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    “How I Lost Weight As A Working Mom”

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    It’s important to have a healthy pregnancy for you and your little baby. And while weight gain is a natural and necessary part of being pregnant, for Abigail Downs, the extra kilos brought on severe pre-eclampsia. Her body changed in ways she hadn’t anticipated. However she had a weight-loss plan. An unshakeable routine and conscious healthy eating was the game plan she needed to take to succeed. Here’s how she navigated a high-risk pregnancy and found her way back to the strong, healthy Abigail she always knew.

    The Stats

    Occupation: Fashion Buyer/ Buying Manager and Content Creator

    Age: 31

    City: Durban

    Weight before: 81kg

    Weight after: 58kg

    Height: 1.65m

    Secret weapon to weight loss: Progress over perfection. Don’t wait to feel motivated. Just show up, imperfect action is better than none.

    Navigating Unexpected Health Challenges

    While I’ve generally been pretty petite and active for most of my 20s I had multiple gym memberships and did a lot of running and weight training. I loved programmes like Kayla Itsines BBGand even stints at CrossFit. But pregnancy complications put a necessary halt to exercising. I developed severe pre-eclampsia, leading to extensive bloating, edema and significant weight gain. The day I gave birth, three months early at 28 weeks, I weighed about 88kgs. What followed were the hardest months of my life, as my son, Slade, remained in the hospital.

    Unhealthy Food Choices

    My diet became entirely convenience-based: quick carbs, takeaways, and emotional eating took over. I’d often skip meals, then binge, focusing little on nutrition and a lot on chocolate (pregnancy cravings, right?). Previously, even when I’d had patches of bad habits and defaulted to carbs, they hadn’t impacted me much. As a vegetarian for seven years, my diet sometimes swung between extremes – months of strict salads and then sudden binges on easy options like pizza and pasta. This time, however, the impact was undeniable, making my return to mindful eating and consistent movement all the more vital.

    READ MORE: How Many Carbs Should I Eat If I’m Trying To Lose Weight?

    The Road Back: Making Healthy Life Choices

    The real turning point for me arrived as soon as Slade was born and in the hospital. I felt within myself that I was uncomfortable in my own skin – I couldn’t look at myself in pictures and the scale made me so upset every time I got on it. I had also had such a traumatic pregnancy that I wanted to start a new chapter feeling like the best version of myself so that I could be the best mother and wife to my husband and son.

    My immediate goal was to change things. I started by consulting a dietician who helped me shed the initial 8-9kgs. She also encouraged me to run or go to the gym at least twice a week. While losing the weight was partly physical, it was deeply emotional. I felt completely disconnected from myself, I had such anxiety and felt stuck. I knew I needed to pour into myself again and get back to feeling good. Because I wasn’t used to being overweight, it really affected me mentally.

    Simple Tips That Made My Diet Healthier

    How To Maintain Lifelong Fitness?

    I upped my protein and water intake a lot! 3L of water everyday without fail and lots of protein (whey and animal protein from white meat, I’m not a red meat eater). I eat more whole foods now, lots of veggies and low-GI carbs. I don’t restrict myself, but I stay intentional and make sure I know what’s in my food. I prefer to eat at home for that reason. I also stopped drinking alcohol.

    Maintain Your Exercise Schedule

    The most important thing I learned during my wellness journey is that there are no shortcuts. Things take time, and you just have to take it one day by day. And that consistency matters more than perfection. Showing up for yourself is what builds mental fortitude, even if it just means walking on the treadmill for half an hour; it’s better than nothing.

    How To Start Exercising When You’re Out Of Shape

    I walk or train 3 to 4 times a week (strength training minimum twice a week), always in the mornings. It’s become a non-negotiable form of self-care. I do Pilates on and off, and then I try to run twice a week. I’ve unfortunately had hip issues but I’m working through that and it seems to be getting better.

    READ MORE: 10 Reasons Why You’re Lifting Weights But Not Losing Weight, According To Experts

    Feel Good Benefits Of Weight Loss

    I feel so much stronger and way more focused when it comes to most things in my life. I’m more confident and I show up better for myself and my son. My clarity and emotional well-being have improved drastically.

    Exercise is a non-negotiable for me – it’s just become part of my lifestyle. I can run at a much faster pace than I ever thought, lift much heavier weights and am just so much fitter in general. I’ve gone down multiple sizes and my measurements are a clear indicator of weight loss.     

    READ MORE: 10 Non-Food Rewards For Weight Loss, From Experts 

    Three Practical Tips To Juggling Motherhood, Career And Family

    1. Prioritise Yourself And Protect Your Peace

    Discipline, routine and protecting my peace is vital, and saying “no” when I need to are my go-to strategies. I’ve realised that having boundaries are the most important things you can do as a mom or someone with a busy career.

    2. Leverage Your Support System

    I’m lucky enough to have an extremely supportive husband who’s always there for my son and me. I truly couldn’t have achieved what I have without his constant support – from him doing the school run so I can have those 5 a.m./6 a.m. gym sessions, to give me time for self-care Saturday morning runs and coffee.

