Twenty-three months after giving birth, Rufa Mae Quinto is proud to say that she's close to getting her pre-pregnancy body back.
"Slowly, may time na ako alagaan sarili ko," she wrote in an Instagram post.
The comedienne and her husband Trevor Magallanes welcomed Baby Athena Alexandria on February 18, 2017.
On December 16, 2018, Rufa Mae flaunted her "award winning body" on social media.
The comedienne wrote, "Konting kembot lang guysh! I’d like to dedicate this to myself ... I hope I like it! Thanks to my award winning body !!! Go go go! Fight fight fight ! Hep hep hooray…"
Again, she recounted how her self-esteem suffered because of her postpartum figure.
Part of her caption read, "Ang tagal ko naging insecurity ang post partum body ko, as in pagka panganak ko, araw-araw, mga ika 7 month after ko manganak....
"[E]very time I look [at] myself in the mirror naiiyak ako, na sad, I told myself, 'Bakit ganito, ang laki laki ng braso ko, legs ko, bakit tummy ko naimpis na kasi nga lumabas na baby @alexandriamagallanes..."
She gained 85 pounds during her pregnancy.
"Hinde ko na post pag ka panganak ko kasi nagulat ako sa laki ko, madaming nanlait, nagsabi na balik mo katawan mo…
"Oo yes nakaka-losyang manganak. Nawalwal talaga ako sa panganganak."
Baby Athena was 8.4 pounds when the 40-year-old star gave birth to her via Cesarean Section.
But regardless of Rufa's weight gain and sacrifices, the proud momma said nothing beats the happiness being brought by motherhood.
"Pero still the best feeling pa din ito ... maging isang ganap na Babae.... maging Ina ka!"
In the comments section, she also emphasized that she lost all the unwanted weight "in a natural, happy, and most tipid way.
"I’m so tired of being sad every time I see myself in the mirror.
"So I realize I need to do something about it.
"Nakakaiyak kasi hindi naging madali… pero believe and patience… deadma, lalo na asawa ko e sexy haha ano na feeling ko kaya di ba?"
Her balik-alindog project still has a long way to go, and her next goal is to get rid of her puson.