Motivational mum!
After shedding 6st, Caron Hare is finally the woman she always wanted to be…
16
Having my daughters was the best thing I’d ever done, and I loved being pregnant, but looking back, I can see I used it as an excuse to eat not just for two, but for three, or even four.
However, my weight problems really started way before that. Pregnancy was when I truly became overweight, but even as a child, I was the biggest of all of my friends. But, at that age, I thought I’d grow out of it.
By the time I’d reached secondary school, I was active, playing hockey and netball, but that didn’t seem to help. I ate relatively healthily – Mum was strict about not snacking but, although she cooked roasts at least once a week, we had convenience food, like microwave meals, too.
When I was 15 and had more freedom, I’d sneak off to the fried chicken shop for lunch. By the following year, I was a size 14, and found myself eating cheesy chips from the pub next door to college.
My weight was the last thing on my mind until I went off to university. Within the first couple of weeks, I had tickets to a ball and wanted to find the perfect dress.
Only, I got stuck in a size 12 in the changing rooms and had to get a friend to help me out of it. It was mortifying, but I quickly forgot it and was soon enjoying boozy nights out and tucking into kebabs.
When I graduated three years later, I was a size 18, and covered up as much as I could.
A few months later, in May 2011, I was working in a pub when I met Paul Hare, now 30. He was laid back, gorgeous, and we immediately hit it off. He didn’t seem to see my size – he made me feel interesting and beautiful.
Three months later, despite being on the pill, I discovered I was expecting. Although it was a shock, me and Paul were thrilled, and I took it as a green light to eat anything and everything.
‘I must be having triplets!’ I joked, as I snacked on crisps and devoured pizzas. I had cravings for Jamaican Ginger Cake and polished off several slices each day.
When Jasmine arrived in May 2012, we fell head-over-heels in love with her. By then, I’d reached 16st and a size 20, but now I had a newborn, I told myself it was impossible to lose weight.
Instead, I focused on being the best mum I could be, and would eat whenever I could. Most evenings, we’d end up tucking into a takeaway in front of the TV.
I’d suffered from asthma since I was a child but it seemed to be getting worse, and doctors suggested I try losing weight.
But it wasn’t until Paul proposed in December that year that I decided to do something about my size. Not wanting to be a big bride, I joined my local Weight Watchers meeting in January 2013.
I made simple, healthy changes to my diet and started cooking.
By the time we married in August, I was 13st and my size-14 wedding dress fitted perfectly. For once, I felt beautiful.
But, after my big day was over and the incentive of getting married was gone, I missed a few weeks of Weight Watchers meetings, which turned into months. Then, five months after our wedding, I discovered I was pregnant again and returned to devouring super-size portions and unhealthy snacks.
When Chloe arrived in October 2014, I’d put on almost 3st and needed to be induced early.
Jasmine and Paul were brilliant with Chloe, but I struggled to keep up with two kids. Even walking up stairs left me breathless.
I relied heavily on my inhalers, and whenever Jasmine asked to go swimming, I’d have to shamefully tell her I was too overweight. I knew I needed to do something,
and the final straw was a trip to the park.
Jasmine was excited about going down the slide. ‘Can you come too, Mummy?’ she asked. I took one look and knew my hips and bum would get stuck. ‘Not this time,’ I said.
I realised I didn’t want to be a mum who couldn’t do anything with her kids. So, in January 2015, I went back to Weight Watchers as a size 22, weighing 16st 8lb – even bigger than before.
Paul was incredibly supportive as I swapped normal foods for low-fat ones and started cooking properly. In the first week, I lost 4lb.
By October 2015, I’d slimmed down to a size 14, so I took Jasmine swimming.
‘Does this mean you’re not too big any more, Mummy?’ she innocently asked. ‘That’s exactly what it means,’ I said, squeezing her tightly.
In March 2016, I hit my target of 10st 7lb, and was a size 10.
Now, at 29, I still go to meetings each week. I’ve got so much energy and no longer need my inhalers. Best of all, I can finally be the mum Jasmine and Chloe deserve.
‘I realised I didn’t want to be a mum who couldn’t do anything with her kids’