Don't Tell Me I Can't… ...be A Size 18 And Fit!

Rebecca O’Donnell realised it was time to ditch the scales.

Heaving the 16kg kettlebell up to my chest I slowly lower into a squat, my face twisting into a grimace as I push through the ache in my legs. Endorphins flood through my body, as I spring back up to standing. I glance down admiringly at my shaky legs, but if you’re expecting the slim legs of a stereotypical fitness fanatic, you couldn’t be more wrong. At a size 18, and one of the largest women in my gym, with every workout I’m proving you can be fit and healthy at any size.

I haven’t always been comfortable with my weight. As a teenager, I was always one of the heavier girls at school and I hated PE. By the time I turned 23, at 5ft 4in, I was a curvy size 14 and I felt huge next to my size 8 friends, so I started dieting. Only, although I’d lose a few pounds, I struggled to stick to healthy eating and would always give in to my cravings. I ended up piling everything back on again, a frustrating pattern that continued into my 30s.