not putting it out so I had to get off the couch. It wasn’t going anywhere I knew that I needed to run.
Intro/Outro 1:14
Welcome to Inspire Virtual Runs Podcast, whether you are new to running or seasoned. Get tips and the inspiration that you need to achieve your health and fitness goals. Now, here’s your host Richard Conner.
Richard Conner 1:32
Hi, everyone, welcome to Inspire Virtual Runs Podcast. You’re so fortunate to have great inspiring guests on the show, and today’s no different. Today we have Breanna Maurer, who is a mom of two toddlers, who currently resides with her husband in south of Cleveland, Ohio. After owning her dance studio for many years, she recently stepped away from dance to pursue a full time career as a fitness trainer, and nutrition coach. She has 10 years of running experience, where she began by competing in triathlons, but ultimately ended up focusing on trail running. After her second pregnancy, she really struggled and ended up becoming obese. She used running as a way to gain back her health. And I set out to help motivate and encourage others to keep moving forward one step at a time. So welcome to the show, Breanna.
Breanna Maurer 2:28
Hi, I’m so happy to be here.
Richard Conner 2:31
I’m happy to have you on the show. You have such an inspiring story that I can’t wait to share with our Inspire Virtual Runs Podcast, lots of talk about here. So you know, let’s just kind of jump in. Because I think a lot of the things that you have been through in your life throughout your running journey and family will resonate with our community. So just really excited to kind of jump right in and get to know you a little bit better.
Breanna Maurer 2:57
All right, for my beginning of my journey, but most people don’t realize this from the pictures because I was very obese. But I actually began running when I was 21. didn’t run in high school couldn’t run a lap around the track. But you know, I started running as a way to just kind of just stay in shape. I wasn’t serious about it. And I ran a few marathons, went into triathlon. Absolutely loved it. But then, you know, like any other woman, I wanted to have babies, I ran through my first pregnancy doctors say, go ahead and do all the activities that you you know, that you were doing before now won’t hurt anything. And so I did. It was a little uncomfortable. I mean, you’re growing a watermelon in your stomach, it’s going to be a little uncomfortable. And I just I kept doing it. I kept running. I had my baby and things were okay the first time other than the fact that I was a distance runner before I had babies, and a lot of people don’t know this, but when you’re running a lot of miles before you even have children that you’re more susceptible to a little bit of complications afterwards. Not everybody bounces back. I didn’t bounce back. My pelvic floor was stretched and shot. So you know I did I had some pain just trying to get back into fitness after my first one. But that didn’t last long because I was pregnant again. Normal having another baby. A lot of women do. I had another one. And this time, it was beyond pelvic floor physical therapy. This had to do with my mental health. It was hard for me to continue running the way that you know I had ran before but it was a blessing in disguise. The time that I took off running I did gain some weight, I had a hard time getting off the couch, I started feeling like I had to care for everybody else around me before I even cared for myself. It’s just a lot of emotions that come with being a new mom. And I think everybody says, it’ll be alright, kind of bounce right back. It didn’t happen that way for me. And I wish more people would know that, you know, it’s okay, if you’re going through a little bit of a rough time after you bring a life into this world. Because it’s, it’s not the same. I mean, you’re a mom now. And then it’s hard to take care of yourself and to feel like you need to put yourself first when you have little ones right in front of your eyes. So it was hard, mentally, you know, becoming a new mom and then trying to gain back my health.
Eventually, I ended up gaining, you know, I was over 200 pounds before I realized I have to go the other direction. I didn’t even want to be in pictures of my kids. That’s not what I ever envisioned, especially running through my first pregnancy, I was like, I’m going to be a fit mom. And, you know, we all have these, you know, mental images of what we want to be when we become a mom. And I wasn’t living up to mine. I knew that I wanted running back into my life. So I had to find a way to get it back into my life. So I signed up for a trail marathon. And I hiked to the entire thing, there was 100 mile race going on at the same time. Otherwise, there’s no way I would have finished it. It had a very generous cut off time because of that race. And I hiked, I hiked through the entire marathon, I stopped at every single aid station to use a breast pump. And I finished in last place in the dark.
