A lot of people have been asking me about how I lost my extra weight so I decided to blog about it and answer everyone’s questions.

Let me start by first saying that I only had 6 kilos to loose, but because my frame is small and I’m barely 5ft 2′ tall, those 6 kilos do make a difference. After I gave birth to Liam in March, all I could think of was getting some sleep if I had an extra hour, so my first advice to someone who wants to lose weight after having had a baby, is not to beat yourself up about it too early.

On the other hand, do not get into the comfort zone of not doing something about it because before you know it, a year or more would have passed and it becomes harder to shed the accumulated weight. I used to keep my focus on it and when the time came, I went for it! This is how I went about it.

Eating Clean Food

By now I know a thing or two about what foods work for me, what gives me energy and what piles up my kilos. However, I still sought guidance. I spoke to Antonella of Beauty Team, and she gave me some great guidelines on nutrition and asked me to drop by weekly to do some slimming machines (more on this later).

I was determined to reduce drastically any flour and sugar intake and that included not making a Bolognese with canned tomatoes but use fresh ones instead! There is so much hidden sugar one must be aware of nowadays. I also cut out the bread and pasta except for the odd spelt cracker here or there. I started my days with a bowl of Organic Oats and semi-skimmed milk.

Most of the days I added half a banana as I found it gave me my morning energy especially if I had a rough night with Little One. My snacks throughout the day would be a green apple, some almonds and some yoghurt. For lunch and dinner I would eat protein (mainly fish or chicken), simply cooked or steamed with all kinds of vegetables or salads (again, very simply cooked, no sauces but for extra virgin olive oil).

I would add 2 spoons of rice during lunch time and by 7pm I would try to have my dinner. If I’m up late and I would need to eat something, I’d eat a couple of strawberries or a couple of teaspoons of yoghurt and that’s that. I’d eat some goat’s cheese but not daily. I’d throw in some sunflower or pumpkin seeds with my salad but again, I’d keep it very simple and enjoyed tasting the vegetables for what they really are. Sometimes I’d roast them in coconut oil (aubergines, zucchini, some sweet potatoes, spring onions, coloured peppers etc).

Sounds boring but the truth is that I feel extremely well with a clean and healthy gut and it did the trick for me as I was losing almost 1 kilo per week. Your body and mind learn pretty soon that as long as you are getting good fuel, you will feel well and can focus on the good benefits of this lifestyle such as becoming lighter, breathing easier, and feeling cleaner inside – literally!

I Drank Plenty Of Water

And my only other liquid intake was coffee (no sugar but with milk), which is not ideal as coffee increases cellulite but with a baby & lack of sleep, I really needed the kick. I even allowed myself some 99% chocolate every now and again and I’m also being honest about allowing myself to eat that piece of yummy mummy’s pie on that one day a week. Or taking a few slices of pizza if my son ordered one when we were out.

But my rule was very simple. If I take it today, then tomorrow and for the next few days, I eat clean. Having Antonella on my back really kept me on check as well!

Toning Machines & Spa Capsule

Going to Beauty Team once a week for a double slimming session, did wonders for me. To be honest yet again, I never thought they would be so effective but I started seeing the results pretty early on and I must say its definitely worth my time especially since while strapped, I can carry on with my emails & phone calls so no time wasted for me!

And that Spa Capsule! I felt my fat melting away during the 30mins I was inside it! Brilliant!

Exercise

I kept up my yoga which does give me an overall feeling of well-being in my life. But as I started losing the kilos, I felt so much lighter and able to move through my practice with more ease. As I settle into my winter routine, and one of my boys started school, I’m able to manage my time with Little One so that I can add a couple of sessions at the gym to do some weights under the guidance of my husband of course, who runs the Living Well Health Club at Hilton.

But for exercise, again, I say, do what works for you. If a power walk is all you can fit in, that’s good. If you need to join a class, find one that you enjoy doing, or if you feel better at doing something at home, then there are plenty of workouts you can follow. As long as you tell your body that from this day forward, you are going to be doing something for it, it will respond!

My Conclusion

Some may say, with a personal trainer at home you must be very lucky but I tell you that all the temptations are there and he’s the first one to tempt me into them! Be it the bag of crisps, the bottle of wine or “let’s go for fish and chips tonight!”

Well, I learned to be a little bit disciplined and modify my choice of food and my portion! I cannot stress enough that the portion of food we eat is very important. I eat enough but not too much that I feel bloated or full. And now after my 6 weeks were up, I started introducing back my wraps, some carbs and help myself to a desert or piece of cake every now and again.

But you know what? In reality, I do not need it or crave it like I did before. Except for chocolate, and coffee 😉 But I’m much more disciplined with food than I ever was and that for me is a big plus because when I indulge, I quickly know how to pull myself back to eating clean the next day.

Some Tips

For those who wish to start

Set a day to start your lifestyle change and stick to it

Fill your fridge with colourful vegetables and get rid of all the canned stuff, processed foods, pasta, junk etc…

Seek guidance because having someone encouraging you and keep you on track is very motivating

Do it with enjoyment, knowing its for a healthier feeling more than anything. The shedding of the pounds is a welcomed bonus and so is looking much better in that fitted dress or pair of jeans

Learn what is working for your body and yourself because that is how you can make it long lasting. When you get used to eating clean, you begin to taste artificiality in foods and refusing to eating them becomes effortless.

I hope you have found my experience motivating enough to make you want to go for it just like I did. Wishing you all the very best of health and happiness (which doesn’t only revolve around food!)