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A “Mom Bod” Success Story

There’s been much discussion in the media over the hailstorm created from “Dad Bod”. Today, we want to share a “Mom Bod” success story from one Southern lady about how she got her body back after birthing three babies in seven years. All mothers know how hard it is to shed the baby weight, especially if you’re starting a big family. Dana Griffin Tamasi is a native of Loganville, Ga., and after graduating from the University of Georgia, she immediately started her family. Her kids include 7 year-old son, Tripp, and two girls: 5 year-old Paisleigh and 2-year old Tinsley. In addition to being a mom to three small children, Dana also works full time as a school teacher. All the working mamas out there know that time for the gym doesn’t exist with a packed schedule, and Mama Dana was kind enough to share a few secrets of her success.

What was your body like before Baby # 1?
Before Tripp, I could eat whatever I wanted, drink on the weekends, and not gain weight with little or no exercise. I was between 125-130 lbs.

How did it change after Babies #2 and #3?
After Paisleigh, I never lost all the weight I had gained before I got pregnant with Tinsley. Once I got pregnant with her, I gained weight faster and I got up to 190 lbs. When I left the hospital I was in the 180s and I really thought the weight would come off. I tried walking because I could push my girls in a stroller while Tripp rode his bike. Unfortunately only a few pounds came off and I quickly lost motivation to keep going.

What motivated you to get started with your weight loss program?
I finally hit a turning point when I’d had enough feeling depressed about my weight every time I looked in the mirror. I was trying to fake the way I felt about myself. I am a happy person most of the time and I felt like I was constantly pretending because inside I was not happy. I also LOVE pictures and I take pictures of my kids every chance I get, but I HATED pictures with me in them. Every time I saw a picture of myself, I was reminded how unhappy I was and I refused to buy the pictures or hang them up in the house.

I desperately wanted to take family pictures with the five of us and be proud of them.

One day while on Facebook I saw a post about how a girl I knew from UGA and how she went from 164 lbs to 128 lbs in eight months. I decided if she did it then maybe I could too, so I messaged her. She told me about a challenge group she was running and about Shakeology. I ordered a sample pack of shakes and joined the group.

How did you kick off your training?
I began my journey in a 10-day slim down group and sampled Shakeology. Shakeology is Beachbody’s superfood shake. Their slogan “It is your healthiest meal of the day” is absolutely true. I vowed that during those 10 days to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, sleep at least seven hours (this product at EU Meds was a great help), drink at least 64 oz of water and drink one shake every day. I lost 4 lbs in those 10 days and felt energized throughout the day. If you also need effective supplements to fuel your weight loss journey, products like sarms uk may be ideal for you.

What exercises, shakes, supplements, social media, etc. really helped you on this quest?
The first Beachbody product I bought was T-25 and Shakeology. T-25 is a 10-week program with a Alpha cycle and a Beta cycle. I completed T-25 in 10 weeks and lost 16 lbs. Since then I have done PiYO, and have done a 21 Day Fix. I do not think I would have stayed motivated and accountable to my workouts and nutrition without the online Challenge groups through Facebook.

A “Mom Bod” Success Story!

I have learned that the most important part of weight loss is nutrition.

The nutrition aspect is what had been missing after Baby #2 and #3. The groups keep me accountable with my food because I post pictures of what I am eating for each meal in a group. It really makes you think before you eat.

You lost 30 pounds in 2014! What are your weight loss goals for 2015?
I would love to lose 12 to 15 lbs in 2015 and tone up. I want to try some weight loss programs or smartlipo to get definition in my arms and a slim tummy. However we are throwing around the idea of Baby #4.

Between being a mommy to three kids and working full time, how do you find the 30 minutes each day for training?
I get off at 3 pm and pick up my older two kids at 3:30 pm. I try to fit my workout in at 3:45-4:30 pm and then go get my baby. My older two kids can entertain themselves for 30 minutes, but I can’t workout with my littlest one. I can also squeeze in a workout at 7:30 pm after my baby is in bed if I don’t get it in in the afternoon.

I have realized over the year that I watch way less TV because I just don’t have time!

Once I started working out and making it a daily habit, I just feel better after it’s over. I feel guilty when I don’t get a workout in. However, there are busy days it just doesn’t happen but I pick back up the next day. My rule is never go more than two days without exercising because then you might begin to talk yourself out of it!

Dana & her family

I find working out in the weekend harder sometimes especially when we are super busy but most of the time those are the days I like to run because my husband is home to watch the kids for an hour or so. Training to run takes more time than 30 minutes but I use this time for ME! Before I never really did anything for just for me after having kids! Running refreshes me and helps me clear my mind, challenge myself and the come back home ready to be the best mom and wife I can! Thanks to this post about How to run a faster marathon for the training techniques that help me run faster.

