Meet your March Motivating Mums (and find out their top 2 all-time favourite snacks)

Today we are pleased to introduce you to your TEN amazing March Motivating Mums.

These 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge mamas are all making themselves available to the Healthy Mummy community for the month, and will be around to share tips and advice, as they progress on their own weight loss journeys.

From talking to them it turns out there are two snacks from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge that are VERY popular with this group of women – and luckily for you we have one of the recipes for you below.

Join the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge to access recipes like these and 4,000 others. All delicious and all designed to help you lose weight (without cutting out any food groups or going hungry).

The two most popular snacks with your Motivating Mums:

Drum roll please…..these 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge members love the Choc Chip Banana Bread (made into muffins or a loaf) from the recipe hub, and the Weetabix Slice!

Now let’s hand over to the mums to share their stories and insights.

1. Elizabeth Clare feels like a new person in just six months

“Hi, I’m Elizabeth and I am 38, I have a 5 year old son and a husband. We live in Woking, Surrey.

I started the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge six months ago, following just the meal plans due to issues with my back and shoulders. I then began to increase the amount of exercise using the workouts from the app.

I have lost approximately 1.5st but have stopped weighing myself recently. I have learnt through the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge to use my progress photos, measurements and fitness test as a way of monitoring my progress.

My all time favourite meal from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge is now the Prawn and Pesto Pasta closely followed by the Tortellini Soup.

Snack wise, there are so many to choose from but it has to be the spinach balls for savoury and Weetabix slice for my chocolate fix!

I joined the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge after I gained back a lot of the weight I had previously lost. I knew I needed to act on it but I wanted something I could sustain and feel I was still living.

I suffered a miscarriage four years ago and again last year so knew I needed to be healthy inside and out.

My goal is to drop another dress size as well as continue to gain muscle mass. Ultimately, I want to continue on this journey to become the best I can be for my family.

Tips for those starting out:

1. Take your time to get familiar with the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge and all it entails. Make it work for you not the other way around.
2. Introduce a few familiar meals and snacks to get you going.
3. Take pictures and measurements.

I have a Healthy Mummy Smoothie every day for breakfast and this stops me from skipping the most important meal of the day.

Since following the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge I have seen many health benefits. I no longer get regular migraines or headaches. I sleep so well now. My anxiety, which I have suffered from since the birth of my son has gone. I have so much confidence now. I am generally a much better version of who I was 6 months ago!”

2. Alexandra Forrest loves the energy she has found

“Hello! I’m Alexandra, I’m 28 years old and I have two children. One is a forever-on-the-move 2.5 year old boy and a 6 month old baby girl that I’m still breastfeeding. We live in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

I started my 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge journey three months ago and since then I lost nearly 1.5st following the diet and doing the workouts from the app daily. I started with 30 mins a day 3-4 days a week as I was fairly active and now I’m doing 45-50 mins per day 5-6 days per week because if I don’t exercise my energy levels are through the roof (and yes I do have a baby and non sleeping toddler!).

My favourite meals are the red lentil soup and the belly blasting oats. Favourite snack has got to be the Weetabix slice and the healthier brownies.

I’m doing the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge because I want to make this MY year. After having my babies I need to feel good and love my body again and I’m definitely on the right track. My goal is to lose two stone this year and obviously to maintain my weight afterwards.

So far so good (as arrogant as it sounds it’s the truth)  – so I cannot give any advice on how to keep going when feeling like giving up because I have been on a high in the last 8 weeks, because my results motivate me so much.

Top tips for mums that are starting out:

1. Make sure you meal plan and prep every week and change things around so it suits YOUR family
2. Consistency is definitely the key with this one I find
3. Don’t look at it as a diet, my mindset has changed so much and so has my relationship with food. I’m no longer an emotional eater.

I have been having a Healthy Mummy Smoothie daily after my workout, which is normally my morning snack to give me an energy boost.

I have been feeling very healthy all in all since starting and have not been ill once in two months! I am just truly thankful to the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge for providing me with the guidance and help I need to get to where I want to be.”

3. Rachel Gray never skips breakfast anymore thanks to the smoothies

“Hi I’m Rachel Gray and I’m 34 years old. I live in Pontefract, West Yorkshire with my husband and our daughter who is almost three.

