Clare Nasir 'I kick-boxed my baby bulge into shape'

GMTV weather girl Clare Nasir's baby came at a high price, but she's finally got her body back

Clare's now a size 10

By By Eimear O’Hagan & Gayle Schoales, 18/07/2017

In the last four months I've dropped three dress sizes - and lost more than 2st of post-pregnancy weight. It's been a struggle, but the real battle was getting pregnant in the first place. It took two years of IVF, a traumatic pregnancy and a premature birth before I finally got to hold my longed-for baby.

Nine years ago, I was diagnosed with fibroids in my womb - non-cancerous growths that can appear in and around the womb, often during your childbearing years.

I was in agony. The fibroids caused my stomach to swell and GMTV viewers, thinking I was pregnant, wrote in to congratulate me. It was a horrible time. I worried I'd never be able to have a baby because fibroids can cause infertility. In severe cases some women need a hysterectomy.

In 2002, I had a procedure to stop the blood supply to the fibroids and shrink them. But my symptoms continued and, in 2005, after marrying my husband Chris Hawkins, 33, who's a DJ on 6 Music, I had more surgery.

We both wanted children and tried to conceive naturally, without success. So in 2007 we started IVF treatment.

At 5ft, I'd always been 9st and a size 10, but IVF left me pre-menstrual and too tired to exercise. I put on a stone.

But 19 months and two IVF cycles later I was pregnant and couldn't care less what I weighed!

My pregnancy was tough - I suffered from bleeding for the first four months and I was terrified I might lose our baby. During my first trimester, I put on a stone - most women gain 4-6lb.

Then my bump ballooned and my boobs went from a B cup to a D! I felt fantastic and loved seeing my body change.

Then my waters broke when I was just 25 weeks pregnant. I was told there was only a 57 per cent chance our baby would survive if I gave birth, and an 80 per cent risk of brain damage.

I was terrified. I stopped working, had two weeks of bed rest in hospital and five weeks at home. I spent my days eating and gained another 2st.

Seven weeks before the baby's due date, I had an emergency C-section. Sienna was born on November 11, 2009, weighing just 4lb 1oz. She had breathing difficulties and was kept in an incubator in the special care unit.

My emotions were all over the place and I was living off coffee, chocolate and sandwiches from the hospital canteen.

Our tiny daughter was discharged five weeks later. Finally, the three of us could start being a family.

I hadn't thought about how I looked - my baby had been my priority. But when I did finally weigh myself, I was 12st. My BMI was 33. A size 16, I was classified as obese. I was horrified. I hated dieting and hadn't exercised in almost three years. I couldn't stand looking at myself.

I went back to work when Sienna was three months old, and agreed to take part in Let's Dance For Sport Relief. Dancing alongside two tall, beautiful weather girls, Becky Mantin and Lara Lewington, I felt like a dwarf on steroids! I needed to lose weight to feel good about myself again.

I swapped white bread for granary, ditched cheese for tuna, ate my main meal at lunchtime, banned carbs after 5pm and reduced my portion sizes. Occasionally I'd treat myself to a slice of pizza or small glass of wine. It was an eating evolution, rather than a revolution.

Nervous at the prospect of going to the gym, I decided to try kick-boxing twice a week at Kick fitness centre in London, as it was a skill I could learn, rather than just pounding on a treadmill.

During my first class, I sweated more than I've done in my life, but within a month I'd shed 7lb, and I increased the sessions to three a week. The first time I fitted into my size-12 jeans, I was delighted.

It was amazing seeing my flabby bits firming up. Now - four months on - I weigh just under 10st and wear a size 10. I'm planning to lose another stone. I know that last bit will be the most difficult, but I'm not going to stop.

Kick-boxing has helped me get my waist back and really defined my arms. Chris thinks I look sexier than ever. He's happy because I'm happy again, though I think he's a little jealous that I'm in better shape than him. And scared of my combat moves!

We had some embryos frozen, and I would like more babies in the future. I've worked hard to get back in shape and now I have a beautiful, healthy baby - there were no lasting problems from her premature birth. I'm not quite a yummy mummy but I've got my confidence back."

The kick system

Clare's trainer Sophie Pittaway says: "The system is a combination of kick-boxing, Thai boxing and yoga, so it works every part of your body."

Kick is releasing training downloads available soon from Kick.uk.com.