It comes with the territory. For some unexplained reason, the moment a woman becomes a mother she is supposed to be everything at once; nurturing, loving, responsible, beautiful, and über fit. Feeling overwhelmed with taking care of a baby and siblings, sleepless nights, and attempting to do the same things you did prior to having kids is an unspoken expectation. And no one judges mothers more than other mothers when you are not looking your best. Maria Kang was a mom who proudly showed off her gorgeous bikini body with her three sons with the caption “What’s Your Excuse?” The photo went viral motivating women to work out and get fit while others felt shamed and resentful that they could not achieve such high standards. Three years later, Kang has once again posed in a bikini but this time she is more reflective and supportive of other moms.She started her own group “noexcusemom” when she said she worked eight hours a day, didn’t have a nanny or chef, and was not an athlete or a trainer. Still, she put the time and effort to get this body.
“If I’m not within my desired weight range I would diet 10-12 weeks prior. – Two weeks before I shoot I would up my cardio and decrease my carbs. – A week prior I would start prepping my clothes, applying facial masks and doing a manicure. – The day of I would try to eliminate extra water from my body, ensure I was shooting in the morning (before I ate and was refreshed),” she wrote on her Instagram account.
Her sister-in-law wanted to take some pictures of her. Kang has dealt with depression in the last couple of months and has gained 10 lbs. since she posted her infamous photo.
“I stopped feeling beautiful. Like most moms, my hair is always in a bun, my life is always on the go and my fitness goals are always one of my last priorities. I struggled with motivation, I’ve gained some weight and am experiencing difficult marital challenges,” she admitted to her 61,000 Instagram followers.
