Interview with Fit Mom Diet Team Kim Miller & Shannon Dougherty

The FitMomDiet power duo, Kim Killer and Shannon Dougherty are 30-something year old moms and fitness enthusiasts who recently teamed up to promote their mission of helping families lead a healthier, fitness driven lifestyle and becoming positive role models for their children.  Many women will encounter their first struggle with losing weight and body image after they have given birth to their child.  It’s a tough road that even surprised a seasoned fitness enthusiast like me.  These two women offer a fantastic blueprint on how to get back on track and think creatively when it comes to healthy meals for the family.  Follow along on this insightful interview with the duo as they answer hot topics like balancing motherhood with taking care of yourself, their top fitness foods and more.

1. Tell us about yourselves.

Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty represent the Fit Mom Diet Team. They are both nationally published writers, fitness models, moms, bloggers and advocates for health, wellness and clean eating. A two-time fitness magazine cover model, Kim’s images and articles can be seen in a wide variety of publications where she writes on health, wellness, cooking, fitness and parenting. She is also a widely published fitness stylist. Shannon’s image currently appears on the cover of The Training Edge Magazine, The National Academy of Sport’s Medicine’s publication. Her recipes have appeared in numerous publications and she is certified trainer, sports enthusiast and health expert.

Shannon holds a Bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University in Kinesiology with a specialty in Sports Medicine and Kim has a Master’s Degree from Miami University with a background in coaching and college level teaching. Together on behalf of Fit Mom Diet they have published countless articles, images, Ebooks, represented national companies, been featured on nationally syndicated television programs, worked as ambassadors for health and sports related companies, served as public speakers, coached women through their virtual coaching program, been sponsored athletes, developed a wide social reach and built Fit Mom Diet with the goal of inspiring women everywhere to eat clean, live fit and be amazing.

2. When did you first start getting serious about living a healthy lifestyle? What was your motivation?

Both Kim and Shannon have transformation stories that started not long after having children. Between the two they lost over 100 lbs. by changing their lifestyle, incorporating clean eating into their diet and being consistent with exercise. Most importantly, they focused on the mental aspects of health and fitness. They learned to love their bodies exactly where they were at and dedicate time to not just crafting a particular physique but rather learning to live balanced healthy lifestyles. They aimed to be role models to their children and in the process also help motivate others around them. Their motto – healthy moms make happy lives.

3. What were some of the things you wanted to improve most about your body?

Overall both women wanted to achieve a high level of overall health and fitness which was defined by excellent cardio abilities, strength and flexibility. They both had goals of becoming leaner, stronger and faster while maintaining balance.

4. What are your favorite kind of fitness competitions and why? Figure, marathons, etc?

Kim and Shannon are all-around athletes and love new challenges. They have both been bikini competitors, are runners and participate in a variety of sports. Overall if forced to pick one Shannon would find herself lifting weights on the gym from and Kim would be out running races.

5. What types of workouts do you do?

High Intensity Training, Cardio such as trail running, sprints and tempo training, weight lifting, yoga and Pilates mixed in with any other activity that keeps them off the couch.

6. How do you keep up with staying fit while being a full-time mother?

Being prepared is the key. taking the time to make meals, pack snacks, schedule exercise time and not over-commit in every area in life. Living simply and sticking to a consistent exercise routine and healthy diet is what helps Kim and Shannon maintain their health.

Being prepared is the key. taking the time to make meals, pack snacks, schedule exercise time and not over-commit in every area in life. Living simply and sticking to a consistent exercise routine and healthy diet is what helps Kim and Shannon maintain their health.

7. What is your philosophy on the inner struggle that I know many mothers have about the guilt of taking care of themselves vs. the maternal instinct to put their kids and family first and how this relates to a mother’s personal fitness?

At Fit Mom Diet we try to help women recognize that being a caretaker is the most important job you have; however, if you don’t take care of yourself first you all ill equipped to take care of a family. Balance and finding time for oneself is essential. It’s important that women realize they matter and by investing in themselves everyone around them benefits.

