JD Fitness

Tonight’s quarantine cooking - sweet potato, lentil and chickpea curry. I don’t know about you guys but lately I’m constantly looking for ways to batch cook with cupboard fillers in order to limit trips to the supermarket. This makes 8 servings and is freezable, vegan and delicious!

🍃 Ingredients:
4 medium sweet potatoes p*eled and chopped
Splash of olive oil
1 large white onion chopped
2 crushed garlic cloves
200g green or red lentils
2 cans of chickpeas
2 cans of chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons of hot curry powder
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
1 litre of vegetable stock

🍃Method
Using a large pot gently fry the onions until translucent. Add the cumin, garlic and curry powder and cook for a further minute. Add the lentils, chopped tomatoes, stock and sweet potatoes and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the sweet potato is cooked. Finally add the chickpeas and cook for a further 5 minutes. Serve with rice, flatbreads or on its own.

I don’t think I’m alone in stating that the events of the last two weeks are beyond anything I ever imagined experiencing in my entire life! We all know the fluidity of the situation and you only have to turn on any news channel to see how bad things are getting each day. It’s a very scary time!
Life hasn’t changed too much for me and my little girl aside from not being able to get to our baby classes or see her grandparents however everything around us feels like it’s falling apart.
The entire situation has made me really anxious and depressed and I know most people are feeling the same. Each day has brought new daunting predictions and realities into our lives and the increasing list of things to worry about has become almost suffocating.
Last week I found myself having a couple of wines each night after baby went down to try and ease my anxiety. I couldn’t stop googling the dreaded C word. I couldn’t switch off and spent hours lying awake worrying. I’m terrified of what will happen in the coming weeks and months.
This weekend was a bit of a turning point however and I started googling less and made a list of little things I am thankful for - like getting the chance to breastfeed my baby in the sun on the decking I worked so hard on last year. I’m grateful to have more time with my husband under lockdown. Our little team of 3 is growing stronger as he is around to get more baby cuddles and smiles each day. I’m grateful for my health and my family. I’m grateful for the WhatsApp groups I have with friends and the way we are working together to uplift each other through this uncertain time!
I’m starting this week out fresh and trying to be as positive as possible. We don’t know what is around the corner and none of us can predict the landscape of our lives if and when this nightmare finishes.
If you find yourself struggling I urge you to speak to a friend or family member and vent your concerns, share a meme or even just have a good cry! We will get through this but in the mean time we have to stick together, try and be thankful for the positives, stop googling so much and distance ourselves socially.

As promised here is the next instalment in my home workout series. This one works your arms and abs hitting the biceps, triceps and core muscles in each triple set. Aim to perform each set between 3 and 5 times depending on your ability and time! All you need is a mat, suspension bands and / or dumbells and a sturdy chair. All exercises can be substituted if you only have one form of resistance equipment and I’ve included 3 diagrams for the suspension bands. (If anyone has tips on how to make workout videos quickly then hit me up!)

A1 - DB bicep curls 12
A2 - DB overhead tricep press 12
A3 - Core bicycles 20
B1 - DB hammer curls 10
B2 - Tricep dips 15
B3 - Banded Russian twists 12
C1 - Banded narrow grip bent over row 12
C2 - Close grip push ups 10
C3 - Side plank raises 10 per side
D1 - Banded tricep kick backs 12
D2 - Banded hammer curls 12
D3 - V sit ups 12

I picked up this home suspension trainer on Amazon for less than £20! Each cable has a different resistance level from 10-50lbs.

If anyone has any questions about any of the workouts don’t hesitate to DM me!

