Cushion THE BLOW I told myself a bit of extra padding was no bad thing
A cosy afternoon on the sofa with her little girl was about to change everything for miranda mcintyre, 34
Settling down on the sofa with my daughter Nevaeh, 5, I felt her trying to make herself comfortable. It was October 2011, and we were enjoying a lazy day watching a film.
‘Do you want a pillow?’ I asked, as she fidgeted.
‘No, thanks,’ she said, prodding and poking my tummy as if it was a cushion.
I wondered what she was up to but, as she snuggled closer to lean on my stomach, I realised. Nevaeh didn’t need a pillow. My big fat belly was comfy enough for her!
As the film started, I could barely concentrate.
Though Nevaeh had meant no harm by plumping up my tummy, I felt mortified.
For years now, I’d avoided weighing myself. I told myself a bit of extra padding was no bad thing.
But now I knew I’d just been in denial and making excuses.
I’d struggled with my weight all my life.
I wasn’t a very active person, nor was my diet particularly healthy.
To be honest, dinners were mostly ready meals, and
I’d easily finish a pack of 12 fizzy drinks by myself in just two days.
Nevaeh and my son Elias, 3, could see the problems my weight caused me, too.
I’d get out of breath walking up the stairs, and running around after two young children left me exhausted by midday
‘Come on, Mum!’ they’d call back to me at the park, as I straggled behind them.
‘I need a rest!’ I’d reply, panting.
I always felt guilty – I didn’t want to let my kids down.
But now, realising my tummy reminded Nevaeh of a plump pillow hit me like a ton of bricks.
I wasn’t angry at my little girl, I was disappointed with myself.
How could I have let myself get this big? I thought.
It was the wake-up call
I so desperately needed. Stepping on to the scales later that day, I groaned when the dial showed that I weighed nearly 19st.
Wearing a size-22, I knew I was way too big at 5ft 3in tall.
So I decided, there and then,
I was going to do something about it. The first big change I made was to cut out the fizzy drinks.
Switching to sugar-free alternatives, I limited myself to a maximum of two a day.
‘That’s a really good idea,’
I may have been aching, but after each workout I felt great
my mum Barb, 57, smiled.
Having just separated from my husband, I was staying at my parents’ house at the time.
I also began using a smaller plate, so I could trick myself into thinking my dinner was bigger than it actually was.
But just changing my diet wouldn’t be enough, I needed to keep myself active.
So I bought fitness DVDS, as well as a Zumba game for the kids’ Nintendo Wii.
I only did my exercises at night, once the children had gone to bed, because during the day I could easily be distracted with
Mum duties and not bother going back to my workout.
No excuses, I told myself, popping the fitness DVD into the machine.
For my first few tries, I could only get a few minutes into the workouts and dance routines before I keeled over, sweating and exhausted.
But the more I came back to the workouts, the more progress I made.
Even if I didn’t make it to the end, I’d still feel a surge of pride in having got a little further than I had before.
And I may have been aching, sweating and, at times, gasping for air, but after each workout I felt great.
I’d achieved something. Over the following few months, the pounds began to fall off me, and I even started working out during the day, once I’d built up enough discipline not to simply quit if
I was distracted by the kids.
‘I’m losing weight for you two,’ I smiled at the pair of them, as I hopped back on the Wii board.
I’d successfully quit the fizzy drinks, too.
Each time I looked at one, I’d remember that I didn’t want my stomach to look like a pillow any more!
‘You’re getting serious,’ my dad Bruce, 59, said proudly after six months.
Accompanying my parents on the weekly shop, I encouraged them to buy fewer frozen ready meals and processed food, and buy more fresh fruit and vegetables.
In 2017, I finally worked up the courage to join a gym.
Now, I work out six days a week, and I don’t know why I haven’t done it before.
In just three years, I’ve lost 10st, bringing my weight down to 8st 13lb.
Where I once wore a size-22, I’m now down to a slim size-8/10.
I’m able to do things with the kids that I never imagined I could – such as camping and hiking here in Alberta, Canada.
And I can finally keep up with Nevaeh, now 12, and Elias, 10, in the park!
Nevaeh doesn’t have a clue that she was my inspiration, bless her.
But I’m so glad that she was. Our cuddles on the sofa are just as cosy as always.
Only Nevaeh has to grab a proper pillow these days!