Popular fitness trainer Katrina Scott shared an inspiring message this week about how motherhood has revealed to her how powerful she really is.
Scott, 34, co-founder of the Tone It Up fitness and lifestyle program, and her husband, Brian Scott, welcomed daughter Isabelle on Oct. 15.
Throughout her pregnancy, the new mom wrote in a candid Instagram post, she marveled over the physical and mental strength it took to bring her "little miracle" into the world. The fitness expert also encouraged new moms to embrace their post-baby bodies, and revealed that she no longer cared if she ever looked "perfect" again.
"Sharing this post was important to me because I don’t want anyone to think that things are perfect," Scott told TODAY, via email. "Every pregnancy journey is different and for me, a fitness professional, I came home with a whole new body that I didn’t recognize, but I’m excited for what motherhood will bring me. This new body is my new superpower."
Scott told TODAY she constantly hears from new moms who are ashamed of the weight they gained during pregnancy.
"I had no idea how I would feel going into pregnancy and now that I’ve experienced it — gaining more than 40 pounds, discovering new curves and dimples everywhere, and watching my body change every week — I want to share that it’s completely normal to feel every emotion," she revealed.
"Let’s be patient and loving with ourselves. What we’re doing as women is remarkable," she added. "I want to make it okay that we come out of the hospital not feeling like our old selves — because we’re not the same. We’re way more powerful. We’re stronger and have brought a miracle into the world."
On Wednesday, Scott shared two side-by-side photos of herself on Instagram. One was taken before she became pregnant, and the other six days after giving birth.
"On the left I felt like I was the strongest & most in shape I had ever been — but wow was I wrong. I had no idea what I was capable of," she shared in the caption. "I’m so much more proud of the body on the right. I fought harder for it, sacrificed so much more, embraced every day as it came, surrendered to all the change, pushed through the hard days & challenges with a smile on my face."
Motherhood, she explained, opened up her eyes to her real strength.
"I showed myself how truly amazing the female body is," she wrote. "I appreciate and love my body & all that it has done more than I ever have before."
In her heartening post, Scott urged new moms not to weigh themselves or get hung up on post-pregnancy changes in their bodies.
"We have a new journey ahead of us and it’s going to take self-love, patience, & kindness," she wrote.
Now, with Isabelle the proof of her power, Scott revealed she didn't care if her body ever looked "perfect" again.
"I’m capable of so much more now," she wrote, "and I’m excited for my new body and what the future holds."