Richard Conner 6:43
Oh, wow. Breanna Maurer 6:44
Yep, I was the last person on the course. And I said, I’m just doing this for me, something for me something that I want to do. And I knew that like my body physically wasn’t able to run. Honestly, it wasn’t even physically ready to even just to be in that place at that moment. But it’s something that I can always gonna remember because I was such, like I was in a dark place at the time. And I just really wasn’t focused on anything for myself. Now, when I step on a starting line, there’s a goal in mind back into that point of my life is such a surreal moment, because the only thing that I had was just, I’m here for me. So I always have to think that every time I step on a starting line, now I think of that moment, when it was hard to put one foot in front of the other, because that’s how I’m going to help other people is they’re starting where I was for me for just to do something for myself. So I always think back to that moment is very special.
Richard Conner 7:45
That’s wonderful. And thank you for sharing your story. I can’t imagine what you had gone through during that time through your first and second pregnancies, you know, the physical and mental aspects of that. So I really do appreciate you sharing that with us. And I’d like to talk a little bit more about it because you spent all those years running first. And I kind of I kind of laugh or chuckle a little bit when you say you weren’t really serious about running, but you’re out doing marathons that that’s actually that’s kind of funny.
Breanna Maurer 8:16
Probably it’s kind of funny when you think about it, but it was just me kind of trotting along and waving at everybody. It wasn’t anything as what it is now.
Richard Conner 8:26
Yeah. Well, congratulations. Completing the marathons at that. That’s, that’s great. That’s quite an accomplishment. And then, you know, so what was it like for you during that time? So this is before kids, you’re not very serious about fit, fitness and marathons. But but you are doing it like what, what was kind of going through your mind at during those days?
Breanna Maurer 8:46
In the earlier days, okay, so I had, I was always like this person that just wanted to climb up the highest mountain. And actually, if I could give any advice to a new runner, usually the reason that we’re getting injured over and over again, is because we’re just overly ambitious, like myself, I was always overly I was signing up for full marathons completely before I was ready. I went from a 5k to a marathon I skipped the other distances in between. Right now I can count maybe a handful or less half marathons that I’ve actually ever done. I’ve only ever raced one, if that shows you anything, I’ve raced one. So it’s like I kept signing up for these distances just to go like as far as I possibly could, and I kept getting injured. And then I learned that I’m just really ambitious and I can work with this. We just got to do it the right way at this point and I was taught, you’re training age, versus we know where you are. I was just a baby. I mean I was 21 years old trying to do a you know marathons and I mean a lot of professional All runners are young and but we have to understand that our own capabilities are different than other people’s. And as soon as I got that out of my head and started focusing on what I needed to do at the time, that’s when I started actually becoming a better runner. And I think I started becoming a better runner after I had children, because that mindset was already put into place. You’re focused on you at this moment, because I learned that trying to focus on everybody else wasn’t getting me anywhere, not before I had kids and not after. So to focus on you first, and ignore everybody else around you. So when I’m training is, it’s just me. And now that I’m in a career as a personal trainer, and a nutrition coach, I’ve learned that, hey, I need to do my workout first, before I manage anybody else’s training, it’s always going to be me first sight sounds selfish saying that, but it’s, that’s the way it works. For me for my own good. That’s that’s how it’s going to work.
Richard Conner 11:02
Yeah, I can totally relate to that. I mean, when you’re on the airplane, right when they say, but in the case of an emergency put your mask on first before helping others in it. It’s counterintuitive. You’re like, well, I’m sitting next to the ones I love, like I want to put there’s on first, you have to be in good shape and good form to be able to do that. Right?
