"I feel fuller for longer. I’m not constantly craving snacks, but if I do feel peckish, there are so many healthy alternatives. "
Start weight: 22st | Weight loss: 4st 12lb*
Current weight: 17st 2lb
Height: 5' 9" | Age: 50
Studio: Hoddelsden, Blackburn
Wellness Coach: Melissa Freeman
As a trainee photography teacher, you’ll often find me climbing up stepladders or crawling along the floor in order to get the perfect shot. But two years ago, it was a very different story. Weighing over 22st, I was a size 26-28 and had so many aches and pains. I was short of breath and wouldn’t even have had the confidence to stand up and teach a group of students.
I’ve always struggled with my weight. Growing up, my whole family was big. When Ian and I first got together, I used to cook huge steaks with double cream and half a pound of butter. It’s no wonder that by the time I was 21, I weighed more than 21st.
By the age of 27, I had high blood pressure and was put on medication. My job as a project manager didn’t help. I’d spend hours on the road driving to jobs, grabbing a Mars bar for lunch or scoffing a big bag of fruit gums in the car. Ian and I loved eating out – and in. We’d both gotten bigger to the point that, at my heaviest, I had to ask for a seatbelt extension on the plane when we set off on holiday and I was so embarrassed.
I joined WW, and gradually the weight began to come off. I was astonished by how my taste buds changed. I never used to eat fish before, but now I love smoked salmon and scrambled eggs or cod with a pesto crumb. I crave vegetables rather than a bag of crisps.
I’m someone who can easily turn to food when I’m tired, stressed or busy, so I’ve learned how to snack healthily on WW Freestyle™. I marinate chicken pieces or king prawns in tandoori spice and keep them in Tupperware boxes in the fridge. Or I’ll keep a pack of sugar snap peas to hand and a pot of hummus. Ian and I will always love our food but we’ve learned that you don’t have to compromise on flavour simply because it’s healthier.
Why WW Freestyle works for me
- I can save my SmartPoints and still have my chocolate fix at the end of the day. I know that Lindt dark chocolate is 2 SmartPoints for 10g.
- We like to go out for Sunday lunch to a pub that does fantastic roast beef with Yorkshire puddings. The fact that we can rollover our SmartPoints and enjoy our meal without any guilt is great.
- I love that with the WW app, you can check out what the best bet is at a restaurant.
*Karen joined WW in March 2016.