All around me, there was clapping and cheering as I crossed the finish line of the Chicago Marathon, feeling tired but ecstatic. I’d achieved one of my biggest dreams and I’d also raised £1,400 for a local animal-rescue centre. It was a fitting cause – because if it hadn’t been for my own dogs, I might never have got this far.
Three years earlier, I’d found it a struggle to take my two poodles, Beau and Louis, and my golden retriever, Oscar, out for their daily walk. As their walks got shorter, I felt sad that, while I was more than ready to sit down after 10 minutes, the dogs had barely got started. It wasn’t something that had happened overnight – I’d struggled with my weight for years. Through my teens and into my 20s, after each fad diet, I’d turn to chocolate and crisps for comfort.
My battle with food escalated as I trained to be a solicitor. The stress of work and study left me exhausted. At the end of a long day, my husband, Mark, and I would share a takeaway and a bottle of wine. Afterwards, I’d feel even less energetic – and as I gained weight, I started to dislike what I saw in the mirror.
As I turned 30, Mark and I talked about starting a family. After we’d been trying for a while, I was referred for tests.
Denne historien er fra September 23, 2019-utgaven av WOMAN'S OWN.
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Denne historien er fra September 23, 2019-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
FAST & THRIFTY DINNERS
Filling family meals to save you time and money
ARE VIRAL FITNESS TRENDS WORTH THE HYPE?
Keen to know if the workouts she sees online can actually make her fitter, Rachel Tompkins, 44, gives them a try
GO OUT OF SEASON
While some European cities seem to go into hibernation over winter, others just get better in the colder months
MY LIFE IN MUSIC
Monica Cafferky, 55, reveals how certain tunes bring back special memories
THE DECISION THAT CHANGED MY LIFE
After trying diets without success, Breanne Concannon, 31, was left feeling hopeless
MY TOY ΒΟΥ KEEPS ME YOUNG
For Trish Hughes, 44, the thrills of being married to a man 20 years younger is worth all the judgement
'THAT'S NOT MY BABY'
Lying in the hospital bed, my husband Michael had tears of happiness in his eyes as he showed me a photo on his phone. 'Here she is,' he said proudly. 'This is our beautiful baby girl.'I stared at the photo and shook my head. 'No, that's not my baby,' I said. 'There must be a mistake.'It was August 2010 and I'd not long before had an emergency caesarean. I'd not had a chance to see Winnie when she arrived as she'd been whisked away for tests because she was nearly two months premature.
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
Hayley, 45, has her son to thank for crucial evidence
'I'D LOVE TO DO EASTENDERS'
Loose Women's Linda Robson on the daytime show, dating and her next career move
Beckhams INSIDE THEIR PROPERTY EMPIRE
We take a look at the power couple's posh pads
