He couldn't even HUG ME

Being a better mother was the motivation Natasha Gibbs needed to change her lifestyle

- MISHAAL KHAN

As I stood in the queue, I looked ahead at the streams of people waiting to get on the roller coaster. Beside me, my nine-year-old son, Jayden, had his hand laced through mine. As he beamed up at me with a huge grin on his face, I felt so proud. It was August 2020. Four years earlier, I would not have been standing here. Instead, I would be watching from the sidelines, embarrassed and knowing full well they would never let me on the ride because of my size. But now, as I took my seat, I was more than 13st lighter and I could finally be the mum I wanted to be.

I had been overweight for most of my life. By the time I was 15 in 1999, I was already wearing a size 16. While I longed to shop in the same places as my skinnier friends, I found myself covering up in baggy trousers and tops.

After leaving school, I went to hairdressing college and, although I was on my feet all day, the weight continued to creep up. Now socialising regularly with my friends, we enjoyed going out for pizza and trips to the cinema, where we gorged on nachos and popcorn.

By the time I was in my 20s, I weighed more than 18st and wore a size 22. When I went to see a doctor for my regular pill prescription, he said I was dangerously overweight for my 5ft 7in frame, and I was lucky I wasn’t suffering with any health issues.

Lacking willpower

Sometimes, I tried to lose weight with various slimming plans and diets but I got as far as losing a stone before I gave up, feeling defeated and craving junk food.