Mamma Mia! What a slimmer!
Gina Dean loved her Italian food, but after shedding 8st and learning new ways to cook, she’s happier than ever…
As another invitation from a friend came in to go out for dinner, or head into town, I made my excuses. I didn’t like going anywhere new in case I was judged. People would stare and I couldn’t really blame them.
At around 17st and a size 22, I did my best to avoid being seen. I wore dark colours to try and hide my frame, and when I did find something to suit my figure, I’d buy lots of them.
I didn’t know how I’d come to be so big, but it was starting to affect my mental health as well as my body…
I’d never really struggled with my weight growing up. I came from an Italian family and food was always an important focal point for us. We’d sit down together for meals and food was involved when we met with the wider family and was part of how we socialised.
My mum made delicious Italian dishes, and I ate big portions of pasta, meatballs, and lasagne. I’d take a packed lunch to school with me, and although I was never thin, I was comfortable as a size 14 when I left school and trained as a hairdresser.
I was on my feet all day but didn’t think much of stopping for a McDonald’s breakfast most mornings. I knew my then boyfriend, Micky, loved me regardless of my shape and size, especially as we’d met at school and got together when we were 16.
My weight gain over the next few years was gradual…
Micky and I married when I was 21 – I’d tried to lose some weight and wore an off-the-shoulder, embellished, dramatic, size-16 gown that I adored. We were so happy together, especially when I fell pregnant with our daughter, Olivia, in 1998.
I took eating for two very seriously and, by the time Olivia arrived, I’d ballooned to 14st 7lbs, but it didn’t matter – we were besotted. I wasn’t interested in cooking, so ate convenience food when Olivia was asleep.
Micky sometimes worked nights, so I’d order takeaways or eat fattening ready meals from the freezer.
When our son, Alex, arrived two years later, I’d reached 16st 7lbs and hardly had any energy. As the kids grew, I avoided swimming pools, but we’d go to the park, have picnics together and my sweet tooth followed me wherever I went.
If we went out for dinner, I’d read the dessert menu first and could easily eat my way through a big bag of peanut M&M’s a day. We enjoyed family life, and it still often revolved around food.
By 2015, I was heavier than I’d ever been and suffering with terrible pain in my right knee.
I wore a support constantly, ached all over and a scan revealed the cartilage was rubbing together and that I might need an operation to fix it.
‘ You could try losing some weight before the operation too,’ the doctor told me.
Afterwards, I spoke to Micky and told him how scared I was of being operated on. What if something happened to me? I was a size 20, knew I was unhealthy, but my bad habits were so hard to break.
I tried cutting back, attempted various diets, but nothing worked long-term.
Then, in the winter of 2017, we were due to attend a friend’s wedding and I couldn’t find anything to wear that I was comfortable in. I squeezed into a black dress, and when Micky showed me photos he’d taken during the day, I was shocked.
Yes, I was overweight, but I hadn’t realised how big and puffy my face looked. I decided to have one last Christmas where I overindulged and two days later, a Slimming World leaflet came through my door.
A friend suggested joining too, so in January 2018, we attended our first Slimming World group near my home in Yaxley, Peterborough. I was a size 22-24 by then and weighed in at 17st 8lbs – far too big for my 5ft 2in height.
I quickly learnt about Food Optimising, cooking delicious, healthy food from scratch and making sensible swaps to
help me lose weight. In my first week I lost over 5lbs and within a month had lost 12lbs.
It really spurred me on. I still made tiramisu, cooked pasta dishes and found healthier ways of satisfying my sweet tooth, such as lowcalorie jelly or putting fruit and vanilla drops in quark. It was delicious!
I didn’t tell anyone I’d joined to start with as I didn’t want to set myself up to fail. I hid my Slimming World book that had my weight in it, but as the pounds came away, I started to believe I could really do it.
My family and friends were incredibly supportive, as was everybody at my weekly group. I planned my meals carefully and made sure I always had sensible snacks on hand.
Within six months, I’d lost 4st and I had so much more energy. My aches and pains had all but disappeared and after shedding another stone and a half, I took up walking, running and Zumba.
On 2 June 2019, I hit my target weight of 9st 7lbs and a size 8. I didn’t need surgery on my knee, could borrow
Olivia’s clothes and added colour, dresses and skinny jeans to my wardrobe. I never would have shown arms before, but now I didn’t have to worry.
Olivia, now 21, Alex, 19, and Micky were so proud of me – Micky thought it was like having a new wife! One that was confident, didn’t turn down invitations to go out, or the chance to enjoy some family fun. I felt much more self-assured in my teaching assistant job too.
Now, at 46, I’ve maintained my weight-loss and hope that others never feel the way I did. You can change, and still enjoy your favourite foods, it’s just about having support and determination. I’m proof of that!
‘I made sensible swaps to help me lose weight’
y son split up with his girlfriend last year. They have a lovely three-year-old boy – and, although it was tricky to start with, as he had an affair – they were getting on better, and she was always happy for me to see my grandson. But now, she has met someone else, and she’s moving 100 miles away to be with him. I am absolutely devastated that I will hardly ever see my grandson – and I feel so angry with my son. I feel it’s all his fault that I won’t see my grandson – am I being unfair?
Loretta, Swindon
You are a grandma, in love with your grandson – and you are entirely, understandably heartbroken at being 100 miles apart from your beautiful boy. You need someone to blame and, unsurprisingly, you’ve chosen your son, but nip your resentment in the bud – right now. If you persist, you’ll end up alienating your son, and it won’t bring your grandson any closer. You two need to put your heads together, and work out how often you’ll be able to make the long journey. Find the most persuasive way to convince your grandson’s mum that you and your son will be reliable, loyal and loving forever – and want to play a huge, significant part in her little one’s life.