Yesterday we took Emily swimming for the first time and despite being super excited to share this special moment with her and her daddy I was really nervous to wear a bikini for the first time since giving birth.
You can’t see much of my body in this pic however my once toned abs are now barely visible, I have squishy bits where there used to be muscle and my larger legs are dimply where they used to be smooth. I am back to my pre baby weight but as a result of muscle loss during pregnancy I am far from the shape I was in pre baby. Most of the time this doesn’t get to me but yesterday it did for a brief moment. I let myself get carried away with worrying about how I looked but then I remembered that the experience wasn’t for me it was for Emily! I quickly stopped worrying and was proud to walk into the pool with my little family!
I haven’t rushed to ‘bounce back’ and instead have been spending the last 12 weeks getting to grips with caring for my little one, establishing a good breastfeeding relationship and focusing on being the best mum I can be! I have been back to training since she was 3 weeks old but I haven’t been focussing on fat loss. Instead I have been training to make myself feel good mentally. I have also been working on regaining my strength after a very difficult, lonely and bleak pregnancy with an unexpected birth outcome.
I’m not ashamed to say that getting my body back is now a goal I am starting to work towards but it won’t be something I stress out over!
Instead of crash dieting or spending hours doing cardio (which I simply do not have the time for!) I’ll continue my strength training in the gym or during my workouts at home incorporating mobility and yoga poses to avoid injury.
I will continue to follow an 80/20 mainly plant based diet, enjoying meals out and wine but will focus more on tracking calories to ensure I am in a consistent deficit. Nothing too harsh and nothing which will take energy away from breastfeeding. It will take me a long time and I’ve come to accept that. It took my body 40 weeks to grow this little pumpkin so getting back into shape won’t be an overnight thing and you know what? That’s perfectly ok with me. 💕

This is how I start my mornings most days before my little fun morning routine starts with baby (unless she wakes up before me and I have to grab breakfast with one hand 🤣) - here we have oats made with frozen berries, coconut milk, chocolate vegan blend protein and topped with berries and chia seeds, linseed or nut butter depending how I feel. Breakfast is such an important meal for me these days especially when we are up feeding during the night so I aim to get a wide range of nutrients in an energy packed bowl!
Emily is 12 weeks old tomorrow and I have been breastfeeding exclusively since she was born. Taking care of my nutrition has therefore been paramount in ensuring I have an adequate milk supply and can maintain my energy levels.
It’s vital for new mums to look after themselves physically and mentally and a varied healthy diet is a great place to start. It isn’t always easy with lack of sleep and demanding babies but there are some tips which I have found helpful!
🍃Try and batch cook healthy meals for the week on a Sunday and enlist the help of your partner to take care of baby for a couple of hours.
🍃Always ensure you have an abundant supply of healthy easy to grab snacks - such as nuts, fruit, protein / energy bars and yogurts.
🍃Try and prepare your breakfasts and lunches the night before if you have limited hands-free time during the day. Think overnight oats for breakfast and nutritious salads or soups for lunch.
🍃 Lastly and most importantly - always ensure you are drinking enough water. This is vital for breastfeeding and also for general health and well-being when energy might be in short supply!
With these little tips you may find it easier to keep your energy levels up for looking after your little monsters!

Do you struggle to find time to train with a baby and can’t make it out to the gym? Try my at home glute workout below! It’s ideal to do whilst baby naps or plays in their bouncer and gives you some time to focus on you!
The entire workout takes less than 45 minutes (if you don’t have that long you can drop the last 2 exercises to make it shorter!) The only pieces of equipment you need are 2 Kettlebells of the same weight and one of a heavier weight. Glute bands of 2 different resistance levels are also preferable however if you don’t have any you can perform the banded exercises as bodyweight moves. I picked up these kettlebells in Aldi and the glute bands were from and very reasonably priced!
Each letter represents a circuit so perform all of those exercises in sequence before moving onto the next letter - ie A1 followed by A2 for 3 sets!
As always if you are unsure how to perform a certain exercise you can DM me or check YouTube! When I get my act together and learn how to make decent videos I’ll start filming my at home workouts for you all!

A1 - banded squats 3 x 15
A2 - banded glute raises 3 x 15
B1 - KB squats 5 x 10
B2 - KB stiff leg deadlift 5 x 10
C1 - KB split squats 4 x 10
C2 - KB single leg Romanian deadlift 4 x 10
C3 - banded kick backs 4 x 12 each leg
D1 - KB swings 5 x20
D2 - banded side steps 5 x 10 each side
E1 - KB reverse lunges 3 x 10 each leg
E2 - banded standing hip abduction 3 x 10 each leg

Finish with 30 x frog pumps and 5 x vinyasa flow downward dog into cobra movements (perfect for those stiff backs from breastfeeding!)

