ENOUGH’S ENOUGH
After an appearance on national television, Alex Vanstone, 44, from Standon, knew she needed to change...
In a rush to leave the house, I bent down to put on my shoes, but I just couldn’t. I stretched forward, but despite my best efforts, my stomach was just too big.
Leaning back with a huff, I took a look at myself.
My clothes were tighter than ever. I knew that, but now I couldn’t put on my own shoes.... This can’t go on, I thought.
I’d tried every diet in the book and always gave up too quickly.
So, when the opportunity came for me to go on Channel 5’s How to Lose Weight, I took the plunge.
In April 2019, I went on air and with the UK’S eyes on me, I knew I couldn’t give up this time.
It was horrifying being weighed in, and seeing that I was 13st 4lb was even worse.
And when they told me I’d be doing Slimfast, I nearly cried.
I’m not going to survive on a milkshake, I thought to myself.
I had a cleaning company that required a lot of work, and I didn’t think that a milkshake would be enough. However, I forced myself to take a closer look at the program and it wasn’t that bad.
Yes, I’d have to stick to shakes for breakfast, but I’d have snacks to munch on and a 600-calorie meal for either lunch or dinner that I could do what I wanted with.
I gave it a try and in the first month, I knuckled down and lost a whole stone!
The first week was the hardest, there’s no sugar-coating that, but I learned to make varied dinners to help me get through it.
I replaced my crisps and pork scratchings with healthy burgers and I lost another half stone after the show.
I went from a size 16 to a size 12!
With that, I carried on with the diet, only using it when I needed to maintain
– then lockdown happened.
In December 2019, I lost my father and stuck at home as we all were, I noticed that I was putting the weight back on.
I couldn’t have that.
So in January this year, I went back to what worked, and again, I lost a stone and raised £1200 for my dad’s former hospice.
Today, I’ve reached my dream goal of 10st 8lb.
Losing weight gave me the confidence to pursue the career I’d always dreamed of.
I wanted to work in cabin crew and had a college course in travel and tourism to do it, but my weight had always held me back.
Now, when restrictions allow, I’ll be starting my dream job on a private charter!