Bye bye baby weight!
Tracy Haywood-Twomey from Worcestershire joined Slimming World because she was miserable with her post-pregnancy shape. Now she’s more than 3st lighter and a happy, hands-on mum. Read her story here…
“I was always a slim teenager. I met Carl, who’s now my husband, when I was 19. I’d skip breakfast and sometimes lunch, too, then eat chips at 4pm when I felt really hungry. In the evening, we’d eat out, order a takeaway or grab a microwavable ready meal.
“I was busy running my own beauty salon and didn’t notice the weight creeping on. I joined Slimming World for the first time in 2007, when a friend asked me to go along with her. Slimming World helped me take responsibility for my weight, without making me feel judged or under pressure. I’d lost 1½st when I found out I was pregnant with Theo a year later. Despite doing so well, I decided to stop going to group.
“There’s a lot of pressure when you’re a new mum. I was coping with a little one and also comparing myself to other women. I felt self-conscious and lacking in confidence. I fell pregnant again with my second son Ethan in May 2009. Although I ate quite a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner, I felt nauseous throughout my pregnancy and the only things that seemed to help were fizzy cola-bottle sweets and ice-cream milkshakes – I couldn’t get enough of them!
“After Ethan was born I experienced a couple of embarrassing incidents where people thought I was still pregnant! I rejoined Slimming World and found it was so easy to cook for the whole family. My favourite dish is lamb kebabs with lemon and coriander couscous and a spicy passata sauce. I also love chicken curry and Carl loves my crispy roast potatoes!
When I reached my weight loss target I was really, really chuffed. I still have my ups and downs – at the moment, for example, I’m a few pounds out of my target range. I know, though, that if I keep going to group and follow the plan , it’ll soon come off again.
“Body Magic has been a really big help with my weight loss. After I had Ethan, I signed up to a gym with a crèche, so I could work out without worrying about who would look after the boys. Instead of sitting on the sidelines when I take the boys to a soft play centre, I’m always in the thick of the action with them. I was recently called a “yummy mummy” by a friend who hadn’t recognised me in the street, which made me feel brilliant.
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