It's not over yet

Hi Everyone,

Before I started S.H.E I was very unhappy with my body. I was unhappy with my arms, stomach, thighs and the list goes on. I knew I was unfit but could not find the will power to change. I set out on a mission to get myself motivated and it was then that I set up S.H.E and it all began to change.

Three month's ago I set out a goal for myself. I wanted to run a Mini Marathon, for this I needed to drastically change my diet.  I made small changes to my diet and my lifestyle and slowly but surely I began to feel different about myself.

Harriet's post on healthy eating really opened my eyes into how many other options there are out there when it comes to food. I dragged the other half to Tesco and filled the trolley up with as much fruit and vegetables as possible. As the days went by and with each little change I made I felt like a new person. I had more energy, I even noticed an improvement in my skin which is always a bonus.

Before the Marathon there was another challenge, two weeks in Portugal. Sounds like bliss you're thinking, but it had been over seven years since I had worn a swimsuit/been to the beach/practically naked in public. I was a little nervous to say the least.

On the beach in Portugal writing Sarah <3's S...oh feck off wave! 

I actually got over my fear pretty quickly and got nicely burned/tanned! The following week when I got home from the holidays it was my birthday and I did something I had not really been fond of doing at events where I knew pictures would be taken. I wore a sleeveless dress and DIDN'T use anything to cover my arms. I had changed into this girl who didn't mind people seeing her wobbly bits! 

Happy birthday gal.

Then September (Marathon month) crept up from nowhere. Was I ready for the Mini Marathon? No I was not in the slightest. I tried my hardest to cram in as much physical activities as possible to get myself in some sort of shape to run, walk or jog this thing. 

Right after finishing the 6.2 miles Mini Marathon.

I can't believe I actually did it. As I started to jog away from Shane who had come to Killarney with me I began to think what have I got myself in for? Can I do this?. I just kept putting one foot on front of the other. On the course the organisers had left encouraging quotes out to keep us motivated. One I remember said "I didn't train all this time to get it over as fast as possible". This really stuck with me, it wasn't a race. I went as fast as I wanted to go and set little targets for myself. I ended up completing it in one hour and eighteen minutes. Far earlier than expected. I had been making jokes for weeks saying it was going to take me two-three hours. Finishing has been a major boost to my confidence.

I don't want it to stop there. Even though I have completed my goal I want to keep making healthy decisions. I've been doing a ten minute work out every morning and before I go to bed. Ten minutes might not seem like a lot but it gets me motivated for the day.

I'm excited about the future and I know somewhere under my wobbly bits is a beach babe dying to get out. I      will find her someday but it's going to take a lot of determination. 

To everyone on twitter who supported me I just want to say a massive THANK YOU. You are so amazing, encouraging words really do make a difference. 

Lots of love,

Sarah

If you have an encouraging story to share or want advice on a topic you would like to share here on S.H.E please email me on adoreabubbles@hotmail.com or you can contact me on twitter @Adoreabubbles

Previous Posts

A new Beginning

Losing the Baby Weight

Domestic Violence 

Healthy Eating

You are what YOU Believe

You are what you believe

Have you always struggled with your weight and longed to be thinner, healthier and all around more toned up?

Have you vowed to start a new diet and workout regime?

Did you start out with the best intentions to succeed, only to find that this new way of life was much tougher than you imagined?

Did your seemingly perfect plan start to fall apart until, eventually, you were back to square one and left feeling like an utter failure?

Well girls, if you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, you can now be assured ten fold that…… YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Let me start off at the beginning for you all. Ever since I reached the age of about eight or nine, I have continually struggled with my weight and that is something I rarely talk about but nonetheless, it is true. I was always a “chubby child” and I was quite often teased about that, even by my own family. I suppose I never really let on that it had an impact on me but in hindsight, it was quite upsetting to feel as though your own family even believed in what the bullies in school were tormenting you over. My weakness has always been my sweet tooth, something I’ve inherited from my family since that tender age. I grew up snacking constantly on sweets, never so much as glancing at vegetables, however I always liked fruit but given a choice between an apple or a chocolate bar, you can bet your bottom dollar that I chose the latter.

