Being too big for a fair ground ride with my wee girl forced me to get healthy
Holiday heartache gave 28-year-old motivation to try Slimming World.. and after shedding more than a third of her bodyweight, her life has been transformed
YOUNG mum Sammy Murray felt tears of embarrassment well up in her eyes when she had to get off a ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach because she was too fat to fit beneath the safety bar.
Weighing more than 16st and barely fitting into a size 20, she decided in that moment in summer 2017 that enough was enough.
Watching her twin daughters Delilah and Lorena, then three, laughing and giggling on the ride she should have joined them on, Sammy knew something had to change. And it did.
Fast forward nine months and by March last year the 28-year-old of Bothwell, Lanarkshire, shed a staggering 5st 9lbs with Slimming World.
Now 10st 6lbs, her size 20 clothes have been ditched in favour of a slinky size 10 and she’s embraced a healthy new way of thinking that she says has changed her life forever.
Admin assistant Sammy said: “It was an awful moment on that Blackpool holiday and it was really so upsetting at the time.
“I’d got on the ride and sat down next to my little girl but when I tried to pull the bar down, it wouldn’t click because I was too fat for it to fit. Lots of other mums were riding with their kids and didn’t have any problem.
“The fairground worker asked me if I’d be OK for my little girl to ride by herself because he couldn’t let me on if the safety bar didn’t work.
“I was absolutely mortified getting off and just felt as if everyone was staring at me – I just wanted the ground to open up and swallow me.
“In a way, though, I’m glad it happened because it showed me just how bad things had become.
“It was in July 2017 and I’d started Slimming World only two weeks before. I’d been on many, many diets before and always given up – it could easily have gone the same way this time.
“But after what happened in Blackpool I knew I couldn’t give up – it gave me the motivation to stick with Slimming World and I’m so glad I did. It’s absolutely changed my life.”
Sammy, who’d struggled with her weight since her teens, confided in husband Ross, 34, about how unhappy she was.
She’d been encouraged to join her local Slimming World group by mum Sadie Murray, 45, also a member, who’d successfully reached her target weight, losing more than 6st.
Improving her health was the main motivator for Sammy who now five, also has another little girl, Martina, 21 months. She said: “I knew I was putting
my health at risk by being so overweight. “I reckon I put on about one-and-a-half stone when I was pregnant with Martina, on top of the two-and-a-half stone I’d gained while pregnant with the twins. “That was tough. You feel anxious when you’re pregnant anyway – being overweight just added to the worry. “When the twins were born I found it difficult to lose the weight, and then I fell pregnant with Martina when they were only two, so the pounds crept on again.” Sammy was anxious about being accepted at her local group but she needn’t have worried. Backed by the support of her mum, she got a warm welcome from her consultant and fellow members and soon found that the encouragement she got from her group was a big factor in her weight loss journey.
She added: “I had very low confidence when I joined and was worried people would stare but everyone was so friendly and made me feel welcome.
“One of the big advantages for me was finding out you don’t have to miss out on the foods you enjoy.
“I used to start off the day with bad habits – I’d go for pancakes with jam or Nutella but now it’s cereal with lots of fruit and low-fat yogurt.
“Instead of a massive baguette for lunch I’ll have home-made soup and dinner will be tasty home-made Cajun pasta instead of a fat-laden takeaway. I loved that I could cook meals that the whole family enjoy and still lose weight.”
Sammy has embraced an active new lifestyle. As well as joining her local gym, she goes on long walks three to four times a week.
But most of all she loves that fact that she can enjoy playing outdoors with her three little girls – without getting out of breath.
She said: “I hated the fact that I had no stamina to play with the girls. Kicking a ball around for a few minutes with them would have had me totally out of breath. I also had lots of aches and pains all associated with carrying the extra bulk.
“Now I feel so much lighter and can move around so much more easily.”
Sammy has also gained the confidence to do something she never thought she would – learn to drive. She added: “I had previously had driving lessons but as I had my kids and gained weight, I lost my confidence so gave up. I hated meeting new people because I felt so judged on my size – I couldn’t even bear to meet a new driving instructor.
“After I had lost some weight and starting gaining back my confidence, though, I started my lessons again and after only a few months took my test and passed. I couldn’t believe it.”
At her target weight for 10 months now, Sammy still attends the Slimming World group every week.
Her eating plan has been adjusted to help her maintain her weight, instead of losing more weight and she’s finding the balance just right.
She added: “Even though I’m at my target weight, it’s really important for me to attend my group every week – I feel it’s the key to staying focused and motivated.
“And I’ve made so many friends at my group too, I look forward to going.
“My work colleagues and friends can’t believe the change in my appearance and also in my newfound confidence.
“At long last, I can walk past a mirror and feel happy at what I see.
“At Christmas I didn’t feel the dread of looking for an outfit to wear. I recently attended an awards ceremony with work and it was good fun looking for something to wear, rather than it being an absolute chore.
“I’ll never ever go back to my old ways. I like the new me too much.”