Breanna Maurer 11:21
So it’s all moms need to need to hear this as athletes, you Are you a human taking care of your body first. And that’s important before you take care of others need to take care of yourself first. And ultimately, it’s going to make you a better mom, it’s going to make you a better coach. Put yourself first, it’s okay. And it’s okay to do that. Well, thank
Richard Conner 11:45
you for sharing. I love how you approached it in terms of being intentional about your training, being intentional about taking care of yourself, so you can take care of care of others. I really love that. And thank you for sharing a little bit more about your running journey, like definitely, you have to take the right steps, or else you’re going to get injured, or you’re gonna get burned out just just like with anything, right and get the proper,
Breanna Maurer 12:10
tiny steps. Yep
Richard Conner 12:13
So let’s transition a little bit. So we talked about it a few times before becoming a new mom, and you’d mentioned how you know, fitness wasn’t a priority, and you went through some physical and health challenges. So let’s go a little bit deeper there. Like what were some of the biggest challenges that you faced. During that time.
Breanna Maurer 12:31
The biggest challenge I faced was just, I think, getting off the couch for one, I mean, you’re always on the couch connected to a breast pump, you know, for your baby like this is the way I have to feed my baby, I am sitting here on the couch, taking surveys for money on my phone. And I wasn’t completely thinking about the fact that I was eating a lot of food to provide for my baby for my body. But I wasn’t actually getting up enough to to utilize all the energy that I was taking in. And I was just taking in a lot of energy and and not putting it out. So I had to get off the couch. It wasn’t going anywhere I knew that I needed to run, I knew that I needed to get my body back to where I felt good about myself, you know where I was active again, I wanted to live the life that I wanted to before I became a mom, I said I wanted to be a fit mom and I I’m not gonna sit here on this couch taking surveys all day. But I wasn’t bouncing back as quick as I could have. But I had to do it on my terms. So I started doing step count challenges with friends. I kept that watch on and I cleaned my house. I was up I was moving. I wasn’t necessarily back to running yet. And I was okay with that. I was just trying to be a little bit more active. So this is before we’re running miles. This is long before that I was up cleaning my countertops, I was walking as much as I could sweeping the broom. I was using all of that daily energy that I needed to do to be productive and to feel good about myself and my surroundings and taking care of my kids. And then take you know doing my hair and my makeup and I’m feeling good about my body. Eventually, baby steps. I would walk outside. It was a little bit nicer. We would go outside in that stroller that I made my husband by that very expensive running stroller because I said I was going to be very serious about getting my running back but I totally wasn’t I was like feeling bad. Because I made my husband buy this like really expensive running stroller for his running wife that currently was not running.
And we would walk to the park and we would we would walk everywhere so I was just trying to win the step count. by being fit mom walk in her little kids to the park every day and and it wasn’t running yet. And I was okay with, you know, I was okay with that because I started seeing progress, I was moving more than I was eating at that point. And I was feeling better because I was moving more. And you know, everyone knows the science, I you know, with mental health and how it’s important to exercise and eat healthy. I mean, everybody knows that science, but I wasn’t living it. And as soon as I started living it in ways that I could manage just by walking to the park to the playground with my kids, that movement added up. And then eventually, I was jog, walking. And then eventually I was kind of jogging. And then eventually I was, you know, I was my rest to work ratios, were actually becoming workouts on our strolls to the park. And I really didn’t need a couch or 5k program that says, hey, I’m going to try my best to run to that tree today. And then when I can’t make it any more, well, then I know the next time I’m going to try to make it to that tree. And then eventually, you know, you’re going to get there. So I really didn’t follow a program. I just really listened to my body. And I really just listen to the fact that, hey, this is what I need to do. And I know I need to do it. And I’m just going to put another small step today into the process.
And eventually I was asking my mom to babysit my kids, so I could go run three miles. So it was just these tiny little steps ended up like Hey, Mom, I really like this jogging stroller and all I want to try to do this today. And I did it that day. And I can’t I remember the first time I ran six miles with a jogging stroller pushing these toddlers around because they were toddlers.
Richard Conner 16:47
That’s amazing.
Breanna Maurer 16:48
Yeah, by the time I got to that point, they were toddlers before I could do it. So it’s just like, you know how like, you go to 5k. And there’s always that mom that’s passing your glide on that. 5k
Richard Conner 17:01
I was just about to say that.
