Finding our seats on the plane, I shifted uncomfortably. Flying to Cyprus on holiday with my husband Nick in August 2019,
I should have been looking forward to a few days in the sun. But as I tried to pull the seat belt over my waist, I felt embarrassed. After finally plugging the belt in, it dug into my stomach for the remainder of the flight. ‘You alright?’ asked Nick, noticing my discomfort. But the seatbelt was just another reminder of how unhappy I was with my body. Despite years of yo-yo dieting, I always seemed to end up back where I started – overweight and miserable.
As a child, I was always a little chubby. Averaging a size 12-14 throughout my teens, it wasn’t until I approached my 20s that my weight began to get out of control.
When I met Nick aged 20, I was a size 20, but he never commented on my size.
In 1988, I gave birth to our first child, Aaron. I loved being a mum, but had piled on the pounds in my pregnancy. I kept making excuses for it though. ‘I’m too busy to diet,’ I’d say, popping a ready meal in the oven.
When Aaron was seven months though, I decided enough was enough.
‘I’m fed up with being this size,’ I sighed to Nick, bouncing Aaron on my knee.
‘I think you’re lovely just as you are,’ he answered. He’d always preferred my fuller figure, but I was
having none of it. I joined a local weight loss class, paying a monthly subscription, in the hope that it would give me the discipline I needed to shed some of those extra pounds.
This story is from the February 13, 2023 edition of WOMAN'S OWN.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 13, 2023 edition of WOMAN'S OWN.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MAGNIFICENT MAURITIUS
Pe This istand in the ut 7% Indian Ocean feels Sa: like paradise, says Charlotte Richards
I HATE BEING A MUM
One woman, 55, reveals why she resents all of the sacrifices she made to be a mother
SLASH SUGAR AND SLIM
Trying to lose weight? With these clever tweaks, you don’t have to miss out on the seasonal sweet stuff
DAWN HARPER ASK THE DOCTOR
Doctor Dawn Harper answers all your questions
SEX HORRORS SOLVED!
Stop physical intimacy from turning into the stuff of nightmares with our expert advice
THE TRUTH ABOUT LIFE WITH CANCER
More than 12,000 people are diagnosed with brain tumours each year in the UK. Two mums tell us how the cruel disease changed their lives forever
DAWN NEESOM MIND OF MY OWN
The Woman's Own columnist has her say on marriage, tea and Absolutely Fabulous!
TRAPPED INSIDE MY HOME WITH A MONSTER
Gemma Williams, 46, thought she'd die at the hands of her partner
AMANDA TO REPLACE CAT?
With increasing criticism directed at the This Morning host, are producers ready to call in a familiar face?
Get the GOSS
Your round-up of this week's biggest showbiz stories