I was so fat, my parents intervened!
When Rosalyn McLaren hit a size 24, her mum and dad couldn’t just sit back and say nothing…
It’s a moment I’ll remember for the rest of my life. It was just a couple of days after Christmas in 2016 when my mum, Margaret, 64, and dad Tony, 65, asked me to sit down.
‘Rosalyn, you’ve got a good job and you’ve got friends and a family who all care about you,’ Mum said gently. ‘But…’
As she paused, I started to squirm, half-expecting what was coming.
‘But we’re worried about you,’ she pressed on. ‘It’s your size. Your health is going to suffer if you keep on doing this to yourself.’
Aged 31, it was tough for me to listen to my parents’ well-meaning lecture. But I could hardly argue. At 5ft 1in, I weighed over 17st and was a size 24. There was no denying I was overweight.
My weight problems dated all the way back to my childhood. I’d grown up in County Donegal, Ireland, in a small town in the countryside.
At school, I had a good group of friends and no one seemed bothered by my size. But, when I reached secondary school, selfconsciousness set in.
I was free to eat whatever I wanted at lunchtime, and my friends and I would head to a nearby deli, where I’d stock up on sausage rolls, pastries and crisps.
At home, I would eat wholesome home-cooked meals, often enjoying seconds. Then I’d sneak chocolate and crisps up to my bedroom, which I’d scoff down in private.
As my weight increased, my friends picked out fashionable, figure-hugging outfits, while I stuck to loosefitting tops that covered up as much of my body as possible.
By the time I was 19 and studying hairdressing at college, I was a size 16. And when I’d qualified and got a full-time job, my weight only went up.
With a diary packed full of appointments, it was tough to find the time to eat lunch. Instead, I’d snack on crisps, Pot Noodles and chocolates throughout the day.
I’d come home exhausted and curl up with a takeaway, followed by chocolate.
Healthy eating just wasn’t a part of my life…
I tried a juice diet when I was 27, but I packed it in after a few weeks, as I really didn’t enjoy it.
One of the things I did enjoy most in life, however, was horse-riding. It’s something I’d done since I was six years old but, at 29 and a size 24, I regretfully hung up my saddle, as I felt guilty about inflicting my weight on my poor horse.
I still visited the stables, and would quickly invent an excuse if someone asked me if I’d been riding. ‘I don’t have time today,’ I’d say. Or, ‘ We’ve just got back.’
In February 2015, I went to Las Vegas with a group of friends to celebrate my 30th birthday.
During our getaway, we travelled to the Grand Canyon and booked a helicopter ride over the iconic landmark.
Before we took the flight, the staff asked us to write down our weights. I’d avoided the scales for years so, panicking, I scribbled down a made-up number. The staff looked at me suspiciously.
Thankfully, I was allowed on board. But, as we flew over the stunning scenery, my cheeks were still flushed with embarrassment.
By the time of my parents’ intervention, I was more than ready for a change. So, with their words ringing in my ears, I made a New Year’s resolution. I was going to lose weight. Alotofweight– andforgood.
The following month, in January 2017, I joined Slimming World. For the first time in years, I found out just how much I weighed.
And it was bad. Sobad. 17st5lb.
I could have burst into tears, but what was the point? Instead, I resolved to do something about it. And here, at Slimming World, was the
perfect place to do it.
The weekly meetings helped me to understand the importance of portion size, nutrition and enjoying a balanced diet. I started to cook from scratch, following their low-fat recipes. Within just two months, I’d reached my initial goal, losing 2st.
Buzzing, my success motivated me to keep on going. By December 2017, I was down to 11st 5lb.
As well as following the Slimming World eating plan, I started going on long walks three or four times a week, and swimming, too.
So, by the time me and my friends booked our annual holiday to Portugal last year, in 2018, I was feeling better about myself – and braver.
On previous vacations, I’d be clad in a swimsuit, shorts and a cover-up when we lapped up the rays by the pool.
This time, however, was different. Because, for the first time ever, I’d packed a bikini.
It was nerve-racking to wear something so revealing, but my worries vanished once my friends saw me.
‘ You look amazing,’ they beamed. ‘ You’re so tiny!’
I was feeling so confident that I even went paragliding. When I was bigger, I wouldn’t have even considered doing something like that.
Now 33, I’ve lost 8st 1lb, am a size 8 and weigh 9st 4lb. I can finally wear the slinky outfits I’d dreamed of when I was younger, and I’m back to horse-riding.
Having sat on the sidelines for so long, I’m determined to get back into the saddle – in all areas of my life!
‘I made a New Year’s resolution to lose a lot of weight – for good’