        When I hit my teens, I remained chubby and I never really lost the rounded face until I reached seventeen. It was then that I lost SOME of my puppy fat. I constantly envied the more slender girls in my school year, wishing I could look like them and feel more confident in myself. In fact, I used to be extremely shy in school which resulted in me suffering socially. I’m a naturally chatty person but I really need to get to know people well before I can show my true self, which is probably due to how I feel about my looks and what I assume people see when they look at me first. Basically, what I’m trying to say is, my constant criticism of myself led to me suffering socially at times.

        It was when I left home to go to university that I started to slim down and that wasn’t due to any new exercise regime or fad diet. It was simply down to the fact that I had more things to do for myself. I had to walk more, clean more, run errands for myself and because I was more occupied mentally, I found that I didn’t snack as much. I went down by about 1 to 2 dress sizes and feel that I looked so healthy and the way I should all the time. The funniest thing of all is that I didn’t even put any thought into losing it, it just fell off without me really noticing until people told me.

        It’s safe to say that I was at my happiest then. I looked and felt great, was having the time of my life and was really just living the way I wanted to for the first time. But then in October of 2011, I decided to leave my course because I no longer liked it and seen it as a pointless path to pursue and this is where everything started to go downhill. I moved away from my university town and new friends and I was also living away from my school friends, who were studying at various places around the country. I was living in an apartment basically on my own as my boyfriend worked full time. I felt myself tumbling into a lonely, black hole and in January 2012, I was put on medication for depression. I do not regret starting this as I feel it does help with my moods and I have always felt that I needed some sort of help in that way, even when I was younger. However, since then, I have began to put the weight back on plus some. The tablets themselves don’t add weight but they slow you down so you feel tired more and don’t get around as much as you should. Also, because I was living closer to shops and not doing anything really, I found that my days were spent on the computer or watching TV. So, as a result, my clothes were getting tighter and my mood was depleting. It has only been in the past two months that I have been trying to motivate myself more and eat healthier. I decided I would go back to university and start into my second year with different subjects which I am looking forward to as I know it will benefit me mentally and physically. I have been eating healthy smoothies for breakfast, fibre rich cereal, home cooked meals, fruit, vegetables, you name it.

        I felt I was just starting to like myself again when my Dad decided to tell me that I am overweight and need to change radically, even though I had told him I was trying my hardest, he still persisted to insult me (perhaps unknowingly). Even though I knew he was only trying to motivate me and help me out, that kind of thing just hurts my feelings and brings me down. I’m the kind of person who likes to do things for me and not just because someone else thinks I should. It really bugged me and for a week or so I wallowed in sadness and sweets.

        I am now back to feeling like myself and genuinely want to stick with healthier options. Which leads me to my original idea of what I was to write for S.H.E. I contacted Sarah about four weeks ago, asking if I could share my new health/fitness regime with all you girlies. I had gone out and bought a month’s gym membership, new fitness gear, trainers and a full fridge of healthy goodies. I was absolutely convinced I could do it and get fit again.

        Then, reality set in. Four weeks later, I sit here, having used the gym twice and not following the diet I had intended to. And why? I really have no excuse but for that I have been away from home and on the days where I have been here, I kept putting it off. I knew that the thing to do was to just get up and go without causing any thought but instead, I would find excuses to put off my exercise until “later” and in the end, I wouldn’t bother at all. I am ashamed of myself to say the least but I really am trying to still stick to good food. Exercise has always been the thing I have struggled with and I know it is something I need to work with in order to find what I enjoy and will keep up.

