Postpartum Comeback Journey
Mayachela (Maya) Garcia • Jul 9th, 2008 • Category: Family Fitness, Training
I’m a new mother and co-founder of Ice Chamber, a unique athletic training facility in Albany, CA that has grown to over 300 members in the course of 3 years. My area of expertise is getting women (especially moms) in top shape utilizing kettlebells, bodyweight movements, weightlifting, and their natural environment. My credentials include: Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA), Certified Kettlebell Lifting Coach (AKC), Certified Kettlebell Trainer (IKFF), Certified Club Coach (USAW), BA Sociology from U.C. Berkeley.
Having been a sedentary person for most of my life, my personal fitness journey started only 8 years ago after the miscarriage of my first pregnancy. As strange as this may sound, surviving both a birth and death in the same moment made me feel oddly powerful and inspired me to shed the negative self-image that plagued most of my teen and college years. I ended up using that miscarriage as a life changing opportunity. I did what many of you did; I found a trainer and never looked back. Since then, I’ve helped hundreds of people lose weight and build inner strength.
In 2007 I became pregnant again. I never anticipated how much weight I would gain while growing a 9 pound boy for ten months. I planned on being one of those girls we all see on You Tube and running laps during my last trimester, but in reality all I could do was walk in straight lines… and even that was difficult. I made it to the other side, survived major abdominal surgery, and was left with 40 of the 50 pounds gained during my pregnancy. At 5 feet tall, fat clings to me like scuba gear.
Like so many brave mothers before me, adjusting to being a sleep-deprived-post-surgery-nursing-new-mom in addition to wife, business owner, and trainer was not easy for me. I agreed to capture my postpartum training days on video in order to show the reality—good and bad—of this humbling time in my life. The video featured below chronicles my comeback journey. In it, you’ll see the phases of my weight loss over the past year, from the cesarean birth to becoming a national gold medalist at the American Kettlebell Club Classic in Las Vegas (while still a nursing mom).
I hope my journey inspires other mothers to believe in themselves and live their best.
MAYACHELA (MAYA) GARCIA is a new mother and co-founder of Ice Chamber, a unique athletic training facility in Albany, CA. Her area of expertise is getting women (especially moms) in top shape utilizing kettlebells, bodyweight movements, weightlifting, and their natural environment. Maya's credentials include: Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA), Certified Kettlebell Lifting Coach (AKC), Certified Kettlebell Trainer (IKFF), Certified Club Coach (USAW), and a B.A. in Sociology from U.C. Berkeley.
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Lorena Garcia sent this page and video to me. It was awesome! I have a question. I would love to go to a gym and have a personal trainer but I can’t afford it. What do you suggest for full time working moms (2 children) who can’t afford the membership fee to join a gym?
Totally awesome, mindblowing, inspiring and amazing!
Maya is an incredible person inside and out. I have had the privilege of working with Maya, both as a training partner and a business partner. She is extremely dedicated to her art. Everyone that enters the Ice Chamber is touched by her loving and generous energy. I am in constant awe of her coaching, communication and kettlebell skills!
Maya, you are so amazing. I am left smiling, and inspired because you are so real and yet you are almost super-human in what you have achieved! Your experience is the perfect metaphor for life. It’s tough out there, and you, being a real woman with real life issues took on ‘life’s work.’ For so many people, real life becomes real work, and all hard, more hard, very hard so that life can become too much. We all have our issues, and therefore our work. You have shown us all how to ‘get the job done.’ You show what it is to lighten up life by taking it on in a positive way, so that it works for YOU….even if it means WORK. Your inspired approach is powerful. I must be philosophical for a moment after watching you and feeling what I feel from your transformation. *Life is truly about giving. All the good energy happens when there is GIVING! You gave of yourself, you gave of your body, your soul, your spirit to be golden with LIFE, not beaten by LIFE. Imagine what your beautiful little boy feels from you, and your wonderful husband, and your clients and friends and neighbors receive from you? Good energy filled with inspiration for health, happiness, love and abundance. Maya, well done! Thank you for sharing your experience: the written story above, this tastefully created video, your hard work to to show us that when we choose to unleash the enormous POTENTIAL inside (mastering self-love and therefore love for all), it is GIVING to the core.
This belongs at the end of my first comment, somehow it got detached.
….Maya showed us that we all have choices about how to live. There is really no easy route (insight from a 52 year old…), but to give of self so as to then give good energy to other people and causes, it seems to make the world go ’round in a positive way.
Maya, all I can saw is W-O-W! You are inspiring.
Great video — what is the song that you used for the video?
Thank you for the incredibly supportive comments. My greatest hope is that this little video continues to inspire many more mothers out there to keep reaching for their personal best, especially during their darkest moments.
Carol, I suggest investing in a kettlebell. They sell them everywhere now (even Target) and with some basic instruction, you can take your fitness level to new heights without the cost of an expensive gym membership.
Christy, the song is Cobrastyle by Robyn. Enjoy!
Hi Maya!
You are such an inspiration! Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I wish I could hire you to train me, but I live on the east coast.
Is there anything out there to help direct pregnant women with their workout schedules? When I was pregnant I was terrified to work out (even though I was a BIG gym rat prior to my pregnancy) because I didn’t want to risk my baby’s health (I had gone through a lot just to get pregnant).
I’m planning on having more children, and I’d like to really keep up with my workouts the next time around.
Do you know of any literature or websites that pregnant women can refer to for working out? Have you written anything? I would love the advice.
Congratulations on the birth of your healthy baby and your triumphant return!
All the best,
Jo
Maya,
I watch this video like three times a week (on my training days) to get pumped. Watching you do the sit ups in the beginning…unbelievable. I just remember not being able to support a good belly laugh after my first son was born…never mind situps.
Thank you for sharing your journey!
Jo,
I would first consult with your physician to make sure you’re all clear to exercise during your next pregnancy. Next, find a qualified trainer in your area to design a program for your prenatal needs. If you’re like me and enjoy functional athletic training, look for someone with experience and who preferably holds a C.S.C.S credential because most of them also have degrees in exercise science. Kettlebell training worked best for me during my pregnancy so if you would like to give them a try, check out trainers through either the IKFF or AKC for instruction in your area. I would also highly recommend prenatal yoga as a supplement to any general fitness program.
I am currently building a blog around exercise for mothers. Send me (maya@icechamber.com)your email address and I’ll notify you once it’s launched. Also keep checking the Chi blogs–there are all kinds of exciting new articles coming soon…
Jennifer, I’m honored. Rock on!
Awesome job!