FAT BURNER’S DIARY

How one reader lost 7st and found true body confidence

THEN

Growing up in Italy, family life was centred around food – pizza and big bowls of pasta aplenty. It was like a conveyor belt of carbs, and I ate it all. But Italy’s also a country where body image counts for everything, so being labelled ‘the fat one’ took its toll on my teenage confidence. I decided that if I was going to be fat, I was going to be really fat – food became a coping mechanism and a punishment. My bad habits only worsened when I moved to the UK in my twenties – the stress of fending for myself meant that my meals grew even bigger. In 10 years, at 5ft 6in, I put on nearly 8st and grew to a size 20.

HOW

After years of ignoring my weight, there came a day in 2012 when I just looked in the mirror and broke down. But how could I help myself? The idea of going to a gym terrified me – surely everyone would stare. But if I didn’t try, nothing would ever change. So, borrowing my brother’s baggy T-shirts, I signed up with a PT. Over the next two years, I built up my fitness from twiceweekly 30-minute cardio sessions to four HIIT classes and three weights sessions a week. I cut my portion sizes, too. Whereas before I’d easily eat three chicken breasts in a sitting, I’d have just one. I saw a visible change within weeks.

NOW

By steadily increasing my weights in the gym, I’ve continued to shed weight and, five years on, I’m now a size 12-14. But the biggest change has been psychological. I’ve realised that size is just a number – it’s being happy and healthy that matters. I still eat all of my Italian favourites – but in smaller quantities – and I set myself regular fitness challenges, like a 10k run, to stay motivated. I’ve created a blog* to support others with their weight loss and I’m planning to train as a PT. After being overweight for 25 years, I’ve found body confidence and I’m finally at peace with myself.