Eat, Drink And Be Heavy!
The Christmas photo that made Sharon transform her life...
As I crept gingerly onto the scales, the needle shot to 17st. ‘It’s all your nice food,’ I wailed at my husband Leo, 40.
I was lucky to have a hubby who was a great cook, but eating pasta and potato-filled dishes had its consequences...
I’d been a size-10, right up until I came off the Pill to try for children in 2011.
Soon afterwards, I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome.
It meant that conceiving was a struggle.
Another symptom was suddenly piling on the pounds.
When I finally fell pregnant in May 2012, Leo and I were ecstatic.
‘One more mouthful for the baby,’ my hubby would say every mealtime, as he spooned spag bol or shepherd’s pie onto my plate.
Throughout my pregnancy, I gained more than I should.
I’d a huge appetite - it wasn’t unusual for me to eat an entire trifle by myself.
By the time I gave birth to baby Johnny in January 2013, I’d ballooned to 13st.
Months passed and I was still wearing maternity clothes. I felt fat and frumpy.
I have to do something about my weight, I thought as I stood in front of the mirror and looked at my wobbly reflection.
I’d always believed having PCOS meant I couldn’t lose weight, but I was so miserable I had to at least try.
Celebrate
So I started the Cambridge Weight Plan, eating their shakes, soups and bars.
And over the next six months, I lost 3½st.
Finally, I could get back into all my old clothes again and wasn’t scared to look in the mirror.
I fell pregnant again in August 2014, and vowed to eat healthily.
But nine weeks later, I suffered a miscarriage.
Devastated, I turned to food for comfort. And soon I put all the weight back on again.
I told myself that my size wasn’t important when
I fell pregnant in January 2015.
Having a healthy baby was what mattered.
So, with Leo’s help, I carried on eating for two.
Finally, baby Matty was born in October 2015.
That Christmas, it felt like we really had something to celebrate.
‘Another wine?’ my motherin-law Patricia said as I sat down for a family meal on Christmas Day.
Leo cooked up a feast of turkey and all the trimmings and we followed that with cakes and chocs, then leftovers in the evening. All washed down with glasses of wine.
‘Everyone say cheese,’ Leo’s Aunty Phillipa said as she took a photo of us having a ball.
I was so merry and enjoyed the day so much.
Until I received a Facebook notification that night.
Someone has tagged you in a picture.
As I stared at the photo, I barely recognised myself.
‘Do I really look like that?’ I cried to Leo. ‘You look lovely,’ he said.
Er, no.
I looked more like an overstuffed turkey!
I was mortified – and, even after I untagged myself from the offending photo, I spent the entire festive period feeling rubbish.
Worse, I knew it wasn’t doing my health any good.
With two kids to look after, I knew I had to do something about it.
My hubby cooked up a feast with all the trimmings Lovely? I looked more like an overstuffed turkey!
Slinky size-10
So, in January, I cleared the cupboards of carbs, sugar and wine.
And once again,
I embarked on the Cambridge Weight Plan.
No, it wasn’t easy.
But it was worth it.
I lost nearly a stone in the first week, then at least 5lb every week after.
Hitting 11st, I started to go
out running.
By August 2016, I’d shed an incredible 7st.
‘Didn’t you just have a baby, how do you look this good?’ friends would say in awe.
I loved the reaction my weight loss got.
Now a slinky size-10, I feel like a different person.
I still do the Cambridge Weight Plan occasionally and watch what I eat.
And if I want a drink, it’s a slimline G&T.
But this Christmas, I’ll definitely let go a bit.
I still cringe when I look at that turkey of a picture, but now I look fantastic.
I think yule all agree!