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I've shed 2st of baby bulge

When Julia Haworth walks back down Corrie’s cobbles next month, she’ll be relieved that she no longer has to hide her baby bump from the cameras.

Julia, 29, who plays butcher’s wife Claire Peacock, gave birth to her first baby Sophia Elizabeth last July, and spent months hiding her tummy behind her handbag.

But now, as she heads back after six months as a full-time mum, she can show off her new slim figure with pride.

She’s worked hard to shape up on Closer_s post-baby healthy-eating programme and six-week fitness regime, training three times a week.

Julia, who lives in Manchester with her accountant hubby Jon Wormald, 31, has lost a stone, and the 5ft 2 star is back to her pre-baby weight of just 7st 4lbs and a slim size 8.

“I’m in the best shape ever and my stomach has never looked better – it’s so flat,” she grins. “Jon is really proud of me.”

Julia’s shape is all the more incredible considering her grueling 36-hour labour ended with her 8lb 11oz daughter Sophia being born by emergency Caesarean and she was advised not to exercise for at least 10 weeks afterwards.

“When I was pregnant I wondered what was going to happen to all the stretched skin. My stomach looked like a sausage roll, which was weird as I’ve always had a flattish tum,” she says.

Julia exercised while she was pregnant, and swam 40 lengths three times a week until her due date.

“I put on 2st when I was pregnant, but I didn_t mind getting bigger as it meant my baby was growing, and Jon said I looked beautiful,” she says.

“While she didn’t suffer from morning sickness, Julia found she had to eat the moment she felt hungry, and regularly reached for salt and vinegar crisps.

She says: “It was clearly my body telling me what it needed, so I just gave in. I must have needed sugar as I’d sit in front of the TV eating a Crunchie and drinking a Coke.

“Luckily, I also craved raspberries and melon, which was healthier, and I didn_t touch a drop of alcohol.”

After giving birth, Julia weighed 8st 4lbs and had to wait 10 weeks before she could start exercising. She started working out with personal trainer Paul Stannard at Manchester_s Esporta Health Club in October last year.

For six weeks, Paul helped her get her body back in shape with an hour-long
workout three times a week. She did cardio sessions on the treadmill and cross trainer, starting with five minutes of each and building up to 20 minutes of each.

Paul then added in sessions on resistance machines and free weights to work Julia’s legs, back, chest, shoulders and arms, as well as some boxing moves.

And to get her six-pack, Paul included stomach crunches with a medicine ball.

“I ached in places I never knew existed, but I trusted Paul not to push me too hard. We slowly stepped up the repetitions,” she says.

The results soon showed, as Julia lost a stone in just six weeks.

“I’ve lost three inches off my waist and I’m back in my size 8 jeans!” she says.

Julia’s hitting the gym less now she’s back on set, though. I’m going once or twice a week now. I really want to stay fit, it helps my energy levels,” she says.

Julia also started eating healthily, rather than dieting, since she was breastfeeding Sophia and was told to add an extra 600 calories a day to her diet.

“I had a bigger bowl of cereal for breakfast and an extra sandwich for lunch to hit 2,600 calories a day. I love healthy dishes like beef in black bean sauce with rice, or vegetable stir-fry,” she says.

Julia adds: “Being a mum is so amazing, I feel blessed. I didn’t mind my stomach turning to jelly to have Sophia, although it’s nice to have a toned tum now!”

But playing dowdy Claire means Corrie viewers won’t get to see her gorgeous new figure, which will be hidden under her character’s trademark baggy jumpers.

“Strangers often say: ‘Don’t you look fat on the telly when they see that I’m only a size 8 in my own clothes!” she says.

Julia loved showing off her fantastic new figure at Closer’s exclusive photo shoot, especially posing for our iconic Kylie shot in sexy gold hot pants.

“I love Kylie, dressing up like her was fun. Claire would never be seen dead in gold hot pants and Ashley would have a fit if he saw her like this!”

For Julia's fitness and diet plan CLICK HERE

By Vicki Grimshaw