Terri Dwyer Official Website

TV presenter and actress Terri Dwyer is so slender and toned that it’s almost impossible to believe she was five stone heavier just 10 months ago. Terri, 33, who presents ITV1 ’s 60 Minute Makeover, put on the weight while pregnant with her son, Caiden, who was born on 1 March last year. But by eating carefully and by exercising regularly, she managed to slowly but surely shift all the weight, and she’s now back to a slim 9 1/4 stone.

“Becoming a mum is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me, but I put on a lot of weight which I was keen to shift,” says Terri. “I ate very well in my pregnancy and made sure I had large portions - I was determined not to deprive my baby of anything. But I was shocked when I saw that I tipped the scales at 14 1/4 stone and I was daunted at the prospect of losing it.”

Terri had to have an emergency Caesarean section when Caiden was delivered, which meant she had to take it easy after the birth. She started gently exercising by walking with the pram near the home she shares with her husband Sean Marley, MD of Mersey TV.

“For the first six weeks, I couldn’t work out in the gym, so I went on hour-long walks in the countryside close to my house with the baby” says Terri, who played Ruth in Hollyoaks and makes regular appearances on Loose Women. I breast-fed Caiden, so I made sure I ate all the right nutrients for my baby. But I did scale back the portions.”

As Terri got her strength back, she was able to get back in the gym - and then she really noticed the weight starting to slip off. “The first stone came off quite easily through the walking, but then I hit a plateau, meaning I stopped being able to lose any weight,” she says. “I started doing classes in the gym twice a week, such as a body combat class, but I would do low-intensity classes. I built this up to three times a week and lost the next stone within another two months.”

Terri then hit another plateau last July, but she was almost back to full strength, so she decided to ramp up her exercise regime. “I started doing high-intensity classes and really noticed the difference,” she says.
By September, Terri was within sight of her pre-pregnancy weight, so she decided to become even stricter to lose the last stone.

“I substituted certain evening meals with home-made soup, so I was full, but I was eating less. This gave me the boost to lose the final stone,” she says. “When I finally got i into my skinny jeans, I was happy. I still want to tone up my stomach and lose a bit more weight to get back to the size I was when I competed in the TV show The Games.”

Terri achieved her fabulous figure through healthy eating and regular exercise. But she’s keen to point out that she thinks fuller figures are beautiful, too. “Some people are bigger and love their figures, but I really felt the need to get back to my pre-pregnancy size,” she insists. “I didn’t feel sexy and I didn’t like my , husband seeing me naked - and I couldn’t fit into my clothes - so I was very keen to get rid of the weight.”

Terri’s now focusing on 60 Minute Makeover, in which the homes of people who really deserve a treat are renovated. Being a new mum, Terri was particularly moved by one couple who were preparing for their wedding when they discovered their I toddler son had a brain tumour.

He needed chemotherapy, and when the family came back from hospital they found their home - including the little boy’s playroom - had been renovated. “When we saw their happy faces, we knew we’d done the right thing,” says Terri. “I was fighting back the tears all day and when I went home, I woke Caiden up and cuddled him. I felt so lucky and happy that he was healthy.”

• 1. Find a type of exercise you enjoy - there’s a better chance you’ll stick to it
• 2. Exercise with a friend - you’re more likely to feel motivated.
• 3. If you hit a plateau, change your routine - your body gets used to exercises.
• 4. And unless you really enjoy it, don’t bother with a treadmill - you’ll lose interest quickly. Try a class instead.
• 5. If you haven’t exercised in a while, it will take time to get back into it - so if you don’t pick it up instantly, don’t lose hope