Losing 8st changed my life...the difference is like black and white
Mum-of-two Mags on amazing weight loss
A MUM has revealed how shedding nearly eight stone has completely changed her life.
Part-time florist Mags Savage was 19st when she joined Weight Watchers in 2007 and is now happy and healthy at her goal weight of just over 11st.
The 48-year-old, from Co Kerry, said: “They say everybody has a lightbulb moment. For me I was sick of having a pain in my back, a pain in my knee, just general bad health at such a young age.
“I literally woke up one morning and said, ‘That’s it, I’m going to try to lose this weight’.”
The mother of two started by walking a little bit every day and following the Weight Watchers programme then the pounds started to fall off.
She told RSVP Live: “I went for a 20-minute walk and, Jesus, it nearly killed me.
“I had to stop after 10 minutes and come back. But I’ve walked every day since. I don’t do any intense exercise – I hate the gym.”
Before losing the weight, Mags had very low self-esteem.
She said: “If I was out in restaurant or a bar, I wouldn’t go to the bathroom alone because I’d be worried that when I got up people would say, ‘Oh my God, look at the size of her’.
“I love the sun but holidays were really hard because I didn’t want to strip down. Life was just passing me by.”
SKINNY
Mags told how it was difficult being the only one in her family who was overweight.
She said: “I come from a very skinny family. My four siblings are all greyhound breeds.
“I lived in the shadow of a very glamorous, thin sister which was hard.
“She’s 5ft 8in with long, blonde, naturally curly hair and she’s a size eight.
“She would never make me feel any less than beautiful but any time we were out, I always saw people look at her.”
But now the Tralee woman’s life has been completely transformed.
She said: “I wasn’t really living prior to losing the weight and now I’m really making up for it.
“I go on two or three sun holidays a year, I can actually walk into a bar on my own and meet a friend.
“I’m doing more things myself, with my kids, my husband.
“I even changed my career and started work as a florist – I’d never have had the confidence to do that before.
“It’s sad really to think the weight stopped me from doing so much in my life.”
Mags also issued helpful advice for anyone wanting to follow in her footsteps in losing weight.
She said: “Get yourself into a class. The minute you walk into a class, you’re not alone.
“Everyone in your class is in the same position you are, whether they have five stone to lose or whether they have half a stone to lose. “If I can do it, anyone can.”
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It’s really sad to think that the weight stopped me from doing so much in my life
MAGS SAVAGE DURING INTERVIEW WITH RSVP LIVE
ANYONE who’s tried to lose weight knows just how difficult it can be – so imagine the dedication needed to shed eight stone.
Mags Savage has a new lease of life after slimming down and she deserves huge credit.
Although it might sound simple to blitz fat, it usually proves a far more daunting task to put into practice.
But mum-of-two Mags got stuck in after what she describes as a lightbulb moment – and has vowed to never go back.
The 48-year-old started with 20-minute walks and gradually built up her fitness from there.
She certainly proved she could go the distance!