MY BATTLE TO LOSE 11 STONE
LEANNE Lovett thought her friend was just joining her for a walk – but instead she led her to a slimming meeting.
But she’s grateful, because it started her off on her journey to shed an incredible 11 stone and drop from a size 24 to 12/14.
Leanne, 40, from Troon, Ayrshire, realised she had to take action when her weight went up to 24st 4lb and she’d get out of breath climbing stairs.
A friend offered to go for a walk with her – but then took her to a meeting of WW – the new Weight Watchers.
After losing the weight over five years, Leanne took up running and recently completed a 10k race.
She’s also finally felt comfortable enough to go on holiday abroad for the first time since she was 15.
Leanne said: “I really wanted to lose weight but, more importantly, get fit and healthy. I asked a friend for help. She had lost weight and was really getting into fitness, so I knew she could help and felt comfortable speaking to her.
“She told me she had a plan and we would go out for a walk one night – and while out walking, she told me we were going to WW.”
Leanne wasn’t convinced at first, fearing she would have to starve herself.
She also couldn’t bear to see how heavy she’d become.
She recalled: “I stepped on the scales but couldn’t face them and didn’t look at my weight on my card until the following week, when I’d lost some weight.”
Leanne had long battled with her weight and first went on a diet at the age of 14.
She said: “I’d always struggled and never really kept the weight off – it went up and down all the time.
“I was uncomfortable in myself and I wore baggy clothes. Whenever I walked into a room, I’d think someone would be looking at me because I was so big. They wouldn’t see me, they’d see my weight.”
Leanne is married to Greg, 35, who’s a planner in the oil industry and has three children, Amy, 16, Skye, eight, and Anna, three.
Before she married Greg in 2010, she took extreme measures to lose weight for her big day – but now realises it wasn’t sustainable.
She said: “I wanted to look my best and I went on this rapid diet and lost five stone in five months by seriously restricting what I ate down to about 500 to 600 calories a day and drinking special milkshakes.
“I felt great on my wedding day but, when I started eating normally again, I slowly gained weight and ended up putting on more than before.
“I’ve tried so many different diets, I’ve seen a therapist and my doctor and nothing really helped.”
With her husband working away during the week, Leanne would wait until the girls were in bed and then snack on crisps and chocolate while watching TV in bed.
She said: “There was no time to ever get hungry because I’d just eat something else. Dinners were
Mum Leanne couldn’t face looking at the scales when she started her five year weight-loss journey, writes Maria Croce
just something from the freezer that I could throw in the oven or something easy and convenient.
“Then one day I was feeling awful about myself and I approached a friend and asked her to help. I thought we were going to go out walking – but she walked me round to WW. It was probably the best thing she’d ever done for me.”
That was April 2014 and Leanne has kept going on her journey – taking a break when she was pregnant with Anna, before going back on the healthy eating plan a few months after giving birth. She reached her goal in May 2019, getting to 13st 4lb.
When she first started losing weight, Skye was concerned she’d lose her “cuddly” mum. But Leanne said: “She has just as many cuddles.
“I just want to be a healthy role model for my girls and teach them you can have everything in moderation.
“My husband Greg has been such a great support and loves me regardless of what size I am.
“My weight loss hasn’t happened overnight. It’s taken a long time to get my head around everything and address my issues around food.
“I’ve learned to eat everything in moderation and I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been and I’ve got all this energy.
“I can do things I never thought I would be able to do. I never thought I’d be a runner and have just completed a 10k in the Great Scottish Run.
“Now I try to run every couple of days and I’ve tried yoga and boxing.”
Leanne also enjoyed a holiday in Majorca with the family this year.
She said: “When I was bigger, I was put off going abroad because I felt the heat would be a problem and I’d feel uncomfortable.
“This year I had more confidence to go on holiday abroad and to be comfortable in myself and my skin.
“It’s been so important to have the support and encouragement from friends who are like-minded and keen to be the healthiest versions of themselves.
“I have the most amazing WW coach, Morag Barr, who has been there for me through everything, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her help, encouragement and support.
“The workshops are amazing and there is so much praise and encouragement, no matter which part of your journey you are on.”
Leanne added: “I really wish I’d known when I was younger what I know now.
“I’m so much more confident with all this energy and I love exercise. I’m just living my life.
“I do feel like a different person. When people see my before photos they can’t believe it was me.
“Right now, my main focus is getting fit and strong and being the fittest and healthiest I can be. I feel so empowered in my running gear.
“I do have some loose skin but exercise helps with toning.
“I’m never going to have a perfect body but I’m happy.
“Now I’ll have a go at everything, such as a treetop adventure. I wouldn’t have done that before, because I was worried the ropes would snap.
“My life has changed completely, I’ve gone from hardly been able to climb stairs to now running up them.
“I feel amazing, mentally strong and can now tackle anything that life throws at me.”
www.weightwatchers.com/uk/