COVER STORY ‘I lost 5st by eating fakeaways and chocolate’
Shannon-marie Smith, 24, felt unhappy and unhealthy until she had a change of heart
Standing in the changing room, I felt hot and bothered, but mostly upset. It was February 2019, and I was about to return to my job as a teaching assistant following maternity leave. I’d come shopping with my mum Kerry as I needed some new clothes, and the size 20 black trousers I had picked up were tight. I felt like I could cry – I didn’t recognise my new body.
When my three-year-old son Reuben was born prematurely due to pre-eclampsia and a ruptured placenta in January 2018, he was only 27 weeks old and weighed just 1lb 8oz. He was in an incubator for over three months, hooked to tubes that helped him breathe. I spent every day by his side, watching my baby fight for his life. It was a terrifying time and he was my number-one priority. Not wanting to waste time cooking meals at home, for fuel I’d just eat chocolate and crisps from the vending machine and friends and family would bring doughnuts and cakes when they visited.
Reuben was allowed home when he was four months old, but we were constantly back and forth to the hospital for appointments. While I’d focused all my energy on my baby, I’d neglected myself. My weight had crept up to 15st 6lbs, and at 5ft 2in, that meant I was obese. I felt so low and self-conscious, I wouldn’t leave the house unless I really had to, and I refused to have photos taken with little Reuben. I was anxious all the time and felt so much negativity towards myself.
Now, as I came out of the changing room, struggling to hold back the tears, my mum could see I was at an all-time low. “You can’t go on this way,” she said. “Why don’t you try Slimming World? It’s supposed to be brilliant. I’ll come with you for moral support.” She was right – I had to make a permanent change, so my little boy could grow up with a happy and positive mum.
At home, I took a photo of myself in my underwear and vowed that would be the last time I disliked what I saw when
‘I was at an alltime low’
I looked at a photo. And a few weeks later, Mum and I attended our first Slimming World group in Doncaster. Walking in, I felt nervous seeing lots of people much slimmer than me sat in the room. “Why are they here? They look great,” I thought to myself. But when I heard their stories,
I realised they’d once been in my shoes, too. Knowing they could relate to me put me at ease, and I felt inspired by how far they’d come.
That week, I started cooking my own meals from scratch, swapping my pizza and kebab takeaways for a “fakeaway” version like breaded chicken, which was just as good as what I would order from KFC, or a curry made with fresh ingredients. In my first week, I lost 5.5lbs and was so pleased.
I bought Pinch Of Nom cookbooks as their recipes were quick and easy. I still ate chocolate, but would have one bar instead of several, and I ate more fruit than I ever had before. I lost 2st 7lbs within four months, and I grew in confidence. I took Reuben swimming for the first time, and that summer, when we went to the fair, I was happy to have pictures taken with my little boy.
By December 2019, I weighed 10st 13lbs and was wearing a size 10. I got a new job as a clerical officer in the NHS, too – after all that they had done for Reuben, I wanted to give back. It felt like a fresh start.
When the country went into lockdown in March 2020, I helped out on the COVID wards. I felt relieved that I’d lost weight when I did, otherwise I would have been at a heightened risk of being hospitalised if I caught the virus. That May, I hit my target weight of 10st, having lost 5st 6lbs, and I even dropped another dress size, going down to a size 8. Now, I am maintaining my weight and honestly couldn’t be happier. As a busy mum, Slimming World has been easy to follow and hassle-free. Reuben is a cheeky little boy who is happy and healthy, and always keeps me on my toes! But I’m fit enough to keep up with him and am glad I can set a good example to him as he gets older.
‘It felt like a fresh start’