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‘How I lost 2 ½st of baby bulge’

Former Coronation Street star Debra Stephenson is usually a slimline 8st 2lbs, but when she gave birth to her second baby Zoe in January she weighed almost 12st.

Debra, 35, says she put on nearly 4st during her pregnancy because of a combination of morning sickness and the long hours she spent filming Coronation Street:

‘Because I was working 12-hour shifts and feeling miserably sick, I craved stodge. I’d eat cakes, fish and chips and cheese toasties – it’s little wonder I put on nearly 4st!.’

 Baby sick

Zoe was born a healthy 5lbs 9oz, but six weeks later she was rushed to hospital with bronchiolitis – a child form of bronchitis.

“It affected Zoe like a severe cough, but she’s fine now and there hasn’t been any lasting effect,” says Debra.
 
Once Zoe was well again, Debra tackled her baby bulge – with the help of Closerdiets.com.

“I’d lost over a stone through the birth and breastfeeding, but I still felt fat and had cellulite everywhere,” she says. “I had a big band of flesh around my stomach and I couldn’t fit into my normal clothes.”

Closerdiets post-baby plan

Debra, who’s 5ft 6ins tall, followed a Closerdiets.com healthy-eating plan, specifically devised for breastfeeding mums. It provided 1,800 calories and plenty of “good” saturated fats each day – enough for her to feed Zoe, but lose the surplus pounds she’d gained by eating junk.

“I was given lists of good and bad foods,” she says. “I cut out crisps, cake, puddings, chocolate and stopped cooking with butter and cream.”

Family friendly

The meal plan was also devised with her family in mind. Debra was given healthy recipes that she could cook for herself, but which were also suitable for her son Max and husband James.

“Being able to cook the same meal for everyone was so helpful,” she says.

“I’d just eat slightly smaller portions. We’d have wholemeal toast or muesli for breakfast, salad for lunch then lean steak and sweet potato wedges, spaghetti Bolognese or fish for dinner. I’d snack on fruit, and make low-fat ice cream, which Max adores. I never felt hungry.”

Gentle exercise regime

As well as eating healthily, Debra did three gentle workouts a week with fitness trainer Adam Lask. Her hour-long sessions included a mix of cardio and weights, and were specifically designed to help tone her body.
 
“At first I felt like I had a mountain to climb, but it soon got easier,” she says. “I steadily lost at least a pound a week and started to tone up. My legs became slimmer and I began to see definition on my arms.”

Within two months of starting her programme, Debra had lost 1st and now, four months on, she’s down to 8st 10lbs and has lost 5ins from her hips.

'I've got my waist back'

“I’ve got my waist back and my legs have more muscle tone,” she says. “My cellulite has nearly vanished, and my bottom has transformed from big and flat to small and shapely. It isn’t as good as Kylie’s, but I’m pleased!”

Now that she’s back in shape, Debra plans to ease herself back into work, and has just auditioned for a West End musical. She admits that while she’s enjoying being a mum, she’s reluctant to add to her brood.

“I don’t want to rule it out, but I doubt we’ll have more children. We always wanted two kids and having a boy and a girl seems perfect. They’re the best thing that’s ever happened to us.”

Click here for Debra's diet tips, food swaps and simple exercise plan