Super slimmer Pamela sheds over six stone
A mum of two shed over six stone after piling on the weight during a secret takeaway habit.
Pamela O’rourke would dash outside to push fast-food boxes down the back of the bin alongside the burger wrappers from her Mcdonald’s breakfast.
At one point the 41-year-old from Uddingston was spending £600 a month on secret takeaways while her children were at school and her husband was at work.
Over five years she splurged £36,000 on fast food and put on 6st.
She said: “It all started when I was picked on at work and I spiralled into a depression where I didn’t want to leave the house.
“I would wait for the kids to go to school and my husband to go to work then I’d order Mcdonald’s, KFC and cooked breakfasts twice a day, five days a week for breakfast and a curry for lunch.”
Pamela has now dropped from a size 18 to a size 6 – and her habit set her back almost £7200 a year.
She said: “I just couldn’t stop.
“I never used scales but, when I stood on them after five years of overeating and saw I weighed 15st, I wanted to disappear.”
While Pamela wanted to keep things secret, husband Gary, 42, had noticed her weight gain, but had no idea how bad things were.
Pamela said: “He was always supportive and persuaded me to get a new job.
“After such a bad experience in my old job, I half expected someone to make nasty comments about my appearance, but everyone was so friendly.”
Then, in November 2020, everything changed.
She told us: “I was watching TV when I saw a guy I went to school with.
“He was a soldier, had fought in Afghanistan and had MND. He was raising awareness and money for stem cell treatment.
“He was so inspirational.”
The following month Pamela went cold turkey and ditched the takeaways for good.
Instead, she stuck to 1000 calories a day, eating chicken, fish and lots of vegetables and salads. She also took up walking.
Pamela was surprised how quickly the weight dropped off.
She added: “Now I weigh 8st 11lb and have gone from a size 18 to a size 6. I’m so much happier and healthier.
“I’m saving the money I once spent on takeaways. We’re hoping to buy a new home, a far more worthy investment than fast food.”