When I got engaged I actually weighed the most I've ever weighed in my life (to date anyway). Living in London for 6 years, I had stacked on the kilos thanks to lots of drinking and lots of take aways, and the lack of nice weather meant very little outdoor activity or the need to squeeze into a bikini. So I hadn't really noticed how much weight I was putting on. My BMI was just over 25, which technically put me in the overweight category. I didn't look obese or anything, and I was quite good at dressing to hide most of my flaws, so people didn't really notice it, including me.

However, there is nothing like the daunting task of wedding dress shopping to make you realise you need to lose weight. I wasn't foolish enough to think I didn't need to lose a few kilos if I wanted to look great on my wedding day (and in those all important photos), but I hadn't realised how much I would need to lose. After I got engaged, I stepped on the scales for the first time in a long time, and I was horrified to see them tip at 63kg. I am only 5' 2" with a small frame, so for someone my size, this was BAD.

So I made a plan to get in shape and most importantly, be healthy. It wasn't about starving myself so I could fit into a dress, it was about changing my lifestyle to be fitter and healthier, and in the process, look better - a long term change rather than a short term quick fix. The wedding was a year and 3 months away, and I hoped that by starting so early, the changes I was making would become a way of life and continue past the wedding.

I enrolled in a pilates gym as soon as I got back to London, taking two 1 hour classes a week, for toning and muscle definition. I started using a cross trainer machine for cardio sessions of 30 minutes three times a week. I stopped getting take aways for lunch at work, and started to cook dinners at home. I still ate as much as I wanted, but because the food was healthier and less fattening, and I was exercising, I didn't pile on the pounds. Besides, home made chicken tikka masala with light coconut milk is delicious, and so much better for you than one from your local Indian! Just ask Jamie Oliver :)

I did still treat myself to a take away once a week so I could have a relaxing evening without cooking, but to balance that I cut out daytime snacking. No more crisps, chocolates, donuts. If I had a craving for chocolate, I'd have something small and lower in calories like a fun sized Milky Way, or a small packet of crisps once every few weeks. But to be honest, I found after a month or so of not eating junk, I didn't really miss it or crave it anymore.

I also more or less stopped drinking alcohol, just for the rare special occasion. Not only was this a great detox for my skin, but it was also a big help in losing weight. Alcohol is really calorific!

The one thing I didn't give up as quickly was my greatest vice, Coca-Cola. I was still drinking around a can a day, but as I got closer to the wedding, I started cutting it to one every other day, then only on weekends, then finally none at all 3 months before the wedding. It's now just lots and lots of water to help hydrate my skin.

I did hit a slump after about 6 months where I stopped going to the gym for a 3 month period. My cake making business was picking up and I was so busy and exhausted from doing that that I didn't have time to exercise. But because it was such a physically demanding job and I was on my feet for so many hours, I didn't put on any weight! I was still going to pilates twice a week, but no cardio sessions. Once I got my life back under control, I started the cardio again. I didn't give up and think, "I've ruined my weight loss plan, no sense in continuing".

After about 8 months (including the 3 months I stopped exercising), I'd lost 10kg. I was ecstatic when I could fit into a pair of jeans I'd bought 6 years ago that were too tight at the time. I'd bought  them as an incentive to lose weight but never did (gaining weight instead), so I'd never actually worn them. Until now!

I took a break from diet and exercise for 3 weeks over Christmas and New Year, then got straight back on it. After the New Year there was only 3 months to go, so I stepped up the cardio workouts to 40min sessions 3 times a week and switched to a more intensive pilates class twice a week. It really helped shift the couple of kilos I'd put on over the Christmas period, plus more! With a month to go till the wedding, I'm continuing to lose weight!

I cannot say enough good things about pilates. It really helps to lengthen, define, and tone your muscles, and is so good for your core area (especially your stomach!) and your posture and general well being. I've lost weight before, but thanks to the pilates, I'm more toned than I've ever been. I've dropped 2 dress sizes, and for the first time in a long time, I'm not afraid to wear a bikini!

So I'm losing weight and feeling great. Here are some before-and-after pics:

BEFORE
Here I am at my heaviest, just before getting engaged.