“Love the skin you are in”: Jana Pittman’s honest snaps prompt outpouring of love
Former Olympic athlete and mother-of-six Jana Pittman has taken to Instagram to share an important message on loving your body with her followers.
Jana’s post featured a length caption that was, in her words, “close to my heart”. In it, the 40-year-old was open and honest with her supporters about the impact of motherhood on her body, time, and the “emotional and stressful journey” she has been on over the course of the last year.
Alongside the caption came three pictures of Jana, clad in just her underwear and a glowing smile, in a series of poses. One sees her adopting the ‘Superwoman pose’, hands on her hips in a show of strength and power, and another sees her making a heart shape with her own stomach, in a sweet reflection of her “love the skin you are in” message.
“I wanted to share these photos because they speak volumes to me. This body used to be ripped and lean, racing for Aus against the world’s best,” Jana wrote.
“Fast forward 16 years, 6 kids later and this is where I am at. Yes this is the heaviest I have ever been, yes my body wears the beautiful scars of motherhood, especially the stretched skin from the twins at 39 years old but I am also heavy due to being so time poor!!
“Many of my posts show this tough and crazy woman managing so many different facets of life but the reality is I have had to make choices with my time and there has been very little left for me. The last 12 months have been an emotional and stressful journey on several fronts which resulted in comfort eating here and there... so I am now the same weight as when I was heavily pregnant!”
Jana went on to share her gratitude for her body and all that it's capable of, while admitting that it isn’t always so easy, telling fans “this is me right now and while I am not exactly comfortable, I am so grateful for this body. It has bravely taken me through so much and even though I don't always honour it, it honours me.
“Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. Love the skin you are in.”
The post - tagged with the likes of #bodypositive, #beproud, #postpregnancybody, #loveyourself, and #grateful - immediately resonated with Jana’s followers, with many opening up to her and each other about their own journeys with their bodies.
“This is an extremely important message and I myself have to remind myself what my body has done and created,” one wrote. “Love every stretch mark and dimple as this is the vessel that helped create and carry life.”
“Thank you so much for being so raw and beautiful. You are such an inspiration,” chimed another, who like many was glad to know she wasn’t alone in her feelings. “I really appreciate you sharing as this is exactly how I feel right now and its nice to know we are all in this together.”
“I’m the same, after having twins 11 months ago and two other children my stomach has changed shape and bulges. I don’t have time to get into shape, I’m time poor as back at work. Sleep is actually more important for me right now! Better quality sleep!” One told Jana, to which the Olympian replied, agreeing, that going back to work can be a big step with twins who wake during the night.
Australian swimmer Shayna Jack even joined the conversation, declaring Jana to be an “amazing inspiration.”
And fellow Olympian Anna Meares echoed the sentiment of Shayna and hundreds of others in the comments, writing, “you continue to amaze and inspire me!”
Images: Instagram