I Feel Like Me Again

Chloe Walker knew she had to be honest with herself if she was ever going to change

- Louise Batty

Moving to an idyllic Caribbean island with my fiancé, Russell, was the adventure of a lifetime… and a disaster for my figure. Both working full time – Russell as an IT support engineer and me as a hairdresser – we spent our days off in holiday mode. we’d sunbathe on the beach and indulge in the delicacies such as deep-fried chicken with a sweet barbecue sauce.

I barely noticed the weight creeping on and when my size 10-12 bikinis became too tight, I simply bought bigger ones. The heat made it harder to exercise. Some paid for gym memberships but we were saving up for our wedding. After a year in Grand Cayman, I’d gone from 10st 7lb to 11st 7lb.

In January 2012, with just six months until our wedding and a size 10 dress to fit into, I panicked! I went on a self-designed crash diet, existing on sushi and green tea. It was a pretty miserable way to live. But by the time we returned to the UK for our wedding in June 2012, I’d lost 1st and squeezed into my dress. We had a fantastic day and then honeymooned at an all-inclusive resort.