BRANFORD – This is the story of a woman who had a baby, then another, was overwhelmed by the impact of the baby’s worries and changes in her body, and grew her own business on her foundation to help women with babies struggling with money. about the care of children and the changes of bodies.
She’s a strong woman like Mother Fitness co-owner Jess Chiocchio, who, this afternoon, was working out at lunch with her business partner Judy Barron.
Also on the payroll is his son Logan, who is 3.
Logan’s presence is among the reasons that Barron and Chiocchio, their basement business, are opening a convenience studio on Branford’s South Main Street later this month, with a grand opening slated for April 29.
When he had Logan, it was joy, then exhaustion, then the truth “it cost me my paycheck every day,” said Chiocchio, 36, who at the time was working as a trainer at Anyone’s Fitness.
She was not alone in facing the challenge. According to research from the Center for American Progress, 44 percent of Connecticut residents live in areas without adequate child care options.
“When the pandemic started to ease, it was just smarter and more cost-effective for me to stay at home than to go back to work,” said Chiocchio. “So I turned into my base gym, and I continued to take clients there, and Logan was there with me.”
Among those customers was Barron, executive director of the Branford Community Dining Room, who began working with Chiocchio in his living room two years ago.
Barron said he tried other big box gyms.
“I just prefer one on one, and it gives you a way to get where you want to be at your own pace,” he says.
Six months ago, Barron introduced the idea of a partnership with her into uncertainty, which would take them from Chiocchi’s foundation to a suitable study in the city, which distinguished itself in the back section of the story with a friendly kid.
“I’m all about local resources, and small business is always on my bucket list, and that’s what I have so much love for,” says Barron, the project’s primary investor, as well as its accountant and head of marketing and social media.
This was also the case. “I saw how Jess was helping new moms by not only encouraging them to bring their kids to the gym, but also how their bodies were changing, and there was really no one else doing that type of training,” she said.
Kate Sparks was recovering from a December 2020 C-section when she heard about Chiocchio, who became pregnant and postpartum athletic after having Logan.
“I wasn’t at the gym because of COVID and having a baby, but I wanted to heal, and I wanted to start working out,” Sparks said.
Sparks, 36, who lives in Redding, has taken classes virtually with Chiocchio since 2021. “He uses my equipment,” he said.
“Those pelvic floor exercises worked well for me,” he said. “I was able to have a pessary with my son because that’s something I’ve always wanted to try, but there’s a lot of risk after a C-section.”
Due to a C-section for her second child, “my water broke and I ended up being able to deliver him vaginally,” Chiocchio said. “I really attribute that success to being able to work faithfully and faithfully in a way that builds what needs to be built to deliver.”
Strong Like a Mother isn’t just for new moms. “We’ve all been there,” Barron said.
Take Northford’s Michelle Provencher, 52 f.
“I’m someone who hasn’t been to the gym in years because you raise your family and work time, and now I’m finally leaving to get back on track.”
Chiocchio said, “It gives you the confidence to go and advance.”
Branford’s Amy Cappiello played softball for eight years before injuring her knee.
“I wasn’t active with high school grades but I wanted to get back into it,” he said. “And Jess is all about body positivity and self-love, so she helps me to strengthen my body and also my mind.”
This is it, says Barron.
“There are no mobiles, no diets. You don’t have to eat in these calorie deficits and torture yourself. It’s just to create this healthy, strong life for yourself.
Fortis came across this as a rejection of the Wolf Mother, which he called “a diet of culture”.
“We’re going to have a workshop where all three or four of us will have equipment and we’ll snap the tags,” Chiocchio said.
“Don’t look at the size,” he said. “Don’t look at the scale because it’s not what it’s all about. It’s important what the company says – I want to break away from that. I want my clients to see food as something that nourishes our bodies.
What’s flattering, Barron said, is the opportunity for moms to model good behavior for their kids.
Not only this, added Chiocchio. “Our kids will always be there to learn the way.”
Strong as a Mother Fitness Studio is located at 23 St. Main Street, Branford. The grand opening will be on Saturday, April 29. For more information, email firmitasamotherfitness@gmail.com or visit Forte as Mother Fitness on Facebook.
