good morning! are we all super exhausted even though it's monday and we should feel rested?

this pregnancy is really taking it out of me. i've had to tell my farmer more than once that my energy is just zapped. and my poor gals - i snagged them on friday and they've been immediately thrown into the harsh reality that mommy is definitely not as fun as nana and grandpa...and mommy says "no" a lot. bummer.

actually - i told kaye yesterday that mommy needed to sit down for a break because the baby wanted me to...and she COMPLETELY understood. she asked me again later in the day if the baby needed a break, and you know what? the baby does need breaks. multiple times a day. and my sweet sweet four year old is giving me license to do so. kaye really is the most amazingly sensitive and perceptive sweetheart. all the heart eyes for that gal.

which brings me to - three kids. THREE. i know i'm not the first to have three kids. but man does it feel like a big step.

two - i'm used to two / pairs of everything. hands / eyes / ears / legs / boobs...things come in twos.

three? awkward. i guess we can still go out to eat and sit at a square table. my farmer just can't come.

but you know who's killing it in the three department? my gal katie of a worker at home. she really is. it's gals like her that give me the confidence that maybe, i too, can pull this work from home, raise kids, be healthy, do it all - with grace.

let's hear all about it, but first, as a reminder -

monday mama is a little series i put together to feature moms who have started their own businesses. i was curious as to how these moms were balancing their day to day lives and still looked like they had brushed their hair...because friends...i'm still struggling. #hotmess

with that...katie of a worker at home AND her brand new business - Belle Fitness & Nutrition!

 KARLI |  where did your idea for your small business come from?

KATIE | There's so much noise and clutter out there in the fitness industry. So many women get sucked into the "eat this but don't eat this" mentality or follow a crowd to the newest and latest diet (ugh I hate that word!). Or, they spend hours on a treadmill thinking that's how they are going to lose weight or place drastic restrictions on themselves because we're supposed to be miserable and hungry all the time right!? No. Please, no. I want to be a breath of fresh air in an industry that heaps on guilt and overwhelm. I started Belle Fitness & Nutrition to help men and women find hope and freedom in being fit and strong and confident in who they are and where they are in their own life. Following a workout plan from a magazine or youtube video can be great, but I think to actually reach long-term goals sometimes we just need someone who has experience and an outside perspective to be there for us. We may need someone to keep us accountable and push us towards doing the hard things and making the changes we need to.

Many people can't afford a personal trainer at a gym who they would only see once a week, and they wouldn't necessarily be paired with a trainer who was best for them anyways. For people who aren't able to fit the traditional personal trainer model into their lives like busy professionals, mamas, military families like ours (who move around a lot or are left solo-parenting regularly), and others, hiring an online personal trainer and nutrition coach just makes a whole lot more sense. I'm able to meet my clients where they are at in their lives, get to know them personally to best coach them and they can work through our training program on their schedule. Plus they have access to me through email or text any time of day or night.

KARLI | who's your biggest support?

 KATIE |  My husband by far is my biggest support even when he's thousands of miles away. He has never doubted me for a second and has cheered me on even when I doubted myself. He's my better half for sure.

KARLI | what's been your biggest win?

 KATIE |  I have been working with some amazing women in the few months since I have been officially open for business. Besides seeing them lose inches and pounds they thought were pretty stubborn, it has been incredible to see their mindsets shift from guilt or uncertainty or obsession with food or with the scale to freedom from all of that. Seeing these women realize the beauty and simplicity of listening to their bodies, making self-care important, and working hard to feel strong and healthy and energetic in a way that works in their lives has floored me. My clients who are from all walks of life and are all in different stages of life fire me up every day to keep doing what I'm doing. Their encouragement to me whether through feedback on the programs they are going through, or the texts they send me after they have had an awesome day will always be major wins to me. It's the little things that mean so much!

KARLI | how do you balance your business and your kids? 

 KATIE | I solo-parent thanks to the military taking my husband away for extended periods of time, and am mom AND dad a lot of the time, so to say life is exhausting is an understatement. Finding a balance will forever be tricky especially with how often our family's life changes. To me, it all comes down to priorities. I work out every day because it's a priority to me. When my husband is home, focusing on our marriage is a top priority. So because running a business and being a mom who is present and engaged with my littles are important to me too, I intentionally set aside time every day to drop all of the distractions and focus on those things. Being able to work with clients and trying to grow as a professional in the few hours of quiet I (might) get rejuvenates and refreshes me, so that helps me feel motivated. When it comes time to be with my kids, I know that Belle will be waiting for me as soon as I am back.

KARLI | where do you see Belle Fitness & Nutrition in the future?

 KATIE |  I hope to continue to grow and work with more clients online. Eventually, if my husbands' schedule becomes more predictable (ha!) I would love to start training clients locally in person too. Even if that doesn't happen, the beauty of Belle F&N is that training and coaching nutrition online can go wherever the military takes us, and I'm always just a text or email away from my clients! what do you do with your kids while you work? If they are sleeping, I'm usually getting work done. If I'm working while they are awake, they are with each other in our play room. They are so young, that independence is a struggle for them most days, but as they get older they are playing together more and I'm able to get more work done.


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total rockstar - that katie. military wife. she's moved all over the country. three babies. business owner. passionate about her health and others'. TOTALLY INSPIRATIONAL!

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and hey! are you a mama or know of a mama who wants to be featured on Sept. Farm for the Monday Mama series? i'd absolutely love that. the only criteria is that you have to be a mama AND have started your own business...you know, so you can share your wealth of knowledge on how you're keeping your sh*t together while simultaneously tending your children throughout the day AND working. hello power-multi-tasker. just send me an e-mail at karli@sept-farm.com.