Thank you to Cathy Cooper for sending in this article. Cathy, a Slimming World consultant for the Wednesday evening and Saturday morning groups at Biddulph High School, has discussed gaining weight during pregnancy and how she was able to return to her target weight.

One of the issues close to my heart is weight gain during pregnancy. My own difficulties in terms of being overweight began during pregnancy with my first child at the age of 38 years.

I was 35 weeks pregnant when the attached photograph was taken. I gained more weight before my son was born - 4-5 stones in all. Throughout pregnancy I had no idea how to eat or what was a "normal" weight gain. I craved rice pudding and ate constantly.

Throughout my pregnancy I was repeatedly asked "are you sure you're not having twins?" I remember comparing myself to other mothers at antenatal classes who had not gained so much weight and said to my husband "just you wait - I bet I will have the smallest baby and still look pregnant!" - I had the second smallest baby and was still being asked if I was pregnant at the age of fifty!

I hadn't lost all of the 4-5 stones that I gained during my first pregnancy when I had my second son at the age of 42 - maybe half of the weight gain at a push. And perhaps thanks only to the horrible experience of campylobacter food poisoning during my second pregnancy I didn't gain another 4-5 stones. But I remained overweight.

I discovered Slimming World just over 11 years ago. Slimming World has taught me how to eat healthily in order to completely satisfy my appetite and to never feel hungry or guilty about what I eat.

Slimming World is in its 52nd year. This is because it works. No one need ever feel like they are "on a diet" because as members we are not on a diet.

We eat masses of unlimited healthy food which involves no need for calorie counting (bliss!) and minimal weighing and measuring - just an element of control of the high fat and high sugar foods which caused our weight gain in the first place. Nothing is banned or off limits. It has become a way of life for me.

At Slimming World members pay nothing when they have reached their target weight as long as they remain within 3lbs above or below their target weight. This is the secret to long term success.

Over a ten year period prior to becoming a Slimming World consultant I left once I had reached my target weight, resumed old habits, ate too much fat and sugar and regained overweight. The important thing is to continue to eat in the healthy way promoted by Slimming World so as to maintain our weight loss.

I am now a Diamond member which means that I have maintained my target weight for over a year because I food optimise as a way of life. I don't ever feel deprived or that I am "dieting". I will be 60 years old next year but look and feel young!

We have pregnant and breast feeding members who won't make the mistakes that I did, and do, with the support of their midwives, eat healthily and optimally and control their weight gain during pregnancy and beyond, Slimming World ensuring that they have a tailored plan to include all their nutritional needs.

I really wish that I had known about Slimming World when I was pregnant and afterwards. I experienced postnatal depression not at all helped by my weight gain and it really does not have to be like this.

One of my members became pregnant after several years of trying to become pregnant unsuccessfully and messaged me to thank me as she felt her pregnancy had finally occurred because of her weight loss.

Other members have continued with Slimming World during pregnancy and beyond. We are there to help anyone who has had a similar experience to me. We are there for anyone who has experienced a weight gain at any time in their lives.

Slimming World makes a huge difference to people's lives. One of my male members lost eight and a half stones - much of it last year despite lockdown as he stayed with us.

So I would urge anyone who would like to lose weight either post-pregnancy or at any other time of life including during or after the menopause to join Slimming World and to enjoy life to the full. I have achieved and maintained my weight loss in my late fifties.

If you would like to join our Wednesday evening or Saturday morning groups at Biddulph High School please contact Cathy on 07938 948425.

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