Bye-Bye Mum Bod!

One Woman’s Journey To Reclaim Her Body

At 43, I was sliding into middle age with the grace of a woman kicking and screaming, desperately trying to hang on to my once-firm, perkily reliable body, despite the inevitable. But my body was betraying me. My thighs: wobbling with cellulite. My bottom: sagging and and spreading like a comfy old couch. And my one loyal companion — my slim waist — had developed a soft, squishy paunch.

In my 20’s I had been a pert size 8, in my thirties I had been a tight size 10 and now in my 40’s I was finding myself an overly comfortable size 12.

So, what now? Embrace the “mum bod” and continue to bulge in ill-fitting clothes or quietly disappear under and oversized shirts? Or fight back — possibly fail — and risk another spiral of disappointment?

I chose to fight. Again.

For two solid years, I was a regular at my local gym. High-intensity cardio, boxing, weight training, body combat, step class — you name it, I did it. And I loved it! But the results? Nothing. My bottom still drooped. The stubborn saddlebag weight clung on. And my tummy bump? A permanent plus-one.

Then, a friend introduced me to something different: a metabolic diet. This wasn’t some cookie-cutter meal plan or cabbage soup nonsense. This was precision nutrition, based entirely on my body’s unique needs.

At my first consult, I weighed 73kg. My goal? Under 65kg — ideally 62kg. Whitsunday-based Nutritionist Bec Tarver assured me it was absolutely achievable. First step? A blood test sent off to Germany to be scientifically analysed with some top-secret formula that matches your metabolism with your ideal foods.

We locked in a start date for a quieter time in life, and my husband and I jumped in together. The program kicked off in June with Phase 1: a weekend of nothing but veggies. Then came Phase 2, and things got serious. Every ingredient was weighed to the gram. Meals were spaced precisely five hours apart. No snacks. No sugar. No carbs. No joy. Just water. And food cooked without oil, butter, or flavouring.

Let me tell you — the detox hit hard. We were foggy-brained, moody, and exhausted. Food was joy, and now joy had ghosted me. I also discovered how often I used food as a reward. After long workdays, after events, after anything. Without it, life felt flat, my spark was gone.

Two weeks in, I dragged myself back to Bec.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were struggling earlier?” she asked, clearly concerned.

I told her I thought I had to just battle through it. But she listened and we made some game-changing tweaks: milk in my tea, a little fat in my cooking, vitamin B supplements.

And just like that, everything shifted, a new life began. I felt energised, clear-headed, and no longer bloated or gassy. I was still eating small portions and following the five-hour rule, but I was finally thriving.

Four weeks in, and we were both feeling the best we had in years. My husband’s belly had vanished — and he was literally dancing around the house. His snoring? Gone. He felt agile and alive. In total, he’d lost nearly 10kg — 7.5kg of that in just four weeks of the diet.

As for me? I’d dropped 7kg in two months — 5.5kg of that in the most recent four weeks. Clothes that had been suffocating me now fit like a dream. Love handles? Smoothed out. Cellulite? Almost vanished. My thighs? Shapely, not shaky.

But most of all, I felt well. Food really is fuel and I was pumping myself full of premium energy, that set me up for success! I felt like I’d cracked the code!

Now comes the next phase: making this my forever lifestyle. But for now? I'm strutting around like the sassiest version of myself — firm, fit, and full of food-fuelled joy.

Stay tuned for the next update. This mum bod is gone, and she’s not coming back!

For more information contact rebeccatarvernutritionist.com.

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