How I shed 7 stone in just 9 months WITHOUT fat jabs. Anyone can do it

Idly swiping through the Christmas party photos on my phone, I suddenly froze.

For a moment I couldn’t process that the woman in one particular image – wearing a festive dress and reindeer headband – was actually me.

I gasped at the roundness of my face, my double chin, and the way the fabric clung to my body.

Did I really look that big?

The photo was a candid shot taken at a Christmas party I’d organised with my sister-in-law for families in our area of West Yorkshire.

It was a huge success, but a month later, in January 2021 – as I was scrolling back through the photos my daughter Isla, then aged seven, had taken for fun – came that jolt of shock.

Instead of seeing a cheerful 36-year-old mum having a good time, all I could focus on was my size. It was the first time in years I had truly taken in my own appearance, and it changed everything.

The dress I’d been wearing was a size 22–24. But when I bought it I’d somehow convinced myself that I wasn’t really that size, simply choosing bigger, baggier clothing to be more comfortable.

But the photo showed the truth; the dress wasn’t too large for me – I filled it easily.

Although I didn’t know it then – I hadn’t weighed myself for years because I knew it would upset me – I was nearly 17st.

That night, I began spiralling with anxiety. If I felt so distressed by the photo, what must others have thought when they saw me?

Suddenly self-conscious, I knew something had to change – but I wasn’t sure where to start. After all, I’d been struggling with my weight since I was a child.

Aged 15, after repeated hospital visits due to abdominal pain, I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome – a condition that often causes weight gain due to reduced insulin sensitivity and hormonal imbalances – and put on the contraceptive pill to control my heavy periods.

However, this only furthered my weight gain, and as I got older my size fluctuated constantly, usually between a size 14 and 16. In 2007, then a size 14, I met Chris, and we went on to have two children together: Isla, now 11, and Dexter, eight.

Being pregnant meant I didn’t focus on my size, because there was a good reason why I was getting larger, and I enjoyed seeing my bump grow.

After giving birth, however, there was the inevitable pressure to shed the baby weight, which I struggled to do.

When Chris and I married in 2019 I was a size 18, but I felt really beautiful in my strapless wedding dress.

But after the glamour of our wedding day, with two young children and a demanding job as a special needs teaching assistant, my own wellbeing slipped to the bottom of the list. 

But after the glamour of our wedding day, with two young children and a demanding job as a special needs teaching assistant, my own wellbeing slipped to the bottom of the list. Dinner was often whatever I could prepare quickly, such as pizza or chips. At weekends, we had takeaways and I regularly finished the children’s leftovers. I loved going to my mum’s house for her Sunday roasts with Yorkshire puddings, but they certainly didn’t help my waistline, which just kept getting bigger.

It just seemed impossible to make significant changes – trying to live on salads and cutting out all carbs wasn’t realistic for me.

But seeing that Christmas photo in January 2021 made me realise I had to do something that would completely change my approach to my diet.

Back then, weight-loss jabs hadn’t yet become the phenomenon they are now. Even if they had been, I wouldn’t have chosen them. I think changing your lifestyle is a far better long-term solution – the hard work makes you appreciate just how far you’ve come.

That April, I joined Slimming World. When I stepped on the scales for the first time and saw 16st 10lb, I burst into tears. At 5ft 4in, I was shocked at how high the number was, but I also knew it was my turning point.

I threw myself into the plan. I cut out fatty, oily foods and focused on lean meats, fish, vegetables, fruit and potatoes.

Slimming World isn’t a calorie-counting or points-based plan. Instead, it focuses on ‘Free Foods’ – things such as lean proteins, pasta, potatoes, fruit and vegetables, which you can eat freely without weighing or measuring – and measured daily allowances of ‘Healthy Extras’ such as cereals, wholemeal bread, or dairy. There’s also a small allowance of treats, such as chocolate or alcohol.

The idea is to encourage long-term, healthy eating habits rather than follow strict calorie limits. I didn’t follow a formal exercise routine, but I made sure I reached 10,000 steps a day.

At my first weigh-in, a week after joining, I was keen to see how I’d done. When I stepped on the scales and saw I’d lost 6lb, it gave me such a boost. I continued the same way and each week another two or so pounds came off.

I kept thinking back to that Christmas photo to stay motivated. Then I had an idea: I set it as my phone wallpaper.

Whenever I was tempted to slip back into old habits, a glance at the photo reminded me why I had to make the change.

By Christmas 2022, just nine months after joining Slimming World, I had lost more than seven stone through this slow but steady method.

I felt like myself again, but with a newfound confidence. Chris, my family and friends all noticed how much happier I seemed.

It’s usually far too easy to over-indulge at Christmas, but instead I listened to my body.

I had melon to start, swapped roast potatoes for boiled, and ate plenty of turkey for the protein.

Instead of a heavy dessert, I chose fruit and yoghurt. And I still enjoyed a small glass of Baileys afterwards. Eating with my family and not feeling guilty meant I could really relax, focus on the kids having fun and get into the Christmas spirit.

Since then, I’ve continued with my healthy lifestyle and now, aged 41, I weigh 9st 2lb and wear a size 8-10.

I still follow the Slimming World plan and enjoy attending a group every week. I also still try to hit a goal of 10,000 steps a day.

Read More

EXCLUSIVE
How to lose 3 stone in 20 days and look years younger, by longevity guru Dr Ash Kapoor

After losing more than seven-and-a-half-stone, I feel healthier – and happier – than ever. I have far more energy to run around with the children.

I can sit comfortably on chairs, cuddle up in bed with Dexter and Isla to read to them at night, and, when we went to a theme park, I was able to fit on all the rides, instead of standing back watching everyone else have fun.

Despite suffering with ovarian cysts for years, scans show I now have none and my PCOS symptoms have cleared. Losing weight would have been worth it for that alone.

I also enjoy socialising again and clothes shopping has become enjoyable rather than stressful.

This Christmas, I once again skipped the Yorkshires and roast potatoes. But I don’t feel as though I’m missing out, because I’ve gained so much more.

I feel proud that I can teach my children balance – that we can eat home-cooked meals containing all the appropriate food groups, yet still enjoy a treat when they want one. They are my biggest supporters.

Dexter recently took photos of me in a pink, silky dress I bought for Christmas in a size 8-10, and he very sweetly told me I looked amazing. Those are the photos I’ll be keeping for the right reasons.

The Christmas photo that started all this is no longer my phone wallpaper, but I do look at it occasionally and instead of feeling upset, I now feel proud.

It reminds me that looking after yourself and your body truly matters. I’m grateful to Isla for taking that first photo. Without that moment, I might still be almost 17st, with my health and confidence suffering as a result.

As told to JULIA SIDWELL