Breanna Maurer 17:02
Yeah. And I was like, Man, I wish I could be that mom. I wish I wish I could read that mom. And here I’m it. I am that mom now. But they’re toddlers. They weren’t in an infant car seat back then you may you see moms that aren’t like they’re pushing an infant car seat around no big deal. But not every moms like that. And I was so proud of myself when I was pushing my three and four year old, a double jogging stroller and a 5k. Because I mean, that’s something that I was like, hey, I want to be that mom someday. So it just really it just went from like trying to get to the stoplight and back or to finally Hey, Mom, can you watch my kids? So I could do this on my own? Do you know today? Can I do it like and I could finally run you know, three miles without stopping. And that’s how I got my fitness back to where I’m going to sign up for an ultra marathon. Just wet. Just like just like that. Yep. Back to like, hey, 5k do a marathon? Well, I just had a you know, I had kids now I’m going to go from a while. Like, if I could push them in a stroller for three miles. Certainly I can conquer the world. What it felt like at the time, I’m sure you’re very excited. Yeah.
Richard Conner 18:20
Yeah, that’s awesome. And, you know, I love the progression that that you made during that time. And, you know, I’m just kind of wondering, like, what was kind of the turning point for you, like you went from the couch, taking surveys and taking care of your kids to know I really need to get off the couch, and I really need to get any steps. Baby steps, as you know, as you mentioned, like what do you think was a turning point in your mind that got you off the couch?
Breanna Maurer 18:45
Hmm. Oh, I remember being in a dressing room trying on clothes for family photos. And I cried, I cried in the dressing room. I was like, I can’t find any photo like photos. I can’t find any clothes that fit me. I didn’t feel good about the way I looked. And I know that like intrinsic motivation is like all about trying to improve your health. But then the extrinsic motivations about trying to win or look good for other people. Or I would kind of find out that I was like, I don’t feel good about myself right now. We’re looking in the mirror. I feel so much better about myself now than I ever have when I came to looking in the mirror. So my first I got off of the couch when I see myself in the mirror and I was like this, I just I’m not happy. I don’t want to I don’t want to be in pictures with my kids right now because I don’t feel happy about the way I look in those pictures. And that’s, you know, that’s really hard to say mean the whole body positivity thing. I’m definitely body positive on all aspects, especially as a trainer as a fit As coach, I want everyone to feel good about themselves. But it is okay. If you look at yourself and you’re like, I want to, I want to feel better about the way I look, you can work for it. If you’re, you know, if you really want to work for it, you can work for it. It’s okay to not feel okay. It’s okay to not feel okay. It’s as a statement that I always tell myself it is okay, if you don’t feel okay.
Richard Conner 20:29
Wow, thank you for sharing that. Thank you. And what a what a turnaround, I guess, right that you had and in your fitness and your feeling about yourself, I think that’s wonderful that you’re able to take those steps and, and I love you sharing the story because we want to inspire others, right to really kind of take those steps, they may be in a place where they feel stuck, they may not know what to do and, and hearing stories like yours is really, really,
Breanna Maurer 21:02
Everything’s pretty much temporary, we can always change how we feel with little tiny steps at a time. So even like, this is why I don’t follow a plan, a running plan, I never probably will a 50 mile race 100 mile race, a weight loss program, any of these programs out there. I mean, I make them myself. But here’s the thing, I think it’s so important to listen to your body, that never going to be offended. If someone comes up to me and says, Hey, Coach, I can’t, I can’t do this today, then we don’t do it today, we don’t do it today, you need a day off, do you need a rest, you need some time with your family take it, you’re gonna feel that good. And maybe you’ll feel like it maybe a couple days from now. It’s okay if you don’t feel like that today. So the whole perception of go hard or go home or, you know, out there training in the rain in the snow. If you don’t like training in the rain or the snow, they don’t train in the rain or the snow, find a treadmill, there’s nothing weak about that. You don’t want to do things with your life. Because it looks looks like you’re a hard ball. Let’s not it’s not good. Who wants to do activity that they don’t like to do. So I don’t like making a weight loss client do a whole bunch of burpees. If they hate doing burpees, I would rather you go up, I would rather you do something that’s enjoyable, find something that you can sustainably do and wake up and want to do it again tomorrow. So a part of that is just finding what makes you happy, how you can get success and how you can be happy. And you know, to promote that success, just wanting to do something. I don’t want you to hate running because you had to do it in the snow or in the sleet. I learned to run on a treadmill. There’s nothing wrong with that run on a treadmill.