I started my 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge journey five months ago with a whopping weight of 15st 2lbs, which is the heaviest I’ve ever been (even heavier than when I was 37 weeks pregnant). Since then I have lost 11.5lbs.

My favourite meal has got to be the Mexican Lasagne, and my favourite snack is the chocolate Weetabix slice.

I’m doing the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge to lose weight, get fit, cook and eat healthier and most importantly to be the best version of me possible.

My goal is to get down to 11 stone, or a size 14 with room to move would be great!

My top 3 tips are:

1. Take everything 1 day / 1 step at a time
2. The occasional blow out day doesn’t mean you’ve failed – you’re only human and we all do it.
3. The 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge is so flexible so have a play around and start off by building around what’s already in your cupboards!

I’ve been using the Healthy Mummy Smoothies over the last 2 weeks and I can’t get enough of them. They’ve made sure I never skip breakfast!

Since I started my 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge journey I’ve seen lots of benefits, not only an 11.5lb loss, my clothes are fitting better, I’ve got more energy and a rediscovered love for baking!”

4. Monika Rusin Fortova has lost a stone in three months

“Hello, I’m Monika; I will be 35 this month.  My husband and I have two kids, nearly six year old girl Adéla and nearly 4 year old boy Toby. I’m originally from the Czech Republic, but have lived in Salisbury, Wiltshire for 14 years.

I have started my 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge journey three months ago, so this will be my third challenge. I joined because I got to my heaviest and I had to stop it. People asked me too often for my liking if I’m pregnant, which is always awkward.

Since joining the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge I have lost a stone, I’ve dropped a dress size, I’m exercising more and feeling that I have a lot more energy.

Also love the fact that I’m giving a good example to my kids and they eat most (not all as they are fussy) meals with me.

My husband is very supportive about my 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge journey too. My goal is to get healthier, fitter and more confident in my body as we are making the big move this summer and going back to the Czech Republic.

So that means starting from the beginning over there, making new friends and I don’t want to hide because of my weight.

My favourite 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge meal is probably the bacon and courgette slice, but there are so many to choose from. My favourite snack is the healthy carrot cake as I have a very sweet tooth.

I love the Healthy Mummy Smoothies, they are delicious, so quick and easy so I don’t have any excuse to skip any meals.

My top tips for being successful are:

1. Meal plan – very important to stay on track and keep you focused
2. Don’t be too hard on yourself – we are only humans and busy mums, so if you have a slip up, brush it off and refocus
3. Drink plenty of water – that will help you feel fuller, your skin will thank you and the body won’t need to store excess fluids.

And just enjoy the ride, we are all here for you and we can smash it together!”

5. Hayley Guy loves having more energy to play with the kids

“Hi, I’m Hayley, 35, mum of 3 kids. Dylan is 11, Lauren almost 10, and Tia 6. Tia was actually born on the TV program One Born Every Minute!

After having an illness last year which affected my mental health (I lost over a stone with meds I was on), my appetite disappeared and I was put on a med that brought it back, but with side effects.

So far I’ve been doing the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge for a month and I’ve lost 2lbs, I’m not too fussed about losing much weight as I need to get healthy for my kids.

I love the egg and bacon muffin breakfasts, also the beans and cheese toast sandwiches as I always skipped breakfast before but now I love breakfast!

My goal is to tone up, the exercises are fantastic and are giving me energy to do more with my family.”

6. Emily Brown’s five year old now eats a big variety of healthy food with her

“Hello, I’m Emily, 26 years old with a crazy 5 year old boy and we live in Sheffield. I signed up to the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge six months ago however never really started following it properly until three months ago.

Since then I have lost 1.4st.

It’s so hard to pick just one favourite meal, at the moment I would say the chicken and chorizo enchiladas (I can’t stop making/eating them they’re so easy).

My favourite snack has to be the choc chip banana bread (yummy). There’s so many reasons I’m doing the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge, I’ve not been happy with the way I’ve looked since I was probably 12, I got to the point that I hated to look in a mirror because all I felt was disappointment.

The 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge is helping me not only lose weight and tone but also teaching me that I’m worth the effort to feel and look good.

I’m raising a young man who I want to grow up around a confident woman so that he knows that’s how he should help women feel.

