Anne Aniag never set out to become a fitness coach. Like many new mothers, she was simply trying to reclaim a sense of normalcy after giving birth. The long, sleepless nights and the demands of caring for a newborn had consumed her, leaving little room for self-care. The body she once knew felt foreign, her energy depleted.
Then, she found movement; first in dance, later in strength training. Her initial personal effort to rebuild herself, both physically and emotionally, soon turned into something larger. She founded FitMom Project PH, an online community helping Filipino mothers prioritize their health through fitness, nutrition, and self-care.
“For someone who was always out there — I had a career, I was working — it was a shock to suddenly be at home all the time,” Aniag said. “You realize time stands still, that everything you had planned for yourself might have to stop.” Instead, she turned motherhood into a new beginning.
Now a certified fitness and nutrition coach, Aniag began her fitness journey more than a decade ago. The thought of stepping into a gym after childbirth was daunting. She worried about being judged, about not knowing where to begin.
So she started small. “I told myself, ‘What’s something I love that doesn’t feel intimidating?’ And that was dance,” she said. “I started by joining community classes — just small steps to move my body again. And with every step, my confidence grew.” That confidence, in turn, became contagious.
This personal journal, an online space where she documented her progress, soon resonated with other mothers facing the same struggles. Messages poured in; women shared their own stories of trying to stay active while balancing motherhood, of wanting to feel strong again.
“I just wanted to inspire myself,” Aniag said. “But then I realized that so many moms were just like me. They didn’t want to lose themselves just because they were raising children.”
At present, FitMom Project PH has 70 to 90 women regularly joining her online fitness classes from different parts of the world. What started as one mother’s personal mission is now a support system for thousands. “It’s no longer just about me,” she said. “It’s a movement of women lifting each other up.”
For Aniag, fitness is not just about building muscle or shedding weight but about resilience. Strength, she argued, is just as much about the mind and heart as it is about the body. “When people hear ‘strong woman,’ they think of someone with muscles or abs,” she said. “But real strength is mental and emotional, too.”
Motherhood, she believes, is one of the ultimate tests of strength. “As a mom, you have to be flexible, patient, motivational; you have to solve problems on the fly,” she said. “Strength isn’t just about lifting weights but about knowing when to push forward and when to rest. It’s likewise about taking care of yourself so you can take care of others.”
One of the biggest misconceptions, she said, is that moms don’t have time to work out or eat healthy. Aniag challenges that mindset, arguing that fitness is less about time and more about priorities. “You don’t need to go to a gym. You don’t need fancy equipment,” she said. “I work out in my garage with just a pair of dumbbells. If you don’t have that, go up and down the stairs while carrying your baby. Turn playtime into movement. The important thing is to move.”
Her approach extends to nutrition too. “People think eating healthy is complicated, but the truth is, we already eat every day,” she said. “It’s just about making better choices. And if you’re unsure, there are so many resources available, from social media to working with a coach.”
Her goal is to shift the conversation not just about exercise and diet but about how women see themselves. Aniag understands why so many women struggle to prioritize themselves. Guilt often creeps in. Society tends to glorify self-sacrifice in motherhood, making it seem as if taking time for oneself is indulgent rather than essential. But Aniag is firm in her belief that self-care is not selfish as it’s necessary.
“It’s okay to focus on yourself. And there’s nothing wrong with that,” she said. “In fact, when you take care of yourself, that’s actually the first step in being able to give more love and service to your family.” This underpins FitMom Project PH, that when a woman is strong and healthy, her family thrives.
“When a mom is healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally, her entire family benefits,” she said. “Because when we take care of ourselves, we show up better for the people who need us most.” The message resonates deeply with her growing community, many of whom have struggled to carve out space for their own well-being.
“No matter how much gratitude these women express to me, I always feel just as, if not more, grateful to them,” Aniag said. “They trust me with their stories, their struggles. And through them, I continue to learn, not just as a coach, but as a mother.”
Aniag has no plans of slowing down. “We started with just one person — me — but I realized that this journey is difficult to do alone,” she said. “Having a support system changes everything.” Now, she wants to bring that support system to more mothers worldwide.
“We want to go global,” she said. “We want to help Filipino moms everywhere become the best version of themselves—not just physically, but in every aspect of their lives.” FitMom Project PH is about transformation not just of the body but of mindset, confidence, and identity.
“You can only take care of others if you learn how to take care of yourself first,” Aniag said. “Never forget about yourself. Because when you give time, energy, and love to yourself, that love radiates to the people around you, especially to the ones you love the most.”
And for mothers wondering where to begin, “You don’t have to change everything overnight. Just take small steps,” she said. “What matters is that every day, you wake up a little stronger, a little wiser, and a little better than yesterday,” she advised.
