Real life women: ‘We used lockdown to change our lives!’

‘My colleagues didn’t recognise me!’

Receptionist and lifeguard Natasha Demidh, 34, is single and lives in Norfolk. She says, “I’ve been bigger than my friends all my life, but although my weight made me unhappy, I was in such denial about it that, aged 17, I’d squeeze into size 18 clothes, when I was really a size 22. If anyone suggested I needed a bigger size, I refused to listen.

“I wore frumpy, baggy dresses, and if my friends invited me out, I’d claim I was ill at the last minute as I had nothing to wear. I hated missing out, so I’d turn to food for comfort.

“I’d fill up on buttery white toast for breakfast, then for lunch I’d buy a cheese sandwich with crisps and a chocolate bar. For dinner, I’d have curry made from a jar. And I could easily get through a packet of biscuits a day.”

She adds, “I thought I’d be unhappy forever, until January 2020, when I saw a magazine advertising free membership to Slimming World and decided to regain control of my life.

“I’d heard good things about the plan, so I signed up and went along to my first meeting days later. When I stood on the scales and realised I’d reached 14st 12lb – too big for my 5ft 1in frame – I felt disgusted. But my consultant, Jo, was supportive and helped me overhaul my diet.

“For breakfast I’d have fruit with yoghurt, followed by ham salad for lunch. For dinner I’d make curry from scratch, following Slimming World recipes. If I was hungry, I would snack on fruit. In my first week, I lost 7∂lb.

“By March, I’d lost 3st, but when the country went into lockdown, I was distraught. I was so scared I’d pile the weight back on, but Jo began holding our group sessions online, via Zoom. Then I was furloughed from my job, so I started doing workouts at home to fill up my time.

“By the time I returned to work in July at the sports centre where I was a receptionist, I had lost 5st and had to ask my manager for a new size 8 uniform! Colleagues and customers had to do a double take when they saw me – some even asked who the new girl was! It was hilarious, and also a reminder of how much weight I’d lost.

“And because I was so much fitter, my colleagues encouraged me to apply for my dream job as a lifeguard. My size meant I’d never been confident enough to get in the water in front of other people before. In September 2020, I reached my goal weight of 8st 12lb, having lost 6st 2lb, and I finally qualified to become a lifeguard at the end of October. Now, despite being back on furlough, I have my dream job, weigh 8st 10lb and wear size 6-8 clothes.

“I know lockdown has been awful for some people but, for me, it was an opportunity to change my life. I’m happier than ever.”

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‘I’m as slim as I was on my wedding day’

Office manager Margaret Moss, 60, from Sutton, lives with her husband Peter, aged 63. She says, “I was very slim growing up, and when I married Peter aged 18, I wore a beautiful size 10 white silk dress, with lace and a high collar. But soon after we married, my weight began to fluctuate. At first, it was only by a few pounds, but it quickly increased.

“I ate healthily, didn’t have a sweet tooth and regularly exercised, but my waistline kept growing. It felt like I was battling my own body, so in my late twenties, I asked my GP for help. Blood tests showed I had a borderline underactive thyroid, which meant my metabolism was slower than normal, so I didn’t burn calories as quickly and gained weight very easily. But it wasn’t serious enough for medication, and I continued to battle with my weight, often trying different diets that never worked. I put on a bubbly persona, but I was miserable inside.

“Everything changed in July 2019, when my doctor finally agreed to prescribe thyroid medication. After getting used to taking the tablets, I vowed 2020 would be my year – and in early March, I joined LighterLife. It was a very low-calorie diet and recommended for anyone who had a lot of weight to lose. So while it was extreme, I knew it would give me the results I needed.

“I was shocked at the first weigh-in, when I tipped the scales at 17st 7lb – too heavy for my 5ft 7in frame – but now that I was on medication, I felt so determined.

“I knew that if I stuck to my meal replacement packs of 600 calories daily, and drank four litres of water a day, I’d achieve my goals. In the first week, I lost 10lb.

“Just 10 days after starting my diet, lockdown was announced, but I wasn’t worried. Staying at home meant I didn’t have to worry about turning down invitations for meals out. And I decided to ditch alcohol too.

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“My LighterLife classes moved online too, and I started twice-weekly online exercise classes.

“Peter was so supportive and by November 2020, I’d lost 6st 6lb and weighed 11st 1lb. I was so happy to have achieved my goal; I felt like a new woman. There would be some days when I’d look in the mirror and I wouldn’t recognise myself!

“I still have some LighterLife products but mainly stick to a high-protein diet. I love a spinach and mushroom omelette for lunch and chicken stir-fry for dinner.

“At the end of last year, I had to go up into the loft to get my old size 10 clothes! I couldn’t believe that I’d started lockdown a size 20, and now, I’m proud to say I’m the same size as I was on my wedding day. I can’t wait to get back out into the real world and show everyone my transformation.”

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