Tell us about the start of your weight loss journey.
It was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. I was sat on a plane bound for Berlin and I couldn’t do the seatbelt up. Even on the loosest setting it wouldn’t go round me and I had to ask for an extension. I was 44-years-old and realised that if I didn’t do something, I would probably suffer from health problems by the time I hit 50.
I was an emotional eater, my portions were huge and I loved to snack. I thought about food 24/7. It was my crutch. I worried about how I would control my chocolate cravings, but as soon as I attended my first WW Workshop I realised I wasn’t alone. There were lots of people like me.
I was determined to follow the programme. It was as if a switch had gone on in my head. I knew I needed a huge lifestyle change and actually, it wasn’t hard to follow and it allowed me to budget for snacks if I really wanted them.
What about your mindset?
For me, it’s all about mindset and WW has completely changed mine. My relationship with food is transformed. I still enjoy it, but it’s no longer an addiction. When people bring cakes or biscuits into work now, I will have them if I want, but equally, I can say ‘no’ too.
How have you found the virtual world this past Year?
I panicked when the pandemic started and Workshops went online, but I didn’t need to because everything was on the WW app. I even went along to some Virtual Workshops. There was also a lot of support from other members on Connect and in the WW UK Facebook group.
Do you feel better in yourself, too?
My colleagues keep saying ‘What’s happened to you Mandi?’ because I am like a different person in every respect.
I’ve gone from a size 24 to a comfortable 10 and I have lost 9 stone 2. I look and feel like an entirely new person. I have so much more confidence, I feel younger and I’ve got much more energy.
All my old clothes have gone out and I’ve bought a whole new wardrobe. I have items I would never have worn before, like skinny jeans and tight fitting tops. I no longer have to buy clothes to hide my body.
I didn’t realise how far I’d come until my husband was sorting through some photos and came across a picture of me on that holiday in Berlin when I’d had to ask for a seatbelt extension. He couldn’t believe how much I’d changed. It was like looking at someone else.
*Amanda has lost 9st 2lb in 20 months.