8. Do you have a specific diet? What foods do you eat on a regular basis?

Our diet is clean eating based. Frequent small meals throughout the day. Our go-to foods include whole grains such as quinoa and steel cut oats, healthy fat such as nuts and nut butter, avocado, olive oil, vegetables, fruits and lean meat such as fish and ground turkey. We also eat a lot of egg whites, Greek yogurt and love our Isagenix meal replacement protein shakes.

9. Healthy foods tend to be on the expensive side for some people who wish to be healthy. What are some good, affordable, and healthy foods that you recommend to readers?

Healthy food is expensive but so is going out to eat. In addition, many of the health benefits that can be achieved by eating healthy off-sets the expenses one encounters when they have medical challenges as a result of poor diet. That said we do have a few favorites that are easy on the wallet. They include apples, all-natural peanut butter, packets of tuna in water, eggs and items such as farro, barley and quinoa which are filling and you don’t need to eat a lot of. Buying produce when it’s in season helps a lot as well.

10. What do you like most about being a fitness model?

The opportunity to promote health on an achievable level. We feel that being a fitness model and talent is about representing something that others can strive for and building something that is much bigger than an image. While we do have times where we are photographed, work for companies in advertising, and find ourselves in features which include images our most important goal is that whatever we do we make people think about how amazing they are and we represent health and balance.

11. Tell us something about yourself that readers don’t already know.

We are both addicted to cashews!

12. How did you and Kim meet?

We met at a photo shoot at the training facility we both trained for our first bikini competition at.

13. Did the two of you have some of the same goals in mind for the fitness industry?

At first we didn’t have specific goals but had some ideas of what we wanted which were similar, the further we came in developing our own unique brands the more we realized that we had many similar interests and involvements. We had also become good friends overtime and eventually decided to launch Fit Mom Diet, an extension of our current brands in the industry.

14. How often do you work out and what are some of the foods you eat?

Ideally five times a week. We don’t; however, believe in spending hours on end at the gym. Get in, get your workout done, train hard and move on.

15. What keeps you motivated to work out on a regular basis?

It’s a lifestyle for us. We make it a family affair. We plan activities with friends and family that keep us moving so exercise naturally falls into place. It still has moments where it feels hard to make work but we think about how good we feel and the goals we have and it helps keep us going.

16. You’re a fit mother, so how do you influence your children to eat healthy as well?

Kids mimic what those around them do so we try and be good role models. In addition, we involve them. At the grocery store they help shop for healthy food, they sometimes decide what meal to prepare and serve and often play a role in preparing it. We do, however, freely admit that our kids are not all super healthy all the time. Everything in moderation. They go to McDonald’s once in a while, eat popcorn at the movie occasionally. We are not extremist. We believe in making healthy choices 80% of the time and the rest falls in line.

17. Any advice on how parents could educate their children into living a fit and healthy lifestyle?

Read. There are many re-courses and support groups people can find. Knowledge is power, share it with them.
They are never to young to start learning. Be active. Kids carry habits into adulthood. teach them while
they are young.

18. How did you and Kim come up with the concept of Fit Mom Diet?

We thought about what we love, who we aim to inspire and what our passions were. We love cooking and clean eating so fit mom diet seemed to naturally fall in line. Everything we have done to build it has been based on instinct. We take on things that feel will help leave a legacy that’s bigger than us and focus on building a company that is about our community of women. That’s always been what’s important to us.

19. Did you specifically have mothers in mind when you decided to establish Fit Mom Diet as a brand?

Yes, pretty much. We aim to be authentic and that’s what we are and what we know. We do have a number of followers who are not moms because our tips and information can apply to many, but our main focus is moms and that’s who we aim to connect with.

20. I read that you are a public speaker and writer. What are some of the things you speak or write about
and who is usually your audience?

Our audience varies, often women, many times moms. We speak on healthy eating, cooking, parenting, staying fit, empowerment, balance, style and transforming your body. Those are the primary topics on which we typically focus.

21. You are obviously a role model for many women, what is it that you wish to accomplish as a fitness
model?

To grow a community of women that has a life of it’s own whereby those involved begin to inspire each
other and share their knowledge for the greater good.

22. What are some tips you can give to women who are not comfortable in their skin and wish to change their lifestyle for the better?

Just take one step. The journey can seem overwhelming when you look at the end goal. Do just one thing, even if it means taking a very slow jog around the block. The journey starts there and so does the transformation.