My end goal would be to lose another 2st6lbs, however my current goal is to lose another 8lb during this challenge as we’ve booked a family holiday for the end of the month.

3 tips for those starting out:

1. Start out slow and do what you can, I concentrated on my food first and have gradually built up my exercise.
2. Healthy mummy snacks, have some made in your freezer all the time if you can, they are a life saver.
3. Remember to still enjoy life, walk, play, go out for a meal. Healthy Mummy is not a diet it’s a lifestyle. It changes your way of thinking about food and exercise and helps you to make smarter choices, and it allows to you to still enjoy life and food.

OMG the Healthy Mummy Smoothies, I have at least one a day (favourites are wake up smoothie, sneaky snickers and peanut butter and jelly) they are so quick, easy and filling. I’m currently waiting for my next tub of chocolate to arrive (yum).

Health benefits I’ve seen so far is my skin is softer and breaking out no where near the amount it used to. I also for the first time since being a child managed to go for a run (didn’t run the whole 5km but ran/jogged what I could and now have the drive to be able to run it all).

The biggest impact the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge lifestyle has had is on my whole family, not only does my 5 year old now eat a massive variety of food we spend most of our time outside, walking or playing and we love it!”

7. Ruth Shewan has totally transformed her life

“I am Ruth Shewan, 31, with a little boy who is 17 months old called Niall. We live in Edinburgh with my hubby.

I have been doing the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge for a while but truly committed four months ago. Not only have I lost nearly a stone and a half in that time but I’ve got back into my old size 10 trousers I’ve not got into for over 10 years, I’m slimmer that pre pregnancy and it has totally transformed my life and that of my family’s in the way we eat and the food we eat.

I absolutely love the Chicken Pad Thai and the Slow Cooked Asian Chicken as main courses. During the week I stick with soups like the red lentil to make things easier.

My favourite snack is the chocolate chip banana bread – I am addicted! It is so easy to make.

My ‘why’ for doing the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge is to change our bad habits into good ones and to be a good role model for my son. Not only that but I love to see changes in my body and fitness and to try new exercises and this has provided me with the motivation and enthusiasm to keep going.

I have already hit my initial goal so for me it’s about maintaining a healthy lifestyle and toning up my tummy. It’s not all about the scales. The non-scale victories are even more important for me.

Three tips for those starting out:  

1. Don’t compare yourself to others in a negative way – we are all different and we all are going through different journeys at different times. Focus on your goals and what your ‘why’ is.
2. Don’t be hard on yourself – we are human and we are mums and the hardest thing sometimes is juggling busy and hectic lives. It’s ok to go off plan now and again just pick yourself back up and start afresh tomorrow.
3. Get moving – it doesn’t matter if it’s 10 squats whilst the kettle is boiling, running or dancing around with the kids or a quick walk round the block make sure you take up every opportunity to get your heart pumping.

I’ve been using the Healthy Mummy Smoothies since fully committing to the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge and I absolutely adore them. I don’t know what I’d do without them now!

They have provided me with a quick and easy breakfast or snack and have made a huge different to my skin and nails!”

8. Isabelle Rodriguez concentrates on how she feels instead of the scales

“Hi! I’m Isabelle, I’m 35, and a busy mum of 2 (Sophie, 6, and Rory, 3), long-suffering wife to Mike (44) and full-time teacher at a local secondary school.

I joined the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge ten months ago, so this will be my 10th round.

I find it easy to follow because it fits in with my life rather than the other way around. The 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge provides me the tools to be in control: the app enables me to plan, prep and keep on track food-wise – a total game-changer for me as I save time and money, 2 things we always seem short of.

Exercise-wise, last month brought a new routine: get up and exercise! Minimum of 20 minutes from a range of videos from the app: HIIT, Tabata, Butt and thighs, core strengthening. The range is amazing and I am now hooked. This month is going to be the start of the couch to 5k training. Adding another challenge as a way to carry on pushing myself.

My journey is no longer about weight loss, although it is a nice benefit! I am no longer obsessed with the scales as I know that would change my mood in a second, I concentrate on the positive changes I can see in myself and those around me.

Favourite meals to take to work: courgette and bacon slice and baked potato with ham and cheese.

Favourite snacks: Mocha banana bread and vanilla slice.

Favourite breakfasts: A Healthy Mummy Smoothie – Black Forest Smoothie or Creamy Green Dream Smoothie!

