MY HOLIDAY HORROR

A magical moment made Sharon Spruce, 49, realise something had to change

- FRANCESCA WOODSTOCK, FIONA LOCKE

Watching Cinderella’s fairy godmother wave her wand, I was mesmerised as, with a swish of magic dust, Cinderella transformed into a beautiful princess.

‘If only it were that easy,’ I sighed to my partner Ste.

I adored Disney films and I’d seen them all hundreds of times. They were an escape from reality and I loved how they transported me to another realm – one where I was always happy.

It was September 2018, and Ste and I were about to go on our dream holiday to Walt Disney World, Florida, so I was re-watching an old favourite, but although I was excited about our upcoming trip, at 22st and a size 28, I was worried about my weight. It was getting me down and I wished I could undergo my very own transformation, but losing weight wasn’t that easy.

‘I WAS STUCK IN A CYCLE OF YO-YO DIETING’

Even aged 12, I wore a women’s size 16. At school, I always felt so self-conscious getting changed for PE, and by the time I left, I was 5ft 8in tall and weighed 12st.

When I was 19, I started work, supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities. I found it very rewarding looking after the children, but I neglected to look after myself. I knew it wasn’t healthy, but I lived on a diet of fast food, pre-packed sandwiches and ready meals, and I couldn’t ever resist creamy chocolate desserts.

My weight crept up, and by 2005, I had three children of my own, weighed 18st and wore a size 22. I felt determined to slim down for the sake of my kids, so I tried every diet going - meal-replacement shakes, even eating cabbage soup for every meal. But although I lost a few pounds, as soon as I reintroduced food, the weight piled back on and I found myself stuck in a cycle of yo-yo dieting.