        It’s so easy to look at the negatives in my story and get bogged down further but no, I refuse to do that any longer. I am twenty years of age, I’m young and I have all the time in the world to come to a natural and healthy way of life so from now on, I am going to focus on the positives and work on them to get to where I want to be as I believe that is the only way. I now feel better mentally and have been making myself do more things around the apartment that I would have put off no end a few months ago, which is making me feel more organised and useful and therefore my depression isn’t so bad for it. I genuinely am eating healthier, although not perfectly yet, but I am really trying to say no to the sweeties and God knows, we all find that tough! I am starting college in a month too and I really am going to throw myself into it in a way that I never would have before. It has taken a year of extreme lows to bring me to a conclusion that I need to be occupied in order to be happy. If you stay motivated with even the simplest of things, it will ultimately drive you on further. As for other people’s opinions, I am just going to have to learn to try and ignore them. Nobody is perfect and I know that, it’s just getting others to see this is what is hard but hey ho, I won’t give up. One day, they will see that I was able to reach my goals without their insults.

        So, in closing, I want to say that I know this may not be the most interesting or inspiring post that I could write for you all but it is honest! Sometimes its nice to know that others struggle and don’t always succeed. It can make you feel better and even encourage you to start afresh with a new mind frame. At least that’s what I hope you will take from reading this. I want everyone to know that, as long as you focus on the positives and what YOU can do to better yourself, without the input of others, you can really discover the path to success. It worked for me in the past and I am going to put that plan back in action. And then, as the old saying goes “If at first you don’t succeed, try again”.

        Keep the faith girls,

        Charlene

        Xoxo

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A Powerful Message

Be Honest

Hello all,

Sarah (adoreabubbles) here,

A few weeks ago I mentioned doing a weekly diary of what I was eating, drinking and what activities I was doing to get fit. I was really excited about doing this and I thought I was going to come up with some fantastic dinner suggestions for you all. I expected to do so well. The truth is by the end of the first week I was already making excuses for having chocolate croissants for breakfast and treats at night. I was doing so many things wrong but I was also making some good changes in other areas. Instead of giving you the layout of what I had to eat and when I'm just going to give you two lists of where I went wrong in some areas and improved in others.

Lets start off with the negatives so I can end on a positive note.

• I skipped breakfast four out of the seven days. I know Breakfast is the most important meal of the day but I didn't feel hungry or slept in which brought me straight to lunch time. This has opened my eyes, I need to get up earlier, have a healthy breakfast and maybe fit in a short physical activity into my morning routine.
• I was eating the same dinner most days. My partner is a very picky eater and I rarely cook the same dinner for both of us. As I was cooking for one there was a good bit of food wastage so what I was doing was saving the leftovers for my dinner the following day. This led to a boring dinner routine. I was getting sick of the same things which led to adding less healthier options.
• I wasn't pushing myself hard enough when it came to physical activities. Instead of listening to my body and asking it when it was ready to stop and go home I was giving myself time limits. Walk for thirty minutes and walk home. I was telling myself I had done an hour of walking when all I had done was a thirty minutes walk and a thirty minute calm down on the way home. I'm only 25 and I think I could have push myself harder. 
• I was also OVER rewarding myself!! The more physical activities I was doing the more treats I gave myself at the end of the night. I do believe if I want something I shouldn't refuse myself anything but there is a line and I need to find it... fast. 

How bad am I! I think its not all negative. That week opened my eyes to how I was going wrong and I didn't ignore it. It gave me the chance to want to change which is a big step. Lets move onto the positives.