My top tips are:

1. Food-wise: find dishes that are family favourites but with the Healthy Mummy twist on it (use the search box on the recipe hub) so you get your family on board
2. Pick 3 or 4 snack options for the week. And rotate. When I started, I made lots of bliss balls and kept them in the freezer.
3. Move your body every day : walking, dancing in the kitchen with the kids, running after the bus or a session at the soft play!
4. Take progress photos! You don’t have to share these photos with anyone but I can promise you that you will be amazed at how far you have come when you look back.”

9. Ruth Sivad has transformed her mental attitude

“Hi I’m Ruth, 38, I have two boys aged 8 & 10, and live in Kent.

I joined the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge five months ago after an advert popped up on my Facebook page. I loitered for about a month, trying some of the recipes. I then started following it properly four months ago.

I lost 5lbs in my first two weeks, and noticed a massive change in my attitude really quickly. Unfortunately I got ill and ended up in hospital for a week, which set me back massively. BUT I carried on with the Healthy Mummy Smoothies and eating mindfully – and didn’t gain any weight over Christmas!

I credit the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge for this entirely!

So… results…. Nothing really visible YET – BUT my whole mental health has improved, and I have totally transformed my attitude. This, so far, has been my biggest result. Oh yes – and 4 inches off my stomach.

My favourite meal has to be the Spanish Rice with Chorizo, although Stovetop Lasagne is a close second!

My favourite snack is either the Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, or the Four Ingredient Christmas Cake!

I had to have a hysterectomy last year and gained 2 stone in a year as a result of all the hormones, so I want to shift that weight, but also want to feel good about myself again and not be ashamed of my body. I want to feel and look amazing! We are going to Florida in the summer and I want to rock my bikini!

My goal is to reach 9.5st (pre-pregnancy weight) – but having a flattish stomach and being confident in clothes is more important to me.

My top tips: 

1. Start slow – familiarise yourself with the app
2. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN. It will actually relieve stress!
3. Drink loads of water!

I have been using the Healthy Mummy Smoothies – I love them! I have at least one a day, often two!

I have seen so many benefits! Mainly mental health at the moment, but I have so much more energy than before! I am confident and happy and I  feel more like me! I have also discovered a love for cooking! Oh yes – and I can now pull my old size 10 jeans up!” 

10. Tracey Bentley saves money by making her own GF snacks

“Hi everyone I’m Tracey, 41, from Poole. I have 2 children – a 15 year old daughter and a 12 year old son.

I started my weight loss and healthy living journey at size 18 and 14st ten months ago, but have been an actual 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge member for 6 months now.

I’m now a size 10 in most clothes and 11st 3lbs.

I love the mac & cheese, healthy Weetabix slice, healthy carrot cake muffins and the slow cooked bacon mushroom and tomato soups. But I have too many favourites to list.

3 tips that I’d like to share are:

1. Drink plenty of water…. this is so important with aiding weight loss and also when you think you are hungry you may actually be thirsty instead.
2. Prep a couple of different snacks a week if you can…. I’m gluten free and buying GF snacks is so expensive for only a couple in a box. So doing this has helped save me quite a lot of money.
3. Choose recipes that you would cook normally for your family but try to make them the Healthy Mummy way.

I love the Healthy Mummy Smoothies. I have had 1 for breakfast every day for the past 6 months and can honestly say you don’t get bored of them! There are so many recipes to choose from!

I’m at my ideal size but really need to tone up my tummy so the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge has some excellent workouts that are really helping! And I have about 10lbs that I would like to see gone.”

Want to access thousands of healthy recipes to help you lose weight?

Want to shift your baby weight but feel like you have NO TIME in your day to exercise and eat healthily? That’s where the Healthy Mummy’s 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge can help.

Our Challenge entails: 

• 28 days of at home exercise routines (no gym needed) – with video instruction
• Customisable and breastfeeding friendly meal plans
• Time-efficient exercises for busy mums – under 30 mins
• Challenge combines Pilates exercises with interval and circuit training (HIIT)
• Suitable for basic to advanced fitness levels.
• Home to thousands of EASY-TO-MAKE recipes.

To find out more about joining the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge for £1 click here.

PLUS – connect with THOUSANDS of other mums on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge by joining our free support community here.