Super slimmer: ‘I lost 3st in quarantine – and feel better than ever!’

Lisa Walters was overweight and felt low about her body, but daily walks have transformed her health and happiness

real life story

by Sophie Barton |
Updated on

When she found herself cooped up at home with her six children during lockdown, Lisa Walters took up daily walks to get some peace and quiet. But within weeks, her three-mile strolls had turned into ten-mile hikes, which also inspired her to ditch her beloved biscuits and takeaways.

Now, thanks to walking, Lisa is over 3st lighter than she was at the start of the year. While reports say a third of us gained 7lbs or more during lockdown, she has dropped an incredible three dress sizes, going from a size 18 to a slender size 12.

real life weight loss story
Lisa felt very low about how she looked ©Phoenix Features

And as fears grow that the nation could go into another lockdown, she urges everyone to discover the benefits of walking.

“When lockdown began, I was really worried, but walking saved my sanity,” says Lisa, 54. “It helped me mentally and emotionally – my family never wanted to join me, so it was guaranteed time alone!

“At first my legs ached when I walked and I’d be out of breath, but I soon discovered how much I loved it. Now, I can easily do a 10-mile hike. It’s transformed my body, too – I’m so toned I can even borrow my daughter Amy’s size 12 jeans!”

It’s a far cry from January, when 5ft 5 Lisa weighed 14st 4lbs. She and her husband Ian, a railway consultant, loved eating biscuits, chocolate and crisps. They also ordered a takeaway three times a week.

real life weight loss story
Lisa with her daughters Annie (left) and Penny ©Phoenix Features

Lisa says, “I’d become obese and was so depressed about how I looked.

“I felt frumpy and self-conscious, and had headaches every day.”

When the country went into lockdown in March, Lisa realised she needed to prioritise her wellbeing. And with her six children, son-in-law, seven-month-old granddaughter and Ian, 51, all sharing her five-bedroom house, that meant carving out time alone.

“Lockdown was scary – I knew I needed to look after my mental and physical health,” says Lisa, who is mum to Amy, 25, Henry, 23, George, 17, Emily 15, Annie, 13, and Penny, nine.

“I adore my family, but sometimes I need space. I also knew that my weight and age put me at higher risk if I caught COVID-19.”

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real life weight loss story
Lisa now following her weight loss ©Phoenix Features

Spurred on, Lisa started going for daily three-mile walks near her Lichfield home.

“I’d fit it around home-schooling, or go out in the evenings,” she says. “I walked fast, to make it a workout. At first, my breathing was laboured and whenever I got home, I felt like I needed to lie down. But, after a few weeks, my legs stopped aching and I felt less lethargic.

“Being out on my own, with just the birds for company, gave me such a sense of freedom. I loved exploring the country footpaths and making new discoveries, like the berries in the hedgerows and the smell of wild garlic.”

Lisa also changed her diet, swapping calorie-laden Chinese and Indian curries for grilled chicken, salmon, pasta and salads packed with prawns and veg.

“I was eating more, but it was better food,” she says. “Instead of three slices of buttered toast for breakfast, I’d have scrambled eggs. Being healthier made me feel in control of my life, at a time when the world felt very out of control. I was cheerful too, and more patient with the kids.”

real life weight loss story
She has so much more energy now ©Phoenix Features

And Lisa didn’t just feel better, she was also rapidly losing weight. “By May, I was holding up my jeans with a safety pin,” she says. “When I slipped into a pair of size 14 trousers, it gave me such a boost.

“By June, I was walking five to ten miles a day and researching hilly routes, to make it more of a workout. One day, I accidentally walked 11 miles instead of five!”

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Amazingly, by the time lockdown eased in July, Lisa had lost 3st 4lbs and dropped to a size 12. And thanks to their new healthier diet, Ian lost an incredible 4st too, going from 18st to 14st.

Now, Lisa still walks daily, and she’s maintained her weight of 11st.

She says, “My tummy and legs are toned now, and I no longer have a muffin top. My headaches have disappeared, and I sleep much better.

“I’m 54, and feel happier and healthier than ever. Walking has changed my whole outlook – instead of feeling old and unfit, I’m positive and proud of what I’ve achieved. And if we have another lockdown this winter, I’m not worried. I know I’ll cope.”

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