A REASON TO CELEBRATE!

For Joanne Hurley, 49, getting into the festive spirit was just what she needed to make changes for the better

-  VERONIQUE HAWKSWORTH

Putting down my glass of wine, I dug my hand into a bag of nuts. ‘Just a couple more,’ I joked to my partner Alan, then 56. It was  December 2021, and in the lead-up to Christmas, I couldn’t help but treat myself with nuts, crisps and wine.

Getting into the seasonal spirit wasn’t the only reason for my overindulgence. Three years earlier, I’d had an emergency hysterectomy after developing sepsis in hospital and narrowly survived.

From then on, I’d vowed to live my life to the fullest, spending quality time with Alan and treating myself whenever I wanted. But indulging without moderation had its downsides. I’d always struggled with weight fluctuations and yo-yo dieting, but during the pandemic, working from home meant I was missing my daily walk to the office, and feeling the difference.

Wearing a size 28, I was the biggest I’d ever been. I knew that it couldn’t last forever, especially because I needed more surgery to repair a hernia that developed after my operation. But it was hard to snap out of my bad habits. And Christmas was full of temptations, so rather than fight them, as I sat relaxing at home with Alan, I just gave into them.