Elizabeth is a busy new mum who wanted to restart her routine and get her pre-baby body back. Find out how she lost 4kg and 4 inches off her waist and strengthened her core in just 6 weeks.
- Before Slendertone: 64.5kg (142 pounds), 32-inch (81cm) waistline and 31 seconds plank endurance.
- After Slendertone: 60.5 kg (133 pounds), 28-inch (71cm) waistline and 1 minute 32 seconds plank endurance.
- Results from 6 weeks: -4kg (9 pounds) and -4 inches (10cm) with 1 minute 1 second improved plank endurance.
Weeks 1
I wasn’t able to exercise for 8 weeks after giving birth and even getting back into a normal routine of walking every day was difficult. It also became easy to get into a habit of eating more sweets, which I craved when I was pregnant.
Now that my daughter is 3 months old, I’m ready to get back into a routine of exercising and healthy meals and eager to get my waistline back.
I’ve just began the Slendertone Connect Post-Natal Programme. The belt is so easy to use. I can tone while I’m doing light exercise and household chores. I’ve already noticed that my abdominal muscles feel firmer too.
“Being able to button-up those jeans again was a huge confidence booster”
I was even able to fit into a pair of skinny jeans that I haven’t been able to wear since the first weeks of my pregnancy. Being able to button-up those jeans was a huge confidence booster. I’m looking forward to fitting into and feeling comfortable in more of my pre-pregnancy clothes.
Over this past week, I’ve walked an average of 5 miles per day and visited the gym once to do circuit training. I’m not a huge fan of going to the gym regularly, because I feel self-conscious, but this week I felt pretty confident.
I’m also focused on healthy foods, like balanced breakfasts with complex carbs, protein and fruit. My husband and I love to cook, so we’ve also had fun making new dinner recipes, including crab-stuffed salmon filets with wild rice and green beans and a vegetable quinoa soup with whole grain croutons.
My goal for next week is to slowly increase the toning level and continue training and eating clean.
Week 2
I've been using the belt while walking around the house carrying my baby or doing chores. This week at the gym I did rounds of cardio exercises (including boxing and rowing) and some weight training. I also did several rounds of squats and other exercises which target my midsection. It was a challenge, but now I truly understand the phrase: ‘Feel the burn!’
I've also walked an average of 5 miles every day, eaten healthy, increased the intensity of my toning sessions and focused on doing more abdominal stretches and exercises like crunches.
“I've been using the belt while carrying my baby or doing chores”
I can feel my waist getting slimmer and I'm feeling more comfortable in my form-fitting training gear. I even treated myself by buying a couple of new gym outfits to celebrate how good I'm feeling about my waistline!
When I began the Slendertone programme, I thought that using the belt would be uncomfortable or that toning would feel like a chore. I actually look forward to using the belt every day. I love how it's so easy to use with the app. I'm in total control of my sessions. I can build up the intensity more and more, but it's always within my comfort zone.
My goal is to continue increasing the intensity, get back in the gym, keep walking every day and diet healthily.
Week 3
At home this week, I’ve been using the Slendertone belt while doing some moderate abs exercises, such as bicycle crunches and hip raises. When I’m not exercising while wearing the belt, I can feel it training my different abdominal muscles. When I’m wearing the belt while doing simple exercises, though, I can really feel those muscles getting a tough workout.
At the gym I did more rowing exercises, press-ups, weight training and other cardio circuits to get my heart rate up. Each time I go to the gym I can feel myself getting stronger and more capable of doing exercises I found easy before my pregnancy.
“All of my clothes simply feel like they fit better”
I’ve been trying to stay active all week even when I haven’t been exercising by taking long walks and working in the garden. Next week, I’m planning to walk an extra mile each day too.
I felt a turning point in the programme this week as all of my clothes feel like they simply fit better. Looking in the mirror, I think I’m beginning to see a difference in how my waistline looks. I’m really excited to continue slimming down and toning up.
