Mum loses nine stone before milestone birthday after ditching one key food – The Mirror
A mum dropped a whopping nine stone and swapped her size 24 dress size for a size 10 after she was left feeling ‘miserable’ and ‘exhausted all the time’ by her bad habits
Cutting out on our favourite treats from our diet completely can be a hard task, but one woman says her thirties have been "saved" after she ditched her favourite chocolate treats.
After years of neglecting her health, self-confessed chocoholic Kat Burrows, 35, was unhappy constantly trying fad diets to loose weight and drop down from her dress size 24. Kat pilled on the pounds during late-night binges on Cadbury's Fruit & Nut and was unhappy with her weight at 19st 13lbs.
Despite trying fad diets and weight loss plans, any progress Kat made would be scuppered by her emotional eating. The former IT worker struggled to find motivation, but when her 30th birthday was approaching she decided to banish her unhealthy habits.
"I was sick of feeling miserable and exhausted all the time," Kat said. Through her determination to enter the new decade "in the best shape of her life," Kat lost a whopping nine-stone and transformed her physique.
The former IT worker ditched the processed carbs and sugar and lost nine stone in one year – just in time for her special birthday. Her lifestyle change also enabled her to have the confidence to date.
Kat got married to her now husband, Harvey Burrows, 58, who works in infrastructure, and the pair have since welcomed their two boys, Jenson-Kai, three and Harvey-Leigh, two. Kat, who is now two months pregnant with her third child, now weighs 10st 10lbs and is a svelte dress size 10.
The mum-of-two from Basingstoke, Hampshire, said: "After being overweight most of my adult life, I was sick of feeling miserable and exhausted all the time. I knew that I didn't want to enter my thirties in the same body, I was determined to get into shape.
"I knew I wouldn't be able to do it alone, so I enrolled in a weight loss plan with regular meetings- having other people around me helped me stay motivated. But my husband was my biggest supporter, he'd always tell me how proud he was and would help cook healthy meals with me.
"The weight started falling off and when I saw the scales just before my 30th, I cried happy tears because I couldn't believe that I did it."
She continued: "Because of my weight, I just accepted that motherhood was something that might never happen for me. The following year, Harvey and I tied the knot, I was able to marry the man of my dreams in the dress of my dreams.
"We've since started our little family and I'm thankful that I lost the weight because now I'm able to be the best mum I can to my boys. I've been able to keep the weight off but I'm mostly grateful for the life I've gained."
Growing up, Kat always struggled with her weight, but with her parents' divorce paired with secondary school bullies, she found herself comfort-eating to cope. Kat explained: "Food was the answer to a bad day for me. I'd get something quick and unhealthy for my lunch break at work, like McDonald's and then snack on Walker's Ready Salted crisps in the afternoon.
"In the evenings, I'd love to just relax with a takeaway and a big bar of Fruit and Nut. Pizza or a Chinese food would be my weakness.
"During a bad week, I could get through seven bars of chocolate, and it took its toll on my body and I spent all my twenties hating my reflection."
But in January 2018, at age 29, and weighing 19st 13lbs, Kat decided "enough was enough". With her and Harvey's blossoming relationship, she became ''determined to change things'' before turning 30 in February 2018 because tackling her weight was the "last piece of the puzzle".
After enrolling in the Lighter Life weight loss plan and switching calorie-laden meals for meal replacement shakes, she was able to drop three stone in three months.
Kat added: "I tried the gym for a bit but Pilates and yoga, which I still do now, were more for me- I love it. When the scales confirmed I'd lost 2 stone on my 30th birthday, I was made up. I celebrated by going for a special dinner at Miller and Carter with Harvey and my family.
"Being able to dress up in something that made me feel confident was a bonus. The following year, I got married and the year after that I was pregnant.
" I'd never go back to my habits because I love being a hands-on mum and the feeling of confidence I have in my body.
"Losing weight has not just given me my life back but I've been able to fulfil my 30s."
Do you have a story? Get in touch via Lucy.Marshall@reachplc.com.
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