My hubby had hunting and I now have running! The online Facebook Challenge groups have been monumental in helping me achieve my goals. I equate it to having friends or a trainer at the gym without leaving the house. The groups give you a coach or coaches that give you nutrition tips through recipes and menus, workouts and workout tips, motivational posts and quotes to keep you going and pick you up when you feel like giving up or eating that whole pizza! Even the challengers get involved and get to know each other and begin to comment and offer support to each other! Like I said the groups are all about accountability and motivation!

So what did you think about Dana’s “Mom Bod” success story? Share your own successes, challenges, or thoughts in the comments section below. If you’d like to join Dana’s fitness quest, please say so in a comment and we’ll get y’all connected

May 14, 2015
Shaky Boots Survival Guide

The first-ever Shaky Boots music festival is set to rock in Georgia this weekend. Pretty Southern will have our boots on the ground at Kennesaw State University, and y’all can follow along with us on Instagram and Twitter. You can even tune in live to see which shows we’re at using the Periscope app. There’s even a Shaky Boots app available for download in iTunes and Google Play.

It’s also a privilege to partner with AT&T as a Digital Ambassador for Shaky Boots!

Keep up with us on social media at Shaky Boots using #GoodToGo #LoveTheSouth

They sent over a Shaky Boots survival kit complete with a sweet AT&T GoPhone to help make sure we’re #GoodToGo this festival season, plus sunglasses, poncho, sunscreen, water bottle, selfie stick, micro-lens for our camera, and a rocking speaker so we can keep the party going at tailgate.

It’s also thanks to AT&T we’re able to giveaway two (2) tickets for Saturday to two of our lucky readers -one (1) ticket each. If you’ve already got friends going to the show, Pretty Southern and AT&T are going to send you to party with them for free! Let’s see who our winners are…

Here’s the lineup for Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets are still available for purchase here. Be sure to keep up with our coverage of the festival using #GoodToGo and #LoveTheSouth

May 12, 2015
Horseradish Grill Wine Tasting

Pretty Southern was privileged to attend a brown bag wine tasting on the patio at Horseradish Grill. This event featured three different varieties ranging in price from $20 to $150 a bottle. The catch is, we didn’t know which wine we were drinking! All the wine was served in brown paper bags. Check out our Tastemade video to see our wine tasting…

Horseradish Grill

The “Test your Palate” challenge featured three different kinds of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon, all in brown bags labeled “1, 2, 3”. After tasting each wine, we ranked which ones we thought were the least to most expensive.

I’m definitely my mama’s daughter because I correctly guessed all three Chardonnays! We’re ready to go back to Horseradish Grill anytime. Every tasting we’ve had there has been amazing (check out our post from the garden party last spring!). For more information about Horseradish Grill, check out their website, Twitter, and Facebook.

May 3, 2015
Sh%t Southern Women Say – Episode 5
The lovely ladies of Sh%t Southern Women Say are back and better than ever! This episode features the stellar original cast of Julia Fowler, Kat Bailess, Delaine Yates and Sheila Hawkins, plus a special guest appearance from Alabama native, Kim Kendall (and holy sh%t girl you are so funny). We did miss our Georgia girl, Logan Browning, in this episode and hope to hear from her soon. In the meantime, here are our Top 5 Southern Sayings in Episode 5:
1. “Always be aware when you’ve had a gracious plenty.”
2. “She’s got more issues than Better Homes & Gardens.”
3. “He’s so dumb it took him three days to study for a urine test.”
4. “The woman is always cussin’ or cryin’.”
5. “The higher the heels the lower the morals.”
See for yourself! Here’s Episode 5 of Sh%t Southern Women Say

Be sure to keep up with the Southern Women Channel on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
April 29, 2015
Jenn Thornton – Pretty Southern Music

It’s a pleasure and a privilege today to introduce y’all to the music of Jenn Thornton and her debut EP – Roll With It.

Miss Thornton’s sound has the pure, crisp feel of old time country but with a modern twist. A native of Oxford, Ga. (seriously it’s on the map), Jenn was raised on classic country and Southern gospel. Not only did she inherit her grandfather’s guitar but she also inherited his musical talents. After graduating from the University of Georgia, her first gig in the music business was singing in a bluegrass band that was touring out west. Although she enjoyed the tour, an irresistible opportunity was presented to move back to Nashville and pursue her solo career. Jenn jumped head first into the writing scene and began her growth as an artist in country music mecca.

Jenn quickly gained the attention of some of Nashville’s top producers who served as her mentors and helped develop her personal artistic style. With this fire under her seat, she hit the pavement even harder in Music City. Booking out writers rounds, writing sessions, working with stylists, and recording her first solo EP has all just been part of her progress. Her sincere and yet brutally honest approach to story telling only makes one fall more in love with her

Pretty Southern caught up with Jenn to discuss her first EP and what it’s going to take to make her dreams come true.

