Emma Barraclough was bullied about her weight all through her school years and into her adult life. She knew she ‘could’ lose weight, but food gave her the temporary release she needed to numb the pain. What she found particularly upsetting was people thinking it’s easy to lose weight – just eat less, move more – she’d tried many times but it wasn’t that simple.
- Weight lost: 10st 12lbs*
- Weight loss plan: Total
- Followed by Management
‘My school years were a misery due to endless bullying. Children can be incredibly cruel. Adults aren’t much better!
In my early twenties I worked as a waitress in a pub, I was a size 26 by then. While I was working there I became pregnant with my son. One day a customer I was serving said ‘If we popped you with a pin like a balloon would you go whizzing around the room?
It really hurt but it was the rock bottom I needed. I realised how much harm I was doing to my body and that if I carried on, I may not see my unborn baby grow up. I had to turn my life around.
My mum found out about LighterLife, through a friend. I liked the idea of being in groups that helped you change the way you think about food. I needed something completely different. .
It was nerve wracking going to my first weekly group. The thought of giving up conventional food was equally overwhelming but I was desperate.
“I weighed 21st 13Ibs at the beginning of my LighterLife adventure. By the time I reached goal I’d lost 10st 12Ibs* and felt like a burden had been lifted!”
I was able to enjoy spending time with my son, playing and running about, like other mothers do. I actually liked the way I looked in the mirror. I was literally half the size I’d been before.
After the weight loss I split up with my partner – As I grew in confidence and self belief I started sticking up for myself more and I don’t think he liked the new, stronger Emma. Although the break up would have normally have given me an excuse to eat, I maintained my weight for two years thanks to LighterLife.
I’m now married with another child, Henry. During my pregnancy my old eating habits returned – I gave myself the excuse to over eat – which in hindsight was reckless. I returned to LighterLife and lost nearly 6st just in time for my wedding, which was unforgettable I’d never felt more beautiful in my life. This time after reaching my goal weight I followed the Management plan.
LighterLife helps you understand how to take control of situations that may cause bad eating behaviour, we call this Event Response Outcome. This thought process training has been particularly key in helping me stick to my plan. By altering your response to an event, you’ll affect the outcome. For example, if your partner brings home a pizza, instead of thinking ‘one slice won’t hurt’ and succumbing to it and then blaming him, challenge your thoughts properly and consider what is driving you to eat the pizza, e.g. comfort, loneliness, and then think of why you want to lose the weight. You will automatically make a better decision.
“These days when I get the urge to snack I ask myself if I’m really hungry or whether I could have a bath, take a walk or make a hot drink instead. Sometimes just delaying the impulse to pick up food is all that’s needed to stop me from overdoing it.”
In my opinion, obesity is an addiction, and it’s not until I realised this and took the right action, that I finally managed to beat it.’
*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.
