‘Unfit’ mum-of-two is Instagram hit at 42 after transforming mum tum into ripped abs with one simple lifestyle change

AN "unfit" mum of two has become an Instagram sensation at 42 after making one simple change to her lifestyle that saw her turn her mum tum into ripped abs.

Teacher Joanne Peters, from Melbourne, Australia, battled depression and failed to make time for herself after having her two children, now nine and 11.

She didn't have an active lifestyle and soon piled on the pounds - but after seeing a friend's weight loss journey she was inspired to make a change.

She went from 9st 10lbs to 8st 13lbs and said the secret to her new physique was intermittent fasting – eating all her meals within an eight-hour window most days, which eliminates sugar cravings and forces her body to use stored fat for energy.

Joanne set up an Instagram account, , to chart her progress and now has more than 118,000 followers.

She is on a mission to show that it is never too late to get your body back after having children.

Joanne explained: "I was self-conscious of my body prior to weight loss. I hated feeling unfit and I knew my diet was causing problems with my skin and wasn’t helping my general health or my mood.

"I was probably my harshest critic. I was sick of feeling depressed, my skin, hair and nails weren’t great and I knew I needed to clean up my diet and get fit.

“I met up with a friend I hadn’t seen in a while and she had lost 10kgs since I had last seen her and looked amazing. I felt if she could do it then I could too, and she encouraged me to start an Instagram account to follow some inspiring people.

“The game changer for me was intermittent fasting. It made fat loss and maintenance easy. It’s a tool, not a diet and I eat my meals within an eight-hour window most days (12-8pm).

“The reason it works so well for me is that it stops me thinking about food 24/7, eliminates all the sweet cravings that are my downfall and it forces my body to use stored fat for energy. It also has many other benefits aside from helping with weight loss."

She said she prefers not to count calories and just eats as clean as she can.

"I believe food is medicine," Joanne added.

“My fitness journey really didn’t start until six years postpartum with my second. My body bounced back well given I’d taken so long to actually make a start.

“My biggest issue was that I was very weak, but it didn’t take long to see improvements.”

Joanne tries to change things up in the gym as often as she can and lifts weights five times a week for 30-40 minutes each time.

She also tries to go for a walk once or twice a week.

Joanne shared her advice to others and received an incredible response.

“I feel great about my body, especially as I’m the fittest I’ve been in my life," she said.

"People compliment me on my progress all the time and say they feel inspired knowing it’s never too late and that you can get your body back after having children.

“My advice is to focus on the food, as it really is the most important factor no matter what your goals are, and you need to be on top of it to make your workouts count.

“Weight training is the way to go and there are many programs to choose from which all work. Just make sure you keep pushing your body. Workouts should never become easy.”

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Last year we told how a fitness fanatic mum, 46, is mistaken for her teenage daughter’s SISTER thanks to her incredible figure.

Today we reported that Holly Willoughby has been named best dressed celebrity mum-to-be.