A MOTHER of two who feared she would not live to see her children grow up
because she was so heavy has lost more than half her body weight in just ten
months.
Claire Alsop, 31, from South Yorkshire has won Slimming World’s Woman of the
Year for losing the weight having ballooned to 21st 9lbs after having her
children Noah, six and Ruby, four.
A serial dieter who was a dress size 26/28, admitted that it was the
implications her weight was having on her health that made her decide to do
something about it.
Ms Alsop said: “I was having severe health problems and I wasn’t even 30
years old.”
Claire managed to lose weight despite her job of making celebration cakes for
friends and family.
She said: “I couldn’t stand up to make my cakes for more than 10 minutes
before my back ached and I’d need to sit down. I started to worry, ‘would I
see my kids grow up? Will I ever meet my grandchildren?’ and I knew I had to
do something.”
In Claire’s first week at Slimming World she lost 8lbs and has since slimmed
down from a size 28 to 10st 1.5lb and a dress size 10/12.
She said: “I always tell people that I’ve literally eaten myself thin
because I have. I have still been able to eat all my favourite food, I’ve
just been cooking them differently.”
The Yorkshire-based slimmer, who now bakes low fat cakes for her friends and
family, said she now swaps recipe tips with other members at her Slimming
World group, and as a result “no food is off limits”.
Claire is now a dedicated runner and even took part in a 10km race for a local
cancer charity.
A happier and healthier Claire added: “I used to let their lives pass me
by but now I don’t miss anything. We’re out and about all the time – on the
trampoline together or down the local park – I’ve got lots more energy.
“I’m participating in their lives now rather than spectating and they’re
healthier too – they love fruit.”