Dinner tonight was vegan meatballs, spicy butternut squash ravioli in an arrabiata sauce with olives served with a mixed leaf rocket salad. 🥗 🥬 🌱
We’re not going fully vegan (just yet...) however we are cutting out meat and cutting down dairy in an effort to do our bit for the environment. I don’t consume much dairy anyway as I hate the taste of cows milk however I have switched to yogurts instead of my occasional Greek yogurt.
was a big thing last year and something I attempted before falling pregnant and discovering I had extremely low iron levels. I think it’s great that so many people make an effort to cut down their meat and dairy consumption in order to benefit their health and the environment. The livestock industry is considered to be one of the prime factors contributing to mass extinction.
It’s not always easy for everyone to switch to a plant based diet for various reasons and I’ve never been one to advocate an all or nothing approach. I do think however that with the amount of plant based recipes around doing things like or are a lot easier than they used to be.
I recently purchased the £1 Vegan Meals cook book by and I’m super excited to try some of the recipes! As the name suggests each meal costs £1 per person to make and they are all completely plant based! I’ll do some little reviews on here for the recipes and ‘new mum’ test them for everyone 🤣 🍼 👶

One thing I learned in 2019 aside from the complete and utter joy of becoming a mum is to always question what health professionals say especially when it comes to post partum health. (I’ve hidden my face as I’ve had almost no sleep the last few nights with a sick hubby and baby! 😂😖Both slowly on the mend now!)
Due to the type of delivery I had I was told to avoid lifting and that it would take me a while to get back into fitness. That I would be in pain for weeks and to ‘take it slowly’
I was also told by a number of people that I’d never have time for the gym now with a baby!
Here I am at 9 weeks post partum and I have been back lifting in the gym for the last 6 weeks. I don’t have my pre baby body back yet and I’m still not in any rush to! I am not as strong as I was however I’ve shown that it is possible to regain fitness and strength after having a baby.
So many people will tell you scare stories about birth, that things wont be the same again and you’ll never get the time to exercise! Don’t listen to anybody - prioritise your own health and wellbeing and do what you need to do to be the best mum you can be! The hour I take to go to the gym gives my mind and body a break and also allows my husband to bond with our daughter. I come back refreshed and ready to care for her. Without having this outlet I may have found the last 9 weeks harder so the one thing I have to stress to new mums is make time for self-care! It’s not just for you but for your baby! Being happy and healthy will give them the best version of you!
I hope everyone has an amazing Hogmanay!

Throughout my pregnancy (which felt like it lasted 9 years rather than 9 months) all I wanted was to go out and spend a night partying in a nice dress without feeling sick. As Saturday rolled around, six weeks after giving birth, I found myself justifying my long awaited Christmas night out! I was telling myself how much I deserved it after breastfeeding exclusively since baby arrived. That I hadn’t been out partying in nearly a year and that I needed to enjoy myself. I was trying to justify to myself that it was OK to leave baby with her dad for a night! Something a good mum would never do this early on as many online forums would have you believe! After thinking it over I have realised this internal conversation I had with myself was ridiculous!

Since before pregnancy I have always loved nights out partying with my friends. I have always enjoyed getting dressed up and drinking cocktails, dancing and having a ball! Why then do I have to justify this to myself just because I’m a mum? Being a mother hasn’t stopped this - yes my life has changed entirely for the better but I’m still me! I haven’t suddenly stopped enjoying the things I used to.
Yes my daughter will always come first and the fun nights out and weekends away might be fewer in number but I’ll never stop doing the things I enjoy! Mum guilt stops so many women from enjoying these little things but we shouldn’t let it take over.
I will always be a mummy now and will always put my baby first but I wont lose sight of who I was before. I want my daughter to grow up and realise that her mum is a strong woman who can work hard, enjoy life and still be the best parent she can be!