• Lunches are a very exciting time for me. I filled myself up with soups (no bread), tuna salads and turkey sandwiches. I am loving tuna at the moment. I was enjoying not being starving when it came to dinner time which meant smaller portions. 
• I introduced more fish into my dinners, mostly cod. I noticed my potato portions decreasing and I also made home made wedges when I got my chip cravings.
• I drank enough water to fill a swimming pool. I actually love water. I don't understand how some people dislike the taste of water and dilute it with flavouring. Anyway, each to their own. Whatever helps to hydrate your body.
• I was surprised at myself when it came to doing activities. I skipped doing anything on two days because I was visiting a friend one day and the other day it was miserable out. I enjoyed the walking but feel like I can do better. Cycling was great fun for me. I used it as an opportunity to visit family members within cycling distance. Housework is also a great work out for me, scrubbing the oven clean, hoovering, running up and down stairs with laundry...you get the drift.
• I am grilling/boiling nearly all my foods. I Stopped using oil and have switched to a low fat butter.
• I have dramatically increased my fruit intake. I already love vegetables and eat 3-4 different types daily but fruit was always a struggle for me. 

I learnt alot from that week.  I know where I need to improve and I am proud of the changes I have made. I also bought a weighing scales. I am usually anti-scales but I thought if I want to record change properly I should get one. The last time I weighed myself was in July 2011 and I weighted 14st 2lbs. I weighed myself in May 2012 after getting the scales and I weighed 13st 7lbs. I think I'm only going to record it once a month at the end of each month. I want to focus more on healthy living and getting fit. Being a size 0 is not my goal. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this, if you have any advice or tips for me I would love to hear them in the comments below. Remember to be honest with yourself. Everyday is a learning curve and tomorrow is always another day.

Hope everyone is having a great week. xxx

Healthy Eating

So I was approached by the gorgeous Adoreabubbles to share this blog with you, after posting a photo of my lunch on Twitter.

I work in a pretty demanding environment, physically and mentally. Working in a warehouse requires a lot of lifting and concentration. Looking at the lunches I used to eat; crisps, chocolate, fizzy drinks, it was no wonder I was starting to feel tired and drained. I decided to change my diet, and so far, it has done wonders! I feel more awake, energised and have a considerable amount of energy left at the end of the day!

So what did I change? Embarrassingly, my typical daily lunch used to look like this;

1 cheese and ham sandwich (which I put in the toaster)

1 bag of crisps

1 bar of chocolate

1 can of fizzy pop

1 chocolate covered cereal bar

Not good! Not only am I feeling drained and tired, my skin doesnt like it either!

My lunch now?

Salad – lettuce, cucumber, tomato, a little cheese, cous cous and low fat mayonnaise

2 portions of fruit

1 glass of water

1 low fat yogurt.

I have been on this diet for 2 weeks now, and I love it!

I havent yet been on the scales to see of it is doing anything for my weight, but I feel a lot healthier, and the beauty of salads, is variety!

I decided to take a few random photos of the groceries I have been buying lately, and decided to share them with you!

Shape Yoghurts, not only are fat free, but fill you up for longer.

I have one of these with my lunch, and it sees me through until I come home. This is obviously amazing for reducing those urges to snack!

I have turned to smoothies in the mornings with my cereal.

Did you know that a 250ml serving of smoothie counts towards 2 of your 5 a day? Beautiful!

One of the above cereals for breakfast, is an amazing way to start the day! They contain nothing but good stuff, and slow release energy throughout the day! Before, I didn't have breakfast, and by the time it hit 10am, I was starving and found myself reaching for that biscuit barrel. Now, I don't feel the urge to eat anything until lunchtime!

As crazy as it sounds, if you are on a diet, but still need something sweet, keep a constant collection of sugar free jelly in your cupboards. It contains no sugar, no fat, no calories. So the perfect sweet snack, with no guilt!

However, if jelly isn't quite your thing, keep something reduced fat to snack on instead. I have found these shop own digestives to taste exactly the same as the real deal, with less fat! Perfect for tea dunking!

I think its safe to say, that we love beans! I am yet to come across someone who doesnt like these little guys!

Did you know that 2 slices of wholemeal toast and half a can of beans contains more protein than a steak!? Crazy, but I assure you true!

PLUS, beans also count as one of those 5 a day!

Remember those lunches I mentioned?

This is a classic example of my work lunch salad. This really does keep me going, and the only real thing containing any calories is the pasta, which is full of carbohydrates, needed for a balanced diet. So not all bad!

