ULTIMATE REVENGE!
‘My marriage split made me shed 7st’
Fighting back the tears as my husband packed his clothes into a bag, I begged him to give our marriage another chance.
But Sean wasn’t having any of it. He told me he had lost interest in me, that we’d drifted apart – then he made a snide remark about us eating too many takeaways.
I was a size 24 and 18st at the time, and I knew he was having a dig about my weight. ‘ You’ll thank me one day,’ he said curtly, as he closed the front door behind him.
Our little girl, Phoebe, who was four, started to cry.
‘ When’s Daddy coming home?’ she sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks. I tried my best to sound strong, but inside, I was devastated.
Eight weeks later, Sean moved in with another woman. I was gutted. He insisted they hadn’t met until after we had split up, but I didn’t believe a word of it.
I cried every day for three months, and, for the first time in years, didn’t have an appetite. I noticed my baggy clothes becoming even looser and it put a smile on my face.
My friend, Claire, had just become a Slimming World consultant. Her first meeting was in October 2016.
‘Please can you come along,’ she pleaded nervously.
‘OK, for moral support,’ I agreed, but deep down, I knew it was finally time to do something for myself. I hoped I might lose a few pounds.
Feeling sick with nerves, I stepped on the scales… 14st 5lbs. I’d lost more than 3st since Sean walked out, but I was still far too heavy for my 5ft 5in frame.
I hadn’t always been big. Growing up, I’d been a skinny size eight, and full of energy, constantly running around with my friends.
But at 16 – just when I was starting to notice boys – I developed an abscess on my bum.
I was in agony and couldn’t walk – I was immobile for nearly two years. A district nurse had to come out to my house and treat me every day.
I couldn’t do anything for myself. My parents asked my grandma to come and stay with us for a month while they were busy with work.
She loved taking care of me, and would fry a cooked breakfast every day. Dinner would always be a huge helping followed by a pudding… so the pounds just piled on.
I hit size 16, and avoided any type of exercise. My eating spiralled out of control – I’d scoff an entire tub of Pringles every night and guzzle 12 cans of full-fat Coke every day.
By the time I met Sean,
I was 20 and a size 18.
We clicked straight away, and just six months after we met, he proposed. We were at his mum’s for tea – he didn’t get down on one knee, but I was thrilled.
‘Don’t you think you’re getting big, Sar? You could slim down for your wedding,’ my mum said gently. ‘Think about all the extra strain on your heart.’
But I shrugged it off.
I wasn’t ready to listen.
I squeezed myself into a size-20 wedding gown. I was
‘I hated how I looked and hid away in baggy clothes’
a 22 but couldn’t find anything in my size. It was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, but I felt uncomfortable and I couldn’t wait to take it off.
After the wedding, Sean and I got to that comfortable stage in our relationship and we both started to put on weight.
I’d tuck into a fried breakfast for lunch, and have burger and chips for tea – snacking on chocolate bars and crisps in between.
I was also desperate to become a mum. ‘I really want a baby,’ I’d tell Sean, broodily.
Finally, I fell pregnant.
I was over the moon, but Sean didn’t seem as excited as
I was. I started eating for two.
My cravings were really strong – muffins, chocolate, ice lollies and junk food.
‘Sean, I need a McDonald’s,’ I’d tell him as we were snuggling into bed at 10pm, and he’d drive off to buy some.
When Phoebe was born in July 2011, I was besotted. I loved being a mum – but I turned to food for comfort as I felt like I was always on my own with our little girl.
Now a size 24, I was heavier than before I fell pregnant.
I hated my appearance, and hid myself away in huge, baggy clothes – I refused to take Phoebe swimming as
I was too mortified to wear a swimsuit in public.
We’d go to the park but I wouldn’t run around with her, as I’d get out of breath so quickly. It was embarrassing.
After a few years, I noticed Sean and I had started to drift apart – he was always upstairs watching TV and I was downstairs.
The day he left in 2015, something clicked inside, and I didn’t look back. I knew I’d never be the same again.
I stopped eating junk food and started to exercise more regularly.
Joining Slimming World gave me the motivation to stick with it and, in November 2019, I reached my goal of 10st 10lb, and I got my revenge body.
It’s been hard, but so worth it. It’s given me a new lease of life. I’m really proud of how I look – and so is Phoebe, who’s now eight.
‘ Who’s that lady?’ she giggles when I show her photos of how I used to look.
I love shopping now and I’m always buying slinky dresses, tight jeans and strappy tops to show off my figure – clothes I never would have dreamed of wearing before.
I’m not dating anyone yet as I’m enjoying focusing on me and Phoebe.
But when the time is right, I will.
Looking back, Sean did me a massive favour by walking out on our relationship. It’s definitely his loss.
He said one day I would thank him for ending it, and he’s right. I’d like to shake his hand!