Why newlywed Leisel Jones joined the 'delayed honeymoon' trend

It seems delayed honeymoons are on trend. 

Not only did Meghan Markle and Prince Harry wait a week to go on their honeymoon following their May 19 wedding, so too are retired Olympic swimming star Leisel Jones and new husband Damon Martin.

Although for an entirely different reason.

RELATED: Leisel Jones on fat-shaming during her swimming career 

"We're leaving this week," Jones, 32, tells 9Honey of their planned honeymoon to the Cook Islands. "I think there was a sale on, but also we didn't want to go straight away.

"I probably would have preferred to go straight away to avoid the post-wedding blues," she says. "I was back at work two days later [after the wedding]."

Jones and Martin were married on August 4 at Bendooley Estate in the Southern Highlands after being engaged for less than a year.

"We're both really active people," Jones says of she and her husband, explaining that while some rest and relaxation is on the cards, they are also planning to participate in plenty of activities, including hiking.

Since retiring from swimming six years ago, Jones has been working on her media career, contributing to sports shows and panels.

She also released her memoir Body Lengths in April 2017, a raw and honest account of her time in the pool including mental health battles and body image issues.

"I was the fittest and healthiest of my entire life as an athlete," Jones says. "I don't know if I will ever look like that again."

Although Jones says body image issues continue now that she's a regular on TV.

"When you're an athlete you're training so hard to be faster and stronger," she says. "Not until I retired did I realise how important it is to have a good body image.

"I think I was probably a little bit protected.

"It was all about getting stronger and faster, not skinny."

Jones is passionate about teaching young girls body acceptance and recently spoke at a school about the subject.

"I understand fully the body struggles people go through, especially young girls," she says. "That's why I'm super passionate about it because I've had my own issues with body image."

Jones says the process of writing the book was "therapeutic" and she felt the need to be "completely honest" about her experiences.

"I've had people write about me in their books," Jones says. "Everyone has their own journey and experiences them in their own ways. That's how I perceived events to happen and that was the whole point. It was my experience.

"There's just so much criticism out there about people and what they are doing," she continues. "As long as they are not hurting anyone, it's their path."

Jones says she's grateful she didn't have social media as a young girl.

"There's just too much pressure on kids," she says. "I've had experiences when I've learned things and you see young people who haven't been through it yet. That's their own path. Who are we to judge?

"It's such a challenge."

While Jones plans on having a family, she isn't in any rush, but says she's learning a lot from her parent friends and sees the pressure they are under to be perfect parents.

"It's just so different now, this day and age, and by the time I get there [have children] it will be different again," she says. "We're all just learning.

"Some of my greatest friends are mothers, you just have to try and get through it as best you can."

While speaking to young women about body image is important to her, Jones also continues her work with mental health charity Beyond Blue.

"With my own personal mental health journey, I've been very open and honest about it and the more people who talk about it the better because it takes the stigma away," she says.

She says people are still surprised someone who suffered from depression can be successful.

"But so many people have it...a lot of people go through hard times in their lives and it's not weak to speak about it," she says.

"The earlier you can get help, the better."

While Jones is plenty busy with her media and speaking commitments, as well as her work for mental health, she's also taking part in an important campaign in support of Ronald McDonald House Charity.

Jones has designed a bed for Sealy's Bed Art 4 Kids fundraising initiative along with fellow celebrities Kyly Clarke, Scott Cam and Sam Wood.

"I am really honoured to be part of it and to be the sporty person," she says. "I don't have a huge designer bone in my body, mine [bed] isn't as creative and beautiful as Kyly Clarke's.

"I just went for a sporty theme," she says.

"We're trying to raise $100,000 for Ronald McDonald House. They do such amazing work."

Tickets are on sale until September 30 to enter the raffle to win one of the celebrity beds, with all proceeds going to the charity.

Find out more at sealy.com.au/bedart4kids.