Losing 5.7 stone with a 1 year old without starving myself and keeping it off (pictures included)

So I knew I put on weight being with my partner, meeting him at 11 stone I had now grown to a curvy 14 stone but what did he expect we ate out all the time, cuddled watching movies eating snacks, all our activities somehow included food. I put it down to being in a happy relationship and I could always go on a diet next week.
Well I could before finding out I was pregnant with our first child and within a month of being pregnant I put another stone on. So now at 15 stone, feeling self conscious and with my body changing with the pregnancy as well let's just say I wasn't at my happiest.

At 24 weeks pregnant I got diagnosed with gestational diabetes, I was horrified I felt if I had eaten better maybe this wouldn't of happen. I was putting my baby at risk because I couldn't control my eating so I saw a diabetic nurse who helped me by letting me know what I could eat and what I couldn't. For the sake of my baby I wasn't going to touch anything that would set off my diabetes and I didn't. At the end of my pregnancy I was down to 14 stone, I didn't intend to lose weight but by cutting sugar out I did lose weight. A healthy 7.15 pound baby girl was born and I was on a pretty good health kick. Until the life of a breast feeding parent kick in, I didn't have time to cook healthy meals I ate when I could which was often quick and easy things as the smell of any food would make my daughter hungry so I had a few minutes to scoff something then feed her again. In this time I ballooned to 16 stone my heaviest weight my BMI was obese and I was in a serious risk of getting type 2 diabetes.

It was only when my husband said to me I love your personality but I don't find you attractive anymore that I knew I had to lose weight. He was willing to stay with me because of our daughter and my personality but we couldn't be physical. Not only did I hate my body but so did the man I love. I couldn't wear certain clothes and when summer came around I would rather have sweat marks in a long sleeve top then show my arms. So I tried slim fast which lasted all of 2 weeks I couldn't stick to it but I did lose 6 pounds. Then by chance I came across myfitnesspal I could eat what I wanted but moderation so I could have chocolate but weigh out an amount instead of eating the whole bar. When I feel like I can't have something it makes me crave it more so with this diet I can eat what I wanted but I had to weigh it first it seemed easy enough and the first 2 stone fell off.

I definitely had times where I would gain or stay the same but getting into the 13 stones was hard I'm not sure of it was a mental block or the fact I just didn't feel good yet. 2 stone is a lot but it didn't stop the fact I was still over weight and no one had really noticed a difference in me as I was still wearing my baggy old clothes. So I bought an exercise bike I thought if I'm sitting watching tv while my daughter is in bed I might as well be moving my legs and it worked I got into the 13 stones. I started doing 30 minutes a night then 60 minute then 90 minutes sometimes I would be watching something really good forget I'm working out and I'd look down and be like woah stop now. It's what worked for me I was averaging a 2 pound loss per week, but when I got to 11 stone I had a lot of comments about my weight loss some good some not so. With all weight loss expect negative feedback some people aren't used to you looking thin. That's their problem not yours, I was told to stop I looked too thin but I still had a stone to go, I had a goal.

My husband was now and for a while loving the improved body and we became very close again (which helped with weight loss too). I finally got into a size 10 jeans which I only dreamed about and at 10 and a half stone I felt really happy with myself. Not only had I lost weight but I was doing a couple walks a week with my family and friends, my diet had adapted the food I loved so I could eat it in a healthy way so once my diet was over I wouldn't put the weight back on as this was my new lifestyle that made me happy. It wasn't a chore anymore to weigh something out or jump on the bike, it was weird if I didn't. When I met my goal of 10 stone I was so happy, it was my achievement I was no longer at risk for diabetes, I did something my daughter could be proud of me for, something I could be proud off and this is the first summer I wore short sleeve tshirts and short and not a sweat mark in sight it took a year and a half but it was worth every single minute.