As I sit here with my baby sleeping in my arms savouring the last cuddle before I put her down for the night I just want to reflect on what a positive day we have had!
After a great sleep (only waking 3 times for feeds) and a lie in until 1030 I was allowed to shower and get breakfast without protest! We then took a lovely walk to Buggyfit where Emily slept the entire way through the class. The workout was great and I felt totally energised - apart from all of the burp*es at the end! 😓😫😫😫
Afterwards we had a lovely catch up with and her gorgeous boy Logan and we all fed in peace in the cafe. We then took a chilled out walk to the shops where I managed to get some bits. Tonight we had a nice dinner and glass of wine with daddy (albeit staggered as baby wanted to be held and that’s absolutely fine with us as we love the cuddles!)
Not everyday has been like this. In fact I am struggling to remember the last day which has gone so ‘smoothly’. I haven’t woken up from sleep feeling so refreshed since before I was pregnant. The last time we went to buggy fit I had to leave after 10 minutes as Emily had a melt down. Going to the shops is always a gamble depending what mood she is in.
The reason I wanted to post this is to show any new mums out there that there are ‘good’ days. If you are currently struggling and wondering if it will ever get better then just know that one day everything will click (even though the next day it may all completely unravel and I’m 100% prepared for that!)
Taking stock of the little wins has helped me massively even if it is as simple as managing to get showered and brush my teeth before midday. Yes life is different and that’s to be expected with a newborn. We can’t do it all and shouldn’t expect to. We have this little person demanding our attention 24/7! If you count the little wins each day then you may feel a little less lost.
I’m counting today as a big win. Tomorrow might not be the same and I might feel a bit lost for the rest of the week but today - we smashed it!

Six weeks postpartum today - unfiltered, scruffy and with bags under my eyes you could store old boots in! Swipe for my to 3 days before my beautiful daughter was born. I can’t believe how much I have recovered in such a short time and it makes me amazed at what the female body is capable of!
I still have squishy bits, cellulite and a small gap between my ab muscles which will recover in time! The last 6 weeks have been crazy, exhausting and wonderful all at the same time! Breastfeeding feels like a full time job at times but the unlimited cuddles I get are 💯 worth every minute! Emily has started smiling and making little happy noises now and it is so amazing watching her grow each day!

As I’ve said before I’m not in any rush to ‘bounce back’ to my pre pregnancy body and I couldn’t care less about that right now. I do place huge importance on my health however - both mental and physical. I have been making a conscious effort to eat as well as possible which is vital for breastfeeding! Dieting is not an option at these early stages to ensure my milk supply doesn’t drop!
My husband and I have been making sure we both have some ‘me time’ and taking it in turns to go to the gym. I’ve managed 3 lifting sessions a week for the last 3 weeks and it has made a huge difference to my mood! The tiredness is real and I get days where I feel totally overwhelmed but having that hour to myself to get the endorphins going means I come back to Emily with more energy to be the best mummy I can be!
I know a lot of mums struggle to get time to themselves but if there’s one piece of advice I can give - make sure you arrange to take a break each week to do what you enjoy! Whether it’s a hot bath, gym session or time to sit and enjoy a hot coffee - this is absolutely vital for your own mental wellbeing! Mum guilt shouldn’t exist when it comes to mental health because if we don’t look after ourselves first how can we give our little ones the best care they need?

Throwback Thursday to my last bump photo taken 3 days before the birth of my beautiful daughter. The last 4 weeks have been a complete whirlwind full of love, learning and all of the emotions you can imagine!
Being a new parent is certainly a steep learning curve - suddenly having this tiny person rely on you for their every need is terrifying at first but I feel each day that we are finding our feet more and more.
There are obviously difficult parts - lack of sleep and losing the ability to use two hands for the majority of the day to name a few! I wouldn’t change a thing however and I am so full of love for my little girl that her huge eyes and little smile make every moment worth it!
My pregnancy wasn’t easy and i am so glad it’s over now - every day was a battle and the constant sickness was miserable. Despite this I tried to remain as active as possible if and when I had good parts of each day.
Staying active played a huge part in my recovery from labour which has been surprisingly fast! I was lucky to have had a relatively short albeit intense labour and I was so impressed with the wonderful NHS staff involved!
I haven’t quite returned fully to fitness and I am in no rush to get my pre pregnancy body back. When I am ready however I will post some at home workouts along with tips for new mums who want to stay healthy and active whilst caring for their babies. After all if we want to look after our little ones we have to look after ourselves first!

