How Two Moms Helped Each Other Lose Total of 65 Pounds

It isn't uncommon for women to fantasize about welcoming a child into the world at the same time as their friend; this way, they will have someone who understands what they are going through.

Whether that be sleep deprivation or weight gain, for Disney Peterson, 34, and Callie Gilbert, 25, it was the latter. These Utah moms from Salt Lake City were both unhappy with their postpartum physique.

A 2016 CDC study in 48 states found that 48 percent of women gained too much weight while pregnant. Peterson weighed 170 pounds at the start of 2022, and Gilbert, 180 pounds. With five days a week of intense training, they have now, just over a year later, lost a combined total of 65 pounds.

Peterson told Newsweek: "A big goal that we set together was to show up for each other and to show up in the morning.

"Both of us were not morning people at all, so setting the goal of 5:30 a.m. seemed a little overwhelming. However, because we had each other, to keep ourselves accountable, we were able to turn our goal into a habit, and now we both look forward to waking up in the morning. It's basically a necessity at this point and sets the tone for our whole day."

The pair, who initially met in a park back in 2021, both fell pregnant during the spring. After giving birth to their daughters, they began walking before joining a gym.

"The hard part is when you're not pregnant anymore, and still eating whatever you want," mom-of-two Gilbert told Newsweek. "I kept Costco-size bags of candy in my nightstand to snack on, which was a terrible habit.

Gilbert added: "As silly as it sounds, a big change I had to make was my grocery shopping. I started ordering my groceries online and having them delivered, and it helped me stay away from impulse-buying treats and candy. Not to say that I don't still eat treats, but I'm more purposeful about it now."

Changing her diet wasn't as easy for Peterson as she wanted to focus solely on the gym first.

"I was also learning how to juggle four kids. That's probably why my progress took a little bit longer as well. Once I was confident that I had the gym aspect down, then adding eating more healthily wouldn't be so overwhelming," Peterson told Newsweek.

Both women began tracking the three macronutrients; proteins, carbohydrates (carbs), and fats.

Peterson added: "I eat to fuel my body and my muscle. Whereas before, I wasn't even really paying attention to what I was putting in my mouth, and I very rarely incorporated vegetables and fruits into my diet or protein.

"Now, I plan all of my meals around my protein, then add fruits and vegetables. I still enjoy treats and chocolate too," Peterson said.

"I'm a firm believer in balance and live my life by the 80/20 rule; 80 percent of the time I'm eating really healthy so that 20 percent of the time I can indulge."

The pair recently went viral on Instagram. The clip shared to their joint account @fitdiariesofdisandcal has racked up more than 20.1 million views since it was posted on December, 16.

The montage of videos shows them high-fiving in the changing room between January and December 2022, wearing a sports bra, shorts, or leggings. They appear noticeably different in every clip.

One user wrote: "You both look younger and younger overtime."

Another posted: "Love the commitment!! The gym is my happy place and I wish I had friends to enjoy it with!!"

After losing 35 pounds, Gilbert now weighs 145 pounds, and Peterson weighs 140 pounds. To reach her goal, she hopes to shed an additional 5 to 10 pounds.

All things considered, the pair couldn't be happier with themselves and they want to encourage other mothers that it is possible to shed extra pounds after giving birth. However, their journey offers more advantages than that.

Gilbert said: "I think we are both good at reminding each other we were beautiful and strong no matter what. Each time I upped my weights in a lift, Disney was there hyping me up.

"An unexpected but huge benefit is how our friendship deepened. Having mom friends is fun, you catch up at play dates, talk about the kids etcetera, but me and Disney really became best friends.

"We had many therapy sessions mid-workout. One time, I even had to run to the bathroom and finish crying in there, but I'm glad I had Disney to lean on in that moment," Gilbert added.

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