Who is ‘Surprised by Five’ mum Kim Tucci?
She’s the Perth wonder-mum who was mother to three kids, before falling pregnant naturally with five more!
Kim gave birth to her miracle quintuplets at the end of January 2016, and while learning to care for a brood of eight (a big jump up from three!) and all the trials and tribulations that come along with that, she also began trying to get back in shape in preparation for a Channel 7 Today Tonight feature which aired in November 2016 (which you can catch below).
With a little help from Orbit Fitness
As you can see from the feature, Kim has done a fantastic job at getting back in shape… with a little help from Orbit Fitness! As Kim found it difficult to find enough time to leave the house and get to the gym, we provided her with one of our top treadmills – the Yowza Chicago Treadmill – which connects to a digital weight scales (that comes with the treadmill) and the intuitive Mylivelight app to create personalised workouts based on your body and your goals.
We also provided Kim with the Orbit V-Tone Vibration Platform to help her on the road to toning up.
So let’s hear from Kim about how she managed to get back in shape and how she found the Chicago Treadmill and the V-Tone Vibration Machine.
How did you manage to find time to exercise in between looking after the kids? Was there a certain time of day you allocated or did you just jump on the treadmill when you got a spare half hour?
Kim: I have a very strict routine with the quintuplets that allows me time to myself! I hop on the Chicago Treadmill at 9:30am each morning when the babies go down for their morning sleep, I find if I put it off to the afternoon or evening I'm too tired and tend to not get my work out time.
What sort of workouts were you doing? What distance, pace, incline etc.?
Kim: My body has gone through so much over the past year, I always go with how I'm feeling each day and set the workouts to my own pace. On a good day, on the treadmill, I will interval train and put the incline on the maximum level and vary my speeds to work up a sweat. But as a general rule I try to spend 30 minutes each day on the Chicago treadmill and 15 minutes on the VT11 V-Tone Vibration Platform.
What did you like most about the Chicago Treadmill? Was there anything you didn’t like?
I loved that the Chicago gave my knees good support when I ran, I didn't feel that intense leg pain the next day. The fact that the treadmill has hand sensors is amazing as you can increase or decrease the speed without having to touch a button. I find I work out well when I have a good distraction and the fact I can fit my iPad onto the machine is great, Netflix and running at the same time is the norm in my house!
Did you change your diet dramatically as part of your transformation? What would be a typical day’s meals?
Kim: Chocolate has always been my vice, I have tried to cut down but I do still indulge every now and again. Cooking can be incredibly difficult in my household, by the time it's 5 pm I am deliriously tired, cooking is the last thing I want to think about. I have started ordering home-cooked meals from a local company, the produce is fresh and it's all portion-controlled and only 300 calories per meal. A typical day would consist of a protein shake for breakfast, a turkey or ham roll with salads for lunch and a pre-cooked meal for dinner. I do snack throughout the day, sometimes not as healthy as it should be but it really depends on what kind of day we are having.
What were the best and worst things about getting back into fitness after giving birth?
Kim: My body had already been through so much, in a way it felt broken. It was daunting getting back into the swing of things but I needed to make some changes for myself, I was extremely unhappy in my own skin after the pregnancy. The best thing about getting back into fitness was gaining control back of my life and body. We only get one body and I needed to take responsibility for mine.
Are you happy with your progress so far?
Kim: I got up to around 106kg during the quintuplet pregnancy and I'm now 76kg. I have been confident enough to wear shorts, I haven't for 7 years! I was dreading having this photo taken, but after Bec from Orbit sent it to me I was so shocked, that I was actually happy with my body.
How many of you can say you looked in the mirror today and say you were unhappy with the way your body looked? The reality is we do it without even realising it. I cried in Myer 6 months ago and slammed my bathers back on the rack because they didn't look how I thought they would. My daughter Indi started smacking the racks screaming bloody bathers! My children need to be brought up with love and acceptance of who they are and not what they look like. I want them to see a happy healthy mummy, a mummy that can run after them with endless energy.
Do you have any tips for other new mums trying to get back in shape?
Kim: Don't think about it just do it! Stop for a moment and put everything aside and think about yourself for once. Mums instinctively put everyone's needs above their own and it’s so easy to lose your identity along the way. Love yourself like you love your children.
Last updated on 12/11/2021
