When Snezana Markoski married Sam Wood on November 29, it was the fairytale moment everyone had been waiting for since they fell in love on The Bachelor three years ago.
“There was actually a moment where I stopped, looked around and couldn’t believe how perfect it was,” gushes Snez, who says the day was everything she’d dreamed of “and more”.
The pair initially planned to tie the knot in Italy last year, but that all changed with the arrival of their baby girl Willow, who celebrated her first birthday in October.
It’s the second child for Snez, who’s also mum to Eve, her 13-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.
Yep, with a body like that, can you believe Snez had her second child only a little more than a year ago?! Whoa mamma!
While there’s no doubt that Snezana’s in the best shape of her life, as a new mum, it was important for her to take time to ease into a routine that shefelt comfortable with.
Luckily, she’s had the perfect cheerleader to guide her through the body transformation – her hunky personal trainer hubby Sam, who’s supported her on her journey every step of the way.
“It was all about not putting pressure on herself, not being in a rush,” says Sam, who guided Snez through his “28 by Sam Wood” plan.
“I think everyone forgets that, yes, Snez looks amazing – but Willow’s over a year old. She didn’t rush, she did it at her own pace.”
Best of all, Snezana doesn’t just look fabulous, she’s feeling healthier and stronger than ever! Here, the couple talk fitness, family and their special day…
Snezana Wood doesn’t just look fabulous, she’s feeling healthier and stronger than ever! (Source: NW)
You planned to marry in Italy. How’d you end up getting hitched in Byron Bay?
Snez: When we found out we were pregnant with little Willow, we needed to change our plans, but it worked out for the best. Italy would have been beautiful, but we had the perfect day.
Were Willow and Eve both involved in the ceremony?
Snez: Willow and Eve walked down the aisle together holding hands. Everyone was talking about it and in tears.
Sam: [Snez] looked so, so beautiful, and I was all teared up from when the girls had just walked down the aisle!
Did you wear something old, new, borrowed and blue?
Snez: I didn’t actually – I missed the blue one. I wore an antique bracelet that belonged to Sam’s mum [and] was very special.
You’ve talked about losing weight since having Willow. Did you have to have your wedding dress altered?
Snez: I was having it made, so it was always fitted to my body shape. Since I’d gone in to see the designer to choose it, my body had changed shape –but nothing excessive.
How do you feel your body’s changed since having Willow?
Snez: I’m definitely stronger… I kept working out during my pregnancy, which helped a lot.Once I had Willow, I took it easy for six to eight weeks. And onceI felt OK, I kept working out.
Sam: She’s just consistent, you know? Once she got to that eight-week mark, she started easing into it, and once she got to the four-month mark she really sort of… with the wedding on the horizon, that was her motivation.
Snez: Yeah, you do want to look good for your wedding, but I don’t think I felt pressure. I feel I just wanted to look back at the photos and everything and go,”I look good, I look healthy”.
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Sam, did you alter Snez’s workouts for the pregnancy?
Sam: Yeah, absolutely.
My program has pregnancy and postnatal options, so she followed both of those. Snez is the first to say she’s really happy that she stayed active during the pregnancy, and again safe– not too intense, not worryingif she missed workouts here or there. Just staying strong, staying healthy is good for the baby.
She was really big on that, doing her pelvic floor exercises and that kind of stuff, and some Pilates movements.
So it’s more about strength than losing weight?
Snez: Definitely. I’m not looking at losing anything – it’s more about getting stronger and feeling fitter. I definitely don’t want to lose any weight.
Sam: I sort of said to her early on, “How do you feel compared to Evie?” Because, you know, there’s a big gap in between –it’s 13 years between babies. And she said, “I guess the thing for me is, it will be representative of generally staying in shape”.
As you get older, like everything, your metabolism slows down a bit, and she did find that. So it was about not putting pressure on herself, not being in a rush.
“It’s more about getting stronger and feeling fitter,” Snez says. (Source: Instagram)
How many times a week do you work out, Snez?
Snez: I haven’t been doing anything excessive. It’s mainly three times a week. I do my 28 workouts, but they are enough to make me feel so much fitter and stronger and more energetic. I’m running around with Willow all the time now, so I definitely feel a lot stronger – the strongest I’ve ever felt.
How much of a role did Sam play in getting you back in shape?
Snez: Sam has been great in helping me with motivation and just being there for me. I don’t feel like I’m being pushed, and he knows my goals and he knows what I can do.
Sam: She might say, “Sam, can you write something up for me on the whiteboard at home?” She’s got a little whiteboard on the fridge, and tells me if she wants to work on her abs or booty. In the lead-up to our wedding, she was in the zone.
