Woman determined to feel good for her birthday loses 9st in a year
A woman has shared how she feels better than ever after seeing an incredible 9st weight loss in time to enjoy her thirties.
Kat Burrows, 35, a former IT worker from Basingstoke, Hampshire says she found it hard to motivate herself to change her lifestyle after seeing her weight creep up in her teens and twenties.
At her heaviest, she weighed 19st 13lbs and wore a dress size 24, but in the run-up to her milestone birthday she found the drive to overhaul her unhealthy diet.
Determined to enter a new decade "in the best shape of her life", Burrows ditched the processed carbs, sugar and the chocolate she was enjoying late at night.
The change saw the mum-of-two lose 9st, almost half her body weight, in one year - in time to enjoy her fourth decade.
Since then she has married her now husband, Harvey Burrows, 58, who works in infrastructure, and the couple have also welcomed two children, sons, Jenson-Kai, three and Harvey-Leigh, two, with another baby on the way.
Growing up, Burrows says she'd always struggled with her weight, but after her parents' divorce and experiencing bullying during her time at secondary school, she found herself comfort-eating to cope.
Despite trying various fad diets and weight loss plans, any progress she made would be set back by her emotional eating.
"Food was the answer to a bad day for me," Burrows explains.
"I'd get something quick and unhealthy for my lunch break at work, like McDonald's and then snack on crisps in the afternoon.
"In the evenings, I'd love to just relax with a takeaway and a big bar of Fruit and Nut.
"Pizza or a Chinese would be my weakness," she continues.
"During a particularly bad week, I could get through seven bars of chocolate, and it took its toll on my body and I spent all my twenties hating my reflection."
But in January 2018, at age 29, Burrows decided "enough was enough".
"After being overweight most of my adult life, I was sick of feeling miserable and exhausted all the time," Burrows says of the turning point.
"I knew that I didn't want to enter my thirties in the same body, I was determined to get into shape."
After enrolling in the Lighter Life weight loss plan and switching calorie-laden meals for meal replacement shakes, she was able to drop three stone in three months.
"I knew I wouldn't be able to do it alone, so I enrolled in a weight loss plan with regular meetings. Having other people around me helped me stay motivated," she explains.
"But Harvey was my biggest supporter, he'd tell me how proud he was and would help cook healthy meals with me."
As well as changing her diet Burrows also started on a new fitness regime.
"I tried the gym for a bit but Pilates and yoga, which I still do now, were more for me - I love them!" she says.
Having embarked on her health and fitness overhaul Burrows says the weight started dropping off and by her 30th birthday, in February 2018, she'd already lost two stone.
"When I saw the scales, I cried happy tears because I was so made up," she says.
"I celebrated by going for a special dinner at Miller and Carter with Harvey and my family.
"Being able to dress up in something that made me feel confident was a bonus.
"The following year, Harvey and I tied the knot and I was able to marry the man of my dreams in the dress of my dreams.
"We've since started our little family and I'm thankful that I lost the weight because now I'm able to be the best mum I can to my boys.
"Because of my weight, I'd just accepted that motherhood was something that might never happen for me."
Now weighing 10st 10lbs and is a svelte dress size 10, Burrows says her weight loss has had an incredible impact on her life.
"I've been able to keep the weight off but I'm mostly grateful for the life I've gained," she explains.
"I'd never go back to my habits because I love being a hands-on mum and the feeling of confidence I have in my body.
"Losing weight has not just given me my life back but I've been able to fulfil my 30s."
Additional reporting SWNS.
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