After a whirlwind 5 days I’d like to announce the arrival of my daughter Emily born on Friday 25th October at 2130. I’ve been in a complete bubble with my wee family and I could not be happier. After the amazing support I received for sharing the good and bad sides of my pregnancy on this platform and the wonderful ladies I have met I couldn’t be more grateful for this little online community. 💓
If anyone needs me I’ll be blissing out in my beautiful little newborn bubble 💓💓💓

I had a wonderful consultation the other day with lactation consultant Sophie Gillen from The Milky Way UK and wanted to write a little review!
Sophie is a midwife and lactation expert from the west of Scotland and offers antenatal and post natal infant feeding support in the home or online.
I won’t go into the benefits of breastfeeding as they are widely known and I am aware of the immense pressure on new mums to persist with the difficult journey. The NHS unfortunately are unable to offer such in depth support for new mums and this is often why so many women lose the will to continue. Nobody needs to be patronised or made to made to feel bad for choosing to not breastfeed - it is a natural process however it is no easy feat and can take a lot of practice and knowledge to have a successful lactation experience.
Sophie helped dispel any myths surrounding breastfeeding and expressing and made me feel a lot more relaxed about the process. Along with horrific birthing stories a lot of women like to share negative breastfeeding anecdotes and although these give awareness of potential problems they can fuel an already negative perception for new mums to be.
Sophie discussed practical techniques and provided a lovely little bag containing sterilised syringes for the early colostrum feeds. I now feel a lot more equipped for the early weeks with our little one and I can’t recommend this service enough! 5 stars! 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

The benefits of drinking raspberry leaf tea in pregnancy have long been praised with many women believing it induces an ‘easier’ labour. I am definitely not one for believing in old wives tales and everything I do for health and fitness is evidence based. Being pregnant hasn’t changed this and I always research methods before trying them (by research I mean reading and critiquing medical journals rather than following a popular influencer’s word as gospel)
Raspberry leaf tea is often associated with inducing labour and has been drunk by the gallon by those women who have gone past their ‘due date’ in a desperate attempt to bring baby closer to being earth side.
Unfortunately there is little evidence supporting labour induction from this delicious tea however it has been shown to reduce interventions and complications of child birth. Two independent studies have shown that drinking the tea from 32 weeks gestation showed a reduced use of forceps (one study showing an 11% reduction) along with a reduction in other interventions.
The tea was also shown to reduce the likelihood of pre and post term labour along with decreasing the amount of bleeding in the post partum state.
Two Pub Med studies also showed evidence of the tea reducing the duration of labour (one study showing reductions in the first stage and the second in the last stage). This refreshing tea has been shown to strengthen the uterine walls resulting in the above benefits with optimal results stemming from consuming 1- 3 cups per day. The research is still relatively limited with many studies recommending further investigation however the potential benefits and the fact that it is tasty, full of B vitamins, vitamin C and with a host of important minerals mean I’ll be drinking it daily until baby decides to arrive.

