Move to stay afloat: Amélie Challeat’s rebirth through sport
How do you rebuild trust in your body after a traumatic pregnancy? How do you (re)start moving when you're a new mom, overwhelmed and emotionally drained? In this powerful and deeply vulnerable testimony, Amélie Challeat — writer, entrepreneur, and mother of two — opens up about her journey.
She shares how, after the premature birth of her daughter and a painful breakup, sport became a tool for healing, strength, and reconnecting with herself. A raw and inspiring story for every woman who wants to reclaim her body, on her own terms — far from guilt, pressure, or unrealistic expectations.
Can you tell us about your background and your relationship with sport before motherhood?
I became a mother at 24, then again at 36. Sport was never really part of my life. I had a passion for surfing (even though I was a pretty bad surfer, living in Paris), but it was the only physical activity that didn’t bore me. At the time, the idea of going to a gym seemed completely absurd.
Was there a moment that pushed you to start — or really commit to — sport?
The breakup with my partner.
(Spoiler: we got back together.)
I had tried to get back into sport here and there after my daughter’s extremely premature birth, but I couldn’t manage to love — or truly care for — this body that had “let me down” at 26 weeks of pregnancy. I hated my belly. My C-section scar… I couldn’t really look at myself, couldn’t get motivated, couldn’t stick to a regular practice.
And then we broke up, and I completely fell apart. That’s when I told myself: either I move, or I fall apart. I showed up like a zombie. I moved just so I wouldn’t stay in bed crying all day. I often joined girlfriends for workouts… I’m not even sure they realize how much they saved me — just by inviting me to run, or take a reformer or crossfit class with them.
Since then, I’ve understood that the body that failed me during my last pregnancy could actually carry me. It could let go of what I no longer wanted to hold. It could make me strong. It could help me survive anything. Now, I work out at least 3 to 4 times a week.
What physical and emotional benefits does sport give you today, as a mom?
Strength. There are days when I really don’t feel like it. I feel overwhelmed. I have to manage the kids, my business, content creation, the relaunch of my social impact brand @allezlamour. I tell myself: It’s too much. I don’t have time.
But now, I put myself first. I prioritize these moments with myself. I know it’s because I carve out time for sport — non-negotiable time — that I’m a better mother. I feel stronger, physically and mentally. Because I’m doing better. Because I matter to myself. Because this time away from my children allows me to be more present when I’m with them.
So yes — sport gives me strength in every part of my life.
How do you balance motherhood and sport in your daily life?
I treat sport like an important work meeting. I work out during the week, when my daughter is at school. I schedule my work around it.
What would you say to a woman who wants to make time for herself but doesn’t know where to begin?
Block that time in your calendar just like you would for work. Only cancel if it’s a real emergency (work or kids are not emergencies). Treat it like it’s sacred. Like a professional meeting. Find a friend who’s also looking to get started — doing it together can really boost motivation.
If money is an issue: ask for gift contributions for your birthday, holidays, etc., and use that money to book classes, buy gear, or pay for childcare if you don’t have support.
How did you experience your body’s transformation during and after pregnancy?
I gained about 15 to 20 kilos, without really noticing, before and after the birth. But it wasn’t so much the pregnancy itself (which was short — I gave birth at 26 weeks), it was more the month of forced bedrest due to a high-risk pregnancy, and the four months in the hospital with my daughter — in an incubator, between life and death — that led to the weight gain.
I started hating my body for not carrying the pregnancy to term, for putting my daughter in danger. I didn’t think I looked “ugly” with the extra weight. I didn’t care. But it felt like I was someone else.
My body had become foreign. Like a kind of dissociation.
What sports or practices helped you feel good in your body again?
Running by the sea. I live in Marseille — that helps. And reformer Pilates classes at Episod in Paris, and at Paradiso Pilates and Tonic Pilates in Marseille.
What would be the perfect soundtrack for a workout session?
Okay, I know it sounds strange, but when I run, I don’t listen to music — it distracts me. I listen to podcasts!
My brain is always running at full speed, and listening to a podcast is the only thing that slows it down.
When I hear someone tell a story, I focus. It calms me, and it helps me get through the physical effort.
I love listening to Ressentir, Legend, Le Goût de M, Tant qu’il y aura des hommes, Bliss Stories, La Poudre (I know it’s over, but I still re-listen to old episodes), Femmes d’exception, and France Inter (the morning show).