Richard Conner 23:02
Yeah, definitely, definitely. I definitely agree with that. Finding something that you will enjoy doing, because then you’ll stick with it. Right? If you don’t like it, and you dread it every time that time comes at some point,
Breanna Maurer 23:14
right
Richard Conner 23:15
You’re probably not going to do it.
Breanna Maurer 23:17
So. yeah. So when I was learning to run again, I mean, I stuck those kids in a stroller and we did it to the park, we did it to the park. And then if I wanted to do some stretches, or I could do some pull ups or I mean, the pull ups back then were a little bit scary looking, but I could try my best. I could try my best. I mean, I could do a little workout at the park. And then we would walk, run, walk whatever we were going to do back. So we had to make this a part of our life, we had to make it something that was enjoyable. This was not exercise at the time, we didn’t want to think of it as like exercise, we wanted to make this something that we could do so that I could win my set count challenge. See my see some results on this scale. And then eventually it started becoming something of a habit, something where we could progress off of off of that face. And it was enjoyable, and I had fun. So if I had to tell any new mom, hey, all those HIIT workouts you’re doing if you hate those burpees don’t do. Don’t do them. Go ahead and go find something that you know that you enjoy and that you love. And for me it was it was running, but it was it didn’t start as running it started as walking, and that’s okay. It’s okay to start as a walker to become a runner. At any point in your journey. I still love walking. I actually consider walking a part of my training. It’s time on my feet.
Richard Conner 24:49
Right? And you know, it’s funny you mentioned that because my coach, my running coach, my Spartan coach, talks about that too, right time on your feet and
Breanna Maurer 24:57
Time on your feet.
Richard Conner 24:59
That’s super are super important. So and we may be different places in our journey. So I may be training for longer distances. So of course, I’m running distances. But if you’re just getting started walking for longer periods of time is going to help you improve. And
Breanna Maurer 25:15
I tell everybody, I mean, walking a mile and running a mile burns roughly the same amount of calories, one takes longer than the other. And there’s nothing wrong with just being out there and just enjoying yourself for a little bit longer. I don’t mind it, especially when I’m running. I’m a trail runner. So we’re I’m out there in those trees for four hours, and I’m okay with it. I don’t care if I just want to walk a mile right here along this river, I’m still exercising, I’m still having fun. It’s enjoyable. So I just want people to find that activity that they can love. And eventually it will turn more into running and running and running, and a lot more running.
Richard Conner 25:59
That’s great. Well, thank you so much for sharing that. I love everything that you shared. I mean, so many great insights here. I mean, especially for new moms, but also for anyone, right? Who, who’s looking to make a lifestyle change, I think you had mentioned something along those lines, right? It’s right, maybe just not a diet or some program that you’re taking, like, it’s really kind of changing your lifestyle, so you can live a better life and enjoy it. So you know, kind of as we wind down here, I’d love for you to share. So as a fitness and nutrition coach, what would be some words of wisdom or inspiration that you would like to leave for the community.
