5 healthy habits that helped me lose 3.8st in 6 months
My name is Stephanie and Iโm 38 years. I have 4 childrenย (19, 16 and 10-year-old twins). I am a full time university student and work on a casual basis.
On top of that, I am on a journey that could not only change but save my life.
This is my story and the 5 healthy habits on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challengeย that helped me lose 3.8st in 6 months.
5 healthy habits that helped me lose 3.8st in 6 months
I have been using the 28 Day Weight Loss Challengeย since November 2017.
You see, I have always had a problem with my weight. You name a shake, weight loss product or fad diet โ and I guarantee you at some point Iโve tried it.
The heaviest I have ever been was back in 2010, when I tipped the scales at 38.3st. At this point, I opted to have lap band surgery.ย In 2011, I got down to 26.6st but needed to have surgery again after I had some complications with my band.
In 2012, the scales read 33.3st and Iโve been hovering between 30st โ 31.6st for the past 6 years.
My lap band is not functional at the moment. It hasnโt been for the past 2 years. Should I wish for it to work again, I would require more surgery.ย Weight loss surgery isnโt an easy way out โ like a lot of people think.
Lap band surgery doesnโt make youย go to the gym. Lap band surgery doesnโt make you eat the right foods. Lap band surgery is merely a tool that is said to aid weight loss. And sometimes it works. And sometimes it doesnโt. In my case, it saved my life and got me under 31.6st.
But, I believe the rest is up to me now.
Stumbling across the Healthy Mummy
One night after a junk food binge (in October 2017), I decided enough was enough and hopped on Facebook to FIND something to help me with my weight loss journey. Thatโs when Iย stumbled across The Healthy Mummy and the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.
I decided then and there that I wanted toย give my weight loss journey one last push.
I started by trying some of the free recipes on The Healthy Mummy website. And you know what? I absolutely loved them.
On the 1st of November 2017,ย much to the disgust of my children, I completely emptied my cupboard of all the foods we had that were not part of our new lifestyle and I havenโt looked back.
The whole family following a Healthy Mummy lifestyle
We do this (that is The Healthy Mummy lifestyle) as aย family and I love how itโs something that everyone can be included in on.
Some โdietsโ require you to heat up your meal and cook another one for your kids.ย Healthy Mummy is not like that.ย Thatโs what attracted me to it.ย Everyone can do it and be involvedโฆ.and fall in love with the recipes.
So far, Iโve lost 3.8st.ย
My tips for other women and families
My tips for anyone starting out is to take it slowly. Introduce new things day by day. Whether it be increasing your water intake, cutting out the foods that you know arenโt good for you, introducing exercise into your daily routine (even if itโs just a 10-minute walk).ย You donโt have to wait until Monday or next month โ you CANย start today.
If you have any questions, know there is always someone to help.
The girls in The Healthy Mummy Support Groups are amazing. No question is a stupid one.
My reason WHY!
The reason I am doing this is for me.
I deserve a better life. I deserve to give myself another chance at feeling good.
I am also doing this for my kids as I want to be around for them. I want to be around for every little moment and not just the big ones โ sorting out their arguments over the Xbox and tackling lifeโs great problems such as where theyโve left their school jumper are things I donโt want to miss.
I want to be a mother who is involved in the lives of their children and not just one who sits on the sidelines.
My health and weight loss goals
My goal is to fit into a pair of jeans, to be able to wear nice clothes, to fit on the rides at the funfair, to be able to run for ten minutes without stopping, to cross my legs like a lady, to go down the slide without getting stuck, to wear high heels, to be able to get into any single car without worrying about the seatbelt not fitting.
I would also like to be a healthy weight for my height. However,ย my goals arenโt defined by the number on the scales. ย
This month is all about getting back into routine for me. Last month wasnโt great. I actually put on 7lbs but it had nothing to do with what I ate and what I did. It was about what I DIDNโT eat and DIDNโT do.
Some days I didnโt eat my calorie allowance which ALSO contributes to weight gain. I didnโt drink my 2 litres of water each day nor was I exercising as much as I wanted to be.ย I had a lot of things happen last month that had an impact on how I manage my things but Iโm not going to let it get me down โ I am going to learn from it and have the BEST MONTH Iโve had since starting Healthy Mummy.
Tips that helped me lose weight, and hopefully you
- Do not compare yourself to others.ย Use your own progress to measure your accomplishments.
- Donโt weigh yourself every day.ย Contemplate weighing only once a month.ย It is very disheartening if youโre doing everything right and the scales suggest otherwise.
- Measure yourself.ย I am so glad I took this piece of advice when I started.ย I look forward to seeing what my measurements are each month.ย I have lost almost 100cm from various bits of my body!
- Drink your water!ย Water is such an important tool.ย It will make a huge difference to your health and wellbeing.
- Move your body.ย Find something that you love and do it.ย Exercise isnโt just great for physical health, but it also benefits your mental health.ย It doesnโt have to be the gym โ walk around the block with your dogs, go for a bike ride with your kids or start something like Parkrun (I LOVE Parkrun).ย Youโll feel better for it.
My favourite motivating quote is โIt comes down to one simple thing โ how bad do you want it?โ.ย I ask myself this several times a day.ย By asking myself that question, it prompts me to remember my goals and reset my focus.
Here at Healthy Mummy H.Q we are absolutely BLOWN AWAY by Stephanieโs incredible and oh so inspiring transformation. Her journey is an extremely powerful one, and one that certainly moved us.
We are proud to be a company that not only empowers women to take charge of their health and fitness, but a company that helps women to empower other women.
Stephanieโs confidence and journey will no doubt inspire many mumsโฆand we are so honoured to have been part of (and continue to be part) of her health journey.
If you are inspired by Stephanieโs journey and want to join the weight loss plan that helped Stephanie lose 3.2st in 6 months, join us on the next 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.