Fitness Model Natalie Matthews in Two-Piece Workout Gear Cheers "Little Wins"

Natalie Jill is educating her followers about loose skin – in her workout gear. In a new social media post the fitness expert bares her belly and reveals that diet and exercise alone won’t get rid of excess skin. “52 (almost 53) here 👋If you’ve ever believed you can’t change YOUR belly situation watch this,” she says, revealing that she is hosting a free “Fat Loss As We Age Interactive workshops.” How does she approach diet, fitness, and self-care? Here is everything you need to know about her lifestyle habits.

1. She Hit Rock Bottom

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Natalie Jill was inspired to get in shape after looking at her own reflection in a store window. After a divorce she was depressed and turned to food for comfort. “I ate lots of fast food and junk, and wasn’t active,” she told Prevention. She had put on 60 pounds, 50 from pregnancy and an extra 10. She’d always been fit before, and “the person I saw, with all those bulges and things sagging, was not me,” she said.

2. She Mapped Out a Plan

She started doing research and mapped out a plan to exercise and eat better. She also gave herself a timeframe, vowing to incorporate more natural, unprocessed foods and adding a little more activity every day. “I promised I would give it four months and see what happened—no obsessing, no scale.”

3. She Shaped Her Meals Around Lean Protein, Complex Carbs, and Healthy Fats

“I made sure that all of my meals contained lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats," says Jill. "I ate a lot of salads with grilled chicken or fish, and I added olive oil or avocado for fat.” One of Jill’s rules? She could only eat food with ingredients she could pronounce. She also ate more nutritious foods first, so she would fill up and “have less room for the ‘bad.’”

4. She Stuck to Strength Training

Natalie Jill/Instagram

After doing research she also learned she didn’t have to spend money to get fit. She opted for strength and weight training, using body weight for resistance. Her workouts included lots of strength-training exercises, including pull-ups, squats, planks, and triceps dips. “I didn’t spend hours working out,” she says, adding, “If you are exercising daily, you really don’t need more than 15 to 20 minutes.”

5. She Shared Her Journey on Social Media

She started sharing her journey on social media, which motivated others. “People were interested—they would say, ‘Oh, what are you doing to get in shape? I want to try it.’ That kept me accountable,” she says.after four months, she was where she wanted to be. “I couldn’t believe it: I had lost 50 pounds and completely changed my body,” she recalls. “It made me want to keep going.”

Natalie Freeman is a celebrated fitness influencer and trainer who leverages her platform to share workout regimens and motivational insights. Her fitness app further encapsulates her dedication to helping others achieve their physical goals. In a recent Instagram video, Freeman underscores the journey over the destination with her thoughtful words, "Everybody wants the view without the climb…" She emphasizes the importance of embracing imperfection in pursuit of fitness, advocating for consistent effort over flawless execution.

1. She Doesn’t Strive For Perfection

Freeman doesn’t believe in striving for perfection when it comes to fitness. And she wants others to have the same attitude. She talked about this in her Instagram post’s caption. “Imperfect, consistent action. The ‘view’ is a byproduct. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and if you’re waiting for perfection to put in the work, that time will never come.”

2. She Works Hard

Natalie Freeman/Instagram

Freeman makes sure to work hard when it comes to fitness. She encouraged others to do the same in her post’s caption. “It won’t always sound good to show up. Your body won’t always feel it’s best. You won’t always ‘have time’. You’ll have bad days. Hard days. Do the work anyway. You deserve to see that view! What we do best in @strengthmethod.app — join us!!! 📈👑”

3. She Does Pull-Ups

Natalie Freeman/Instagram

One exercise that Freeman is seen doing in her Instagram video are pull-ups. This exercise has a lot of health benefits. NASM reports, “Pull ups and chin ups are a multi-joint movement, meaning that they engage multiple muscle groups (lats, biceps, shoulders, and upper back). They promote overall upper body muscle development and can lead to some serious strength gains. Grip strength is critical in being able to lift heavier in a variety of exercises that require you to hold the weight, but it is also important as we age. Chin ups and pull ups challenge forearm and hand strength to help you build and maintain better grip strength.”

4. She Uses Weights

Natalie Freeman/Instagram

Freeman is seen using weights in her workouts in her Instagram video. ACE Fitness states that using weights to exercise has a lot of benefits. “Strength training with heavy weights improves muscle definition. Muscle definition occurs as the result of muscles remaining in a state of semi-contraction and heavy strength training recruits the larger type II muscle fibers responsible for a muscle’s appearance.”

5. She Does Lunges

Natalie Freeman/Instagram

Another workout that Freeman is seen doing is lunge squats with a barbell. Lunges of all kinds have a lot of benefits. According to ACE Fitness, “Lunges work the biggest muscles in your lower body — mainly the quadriceps, gluteus maximus, and the adductor magnus (the muscle in your inner thigh). Other muscles that come into play are the hamstrings, gluteus medius, calves, and core stabilizers, says Susane Pata, content strategist for the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and NASM-certified personal trainer based in Miami.”