Because I’ve begun to physically see a change in my appearance, I’ve been using the Connect belt more frequently and upping the intensity just a couple of notches higher than my week 3 target. It’s amazing how seeing and feeling a difference in your body shape can be an incentive to work even harder.
Week 4
I feel great! Watching what I eat, exercising at the gym and at home and training with the Connect belt all seem to really be paying off. I’ve begun to see some abdominal definition, so in addition to whittling down my waistline I’m actually feeling muscular (it’s a huge accomplishment after having a baby). In fact, I think my waist is only about one inch larger than it was before I became pregnant.
In the gym, I can do exercises which I couldn’t have done a few weeks ago, plus I’m becoming more and more confident. To complement my at-home routine, I purchased a Pilates ring to help with my abdominal exercises.
“In addition to whittling down my waistline, I’m actually feeling muscular”
I’ve been increasing the intensity of my toning sessions too. It’s amazing how the intensity of my first sessions now seems so low. I wouldn’t have imagined how easy it has been to build it up each week. I also challenged myself to walk an additional mile each day on average, and I’ve accomplished this.
This week I also wanted to focus on vegetable- and protein-rich foods. For breakfast, I made a batch of wholegrain savoury protein muffins. For dinner, we cooked up a salmon and rocket pasta, veggie flatbread and Brit Williams’ (my personal trainer) Thai green curry recipe.
I’m confident that my stomach and waistline will be exactly where I want them to be or even better by the end of the programme. Even though I’ve been exercising and eating healthily, I don’t feel like either of these things have disrupted my normal routine, and using the belt daily has been so easy.
Week 5
Two things happened this week that were major milestones for me. Firstly, I was able to do sit-ups. Immediately after my caesarean, I couldn’t even sit up in bed unassisted. Even after several weeks of recovery and regaining my strength, I was able to do everyday things again but still didn’t feel strong in my core.
The first week of my Slendertone programme, I tried sit-ups but was only able to manage crunches. Week 5, I’m delighted that I was able to complete 3 rounds of 12 sit-ups.
The other milestone this week was my endurance while hiking. When we all visited the Peak District this weekend, not only was I able to keep up, but I felt invigorated. I even carried my daughter in our baby carrier for stretches of the hike.
“I’m starting to feel like the old pre-pregnancy, pre-caesarean me again”
When I began my programme, I was toning at level 40. Now I’m up to 80! Because I’ve been getting stronger and more toned along the way the high intensity isn’t uncomfortable or difficult to manage.
I’m delighted with the way I look after 5 weeks, but I think the most important thing is that I’m starting to feel like the old pre-pregnancy, pre-caesarean me again.
During the last week of the programme, I’m going to really push myself to maximise my results.
Week 6
This was my last week and I’m amazed with the results. I’ve gone from looking like I just had a baby to being completely confident with my new waistline. Yesterday I tried on the most formfitting dress in my closet and it fits again! I wouldn’t hesitate wearing a two-piece bathing suit on the beach again and I’m happy that I can fit into literally all of my old clothes for the first time in more than a year!
In the past 6 weeks, I have also noticed a huge change in my endurance and strength at the gym. My workouts have gotten increasingly challenging, but I’ve been less and less fatigued when I leave. It’s a great feeling to be more active and to be able to do all the exercises I did before I was pregnant.
“I fit into my old clothes and I feel strong, confident and healthy”
I wouldn’t have believed that in just six weeks I’d be back to my pre-pregnancy size with only healthy eating, moderate exercise and using the Slendertone belt. I’m going to continue using the abs belt to tone my core further and enhance my abdominal definition.
I’m going to recommend Slendertone to all the new mums out there. I think the best thing about the Post Natal Programme is that I feel rejuvenated. I feel like the old me again. I fit into my old clothes and I feel strong, confident and healthy. Add these things to the wonders of being a new mom, what more could you ask for?