Story continues…
Snez, have you kept track of your weight loss?
Snez: I’ve never weighed myself, so I have no idea what I am now. But if I go by my clothes, I’m still a few kilos heavier than I was before I fell pregnant with Willow. I’m about an eight, so I’m basically back to my normal dress size.
You’ve bounced back so well! What’s your advice for new mums?
Snez: Now I have Willow, some days my workout will take all day – so just fit it in where you can. If you only get in a minute or two, then have to stop because you have to feed your bub or change their nappy, so be it. Just pick it back up once they go to sleep. Don’t beat yourself up that you couldn’t do it and give up. Every little moment that you get, just do it and then move on.
Sam: Sleep is really, really critical, too. Snez would be the first to admit that she likes to have a tidy house. But getting her comfortable when there was mess around – or to boss me around to pull my weight and help out more – was really important.
Asking for help, getting comfortable that things are not going to be perfect when you’ve got a baby, is really important – because [Snez] being able to take a nap when Willow took a nap was a lifesaver for her.
Look at that incredible bod! Talk about YUMMY MUMMY! (Source: NW)
It’s not all workout, though, Snez, is it? What do you eat on a typical day?
Snez: In the morning I’ll have a smoothie or something with a shot of coffee – I don’t like to eat anything too heavy in the morning. Around 10am I’ll have an omelette or a sidebowl, then lunchtime I’ll have a salad off the “28” menu – they’re all yummy!
Or I’ll have leftovers from the night before, like roast vegies and some protein. My favourite would be probably Sam’s chicken tikka – we had that last night. It’s absolutely yum.
Who’s the most disciplined?
Snez: Oh, definitely Sam. But he has his weaknesses as well. We’re both pretty good – we balance each other out. We do everything in moderation, we’re not obsessive with food or exercise or anything like that. We’re very realistic about what we eat and what we do.
Sam, you’re wifey is basically smokin’ hot! What’s your fave body part of hers?
Sam: I love her back, actually – yeah, her back and her neck! Snez is tough. You know she’s totally got this attitude that,”If I’m going to do it, I may as well do it properly”. She’s very mentally tough. Like, if we were to do a plank or a wall squat, she would be able to hold it for longer than me, I reckon.
READ NEXT: Inside Sam and Snezana Wood’s dreamy wedding album
Willow recently had her first birthday. What’s it like being a family of four?
Snez: It’s fantastic. It’s great. It’s a madhouse, an absolute madhouse – but I wouldn’t change it for a thing.
Sam: Oh, I think it’s the best thing in the world. I know that’s a bit of a cliché, but I’ve got mates that have kids and they’ve always spoken about it – and I can’t believe how good it is. I’ve never raced home quicker from a day at work, or spent mornings at home and not worried about getting to the office. It’s totally changed my perspective on life to what’s really important.
Snez: Sam absolutely loves it. Willow’s at the front waiting to greet him when he gets home.
Awww! Alright, how long till you have another baby, then?
Snez: We both want another one, but whatever happens, happens, I guess! We’re really taking one thing at a time.
I think we wanted to have our wedding and then discuss that.
Sam Wood and Snezana in this weeks issue of NW! (Source: NW)
Does Eve enjoy being a sister?
Snez: Yeah, she does – she loves it. She and Willow have a great relationship and they’re always being cheeky or getting up to some sort of mischief.
Sam: They make each other laugh and they play all the time. Willow’s obsessed with Eve – she follows her around the house, sneaks into her room, steals her things already…
I mean, they’ve got quite a funny relationship! Even though the age gap is so big, they’ve got this amazing bond.
Did you guys get to see The Bachelor or BachelorIn Paradise this year?
Sam: I didn’t see Bachelor In Paradise. To be honest, I didn’t see a lot of The Bachelor either. I did see the finale, though, and I didn’t see that [ending] coming!
Did you think Nick Cummins deserved the flak he got for rejecting both finalists?
Sam: I understand people are very invested and it’s a lot for the girls to go through, and then for that to be the outcome. But part of me thinks that if he wasn’t sure, then he did the right thing.
He would be doing one of those girls an injustice to commit to them falsely, and I think it was probably a pretty hard and brave thing that he did, even though it wasn’t a popular move.
So now you two are finally hitched, what are the honeymoon plans?
Snez: Not sure just yet. With Eve still at school, it’s back to work for the next few weeks – but then we’ll plan something special for next year for sure!
For more celeb gossip and news, grab this weeks copy of NW!