And yes, a fat free yogurt!

I also enjoy wholemeal pitta breads with humous, which is super tasty and I had 3 different portions of fruit!

I have also converted to decaf tea and coffee, which has lowered blood pressure and I have found it tastes just as good!

My husband and I have found that we now have enough energy in the evenings, we can go for a walk, swimming and have started looking into a evening sport.

I am also not falling asleep in front of the evening tele, which is a bonus, as I have been missing out on some great entertainment!

So to finish, I leave you with the 10 things I have changed within in my diet, which has ultimately resulted in me feeling great!

1. I have purchased a daily pill box from the pound shop, meaning I can take all my daily vitamins in the mornings. I take daily Vitamin C, Iron and Green Tea. A green tea capsule contains all the goodness of the real thing, without needing to make 4 or 5 cups of tea a day!
2. I start my day with a high energy, wholemeal cereal. I tend to eat porridge at weekends, as I find them to be more physically demanding! More energy means I can carry more shopping bags!
3. Baked beans are my secret weapon – remember what I said about the protein levels?! Nice!
4. I like to keep a cereal bar in my handbag, which I usually have as my mid afternoon snack! I am not eating chocolate or biscuits, and my hunger is suppressed for a few hours.
5. I am now starting to drink a lot more water. My husband got me a BPA free bottle, which I continue to refill throughout my day. I have also found that drinking water could be the real reason behind any hunger.
6. One pot wonders! My husband really enjoys being in the kitchen (I know, Im lucky right?) and he enjoys cooking casseroles, stews and hot pots. The beauty of these, not only the amount of vegetables that go into it, but also the ability to chill and re heat the next day! This ultimately means money is saved, and 2 or more healthy meals can be enjoyed!
7. I do enjoy chocolate – so I like to occasionally have a bowl of chocolate cereal. This not only satisfies my chocolate cravings, but I am also getting a large glass of milk!
8. My sugar free jelly is my evening lifeline!
9. We have started to steam cook the vegetables in the microwave in steaming bags. This is such a healthier way of cooking veg, and helps to keep those nutrients in!
10. I love my morning smoothie. And to fill 2 of the 5 a day, is such a weight lifted.
    
    
    
    
    

If you want to achieve your 5 a day, try my easy and wonderfully tasty menu!

Breakfast – 250ml of Smoothie

Lunch – Soup (Heinz tomato soups are amazing!)

Dinner – Meat and 2 different types of vegetables (I love broccoli, carrots and cauliflower)

Snack – 2 portions of fruit (Strawberries and grapes! Yum!)

I really hope you have found this blog useful. I am honoured to have been asked to write this blog!

Happy munching!!

Harriet

Domestic Violence....My Story

WARNING: Contains graphic details which some may find disturbing and upsetting.

Hey Ladies,

My name is Aundrea, I’m going to talk to you about a bit of a taboo subject today... Domestic violence. Not a pretty subject but it’s one that is very close to my heart and I think that the more we know, the more we are equipped to deal with it, should it ever affect you.

I'm going to tell you my story. Before I start just let me say that I was one of those girls that used to say ‘I would never stay with someone who hit me, it would be the first time and the last time’. It’s not as black and white when you are in that situation, at least it wasn't for me... OK, here goes.

I was 20 when i met him, we’ll just call him ‘E’ for this. We met in a pub where my friends and i used to hang out 2 or 3 nights a week. He was sitting in the corner alone. I thought he was a really great looking guy and I never really liked seeing anyone on their own in our pub, we were all like one big family in there.  I turned to my friend Steve to ask him if we should invite him over, and he told me he knew him from a few house parties. He called him over and introduced himself to us. We talked for most of the night and a few friends ended up coming back to mine including him. 3 days later he was still there, we were getting on so well and seemed to have a lot in common.

