Vanessa walks off 8st and into new relationship
SHE ALSO WELCOMED BABY SON AFTER GIVING BAD HABITS THE BOOT FOLLOWING 2020 DIVORCE
A CITY woman got the ultimate “revenge body” by losing eight stone after her divorce – by walking three miles a day.
Nottingham supermarket worker Vanessa Booth, 33, found herself comfort eating after getting married and at her heaviest weighed 16st 1lbs and wore a size 18.
But when her marriage broke down, Vanessa put her energy into shifting the pounds – swapping takeaways for home-cooked meals following the Slimming World plan.
She started walking three to four miles a day and lost 7lbs 13oz in just over a year – dropping to a slender 8st exactly and a size six.
Vanessa found the confidence to put herself back on the dating scene and met her new partner Gary, 35, and they welcomed a son together earlier this month.
Now enjoying being a new mum, Vanessa plans to go back to Slimming World to shift the “baby weight” when she feels ready.
Vanessa said: “I had put on weight because I was comfortable. I thought I was happy. I just needed that wakeup call. It feels amazing. I have got more confidence and I am becoming more myself than I was before.”
Vanessa struggled with her weight during her marriage when she got “comfortable”. She would snack on chocolate, cake and crisps in the evening and would order a takeaway three nights a week for dinner.
Vanessa said: “I was very unhealthy. I wasn’t happy. I’d look in the mirror and I wouldn’t feel right. I always covered up. I never wore anything bright. I’d just hide myself.”
The break down of her marriage in August 2020 gave Vanessa the “wakeup call” to do something about her lifestyle. She joined her local Slimming World at the end of the same month and began to make changes to her diet by following their plan.
Vanessa switched to low-carb options and started cooking more from scratch – making meals such as stews and bolognaise. She said: “I couldn’t believe I looked like that. I’m very happy with myself. I’m getting more confident.”
Vanessa also started going for daily walks – walking three to four miles a day. She said: “It clears your mind. I could put my headphones on and powerwalk.”
Vanessa had to change up her whole wardrobe and now wears colourful dresses. After working on herself, she felt ready to put herself back on the dating scene and was introduced to her partner Gary, a caretaker, by an ex-colleague.
The pair hit it off after meeting in March last year and unexpectantly found out they were pregnant in July of the same year. Vanessa said: “Everything happened very quickly. It was a shock. He was very happy. It changed my life.”
The couple welcomed their son on March 2, weighing 7lbs 10oz and couldn’t be happier. Vanessa is “glad” she had the push she needed to lose the weight so she can be the best mum for her newborn. She said: “I’m very happy I did it. I deserved to be myself again.”
Before weight: 16st 1lbs
Before size: 18
Breakfast: toast, cereal.
Lunch: sandwich, crisps and chocolate
Dinner: Takeaway or ready meals
Snacks: Chocolate, cakes After weight : 8st
Size: 6/8
Breakfast: Slimming world cereal.
Lunch: Pasta and tuna
Dinner: Meat and vegetable stew
Snacks: SW bar, fruit.