Takeaway addict June Adams drops 6.5 stone after seeing mortifying spa snap in which she claimed to resemble Shrek’s Princess Fiona
The mum-of-two overhauled her diet and exercise regime - going from a size 24 to a 14 - after the picture was posted on social media site Facebook
MUM June Adams lost 6½st after a spa snap of herself reminded her of Shrek’s Princess Fiona.
The 35-year-old would gorge on calorific kebabs, Chinese and Indian food - until she reached a whopping 19st 13lbs, and struggled to squeeze herself into size 24 clothing.
Following a girl's holiday to Turkey, the take-away addict's friend began sharing snaps from their trip on social media.
June, of Nairn, Highlands, was left mortified when she realised that in one spa picture, in which she was wearing a face mask, she was the spitting image of Princess Fiona.
Determined to beat the bulge, she saw an advert for Slimming World and signed up straight away – and now, 18 months later, she has dropped six dress sizes and lost an incredible 6st 7.5lbs.
The housewife said: "After coming back from Turkey with the girls, I was so excited to see all our holiday pictures being shared on Facebook.
"But as I was scrolling through, I was mortified when I came across a picture of me with a green mud mask on my face.
"I looked just like Princess Fiona from Shrek!
"Not long after I was watching TV, when an advert for weight loss came on.
"I'd tried all the diets under the sun, but when I saw that I started googling again, and an ad for Slimming World popped up.
"It was like a sign, and I knew I had to join – and stick to it this time."
DIET BEFORE
- BREAKFAST: Half a packet of biscuits (Oreos or chocolate digestives)
- LUNCH: Petrol station meal deal
- DINNER: Takeaway
- SNACKS: £10 worth of sweets
- DRINKS: 2-3 two litre bottles of full-fat Irn Bru or Doctor Pepper
Before having children Georgia, 15, and Jack, 13, June had been a slim 8st 7lbs – but she developed an insatiable hunger during her pregnancy, often eating up to 12 cream doughnuts a day - and after Georgia was born she just kept eating and eating.
Tubby June and her hubby Gary, 47, would tuck in to fattening takeaways every night of the week, washed down with two litre bottles of Irn Bru and Doctor Pepper – and the pounds kept piling on.
Eventually, June tipped the scales at nearly 20st – morbidly obese for her 5ft 6in frame.
June said: ";I was addicted to kebabs – chicken and doner meat were my favourite, with garlic sauce.
"We had takeaways every night, they were my big downfall – I don't think I knew what fruit and vegetables were!
"It got the to the stage where I didn't even have to say my name when I rang for a Chinese because they recognised my voice, and the people in the Indian knew who we were as soon as we walked in.
"Every day, I'd nip to the shops to get sweets – if I had £10 in my pocket, I'd spend the lot.
"Even though I could see the shop from my house, I'd always drive there because I didn't want to walk that far."
But while June seemed happy, nasty comments from strangers started to take their toll on her.
She said: "People would say horrible things to me – I'd get called a fat lesbian, and people would say my husband would leave me and I'd have fat kids.
"I'd just come home and cry, and before long I stopped going out.
"One time I took Georgia to the dentist, who said they'd called the school nurse and a social worker because they were concerned about her weight.
"When I asked why, the dentist said to Georgia: 'We think you've missed out on a good few meals that your mother hasn't'.
"I was absolutely mortified, I just came home and cried.
"I never went back to the dentist, my mum or Gary had to take the kids for their appointments after that.
"We even had a visit at home from the school nurse, who asked to see the cupboards to see what we were feeding the kids – it was humiliating."
DIET AFTER
- BREAKFAST: Weetabix with fruit and a mint tea
- LUNCH: Mug Shot, cucumber, tomato and ham, and an apple
- DINNER: Chicken, vegetables, Slimming World chips
- SNACKS: Fruit
- DRINKS: Water or sugar-free squash
But since joining Slimming World in May last year, June has had the last laugh by losing an incredible 6st 7.5lbs – taking her weight down to a healthier 13st 5.5lbs and a svelte size 14.
It's not just June's weight that has plummeted – since ditching greasy takeaways and junk food, her monthly food shopping bill has halved.
She said: "I still see myself as being the big one – I'll still go into Evans and pick up outfits in a size 24 or 26, and then have to go back and get a 14.
"I've been the big one for more than ten years, and suddenly in the past year the dress sizes have just dropped off.
"Sometimes I can't work out how it's happened, but it feels fantastic when I see myself in the mirror.
"It's only when I look at old photos or catch a glimpse of myself that I realise how far I've come.
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"My Slimming World group have been incredible, I've had so much support from them that's really helped keep me going.
"It's not a diet really, it's a lifestyle change – and I feel so much happier and healthier for it."