Michelle Heaton’s post-pregnancy fitness tips

Despite looking amazing just four months after giving birth, Michelle Heaton says she won’t be donning he racy Liberty X outfits for a while

She gave birth to her son Aaron Jay on 28 February, but already Michelle Heaton is rocking a hot bikini body- and she’s not afraid to show it in our exclusive shoot!

She tells us afterwards: “It was invigorating. But it’s odd, because the older you get the more you expect of your body- no matter how many wrinkles, scars and lumps and bumps you have.”

The Liberty X singer- who also has a two-year-old daughter, Faith, with husband Hugh Hanley- has lost more than 2st since having Aaron nearly four months ago. She admits: “Unless you’re a freak of nature your body will not ping back into shape overnight! But once you accept that, it’s easier to focus on your diet and keep active.”

Before becoming pregnant with Aaron, 5ft 4 Michelle was a tiny size 6-8 and 8st 4lbs. “I was probably the slimmest and most toned I’ve ever been,” says the star, who’s now a size 8 and 8st 9lbs. “But I’d just finished the Big reunion tour and had been dancing for three weeks. I’m still 5lbs away from the weight I was pre-pregnancy- so I’m not quite ready to wear my Liberty X PVC outfits again just yet, but I feel good!”

Michelle, 34, put on 3st while pregnant with Faith and 2st 10lbs with Aaron, but says it’s been easier to get back into shape this time around, as she stayed active while pregnant- making a fitness DVD called Active Pregnancy, involving gentle cardio and body resistance moves for each trimester. She says: “It also meant I was fit enough to do the Big Reunion Christmas tour while seven months pregnant.”

Michelle had a C-section with Aaron, as she suffers from arrhythmia- and irregular heartbeat, making it dangerous to give birth naturally. And afterwards, doctors advised she held off exercise for six weeks and take life at a slower pace.

“I learnt the heard way,” explains Michelle, who wasn’t able to breastfeed due to having a double mastectomy in November 2012. “About three weeks after having Aaron, I picked up Faith and ripped open my C-section scar!”

During this time, she also went through a horrific ordeal when Aaron contracted viral meningitis aged five weeks. She tells us: “To see your little boy lying helpless like that… It was a horrific nine days.”

Once recovered, Michelle started a workout regime, doing 40 minutes of cardio every morning in her living room, five days a week. She says: “I do circuits with star jumps, jumping squats, press ups and skipping. I like to do weights twice a week at the gym, too.”

Michelle, who’s qualified fitness instructor and nutritionist, follows a carefully devised plan- which she started two weeks after having Aaron- with lots of lean protein, fresh veg, whole fruit, and at least two litres of water a day.

She stops eating starchy carbs after midday and bans sugar and all white carbs, except oats, which are wholegrain. She says: “ I have a coffee first thing , then I make a smoothie with oats, protein powder and water for after my workout.

Lunch is either an egg white omelette with ham and mushrooms or a salad with grilled fish or turkey.”

Michelle also sticks to a healthy dinner of chicken, turkey or lean steak with veg. But she admits: “At first, I’d cheat with nights out and drink alcohol, so my weight loss halted. Then I got strict with the diet, going from 9st

3lbs to 8st 9lbs in the last four weeks.”

Michelle’s in no rush to lose the last 5lbs, though, saying: “The rest could take months or even years to come off and, after two C-sections, my tummy has a little pouch- it’ll never be completely flat.”

Besides, she has more important things to worry about. In November 2012, she had a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery after being diagnosed with the faulty BRAC2 cancer gene- giving her an 85% chance of developing breast cancer and 30% chance of ovarian cancer. Later this year she will have her ovaries removed in a bid to further cut her risk of cancer, meaning she will go through early menopause.

“Although the risk of ovarian cancer is less, you still worry- what if the odds aren’t in my favour?” she says. “Plus , I’m fortunate to have two wonderful children already. But I’m trying to get prepared for HRT and mood swings- I’m not looking forward to that.”

Meanwhile, Michelle has a new project in the works- a charity trek in Morocco for the Genesis Research Trust, raising funds for scientists looking at causes and cures for conditions that affect women and babies. She says: “It’s not for another year, but I’ll be trekking five or six miles a day in rough terrain, so I need to stay fit.”

Michelle’s easy diet tricks

Reach your weightloss targets and try out Closer Diets today!