Squeezing into size 20-22 trousers at the age of 59, and with the aches and pains in her back, hips and knees getting worse, grandmother Ellen McClure knew that she had to do something about her weight if she wanted to be there for her grandchildren. Here, Ellen shares her life-changing 9st weight loss…
I’ve always had a weight problem
At 5ft tall, I’ve always felt like I had a weight problem, but I noticed a massive difference after each child I had. And with four in total, I’d put on quite a bit of weight in a relatively short period of time.
Twenty-five years ago I managed to get down to 9st 12lb but then went on holiday and put on 13lb in a matter of weeks. Needless to say, all the weight crept back on, and more. A few years ago, I had my gallbladder removed and I lost four stone for the operation. But, again, all the weight crept back on.
I hadn’t looked after myself
A year ago, my mother-in-law died. Losing her hit the whole family hard, and me in particular. I started to realise that I hadn’t been looking after myself properly. My back, hips and knees were aching all the time. I was always out of breath, and struggled to play with my grandchildren for any length of time. I had no confidence and just felt ashamed of the way I looked.
My four children had all told me how worried they were about my health. I was so upset to hear that they were worried – it should be the other way around! After that, I was determined to do something about my weight – permanently. Around the same time, I’d also been diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency, and had been told by the doctor that I was at a higher risk of breast cancer, bowel cancer and having a stroke.
My LighterLife success
At the end of February 2012, weighing 19st, I turned to LighterLife, attending Counsellor Lorraine Maginnis’s classes in Hamilton. After 10 months on LighterLife Total, I’d lost an amazing 9st, and had gone from a size 20/22 to 10/12! I then went on to LighterLife Management, where I gradually reintroduced a full range of food back into my diet in a controlled manner.
When I lost the weight, it dawned on me that it wasn’t my age that was making me immobile; it was all down to the extra weight I was carrying. I am a keen walker now, and I can even run! But it’s the simple things that I have noticed most – the things that other people would take for granted – like climbing a flight of stairs without having to pull myself up.
The best feeling of all
I feel like my health has improved dramatically, and that LighterLife has probably bought me another 20 years on the planet. My BMI has halved from 52 to 26, and I look and feel great. What matters most to me is my family, and being here for them for many more years to come is the best feeling of all.
*Each of our client’s results and stories are unique to them and their experience of LighterLife. Your own results will be personal to you and may vary.
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