She gave birth to her second child, Penelope, in the run up to Christmas last year.
And although Katie Piper has never been ‘unfit’ or ‘overweight’, the TV personality and activist has since gone on to lose two stone, all the while tackling the demands of being a mother to two under-fives.
‘It’s been slow and steady,’ the 34-year-old, who welcomed first daughter Belle, with husband Richard Sutton, to the world in March 2014, told MailOnline. ‘There was never any way I could go on some kind of crash diet and be hungry.
Feeling great: Although Katie Piper has never been ‘unfit’ or ‘overweight’, the activist has lost two stone, all the while tackling the demands of being a mother to two under-fives
‘Similarly, I can’t cook separate meals for me, my husband and each of the children, or just start living off juices. So I wanted to show people that you can incorporate the elements of being a mother into losing weight and eating right.’
In order to do this, Katie firstly recognised that you can’t ‘disappear off the gym three/four times a week for hours and hours’. She instead devised a wellness plan.
‘I know what it’s like to loose your health at a young age and we need to look after our bodies,’ she said, referring to the fact that in 2008, at age 24, she was the victim of an acid attack, leaving her scarred and blind in one eye. ‘You’ve got to be realistic though, when it comes to working out a way to suit your lifestyle to keep up a healthy way of life.’
Since welcoming Penelope, who is about to be six months old, Katie has devised a diet, fitness and lifestyle mum-manual, The Healthy Happy Mum Plan, with weight-loss guru and mother-of-four TerriAnn Nunns.
Practical fitness: Katie firstly recognised that you can’t ‘disappear off the gym three/four times a week for hours and hours’. She instead devised a wellness plan
Work-out buddy: Since welcoming Penelope, who is about to be six months old, Katie has devised a diet, fitness and lifestyle mum-manual, The Healthy Happy Mum Plan, with weight-loss guru and mother-of-four TerriAnn Nunns
‘I basically do things like incorporate work-outs in the front room, like ab work, squats and lunges,’ she explained. ‘You can put the baby in a bouncer and work out at the same time.
‘Or, like this morning, I went to the park in gym gear with the kids, let them play, and did my cardio for the day at the same time.
‘It’s about making it realistic for mothers. But it’s also about general well-being.’
Katie – who says that her 677k Instagram followers comment on her page for tips on lifestyle and wellness – has worked on a plan which hones in on the mental health side of things, as well as physical health.
‘Some diets can make us miserable,’ she admitted. ‘And it’s always especially hard at the beginning. Especially if you are detoxing from sugar, for example. ‘This is about mindful eating and natural endorphins.
Focused: Katie – who says that her 677k Instagram followers comment on her page for tips on lifestyle and wellness – has worked on a plan which hones in on the mental health side of things, as well as physical health
‘The beginning of any journey is tough because it’s a change. But with this plan you chart your progression [with a food diary]. It helps a lot.’
The Healthy Happy Mum Plan provides useful hints, tips and anecdotes on all things post-pregnancy, including embracing the changes in your body, breastfeeding and coping with sleep deprivation, relaxation techniques, mindful eating and easy-to-follow home workouts.
Katie explained precisely how she has changed her ways using the plan.
‘So, before, I might take the kids swimming and end up eating something from the vending machines as I was hungry. Or the old me would have, in the morning, grabbed a slice pf toast and a coffee and a cereal bar on the go.
What’s the plan? The Healthy Happy Mum Plan provides useful hints, tips and anecdotes on all things post-pregnancy
Rules: ‘I will also have dinner with my kids and husband. And I’ll make the same thing for us all. There’s no grazing either. After dinner I will wash up, pack up, and the kitchen is closed for the evening,’ Katie said
‘Now, however, I will take time to sit down and have something for breakfast like oats, almond milk and a banana. Something fresh. I also won’t sit scrolling through Facebook either. It’s about being mindful. I won’t sit and watch TV while I eat.
‘I will also have dinner with my kids and husband. And I’ll make the same thing for us all. There’s no grazing either. After dinner I will wash up, pack up, and the kitchen is closed for the evening.’
Katie is constantly being invited to events, too, which makes it harder to resist temptation.
‘I wouldn’t go out to events five nights a week anyway. But I do limit myself to the work events I attend. I will also make sure I’m not mindlessly drinking calories.
Treats: Katie’s partial to a glass of wine, a gin and tonic or some dark chocolate, which she’ll enjoy on one day of the week, such as a Saturday
‘If you gorge on Haribo and pizza, you’ll get a headache and feel crap. It’s not rocket science to know that if you put crap in your body you feel crap. And it’s not just all about how we look, it’s about how we feel. Feeling sluggish the day after you’ve over-indulged… well, there’s no reward element in the practice of that.’
Katie allows herself treats, however. She’s partial to a glass of wine, a gin and tonic or some dark chocolate, which she’ll enjoy on one day of the week, such as a Saturday. On this day, she can add an extra 500 calories to the 1500 calories that the plan enforces daily.
She also only eats within an eight hour window, allowing herself at least an hour a day to use totally for herself.
‘I like to go out road running,’ she revealed. ‘I’ll put on a podcast and I’ll savour the hour as my pwn and I won’t feel guilty. The way I see it, if I don’t have this hour for me, I can’t give [her children and husband] me for everything else.
Tips: ‘It’s like the air stewardess and the oxygen mask thing. Make sure help yourself and you are better at helping others,’ Katie explained
‘It’s like the air stewardess and the oxygen mask thing. Make sure help yourself and you are better at helping others.’
Katie’s plan is as much for her family as it is for her.
‘My husband really loves it and if I’m happy he is happy. A happy mum means a happy home,’ she said.
The Healthy Happy Mum Plan by Katie Piper and TerriAnn Nunns is available now.
Out now: The Healthy Happy Mum Plan by Katie Piper and TerriAnn Nunns is available now