When I first fell pregnant a few people asked me if I would worry about getting my pre baby body back. I can honestly say this isn’t something which has ever concerned me. I know I will when the time is right and I know how to get in shape. I’ve been helping people do it successfully for over a decade - the formula doesn’t change after having a baby 🤷🏼‍♀️. Our bodies go through so much during pregnancy and it’s an undeniable fact that they will change. For starters our organs aren’t even in the same place as they were pre conception and nothing works quite as efficiently as it did before (hello breathlessness and stress incontinence 😂)
Despite this I’ve been immensely proud to show off my changing body and my bump because I am so in awe of what she has helped me achieve. For the last 34 weeks she has grown our little girl, kept her safe and snug through months of sickness and nourished her despite her mum’s inability to nourish herself at times.
Yes I will be glad to be able to roll over in bed, tie my shoes and shave my legs again with ease. I won’t miss needing to p*e 856 times a night and having to plan my meals around which foods are the most palatable on the way back up (trust me this needs to be factored in at times 🙊) I will never take my body for granted again however at the end of this journey. Some people have trouble conceiving and some are unable to ever grow a baby to full term. I have been very lucky so far and if you ask me if I’m worried about getting my pre baby body back the answer is no. I am not worried about getting that body back as this body has achieved more than she ever did.

Reading this book by has definitely made me feel a lot more prepared for the daunting prospect of labour. Hypnobirthing wasn’t something I considered until I spoke with my sister in law and she described the huge positive difference it made during the birth of her second baby. The daily affirmation and relaxation MP3s which come with the book have been amazing in helping me deal with the stress and anxiety of pregnancy along with the fear I have about labour. My husband and I listen to them together and it has helped us both feel a lot more relaxed about the whole process.
Daily affirmations and meditations such as those available with this book are really useful for daily life in general.
I’ve been using the app for over a year now and I’ve found the meditations help me deal with toxic or stressful situations and people. I admit I don’t meditate daily however when I do I manage to destress and distance myself from negativity as much as possible. A skill I wish I had years ago!
I absolutely recommend this book or any similar material which teaches the skills to have a happy stress free pregnancy and labour (fingers crossed this works out!!)

As I’m nearing my 33rd week of pregnancy I thought I’d post a little update. I’ve been really quiet on social media and have been avoiding it as much as possible for the last few weeks - mostly because I’d find myself comparing my pregnancy to girls who were symptom free and it made me sad. As silly as that sounds I have mentally struggled with not having the healthy pregnancy I had hoped for. Don’t get me wrong I am so thankful for my blessing as I know so many struggle with fertility issues!
I’ve now been off work for nearly 6 weeks with intense morning sickness. After experiencing a relatively healthy second trimester I was suddenly hit with extreme vomiting again at 26 weeks. Since then I’ve needed a concoction of medication each day to try and keep symptoms at bay - medication I wanted so badly to avoid as there is limited knowledge of the negative affects it can have on unborn babies. Some days I’ve managed to eat normally and others I’ve struggled to keep down water and the tablets my doctor prescribed. I’ve been scared to go to sleep as I often wake up in the middle of the night vomiting and I’m terrified of choking. I’ve incurred nosebleeds, dizziness, cramps and headaches from dehydration. I’ve kept in close contact with my midwife and on occasions was close to being admitted in order to get fluids in. Luckily this hasn’t happened yet!
I’ve been so worried that my baby is suffering as a result and this has caused me further stress and anxiety.
Some days I’ve been lucky to manage long walks, yoga or light workouts in the late afternoon when I’ve stopped vomiting. Others I’ve struggled to muster up the energy to shower or brush my teeth (sorry hubby). All of the fun things I wanted to do in the run up to my baby being born have been almost impossible - we went pram shopping and I had to leave the shop after a short while for fear of completely ruining a Silver Cross display!
The days have been long and lonely however I’ve been extremely lucky to have so many great friends and family who have visited me sometimes just to bring ice lollies or get me out the house for a short walk.

This has not been a fun journey and it has highlighted how difficult Hyperemesis Gravidarum can be. I have not been diagnosed with HG and i am so grateful that my sickness hasn’t lasted throughout my pregnancy!
This horrible condition isn’t just normal morning sickness. Sufferers can find themselves vomiting 20+ times per day and requiring hospitalisation to avoid dangerous dehydration. There is a huge lack of awareness for this pregnancy complication and there needs to be more medical research conducted to help those who suffer. The end result is completely worth it however the condition needs highlighted more as it can be a living hell for those