'We're a fat-fighting family'
Saturday 9th May 2009
Edging along the back row of seats in the drafty cricket club, I spotted more than a few familiar faces. 'I've been good this week,' my mum, Sylvia Wallace, 65, whispered as I squeezed past. 'Good for you!' I grinned, winking at my cousin, Joanne Cullen, 37, and her daughter, Simone, 12, who were sitting alongside her. A few seats along, my best mate, Beverley Christie, 38, was gassing with her mum Pauline Gray, 62. Meanwhile, my boyfriend, Gareth McLean, 33, was smiling at me and pointing to the empty chair between him and his mum, Kathleen, 58, and his sister, Allison, 35, plus her partner, Steve Wilson, 35. A bit further along from Gareth his aunty, Betty Fear, 60, was sitting with his cousins, Yvonne Young, 44 and Lesley Wilson, 48, along with Lesley's daughter, Lisa Wilson, 21. Quite a family reunion, right? Well no, actually. Every Thursday we all trooped to our local Slimming World class, which we jokingly call 'Fat Fighters' after the Little Britain sketch.
I've always been a big girl. While my older sisters, Lesley, 50, and Julie, 48, could eat what they liked when we were growing up, if I so much as looked at a Belgian bun, the buttons would pop off my jeans. Over the years, I'd tried various fad diets. But I always put the weight back on again. My job as a cook didn't help. What is it they say? 'Never trust a skinny chef'. Well by that measure, I was very, very trustworthy! But by October 2006, I'd had enough. Enough of being forced to shop in plus-size stores, enough of dreading sunny days because I knew I'd have nothing flattering to wear. It was while flicking through the local paper on my lunch hour, that I spotted an advert for a local Slimming World class. 'I'm going to do it,' I blurted to my workmates. 'Go for it,' they said. I felt sick with nerves before that first class, but as I stepped through the door, I was greeted by a crowd of smiling faces. No one said 'Hello Fatty' or suggested I eat dust like Marjorie Dawes would have done! Everyone was so friendly, it put me at ease immediately. Even though a quick glance told me I was easily the biggest one there. When I was weighed for the first time in years, I was horrified. 18st 3lb. I was fat, fat, fat with a capital F! Instantly, my cheeks burned red, but the teacher, Norma Green, put her hand on my arm. 'You've taken the most important step by coming here,' she said, before explaining the diet.
Basically, you had 'red days' and 'green days'. On red days, you ate proteins like meat, eggs and fish, and on green days, you ate carbs such as rice, pasta and potatoes. This time I'm sticking to it, I promised myself. By sticking to the rules, I lost six pounds that first week. I was chuffed to bits and my confidence was given a massive boost. Everyone at the class was really happy for me. 'You've done so well, pet,' one of the regulars, Betty Fear, beamed at me. We got chatting, and it turned out she'd been going to the class for years. 'I've accepted I'll have to watch my weight all my life,' she said. Over the next three months, I lost two-and-a-half stone. I even managed to lose weight over Christmas! Then, in January 2007, I spotted a couple of new faces in the group. 'This is my friend, Kathleen, and her son, Gareth,' Betty said. Before being weighed in, Gareth stood up and explained why he'd decided to tackle his weight. 'The lads at rugby were giving me stick,' he said. 'It's got so I can only fit into two of my going-out shirts.' That week, he'd weighed in at 19st 12lb. By the next class, he'd lost 10-and-a-half pounds. 'You've done brilliantly,' I told him.
Having Gareth there each week was a bit of a novelty for the group, because at that stage, he was the only man. But he fitted in really well, as did his cousin, Yvonne, who joined a week later. 'Your whole family will be joining at this rate,' I joked one day. As the weeks passed, I found myself looking forward to seeing Gareth each week. I didn't think he'd be interested in me, because I was five years older than him, but then he started popping into the café where I worked, and asking me out. He'd already reached his target weight in April last year, when on a day trip to York, we kissed. I was so happy. And just a few weeks off my own target. With Gareth's support, I soon hit that magical figure, 12st 10lb, fine for my 5ft 7in height. I was wearing clothes from normal high-street stores at last, and everyone told me how great I looked. 'I'm going to join,' my mate, Beverley, decided. 'So's Mum.' Three months on, in January 2008, Gareth's cousin, Lesley, joined with her daughter, Lisa. They were followed by Gareth's sister, Allison, and her partner, Steve. Finally, my mum, my cousin Joanne, and her daughter, Simone, joined in January this year. Even my dad is following the diet and has lost two stone.
Now, the whole clan go to 'Fat Fighters' every Thursday, and it's a laugh a minute. Gareth's family and mine take up the whole back row! Because there are so many of us, there's a brilliant atmosphere, which definitely keeps us all going. I've lost over six stone, and weigh 12st 2lb. Gareth weighs 14st 5lb having lost five stone seven pounds. Together, both our families have lost 37 stone five-and-a-half pounds in total. Not bad for a family of fatties, eh?