He BIGGEST loser’
that I was too afraid to confront.
Then, one afternoon, Ali called me. “You’re eating yourself to death,” she said. “I’m worried you’ll have a heart attack or a stroke.” I’d reached rock bottom and I knew my sister was right. I’d become so big, I couldn’t reach my toes or pull socks on to my feet. I was too big for my bathtub and couldn’t even stand long enough to wash my hair and my body in the shower at the same time.
So, in September 2019, I moved from York to Bedford to live with my mum again. For the first two weeks, I went on to a shake diet, but I was constantly hungry, so my sister said, “Why don’t you join Slimming World?” She phoned and found the nearest group to our home, and my mum drove me to my first meeting. When I stepped on to the scales, I realised I weighed 33st 3lbs.
I was determined to make a change, and in the first week alone I lost 17lbs. With the help of my consultant Michelle, I started to build healthy habits with my food. Instead of skipping breakfast,
I’d have fruit and yoghurt, then I’d make salad for lunch and homemade curries for dinner. By January 2020, I’d dropped 3st 3lbs. I was determined to stick to my new-found lifestyle, and the pounds kept on falling. By the end of August 2020, I’d dropped down to 23st and started walking without the help of my sticks. As the pounds kept going, I started walking daily and soon I began running using the Coach to 5k plan. Now, I weigh 12st 1lbs and I’m a svelte size 14. I’ve set myself a goal to reach 9st 13lbs, so I can say I’m under 10st.
I’m slowly starting to find my style, too, and whenever I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I can’t believe who’s staring back at me. Earlier this year, I won the Greatest Loser Award with Slimming World. It was a surreal and surprising moment for me. It gave me the boost and confirmation that I’ve achieved my goals. It’s an honour to be Greatest Loser. I’ve become a Slimming World consultant, too, and enjoy helping other people feel proud about their bodies!
● To find out more about Slimming World and how to join your local group, visit Slimmingworld.co.uk or Slimmingworld.ie, or call 0344 897 8000 or 01 656 9696.