About 3 weeks later the cracks started to appear, I was always a fun loving, out going, friendly type of girl. That was all about to change. He didn't want me talking to any guys, I wasn't even allowed to look at them. I told him I had had enough, that I wasn't going to let anyone control me. He broke down and told me he had lost his job and couldn't afford his apartment anymore, he didn't mean to take it out on me. My heart melted and i offered to let him move in with me on a temporary basis, until he got himself sorted.

Things went well for 3 months, the jealousy was still there but not as bad as before. Things were OK until i started to feel ill, really ill. I went to the doctor and found out i was pregnant. That was the day my life changed forever. I had just turned 21, I wasn't equipped to deal with a baby... I was terrified. The thing that terrified me more was having to tell my parents. I went home and told E. He was delighted. I explained my fears of telling my parents, and he said that we would tell the together. I knew how this was going to go before I even got there. My father went crazy, he told me that i had to have this child aborted, that it was a sin for me to even think about going through with this pregnancy. I found that rich coming from a man who had never been to church in his life. I'm going to be honest, I did think about it. I don't have anything against abortion, I’m pro choice, a women s body is her own business. I decided against it, I knew I would never forgive myself for doing it, and it wasn't the child's fault. My father then told me to get out of his house, that i was never to come back, I would never see any of my family again, that I would be cut out of his will and that he would leave a stipulation in his will that should he die, i was not to attend his funeral. All my mother had to say was ‘I’ll pray for you’ my family are in no way religious by the way.

That's when the violence with ‘E’ started, he knew i had nowhere to go and that i would have to take whatever he threw at me. I was devastated over my parents. I felt very much alone in the world, I really felt he was all I had and the little one in my tummy of course. They were my family now, they were all I had. It started over the little thing, for example we were watching hostel one night  and when it came to the scene where the girl threw herself in front of a train because she caught a glimpse of  her reflection. I laughed and said ‘ She could have got that fixed’ I got a plate broken  across the back of my head. The cat was thrown against the wall and I received a punch in the face. Then i was locked in a tiny bathroom for about 3 hours.

  

Seem a bit extreme? It gets worse. I went to my friends 21^st one night and had to tell him I was going to dinner with a girlfriend. He went to the pub and someone told him where I was. He rang my phone and told me he knew where I was. When I got home that night I thought there was no one there, when I walked in  to turn on the light he jumped out and wrapped a scarf lead around my neck and tried to strangle me. He told me if i ever lied to him like that again he would kill me. I had had enough, I was nearly 9 months pregnant and i hadn't lost everything and  everyone so that i could lose this child because of his violence i had to be strong for it. I went to give him a hug, and kicked him full force into his privates, pushed him into the bathroom, locked the latch and rang the police. They took an hour to come, this was at 3 in the morning. They came and took him away, and brought me to my maternity hospital to get checked out.

He showed up the next day  to collect his things, all he asked was if he could be there for the birth, I told him when they were inducing me and said he could take the morning part and my friend Charlene was going to take over at 2 o’clock. The morning of the induction came on the 21^st of December 2007. He arrived at the hospital to meet me and i was taken up to the ward to get the ball rolling.By 11am i was in agony, the midwife suggested I take a bath first but she said my doctor needed to do an internal exam first. He followed me into the bathroom and locked the door, he helped me into the bath and then tried to drown me because i had let a male doctor do my internal. The only thing that stopped him was the midwife coming in to check on me. After she left he said id i tried to leave him with his child he would kill it, and then me.

This had to stop, how much was i going to take? How far did it have to go?! Char came in to take over at 2 and she saw the new bruises, she didn't lecture me but i knew what she was thinking. My daughter Addison was born into this world at 9.09pm on December 21^st. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life, I knew I had to be strong for her. I had to stay in hospital over Christmas as I had a C section Stephens day was the 26^th and that was the day I was allowed home. To my utter shock my father showed up with my brother, he told to get my stuff together and he was taking me home to my family house to visit. I told him i had to go back to the apartment to collect my things and he said he had everything we need at home.

