A former professional dancer who felt she had ‘given up her identity’ after welcoming five children has now become a bodybuilder – and strangers can’t believe she’s carried so many babies because of her amazing physique.
Brenna Callahan, 38, from California, is now in the best shape of her life – despite the birth of her five children: Keane, nine, Eire, seven, Maeve, four, and twins Tadhg and Shaegh, two.
Brenna worked as a highland dancer until she became pregnant with her first child at the age of 28.
She gave up her profession to focus on caring for her children, but soon afterward she began to feel like she had “lost herself.”
A former professional dancer who felt she had ‘given up her identity’ after welcoming five children has now become a bodybuilder
Brenna Callahan, 38, from California, is now in the best shape of her life – despite the birth of her five children: Keane, nine, Eire, seven, Maeve, four, and twins Tadhg and Shaegh, two
Brenna worked as a highland dancer until she became pregnant with her first child, after which she gave up her profession to focus on her children. She was seen during her most recent pregnancy
“My husband, Sean-Michael, and I always knew we wanted to have more children,” she explained. “So I quit work to become a stay-at-home mom while we grew our family.
“After I had our third child, I had the epiphany that I had given up my own identity and that my new one was just a mother. I felt like I had lost myself and I became so weak, super small and skinny.”
It was then that Brenna became passionate about exercise and “understanding nutrition.”
She started training with a fitness coach named Michelle MacDonald, and started lifting weights five days a week.
She now competes in bodybuilding competitions – and many can’t believe she is a mother of five.
‘I follow a macro-based diet and weight train five days a week. “I am in the best shape of my life and now competing in physique competitions,” she said.
‘So far I have participated in two competitions. My first was in December 2022 where I took first place and won my pro card in the 35 plus bikini category.
‘My professional debut was in May this year, where I came second in the 35-plus bikini category.
But over the years, Brenna (seen with her husband and children) began to feel like she had “lost herself” and had “given up her own identity” to become a mother.
She recently started training with a fitness coach and started lifting weights five days a week. She is seen before she started training (left) and after (right)
She now competes in bodybuilding competitions – and many can’t believe she is a mother of five. She has been seen with some of her children
‘I follow a macro-based diet and weight train five days a week. “I am in the best shape of my life and now competing in physique competitions,” she said recently
‘I feel incredible. I am stopped at least once a day and asked if I am the real birthing mother of my five children. People can’t believe it.’
Brenna is also determined to prove to other mothers that their lives don’t have to end when they have children.
The mother of five – who also works as a physiotherapist – added that since launching her bodybuilding career, her identity has no longer taken a backseat and she feels like she has regained control of her life.
‘I was surprised how calm I was when I walked on stage for the first time. When I stepped out, it felt like nothing else existed in the world,” she said.
“I worked so hard to be there and defied all odds. People put me in a certain category because I’m almost 40 and have a lot of children.
‘It doesn’t matter how old you are or how many children you have, everyone deserves to be happy.
‘Society gives women, especially mothers, the feeling that after a certain age you are no longer allowed to have dreams or goals. It’s like your first and only priority should be motherhood.
‘It is without a doubt my priority, but I should not be pigeonholed because of this. I want to show my children that chasing your dreams is what you should do.
Brenna (seen after the birth of her youngest children) is determined to prove to other mothers that their lives don’t have to end when they have children
The mother of five – who also works as a physiotherapist – said that since launching her bodybuilding career she feels like she has regained control of her life
Brenna added that, in addition to your strength, the events are also about “stage presence, physique, glitz, glamor and pageantry” – and that she likes to dress up.
‘Society gives mothers the feeling that after a certain age you are no longer allowed to have dreams. It doesn’t matter how old you are or how many children you have, everyone deserves to be happy,” she said
‘I feel safer and more confident than ever before. It has changed the way I carry myself.”
Brenna admitted she had to make a whole host of changes to become a bodybuilder, especially since watching over her five children left her very little time for herself — but she added that if something is “important to you,” you will find a way to ‘make time for it’.
“It was hard to get into the routine (at first) because I would sleep in as long as possible and let my kids wake me up,” she continued.
“However, I knew I had to make changes. Now I get up earlier than my kids and prioritize my sleep so I go to bed earlier so I can fit more into my day. If it’s important to you, you make time for it.’
Brenna – who is currently preparing for a new competition to take place at the end of this year – added that the events, put on by the WBFF Federation, are about “stage presence, physique, glitz, glamor and pageantry” in addition to your strength. ‘
As a parent, she rarely got the chance to dress up and get her hair and makeup done, so getting glammed up is another plus of her new gig.
“Bodybuilding helped me find my identity and satisfy my thirst for competition,” she concluded. ‘It is awesome.’