    3. Embrace Strategic Planning

    Confession: I’m a chronic planner with tons of to-do lists and mini-challenges I set for myself. My week needs to be planned to a certain extent, and I love to challenge myself to stay motivated (like a 10k-a-day step challenge or the 75-day soft challenge, which was definitely my toughest yet!). Also, if you are organised and pack your gym stuff the night before, make your lunch, plan your meals for a weekend away, you won’t fail. More

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      How Instagrammer The Healthy Process Healed Her Relationship With Food

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      Like so many of us, Kelly van der Walt tried hard to carve out a weight that felt comfortable for her. At 34, she weighed 82kg and to reach her goal weight, she felt she needed to be in a process of restraint, of following rules that needed to be upheld, no matter what. “I had been restricting my favourite – what I call ‘fun foods’ – and trying to be super disciplined,” she explains. But so often, this prohibitive approach can yield the opposite result. And Kelly experienced it first-hand. “This led to a cycle of bingeing, restricting, starting [again], and the cycle continued,” she reflects.While out one day, she caught sight of a photograph her husband had taken of her. “I will never forget it,” she says. “I knew then something needed to change.” To that end, Kelly took a different approach: she decided to learn about nutrition. Her aim was to become a certified health coach, but in the process, she learned valuable insights that spurred her weight-loss journey.READ MORE: “How I Went From Being A Party Girl To A Fitness Fanatic – And Lost 31kg”“I learned something that changed my outlook completely,” she says. “It is a word, ‘diatia’. It means ‘diet’ in Greek. We think ‘diet’ means restriction, cardio, etc. But what it really means is a way of life, a way of living. I learned that in order to succeed I needed to make my journey a way of life. I needed to heal my relationship with food and learn how to incorporate fun foods into my life rather than completely restrict them.”Kelly van der Walt Before & AfterWith her focus shifted, Kelly hauled out cookbooks and made simple, nutritious meals. “I focused on whole foods and adding nutrients rather than subtracting [them],” she explains. “I increased my daily movement by increasing my step goal and did weight training twice a week.”She persisted with consistency. Two years on, Kelly, now 36, is slimmer but more importantly, at peace with her body. “It’s amazing that what started as a weight loss journey changed every aspect of my life,” she says. “I feel lighter yet stronger in my body, more capable and independent. It has made me a better person, wife and mom!”Resetting TipsTalk Positively“Stop listening to yourself and start talking to yourself. The process is 100 percent mental!”Chase Health“Health is a feeling that looks different on every body! Chase the feeling and your body will meet you there.”Go Slowly“The fastest way to get to where you want to be is slowly.”

      Michelle October

      Michelle is the features editor at WH. She’s immensely curious about the world, passionate about health and wellness and enjoys a good surf when the waves are good. Find her on Instagram here. More

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      in lifestyle and culture

      It’s time to prepare for deep transformation amid Mercury Retrograde

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      Life

      by Team Emirates Woman
      1 hour ago

      Words by Kirstyn Lewis – Founder of The Karmic Soul
      Let’s once again pay attention to some big changes that are around us all as we are in the middle of not only a Mercury Retrograde cycle but also in the middle of an Eclipse series.
      The Universe asks you to focus on your thoughts, feelings, and conversations around your future. The lunar Eclipse on 5 May forces you to let go of what is no longer useful around topics in your Scorpio house.
      During Mercury Retrograde, the stars see intolerant, vengeful or secretive conversations with friends, groups, and companies. If you feel your current situation is not right, it’s not. It could signal a ‘no going back’ energy around what is said. You will soon be ready to move forward with things you have always wanted to do and, excitingly, with a better team around you. Have you already started talking about a different future? Being true to your spiritual self and your journey will be important.
      Remember, mighty Pluto has moved into Aquarius, where he intends to stay until January 2044. However, this small but powerful misfit still needs to do something in Capricorn. On 12 June, he will saunter back to try to finish a chapter in your life that kept you inhibited, stuck, or plodding along. This is the time to tie up any loose ends relating to long-term commitments, especially if you don’t want a ball and chain around your ankle. Do it before Pluto stations back into Aquarius on 22 January 2024. If the risk-averse miss this opportunity, they will have one last chance in September 2023, waiting until November 2024 to taste freedom. Do you want to be ahead of the pack or fight for a position?

      Pluto insists you move into a new way of thinking, so he has given you a sneak peek of his abstract, compulsive influences that will affect you for the next 20 years. Pluto always represents the end of an era. The curtain is coming down on a significant part of your life over the next 18 months.
      Obsessive and addictive Pluto ultimately pushes you into uncomfortable situations. Look at the house topics Pluto rules for you in your natal chart. Don’t forget to check Pluto’s natural ruling position in the chart, the 8th House of sex, death, other people’s money, addictions, secrets, tax, government, and your partner’s finances. They all point to deeply transformative and hidden messages that shape the quality of our life. What are the themes you will need to contend with? This is the time to prepare for the inevitable so that you can buffer any shock. Remember, life determines your character when things aren’t going well.
      Pluto’s reforming and destroying urges shake up the status quo. It will be heartening to know that if anyone close to you passes, they will ‘return’ to lend a helping hand to guide you through any difficulties. Be assured that you will be very spiritually aware of their presence.
      Although doubling down on the painfully slow-moving and highly regulated Pluto-Capricorn energy, the Pluto-Aquarius transit represents progress and independence, suggesting you may be more ‘in it alone’ than you imagine. We have prepared you with ample guidance for this reason.
      Reflect upon the past six weeks. What events or thought processes changed that led you in a new direction? Since Mercury Retrograded on 21 April, you have been making serious decisions with respect to your future. Saturn will station retrograde in Pisces in mid-June, giving you extra time to toil for your dreams by giving you more time to consider the structure around what is still not clear.
      It may seem an age away, but 2025 is when you feel you are finally moving forward, know the Capricorn lessons that haunted you are finished, and for the next 30 years, you will embark on the next significant cycle that defines your legacy.
      – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
      Images: Instagram @sarashakeel More