“I’ve lost 15st – now my friends don’t recognise me!“
Claire Smith weighed 27st when she decided to change her life in a bid to have a baby… And she even managed to lose 2st while pregnant!
Four years ago, Claire Smith was a size 32 and weighed 27st 2lbs. She’d just been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and was told by doctors she was unlikely to ever have children if she didn’t lose weight.
Now, Claire – who is 5ft 7 – has lost an incredible 15st 6lbs, shrinking down to an amazing 11st 10lbs, and has a three-yearold son, Ezra.
And after TOWIE star Gemma Collins opened up about her struggle with PCOS last week, Claire wants to inspire other sufferers and let them know they can lose weight without resorting to “quick fix” solutions.
Claire, 39, teaches young offenders to cook, and lives in Staffordshire with her husband Trystan, 34, a tattoo artist, and Ezra. She says, “When I saw that Gemma Collins was talking about suffering from PCOS, saying it made it hard to lose weight and how ‘skinny jabs’ are helping her, it made me feel sad.
“I’ve lost the weight through changing my whole approach to food and exercising. It’s taken time, but I know it will stay off for good now. I’ve done all the fad diets, where you lose a couple of stone and then pile it all back on again. You have to change your lifestyle – for good.
“Now, I’ve never felt better. I’ve had friends I’ve not seen in a while walk past me in the street because they don’t recognise me. It’s such a good feeling!”
MISERABLE
Claire started gaining weight in her teens. She recalls, “My mum worked long hours so we often relied on convenience foods. By the time I was 16, I was a size 18. I would often have half a baguette with butter on as a snack and I’d eat several bags of crisps throughout the day.
“But my problems really began when I was 18 and I started working long hours as a waitress. I’d often skip breakfast, then, after my morning shift, eat an enormous fry-up.
“Then I’d snack on crisps, chocolate and chips. I wouldn’t eat my dinner until 2am, once
I’d finished my shift, and it would be a takeaway, like a kebab smothered in garlic mayonnaise, or pizza, chips and garlic bread.
I never ate fruit or vegetables.”
By her mid twenties, Claire was 27st and miserable. She’d try diets, but never stuck to them.
She explains, “I broke my dining room chair once because I was so big. I felt self-conscious and stopped going out. I’d never look someone in the eye in case I could see them judging me. My friends and family were really supportive, but I felt like a mess. I wasn’t ready to really change. I just didn’t have the willpower.”
In 2015, Claire met Trystan when they were both browsing in an art shop. The pair started dating and Claire was smitten. She says, “He saw past my size and accepted me for me.”
TAKING CONTROL
But after they’d been together for a few months, Claire started to notice heavy hair growth on her face and neck, and her periods became sporadic. She visited the doctor and after several tests she was diagnosed with PCOS,
which can affect fertility, and was told that – combined with her weight – it was very unlikely she’d be able to have children.
Claire recalls, “I was absolutely devastated. When I researched PCOS, all I could find was that the condition made it harder to lose weight.
“I almost gave up and resigned myself to being fat forever. But, after a few months, I realised that I had to take control, otherwise my future looked bleak.”
In March 2016, Claire joined Slimming World after hearing good things from friends, and lost 12lbs in her first week.
She says, “It was the best start. After that, I found my willpower and lost 2lbs to 3lbs a week, and the good thing was, I never felt hungry. The plan encourages you to eat as much as you want – but the right kind of foods.
“I’d have a fat-free yoghurt with berries and sugar-free granola for breakfast. Lunch was a falafel salad or poached egg on wholemeal toast, and for dinner, I’d make a lasagne using lean mince. I also learned to like fruit and veg, and enjoyed cooking rather than ordering a takeaway.”
Within five months, Claire had lost 5st, taking her down to 22st. She was thrilled – and there was even more good news.
She says, “I found out I was pregnant soon after losing 5st. I couldn’t believe it! I was so happy, but also determined to have a healthy pregnancy.
“Slimming World is approved by midwives, so I stayed on the plan. Before joining, I’d have seen pregnancy as an excuse to ‘eat for two’, but it was easy to carry on eating sensibly. My new healthy regime meant I felt fitter and slept better than I’d done in years.
“By the time I gave birth to
Ezra in April 2017, I’d actually lost another 2st!”
That August, she and Trystan got married and she wore a custom-made lace dress.
LUCKY
Since then, Claire has steadily lost weight. During lockdown, she has reached her goal weight of 11st 10lbs.
She says, “I couldn’t be happier. I have lots of tattoos that I love. I’m proud of my body and how hard I’ve worked. There’ve been occasions when I’ve been shopping and I’ve seen an old friend and waved, but they’ve blanked me as they don’t realise it’s me! When I say, ‘It’s me, Claire!’ their mouths drop open in shock. It’s such a compliment.
“I do have loose skin on my stomach and would like to get it removed one day when I can afford it. I love being a mum and running round after Ezra. I am so lucky to have him, as the odds were stacked against me. I just hope that I can inspire other women suffering with PCOS.
If I can do it, anyone can.”
By Mel Fallowfield
● Claire is raising money to have skin removal on GoFundMe.
Go to gf.me/u/x9gi4n for more information and follow her journey on Instagram @claireswdiary
I REALISED THAT I HAD TO TAKE CONTROL, OTHERWISE MY FUTURE LOOKED BLEAK