Breanna Maurer 26:39
As a personal trainer, or nutrition coach. So we’ve obviously talked about finding an exercise a way of moving that you can do consistently. That’s obviously my number one. It’s everybody likes to do different exercises. Of course, I’m a runner, so I’m going to pick anything on my feet, whether it’s walking or running or hiking, different environments. I’ve I’ve done it, I’ve tried to include running and walking into different environments in different ways, such as trail running, running through, I’ve done some really weird things like running for a cemetery. Yes, it’s a little spooky, it’s probably more fun at Halloween, but running through the cemetery, you can actually see like, a person died in the 1800s. That rock has been here a very long time. Yeah, you can do all sorts of stuff, right? So we go to the zoo, and I know I’m going to be walking around the zoo, I’ve put 20,000 steps at a zoo and you and you know, it’s like, you know, as a mom and a runner, your feet, your legs can only do so much at one time. So I actually incorporate my daily life into my training. So if I’m going to the zoo, and I’m going to be walking around a zoo or an amusement park all day, hey, that can be equivalent to putting in 20 miles on your feet, you know when you do your regular workout and that. So there’s a lot of ways that I kind of combined that into my life. So my my normal life as a mom and a wife, and my life as an athlete, so I can kind of combine those things together. That’s kind of how I actually set up my workouts. That’s how I would encourage other people to set up their workouts to always put yourself as a human first and an athlete second. And also things like sleep. I’m a huge fan of sleep. If I don’t get enough sleep, and I don’t feel great. I actually switched my workouts around so that I work out on a better body mind set up than I would sleep deprived. So I think just finding and encouraging athletes to use, you know, your your whole life as the platform for your training, but not to put your training up above your life. So many people are stepping into those training plans that I’ve never been able to follow one ever in my 10 years of running. I’ve never been able to follow a training plan. Not even the most basic.
Richard Conner 29:08
Yeah, well, I’m personally a rule follower. So you need the training plan.
Breanna Maurer 29:14
You need Oh, yeah, there’s a lot of people that really need a mentally they need to know like, I got to do this. I got to do this today. I’ve never had a problem saying I could do that two days from now. And I’ll be ready for it mentally, physically. So be it like that. I’ve just never very good at pushing through. I have to do this today because I have to do it today. I don’t want to do it today. I just I don’t do it that day.
Richard Conner 29:41
But I think that’s a really important point. That flexibility because if you are so rigid, yeah, fall into a trap where well I didn’t do it today. So I just won’t do it this week. Right. Right. I missed the day and and I am flexible with my own training in that regard. But I think that would be helpful for people to know like you said, you know, give yourself Grace. If you’re not in the right state of mind or you’re not, then don’t do it, then you know, kind of have that flexibility.
Breanna Maurer 30:05
Right. I think, especially as moms, you never know when you’re going to be picking that kid up sick from school. And then you know, a babysitter falls through on on something and your schedule or agenda, it all gets pushed back changed. But I think especially as a mom and someone that’s going to get into a workout routine, it does help when you wake up earlier, I know a lot of moms have to wake up a little bit earlier to do their their me time. You got to do what you got to do. Unfortunately, though, I have kids that like to stay up really late. So you know, you have to figure that out. And I also have a husband that works and then wants his wife home in the evenings and so you can’t do the workouts then you have to you have to figure that out so that it’s working with you and your schedule and and making it work for other people. But most importantly, again, always yourself. So
Sage advice for listeners Breanna I really enjoyed this conversation. I really appreciate, again, you sharing your story sharing tips for our community to help inspire and motivate them again, if they’re no matter where they are in their journey. If they’re stuck, or they’re just getting started. Really just to kind of inspire them to kind of take those first steps take those baby steps really, really appreciate it. How can the Inspire Virtual Runs community find you and follow you online.
I’m usually active, somewhat active on Instagram, @breannarunningmom I’m doing a little bit more on Instagram now hopefully to inspire others, other moms, other athletes just to keep putting one foot in front of the other think it’s the most important thing we can do because forward is forward regardless of your pace.
Richard Conner 31:55
Excellent. Excellent. Breanna. Again, thank you so much for your time today. Thank you for having this conversation with me. And you know with that, I just want to wish you a great day and weekend.
Breanna Maurer 32:06
Yeah, thank you. Thanks for having me.
Intro/Outro 32:11
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Transcribed by https://otter.ai