After telling herself the Milo diet was due reward for motherhood, Wendy Jenner decided to ditch the excuses and embrace a healthy lifestyle she has come to love.
I started this challenge four months after I had my second child and had gained over 22 kilos. I’d initially lost about 10 kilos but I lacked motivation and people were saying “it’s okay, it takes nine months to put it on, it takes nine months to get it off”, or “don’t worry, eat what you want because you’re breastfeeding”.
Because of this, I developed a really bad attitude and allowed myself to eat cakes and coffee and pasta dishes daily, meat pies and ice-cream every night after dinner, or a big Milo and toast before bed. Well, I was getting up all night feeding – I needed it, right? Wrong.
I was tired, lethargic, stressed and unhappy and I knew this was because of my weight and lack of exercise. I had an emergency caesarian section with my son, just as I had with my daughter, and it was just another excuse to be inactive. My advice is “don’t look for excuses for not doing something, look for reasons to actually do it.”
I changed my eating plan to oats with soy and protein, maybe some fruit, morning tea – a shake and almonds, lunch – sweet potato and tuna or salad and brown rice with chicken, and afternoon tea alternated between a shake or some rice cakes with natural peanut butter, and dinner was meat and vegetables or salad. I have a newfound love for salmon, herbal tea, water and all things natural and unprocessed and a newfound loathing for fatty, deep-fried, sugar-laden fast-food products. I’ve had a few indulgences and always felt sick afterwards. I’ve changed my ways to having clean cheat meals and this is another way in which I view food: it is fuel, not a reward system.
I have also found at least an hour every day to exercise and I keep moving all the time. I weight trainat least three times a week and do cardio nearly every day. I have a cross trainer at home and love it, but I also love getting outdoors and jogging or walking with the kiddies.
My family has seen a significant improvement in my mood and confidence and I have so many more goals for the future in my fitness and physique. I have inspired all my mummy friends and I’m proof that you can have a flat stomach after two babies and two cesareans. I love this new life and love being active, and my family all eat so healthy now. I have incorporated a lot of herbs and spices, so eating clean does not mean eating boring.
DAILY DIET PLAN
Breakfast: Oats with vanilla protein powder, cinnamon and water
Snack: Piece of fruit and protein shake if I have trained
Lunch: Brown rice or sweet potato with a casserole, chicken or fish and vegetables
Snack: Rice cakes with almond butter and protein shake if I have trained
Dinner: Meat with salad or vegetables
Occasional treat: Greek yoghurt and berries or a nighttime protein shake before bed.
EXERCISE ROUTINE
At the beginning of BodyBlitz:
Weights three to four times a week, rotating body parts and changing my program every four weeks. I also practised cardio on my cross trainer two to three times a week. I had to be flexible as I had to fit training in with the kids.
Towards the end of BodyBlitz:
CrossFit three times a week as well as weights. I’m currently hooked on CrossFit and am seeing big results.
My family has seen a significant improvement in my mood and confidence and I have so many more goals for the future in my fitness and physique. I have inspired all my mummy friends and I’m proof that you can have a flat stomach after two babies and two cesareans. I love this new life and love being active, and my family all eat so healthy now. I have incorporated a lot of herbs and spices, so eating clean does not mean eating boring.