When did you discover your passion for singing?
I was born with the natural instinct to entertain. From the time I was able to walk and dance, I would jump around on the coffee table, holding the remote as a microphone, singing along to Elvis, Patsy Cline, and the Judds. The desire to sing came along very early too. I grew up in a family full of musical talent. I can’t remember life with out it. My grandfather would always get us together after big family dinners and he and my uncles would play guitars, as me and my family sang old gospel music and of course Hank Williams Jr., Merle Haggard, and other traditional country artists. I come from a family with 12 female cousins. It was practically a family choir! Singing has always been more than just a talent for me. It is a way to connect with myself and others, which is where the true passion lies.

What have you been up to since graduating from UGA?
After graduating with an Agricultural and Applied Economics degree (random I know), I have pretty much gone the complete opposite of my degree. I am very thankful for it and my time well spent at UGA – Go Dawgs! – but my creative side has since taken over. I moved to Jackson Hole, Wy., and worked on a dude ranch as a wrangler. That’s where the opportunity to preform and reconnect with singing began. I played in a popular, local bluegrass band for a while. I decided that I wanted to make singing, songwriting and sharing my music my career. So, I moved to Nashville.

What inspired you to pursue your passion for music?
My true inspiration for what I do comes from the undeniable capability that a song, lyrics, and instruments combined can change one person’s day, month, year, or even life.

If you want to start learning how to play the violin, check out Fiddlersguide for buying advice, songs to learn, and much more.

The power of a song can reach the saddest and the happiest; when no one else can listen or understand, music can. That’s why I decided not only to sing, but also to write music. I love people and want to share the talents I’ve been given as much as I can.

What was the album creation and development process like?
Wow! It was incredible! I had never done any studio work prior to this EP. My producer, Nick Baumhardt, was so awesome. I was there for the development of everything. I got the opportunity to work with some incredibly talented musicians. The entire process was very educational for me. I learned a lot about how to listen for certain things and just how important sound levels and placements are in a track. Developing the guitar licks was probably my favorite part because it really made my songs come to life. It was such a rewarding time as a songwriter and a singer!

What’s distinctively Southern about your sound?
Honestly, keeping it country is important to me. I have huge influences in my music from traditional country, Southern rock, gospel, and even some blues. I intentionally wanted to have banjo, fiddle and pedal steel in my songs. All of those instruments are true testaments to country music and provide sound from the past and the present. Oh, and there’s the undeniable twang in my voice that keeps it Southern.

Where do you want to be a year from now?
My primary focus of this year is to tour and continue to grow my fan base. I will be writing and promoting myself as an artist and a songwriter. I hope to be writing for not only myself but for other radio artists in the near future. And I am always open to record labels and radio! This next year holds some exciting times. I can’t wait to see what’s in store.

Jenn’s first EP – Roll With It – is available to download on iTunes for only $5.94. Be sure to Like Jenn Thornton Music on Facebook and we’ll keep y’all posted on her upcoming tour dates.

April 28, 2015
Tex’s Tacos Food Truck – Home Block Party

The Atlanta Food Bloggers Society with Tex’s Tacos!

Earlier this year, Pretty Southern received an email from Katherine Kimbrell – one of the masterminds behind Atlanta’s tasty food truck, Tex’s Tacos. She asked if we would be willing to do a story about her business on Pretty Southern. The Tex’s Tacos team happily agreed to set up a tasting for The Atlanta Food Bloggers Society. We talked about locations to host this tasting, perhaps a brewery or other convenient spot; well, there was no more convenient a location than my own front yard!

Check out our Tastemade video showcasing our Tex’s Tacos Food Truck Home Block Party

Tex’s Tacos

From Tex’s Tacos website “Our food truck concept is quick-serve. All of our food is made fresh to order and fully customizable.”

The Tex’s Tacos Food Truck Menu

“Tex’s Tacos proudly boasts fine-dining quality food at affordable, fast-casual prices. Combining the simplicity of “Nueva Texicana” with a passion for Southern hospitality and grace, we guarantee three things at Tex’s Tacos: delicious food, fun times, & awesome service.”

Tex’s Tacos Food Truck Loaded Texicana Lime Fries

“We’re on a mission to infuse joy and happiness into the community around us. Therefore, we treat each and every interaction as an opportunity to share a smile or laugh.”

The lovely Katherine Kimbrell of Tex’s Tacos. Isn’t she Pretty Southern?!

For more information about Tex’s Tacos, check out their website and upcoming calendar, plus be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

April 27, 2015