Stacey Solomon is living proof that if you are in her words a 'gymaphobe' there are other ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The mother of two, known for her successes on the X Factor and I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! professes to eat well and stay active in day to day life, tasks that seem so simple and obvious yet in the eyes of many women, are easier said than done. I caught up with the former Queen of the Jungle to discuss what it means to her to look and feel good, how she stays in shape and her thoughts on the constant pressure on celebrity mums to shift their post baby weight.
Q: First up Stacey, how important is looking good to you?
A: I don't care about looking good as long as I feel good. I like being healthy so that I feel good. So when i get up in the morning I don't feel tired. I like having my hair in and I like wearing eyelashes for me, I'm not really bothered what anyone else thinks.
Q: So how do you make yourself feel good, health wise?
A: Eating really well is a big thing. I love healthy food like salads and fruit and I feel like that gives me more energy all of the time...and also just running around after the baby!
Q: You've got an amazing figure, how do you maintain it?
A: I drink loads of water, that's definitely the big one, I love it. But there's nothing really that I do apart from eat well. I'm actually 'gymaphobic', for some reason it really doesn't appeal to me. I'm actually scared of the gym, I bought a gym membership and I never go. I do eat healthily but I treat myself a little. I'd never do a crazy diet or stop eating.
Q: Do you do any exercise?
A: Yes, me and Zach (her eldest son) go rollerskating and cycling, and even though it's not in the gym I'm always running around everywhere.
Q: You were the envy of many women as your baby weight seemed to simply drop off. How did get your figure back so quickly?
A: I don't think that anything can make my figure go back. I'm still a little bit heavier than how I was before I was pregnant, but it just doesn't bother me. I think the worst thing you can do is to start doing some crazy diet or some ridiculous fitness regime as it just ruins your body. Eventually my body will get back to normal as long as I'm not eating 5 times the amount I was before, eventually everything goes back into place.
Q: Being in the public eye did you feel a certain pressure to lose your baby weight as soon as you had given birth?
A: I think if you care about it then there's a pressure. I think it if bothers you and if you don't want people to think 'oh she's still big'. But to be honest it's such a natural thing how can anyone have a go at someone for still carrying their baby weight? I just think that's ridiculous so personally I don't feel under any pressure to lose weight.
Q: Are you happy with how you look now?
A: I think I'm alright. My hips aren't my favourite thing, they're the only part of my body that I think, 'Ah no, they're quite big!' but I still wouldn't have the guts to change it, I wouldn't have the guts for surgery, it scares me! It's unnecessary pain.
Of course like every woman Stacey has her hang ups, but she proves that there are ways of maintaining a healthy lifestyle without letting it take over your life. Instead she combines exercise with her day to day life as a mother and focusses on eating the right foods, not only to look amazing but to feel good too. Stacey, we salute you!
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