How I dropped 2/3 dress sizes and lost 2 stone in under 3 months

From this

to this

Like most women I have things i’d like to change about myself. For most of my life I was naturally very slim but then I hit my 30s and the weight went on. At first I was over the moon I’d always wanted to put on weight but had a lot of trouble due to a quick metabolism but then the weight continued to pile on til I was a size 14 bordering on a 16. I was unhappy and it showed. I was eating crap, wasn’t at all active and stopped wearing clothes that showed what i deemed too much flesh. I wasn’t myself.

So at the beginning of the year I made a vow to shape up. I was determined to get healthy (not just slimmer but healthier) so didn’t succumb to fad diets but instead opted to start doing yoga again and clean up my diet. It was successful as in 3 months I dropped two stone and went from a size 14 to a size 10. How did I do it? It was nothing revolutionary and it was mostly common sense. I’m no diet or fitness expert but these are the steps I took and I hope they’ll be helpful to others:

1. Cut out sugar – this was the best thing I ever did. Yes it isn’t easy but the difference is immense. It shows everywhere – skin is clearer, I have more energy and of course there’s the weight loss. I replaced my love of fizzy drinks with smoothies and replaced the sugar in my coffee with stevia.

2. Eat clean – I eat a tonne of fresh fruit and vegetables now. I don’t eat ready meals I prepare everything myself by hand. It’s time consuming but you can prepare food in advance. I also replaced the oil I use for cooking with coconut oil as it is much healthier.

3. Fall in love with grains, beans and pulses – yes they sound boring but in actual fact you can make some amazing dishes with them.

4. Embrace superfoods – I add goji berries and chia seeds to my smoothies to up my superfood intake.

5. Eat breakfast – this one is very important. I was never a breakfast eater but now I have homemade granola each morning. Having a high energy breakfast stops the need for grazing or snacking. When I do need a snack I love to much on nuts. Good for you and tasty.

6. Find a sport or exercise that works for you. Not everyone is suited to the gym. For some running may work or a fitness class. For me it’s yoga.

7. Drink lots of water. This one’s pretty much a given.

8. Minimise gluten intake – I pretty much removed gluten from my diet. I have it occasionally still but usually avoid pasta and bread. If you can’t live without them you can buy gluten free versions at holland and barrett.

So there you have it, those are the steps I took to lose weight. It’s not a diet but instead a lifestyle change. You’ll find no diet shakes or calorie counting but instead just tasty healthy food. I’m no expert but after being asked multiple times I wanted to share what worked for me. Feel free to ask any questions.