How I lost my baby weight: Toned Michelle Heaton shows off her bikini body just weeks after giving birth

How I lost my baby weight: Toned Michelle Heaton shows off her bikini body just weeks after giving birth

Looking at her tiny frame, it’s hard to believe that Michelle Heaton gave birth just weeks ago.

The former Liberty X singer, who has battled with her weight in the past, is looking incredibly toned and trim.

Motherhood obviously agrees with her, and she’s evidently besotted with four-month-old Faith, who she has brought along with her today to our shoot.

“Being a mum is brilliant â€" I love it,” she gushes. “And Faith is amazing â€" she’s such a great baby.

“Although she should be sleeping right now, I can’t complain â€" she sleeps from 10pm until 6.30am and then for another three hours after her morning feed.

"Which means I get time to do everything I want â€" including exercise.”

And it shows. Michelle, 32, has lost most of the three stone she put on during ­pregnancy.

“I’m down to 8 stone 12 pounds, so I’ve still got another half stone to go. But clothes-wise everything fits.

"I can’t get my head around where those extra pounds are â€" I’m not sure if it’s my bum or what!” she jokes.

Unlike many celebrity mothers, Michelle hasn’t opted for a quick-fix diet since having Faith. ­

Instead the singer’s regained her figure gradually with ­gentle exercise and healthy eating, plus her secret weapon â€" a special kind of green tea called Cho-Yung (www.cho yungtea.com), which is said to help speed up fat burning.

“Some ­people are of the opinion I shouldn’t even be thinking of losing weight yet but I’m only losing a pound a week â€" I’m being healthy,” she says.

Michelle is also in the fortunate position of having a personal trainer for a husband â€" Irish-born Hugh Hanley, who she wed in the ­Bahamas in 2010.

Pregnant: Michelle carrying her baby

Hugh encouraged her to study fitness herself before getting pregnant, placing her in the perfect position to tackle that pregnancy weight.

“I breast-fed for the first few weeks and the weight just fell off â€" I lost a stone in three weeks,” she says.

But an unfortunate incident with a breast pump meant Michelle had to switch to formula.

“I damaged one of my boobs pumping too hard with it and the milk stopped coming out,” she explains.

“Faith starting pushing my breast away, which was awful. As soon as I stopped, the last stone just wouldn’t shift until I started on my high protein diet and exercise plan.”

Having endured crippling body image problems in the past, Michelle admits she’s spent most of her life on a diet: “I’ve never been accepting of my figure.

"I’ve tried every fad food plan going â€" even the diet pill ephedrine, which left me with a heart condition that meant my pregnancy was classed as ‘high risk’.”

Her heart was monitored throughout and two weeks before her due date she was told a natural birth was out of the question.

“The doctor told me my heart couldn’t deal with the stress of pushing â€" that I’d have to have a caesarean”, she reveals.

In fact, fearing her heart may stop during the stress of labour, a team of 20 medics were present at the birth.

“I was terrified. If my heart wouldn’t restart they might have to perform open heart surgery while my baby was being delivered.”

Luckily everything went smoothly.

Despite giving up ephedrine in her early 20s, the diet fads continued.

Bandmates: With Liberty X

            

“But nothing kept the weight off for long,” says Michelle, who’s 5ft 4in. And at her heaviest, the singer ­decided enough was enough.

“I got to 10-and-a-half stone three years ago, just after splitting up with my first husband (Andy Scott-Lee, brother of Lisa from pop group Steps).

"I was drinking and eating way too much and the weight piled on.

“It was only when I met Hugh that I finally started being healthy.

"As my personal trainer he introduced me to exercising, healthy eating and a completely new way of life.

“I’ve so much to thank him for. With his help I lost two stone. This made all the difference after having a baby â€" I knew I could lose the weight because I’d done it before.

"It was just going to be that bit harder this time.”

Despite her new outlook, Michelle readily admits she struggled to cope with her ­changing body during pregnancy.

“It’s really tough â€" I’ve not met a woman who hasn’t found it hard getting bigger.

"At first you wait for the bump and it’s great, but then the weight went to my bum and thighs. I was like, ‘But I thought I was just pregnant on my belly!’

