For as long as she could remember Kirsty’s relationship with food had always been an unhappy one.
At primary school, she was bullied daily for her weight. As the years went by, she found herself being sidelined more and more. Excluded from enjoying the fun and games her friends were experiencing at school Kirsty avoided putting her name down for any kind of sports, even the ones that she really wanted to try. The fear of standing out and being laughed at was just too much. She found herself making excuses to avoid social occasions and would often find herself sitting at home alone, crying and feeling like the odd one out.
Summer was always a challenge. Kirsty would hide away in baggy clothes or hoodies purposely staying indoors to avoid the heat. Like many people she felt trapped in a vicious circle of blame, comfort eating and depression and had reached the point where she couldn’t even look in the mirror anymore.
“I always knew that I needed to lose weight, but just never knew where to start. I had previously tried so many different types of diets, but they always felt impossible! I would do a day or at the most, a week but would then find myself eating in secret because I never felt satisfied and didn’t want people seeing me fail. I even tried starvation! I had no idea or understanding of the nutrients that my body needed to be able to lose weight and survive. I felt so lost with limited options.”
Time passed and Kirsty became a mum to her two girls which bought its own set of challenges. When the children wanted to go to theme parks, she would never feel comfortable joining in the fun on the rides and would revert to making excuses and once again standing on the sidelines watching everyone else having fun. Everywhere they went as a family Kirsty would delegate herself as the bag holder whilst everyone would go and have fun swimming or bike riding until one day one of her girls commented ‘mum won’t want to join in because she’s too big’. It broke her heart.
Enough was enough, Kirsty felt as if she was letting them down and had to try something.
One day Kirsty was on her way into the shops in her local town and came across my private consultation shop and arranged an appointment. Since the first meeting, she has never looked back, every week losing weight consistently.
To date Kirsty has lost an incredible 7 STONE!
“Every time my youngest Kacey used to cuddle me she could never get her arms fully around me but the day she could touch the tips of her fingers, I remember her saying MUM I can touch my fingers! Gradually as my weight was reducing, she was then saying MUM I can hold my hands! Then I had MUM I can touch my wrists! Wow you really are doing this aren’t you!I can nearly touch my elbows! Every time I came home with another award and magnet she would have a little celebration for me and place it on the fridge, both my girls and husband have been so proud of me, something I’ve never felt before.”
Now when the girls ask ‘Mum can we go swimming or Mum can we go on a bike ride?’ The answer is always ‘Yes of course!’ Now there is nothing she feels like saying no to and wants to make up for all the times she’s said no in the past.
Recently Kirsty was asked if she would help coach a local girls' Rugby team. Now there really is no more standing on the sidelines, Kirsty’s life has changed beyond all recognition.