This last year has been a wild ride. Not only did Covid-19 continue to rear its head, but my husband and I welcomed Henry, our little boy, into the world.

Being a parent has been the most rewarding and challenging thing I have ever done. Running on little to no sleep, the constant worrying or googling in my case, and the relentlessness of being a new mum was a hard adjustment.

But as the newborn days passed into the infant months, we started to find our feet and develop our own routines. Thirteen months on, our little man is now running full tilt, climbing on everything and making us smile non-stop.

Now I want to preface this next bit of my story with a note. I wasn't unhappy with my postpartum body. I genuinely loved that it grew and then fed a human being. Which is still something I find hard to comprehend sometimes. The stretch marks don't bother me, and I don't look at my mum pouch with disdain.

One year on, what bothered me was that I was feeling very unfit and, in turn, a bit slower, more tired, and achier than I did before I had Henry. I knew what the issue was. I was living off a diet of bread, Henry's leftovers and snacks, and I was doing no exercise (apart from running after him).

I wanted to get my fitness levels back and down to my personal, comfortable weight.

I used to take Calocurb before getting pregnant. I took it whenever I felt like I was binging a bit too hard and too often on sweets and bread, my kryptonite. I took it to get myself back on track, a bit of a precursor to my willpower kicking in.

I decided to use it again to get in a good headspace for getting fit. Using Calocurb has helped me get rid of the habit of eating Henry's leftovers and snacks. Or if I do start picking, I quickly stop because I don't feel the need or the want to. I don't feel as ravenous come lunch and dinner, which means I can make slower, more considered choices when it comes to what I eat at mealtimes. In the last year, my automatic go-to would be a sandwich, toppings on toast, or a bread-based meal because I knew I could make it quickly and feel full after eating it. For me and my body type, I know that eating lots of bread makes me put on weight, so that was a big thing for me to overcome in my journey to a healthier body. But at the same time, you've got to do what you've got to do when you have a baby, and you start to take a back seat to their needs.

But as I feel much more comfortable in my role as a mum, it's time to start doing things for me again. Exercising and taking the time to eat healthily feels overwhelming, but Calocurb has helped give me a kick-start because I feel more in control of finding the right foods to fuel my body. I aim to find that happy medium between what I felt was comfortable for my body before pregnancy and how I feel now. As much as I would love to click my fingers and return to my peak fitness at 23 (from going to the gym every day and playing sports), that's understandably not possible! So, I know it's a marathon, not a sprint. That marathon will include exercise like going for walks with the stroller, doing yoga as he climbs on top of my back, popping him in the backpack and going for a walk on the beach. I'm giving myself time; I don't expect to "bounce back". But I want to get healthier to set a good example, so I can continue running around the backyard for hours with him.

Phew, I'm exhausted even thinking about it; someone get me another bottle of Calocurb and maybe also a gin! We've still got to have some indulgences, right?

Until next time,
Laura.