"The hardest thing was not being able to get my jeans over my knees â€" I was mortified.

“I put on three stone, which is a lot. Even the doctors were asking what I was eating! But I was being healthy, doing yoga and walking.  Every woman’s different.

“I also really missed training â€" my drug of choice is going to the gym now.

"But with a newborn I have to do my own work-outs in the living room, with Faith next to me in the baby bouncer.

"I also had a caesarean, which meant waiting six weeks before I could exercise.

“The best thing about being pregnant was my boobs â€" I went from a 34B to a 38E. But as soon as I stopped ­breast-feeding they just shrivelled up.

"But I don’t need large boobs â€" I think clothes look better with a smaller chest. I’d never have a boob job.”

Michelle has spoken in the past about having Botox to tackle her frown line â€" even saying while pregnant: “I can’t wait to have the baby so I can have it again.”

Big help: Michelle with personal trainer husband Hugh Hanley

 

When reminded, she admits: “Yes, I had it done a few weeks ago. But I don’t have a great deal â€" I don’t like the frozen look.

"It makes me feel a bit better about my face. But I’d never do my lips or cheeks â€" fillers can make you look chubby!”

One person who is a fan of cosmetic surgery is Faith’s godmother â€" Michelle’s best friend Katie Price.

“Yes, Kate’s one of her three god­mothers. We lived with her for several months while I was pregnant and she’s one of the best mums ever.”

As Michelle leans forward to comfort Katie’s goddaughter, the tattoo on her wrist with Faith’s and Hugh’s names comes into view.

“I got a lot of grief for my tattoo,” she laughs. “Everyone hates it, but I love it â€" it celebrates my two favourite people in world.

"I’ve got tattoos all over. They’re addictive. I might have more after my next child.”

So more children are on the cards? ­“Definitely,” nods Michelle.

“Ideally I’ll have two, possibly three if the next one’s a girl. Hugh’s keen â€" he loves fatherhood, although he doesn’t do any night feeds, so he’s no idea what ‘hard’ really is!”

So has motherhood finally helped Michelle conquer any lingering weight demons?

“I feel more comfortable about my body â€" more womanly. But I also want to be in shape... and these days I don’t mind working for it.”

Michelle’s Shift the Baby weight plan

The food rules

1 Anything beige is out! As soon as I introduce carbs like bread, pasta and potatoes, my weight-loss stops and I get bloated.

I think that’s what happens to most people, as it’s really hard for your body to digest them.

2 Eat wholegrains and lots of fruit and veg You do need some carbs, but most people don’t realise they’re in fruit and veg, too.

And it’s the good sort that provide long-term energy. I get wholegrain carbs from my breakfast cereal.

3 Eat every 2.5 hours Snacks keep your metabolism ticking over, so I always make sure I have yoghurt or nuts handy in my bag when I’m out.

4 Drink green tea twice a day Cho-Yung tea really kick-started my weight loss.

It encourages your body to burn its fat reserves as fuel rather than store them.

5 Don’t eat dinner after 7.30pm If you eat later, you don’t have enough time to burn off the calories and the food sits heavily in your stomach.

Typical day’s food

Dinner: Grilled salmon

 

Breakfast: Bran Flakes and skimmed milk

Mid-morning snack: Fruit

Lunch: Chicken salad with avocado slices or a handful of nuts

Mid-afternoon snack: Protein shake or low-fat Greek yoghurt

Dinner: Grilled meat or fish with roasted veg

My gym-free work-out for new mums

“I work out five days a week for 45 minutes a session. But I keep it easy and fun and don’t overdo it.

"I find the best time to exercise is during Faith’s morning nap. I pick five to 10 basic exercises: for example: sit-ups, press-ups, squats, star jumps and lunges.

And I do each exercise for one minute. Then I rest for a few minutes â€" and then do it all again. I aim to do this three or four times, depending on my energy level.

"It’s as good a work-out as you’d get in the gym, as you’re using every body part. I do it to the music channel or CBeebies TV!”

Michelle took the Cho-Yung Challenge, an eight-week weight loss programme ­developed with leading experts. visit www.choyungtea.com . Cho-Yung Tea is available from Holland Barrett stores nationwide.