At over 25 stone I knew I needed to change my life, but when I faced a two-year wait for help I made a bold decision. By Tanya Miller, 37
I waved my husband Colin off to work, then I grabbed my purse and set off on my daily mission, straight to the local shop.
There, I stocked up on a large share bag of crisps, a huge bar of Galaxy chocolate and a sausage roll and, back at home, I settled on the sofa and tucked in.
‘That’s better,’ I sighed to myself after a big bite.
Food had always been a crutch. Whatever emotion I was feeling, I ate my way through it.
I spent most of the day snacking on brownies and doughnuts, often having sugar crashes that impacted my mood, causing me to snack again.
As a result I was overweight and tipped the scales at 25st 11lb.
At dinner times, I needed to sit on a chair to cook dinner for my three kids and I found it so exhausting that, when Colin got home, I’d convince him to order a takeaway.
We’d have a Chinese or Domino’s five nights a week.
When I started getting back pain and couldn’t walk more than 100 metres without being out of breath, I went to the GP who said my weight qualified me for a gastric bypass on the NHS.
But I wasn’t prepared for what came next.
‘There’s a two-year waiting list,’ the doctor said.
I made a snap decision.
‘I don’t want surgery,’ I said. ‘I’m going to lose the weight myself.’
I had a lot to lose, but I found a Slimming World group and signed up.
At my first meeting, I was so nervous I took my teenage daughter along for support.
I was the biggest in the room but everyone was so friendly and welcoming, I felt at ease straightaway.
To start with, my Slimming World consultant encouraged me to focus on having three full meals a day to make me feel fuller for longer and stop my snacking.
‘I’m going to lose the weight myself.’
So, rather than skipping breakfast, I made scrambled egg on toast or had Greek yogurt with fruit for sweetness.
For lunch, I’d have Ryvita crackers with light cheese or chicken and salad.
And my takeaways were replaced by Slimming World meals such as chicken and mushroom risotto or spaghetti Bolognese.
No longer relying on sugar hits to get me through the day, I was amazed how much energy I had.
My mood improved and I felt much less groggy and, amazingly, my urge to snack vanished.
Then one day, Colin suggested we went on a walk together.
‘It’s too far,’ I said. ‘I can’t do it.’
‘You can!’ he replied.
With Colin’s encouragement, I walked five miles and it felt amazing.
After that, I caught the walking bug and, combined with my healthy eating, the weight began to drop off.
I signed up for charity walks, walking 100 miles in one month for Cancer Research and I got into the top 10 of Women of the Year 2024.
Now I weigh 10st 11lb.
I have so much more energy and I feel great!
I’m so glad I chose to lose the weight myself instead of waiting for the surgery. I’ve got a whole new life and I’m loving it.
BEFORE: 25st 11lb, size 34
AFTER: 10st 11lb, size 12
DIET BEFORE
Breakfast: skipped
Lunch: sausage roll, share bag of crisps, chocolate bar
Dinner: Domino’s pizza or Chinese takeaway
Snacks: brownies and doughnuts
DIET AFTER
Breakfast: scrambled egg on brown toast or yogurt with fruit
Lunch: Ryvitas with light cheese, chicken and salad
Dinner: Slimming World chicken and mushroom risotto
Snacks: Hi-fi bars, fruit, Babybel Lights