When it comes to losing weight after giving birth, every mom has a different experience.
Some are able to take off any extra pounds in a matter of weeks while others take time to get back to where they were before welcoming a child.
More than a year after becoming a mom to a baby girl with Alexis Ohanian, Serena Williams is opening up about her body and how she feels about it today.
"I'm feeling pretty good about my body. I worked hard at it in the past eight months to get back from the baby," she shared in Allure's Body + Mind issue. "It hasn't been easy. I'm not 21 anymore. But I did it slow and steady."
Serena continued, "After I came out [of the hospital], I had a stomach, but I thought, This is kind of cool. I have a stomach because the baby was there."
By being in the public eye as a tennis superstar, Serena knows all too well that everyone has their own definition of beauty. And unfortunately, many are quick to criticize or judge.
But as her daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. continues to grow up, Serena wants to pass along some very important tips.
"When I tell her she's beautiful, I want to teach her that she's beautiful from the inside," the 37-year-old explained. "Giving is beauty. Being kind and humble is the ultimate beauty."
It's also important to be strong no matter how many curveballs come your way in the game of life.
"I want her to know that being strong is never easy. Not in this world we are living in.... Standing up for yourself is not going to be easy, but it's always eventually respected," she shared. "Those are the people who've made a difference in this world, people that stand up for what's right. If you look at history, those are the people that you really remember. And at the time, oh, my God, it seemed impossible."
Allure's Body + Mind issue is available on national newsstands January 22.