When I got home he told me one of my friends had contacted him to say what was happening and that my life, and the life of my daughter was in danger. The following day he brought me to his solicitor to file for a restraining order. A week later it was granted, I changed my phone number and cut any ties that might link me to him. He never showed at court to defend himself... but really how could he justify what he had done? The only time I went back to that apartment was to collect my things, under Garda escort. When i left that apartment I never looked back.

Its been 4 years, and here I am. I am stronger. I am happy. My daughter is safe and happy, and I have a man that loves me and treats me right. He adores Addison.

The reason I wanted to tell my story is because if it reaches even one person and gives them the courage to say enough is enough, then it’s all been worth it. Violence in any shape or form in NOT OK. I don't care how they try to justify it, and believe me they will try. And let me tell you something else, once they hit you once, they will do it again. If you think you are not strong enough, that you love this person and they don't mean what they do, you are wrong. These situations are never accidents, the more you try to look the other way the more it will happen.  You might think who am I to say this after sticking with it for so long? When you remove yourself from the situation and get over the ‘seperation anxiety’ you will see where i am coming from.  Surround yourself with positive people, friends, family, councillors. Never ever be afraid to speak up. You wont know how strong you actually are until you walk away. And ladies, once you walk away, never look back.

If you are wondering how I plan on coping when the restraining order is up next year, I’ll tell you. I'm not who I was back then, that time of my life is over and I am so much stronger because of it. If he comes looking for us, it’s him that needs to be afraid of me, I'm not afraid of him anymore.

I’ll leave it there, and if you need anyone one to talk to or have any questions or comments please leave them below or feel free to contact me.

Lots of Love and stay strong,

Aundrea x                       

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Losing The Baby Weight

Losing The Baby Weight

By Anita James

Being pregnant was one of the most exciting times in my life. I loved it, except for the morning sickness. I was slightly overweight when I fell pregnant and I was prepared for some weight gain. I was careful with what I ate, but genetics kicked in and I gained 3 stone and went up 3 dress sizes to a size 20.

I’ll never forget my six week check-up, my doctor was less than nice about my weight gain and I left her office feeling well and truly crappy. I decided something needed to be done but recovery and lack of motivation meant I really didn’t try until my son was 5 months.

I didn’t really try very hard in the beginning so I started using a well-known weight loss supplement. I have never been one for this sort of diets but I felt I needed something to give me a kick and too be honest I was looking for an easy way out.  Luckily the diet doesn’t just focus on weight loss but it also focusses on eating healthy. Something I’ve never been very good at.  After having my son, it was even harder to eat healthy, your day goes by so fast and I’d often find at 8 in the evening, I would be saying to hubby I hadn’t ate all day and the takeaway menus would come out.

With the diet I lost 2 of the 3 stone I gained while pregnant and now I’m weaning myself off it and doing it on my own by cutting out bad carbs and going for walks with the little man. And you know what, I am doing just as good without it but it definitely re-educated my brain. I stick to the good carb bad carb mentality but treat myself once a week to something with bad carbs.

 I try get out for an hour walk but I usually get to 40 minutes and I head home and then when little man goes down for his afternoon nap, I try do an exercise dvd if I’m not wrecked myself.

Although I have lost most of the baby weight, I would like to lose another 2 stone. The pressure to lose weight after having a baby can be very stressful. I had several people tell me when my little man was 4 weeks old; I should be out pounding the pavements to lose the weight. Even my best friend was told this by some of our friends. The last thing you feel like doing after having a baby is go out pounding the pavements. It is very frustrating when people tell you what you ought to do.

If you’ve just had a baby or are pregnant and are worried about post baby weight, don’t put pressure on yourself. Just after the baby arrives is time for bonding and cuddles with your little one. If you get comments like the ones I got, try ignore them. Easier said than done right? Just focus on your little bundle and keep smiling.

Anita xxx