Kicking off a weight loss journey can be hard, but for those who are obese, it can be vital to their health and well-being.
For Kimberley Watson, her “out of control” eating habits meant she felt she simply had to change her lifestyle.
The catalyst? Tipping the scales at 17 stone and six pounds two years ago, her size meant she was discomfort even when sitting down to watch TV.
The maternity assistant, who hails from London, was a size 22 at the time, and said: “I would be sitting on the sofa at night with my partner and I would be able to feel the fat from my chin touching my chest while watching TV.
“It was an unbearable feeling, like I had a tyre around my neck, so I had to sit with my hand resting between my chest and chin so I couldn’t feel it.
The mother-of-two continued: “It made me realise it was time to make a change – I knew I couldn’t sit holding my chin up forever!”
While she doesn’t remember ever feeling slim, Kimberley, who is now 32, said her weight gain spiralled after falling pregnant for the first time at the age of 19.
Her over-eating habits continued after welcoming her daughter, and she soon reached a size 18.
Kimberley had her second child, a son, at the age of 23, and after craving junk food, she began having to wear a dress size 20.
“I was so deep in a cycle of craving junk food which, combined with becoming a single mother and relying on cheap convenience food while I attended college three days a week, made me gain more and more weight,” she said.
“I was stuck in a vicious cycle.”
In May 2014, Kimberley met her partner Matt, and her happiness saw her size only grow.
“Meeting my partner made me so happy, and for the first two years we were in the honeymoon period, which led me to going up another dress size, to a size 22.”
With diet plans not suiting her busy lifestyle, Kimberley decided to try a new option she had come across on Facebook.
The Terri Ann 123 Diet Plan, features three stages which switch on a weekly basis – with the first section seeing slimmers limit their intake of starchy carbohydrates and increase their intake of protein, vegetables, and healthy fats in order to kickstart weightless.
In the second stage, fruit is reintroduced, and dieters up their intake of starchy carbohydrates.
In stage three, those following the plan continue to enjoy fruit – while limiting starchy carbohydrates.
As part of the plan, users are given a list of approved food and examples of a weekly meal plan to follow.
Within two years, Kimberley dropped from a size 22 to a size 12 to 14, and shed an impressive five stone and four pounds.
However, she didn’t initially follow the diet plan in its entirety – but her efforts still saw her slim down by two stone.
“Originally I didn’t commit fully to the plan, just following some of the principles to lose two stone,” Kimberley explained.
“However, when the new 2018 plan came out I found it was more suited to my lifestyle and had a greater variety and options for me, which has helped me with sticking to the plan and losing a further three stone.
“Now, the plan is part of my lifestyle – I even have breakfast now!”
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