Laura Renke, from Leyland in Lancashire, struggled to lose weight after her first baby – so after her second, she turned to Food Optimising. Now, after losing 2st 12lbs she’s got her figure and her oomph back, and is loving being a slim young mum…
“I put on 3½ stones when I was pregnant with my second child, Adam. I told myself the weight would come off when he was born, but of course, it didn’t. It felt like history was repeating itself as I put on 4 stones with my daughter. When Amber was a few months old, I’d joined a weight-loss club but I hated every minute of it – I had a constant headache, I struggled with the calorie counting, and eating out just seemed impossible.
“Three months after Adam was born, a holiday video of me in my swimming costume shocked me into action. A friend encouraged me to join Slimming World and I decided to give it a go.
“The biggest change is not what I eat; it’s the way I cook it. I trim the fat from any meat, grill my food instead of frying it and use low-calorie cooking spray instead of oil or butter. I also choose wholemeal bread instead of white, I always buy skimmed milk and I add sweetener to my tea rather than sugar. They’re such simple adjustments that sometimes I’m surprised by how much weight I’ve lost!
“My weight loss really got going when I began to cook for the whole family. The kids love Slimming World’s hidden vegetable pasta sauce, so I always have a batch in the freezer. I enjoy high-fibre crispbreads with yogurt and fresh fruit for breakfast, tuna on a jacket potato with a side salad for lunch, and something like steak in the evening with Slimming World chips and loads of vegetables.
Debbie, my Consultant, always shares lots of recipes at group, and I check the website's recipe archive if I fancy something in particular. That’s how I discovered my favourite Slimming World chicken Kiev recipe!
“My kids love having a mum who is full of energy. Soon after I joined Slimming World, a friend and I began going for walks around the park with our baby buggies, to earn activity awards for Body Magic. Now, I can run around the park with the children and I walk my daughter to school every day.
My Slimming World group is like a family – I felt welcome the very first time I walked in. The level of support and friendship from everyone is really special and I look forward to catching up with my friends each week. Even now, as a target member, I always come away with a helpful tip from Image Therapy, whether it’s a new recipe or ideas for healthy food swaps.
“My best moment was fitting into the glittery blue dress I’d worn on my very first date with Adrian. I wore it out to a special anniversary meal that night. Adrian and my mum both say how proud they are of me and that feels so special. My days of crying at family videos are definitely gone – and for good. Now, I can’t wait for our next trip to the beach!”