48-year-old Sharon Spruce weighed more than 20st and suffered from aching joints when walking. In 2018 she booked her dream holiday to Disneyland. But to her disappointment and embarrassment, she was too big to fit onto some of the rides.
After seeing a photograph of herself she was motivated to lose weight.
Sharon has now lost around 9st in total and dropped from a size 28 to a 12.
She told the Cheshire Live: “I was on my dream holiday, but my weight was the one thing that was holding me back.
“I was hot, tired, in pain, and to top it off, I couldn’t fit into some of the rides and rollercoasters.
“I had a photo taken on Main Street with Tinker Bell, and I was so sad when I saw it.
“I just knew it was now or never, so I made a promise to myself there and then that I would do something about it – and I did.”
Determined to achieve her weight loss goal Sharon started to eat more healthily.
She said: “I had yo-yo dieted all my life and in the past I have lost weight, but would always quickly gain it all back and more.
“The changes started there and then, and I knew what I wanted and I was determined.
“A few months after getting back from Disney, I began to eat more sensibly and lost around 3 stone.
“I was pleased, but I knew that I had a long way to go and that I hadn’t really changed my habits.
“I wanted to understand my relationship with food better and I knew that if I was going to be successful for life and get to a target healthy weight, then I would need some expert support.
“I knew this couldn’t be a quick fix.”
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Sharon has now lost around 9st in total and notices the benefits of her weight loss on her health, confidence and energy levels.
She said: “As the weight dropped my joints started to ache less.
“I became more confident and plucked up the courage to start taking some ‘Body Magic’ (exercise).
“I started slowly and then eventually joined a local fitness group: The amazing Diva Fit UK.
“Lockdown came, which for me, like many others, meant challenges that I could never have prepared myself for usually.
“I would comfort eat but, this time, faced with such a devastating time, I made a promise to myself that the one thing that I could control was what I ate and how I looked after my body.
“The Slimming World group moved online and every Saturday I would join my Slimming World family on Zoom.
“Diva Fit also moved online so I would do a class most days in my dining room.
“These online groups become so much more than just a slimming support group and exercise class.”
“I reached target at the beginning of May and I’m still at target now.”
Sharon became and grandma in January and hopes to return to Disneyland once coronavirus restrictions ease.
Additional reporting David Houston.
