Hearing the doorbell, I pulled myself away from my usual spot on the sofa and headed to the kitchen. ‘Dinner’s here!’ my husband, Michael, then 42, shouted as he brought in our Chinese delivery.
It was early 2017 and family time in our household meant only one thing – takeaway time. Michael and I, along with our daughter, Paige, then 23, and son Zane, 14, loved nothing more than devouring bowls of chow mein and crispy spring rolls.
But, as I lowered myself into my chair, I was breathless from the short journey between the sofa and the table. At 5ft 2in and weighing over 17st, I knew I was big, but instead of doing something about it, I pushed any guilt I felt to the back of my mind and helped myself to another prawn cracker.
Finding excuses When I met Michael at college, in 1992, I weighed a healthy 10st, and he was 17st. We married in 1994 before having Paige later that year. But after Zane was born in 2003, we both began piling on the pounds.
I worked as a teaching assistant and Michael worked in a local supermarket. We found juggling work alongside the household chores and caring for two children difficult. With no spare time to prepare healthy meals from scratch, we turned to convenience foods. Processed ready meals and takeaways became an easy way to feed our family, and burgers, chips and extralarge pizzas were our favourites. Yet we never made up for our unhealthy choices through exercise, always finding excuses. ‘It’s too cold to go out for a walk,’ I’d say.
Continuing like this over the years, we passed our unhealthy habits on to the kids, and we all started experiencing significant weight gain.
Denne historien er fra April 06, 2021-utgaven av WOMAN'S OWN.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra April 06, 2021-utgaven av WOMAN'S OWN.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
MIND OF MY OWN
The Woman's Own columnist has her say on the gender gap, cats and timed hugs
Check out CHICAGO
With a spectacular skyline, sandy beaches and great food, the Windy City is calling, says Zoe West
LET'S EMBRACE OUR CHRISTMAS TAT!
Becky Dickinson explains why she'll still be rocking around her tinsel-strewn tree this year
BURIED SECRETS
We look at the shocking cases of celebrities posthumously accused of being sexual predators-and how they got away with it
FESTIVE NO-BAKES
Pop on the Christmas tunes and whip up a batch of these easy sweet treats
PROTECT YOUR SMILE
Are you doing enough to look after your teeth and gums?
'TIS THE SEASON TO SHINE!
At last, Hayley McCrossan, 39, feels fit and healthy
FOR THE LOVE OF TOM
When Deborah Mitchell, 57, lost her son, she vowed to help other families facing the same heartbreak
THE NURSE WHO LEFT MY GRANDAD FOR DEAD belict
Rachael Fealey, 31, had one question for the woman who killed her beloved Grampa - how could you?
Coleen's MONEY WORRIES
What are the reasons behind her financial and marriage fears?