Michaela Wade from Talgarth shares her inspiring weight loss story...

“I AM too young to hurt this much!” I told myself as I walked the five minutes to the local Co-Op. I was puce in colour and panting like a dog. I would stop every 30 seconds to “admire the surroundings”, whilst attempting to catch my breath.

I was 43 years old. I was a size 22 (well- that’s what my leggings told me, but I knew they were lying. I was easily a size 24) and I struggled to walk to the shop.

It was at the beginning of lockdown 2020. Like a lot of people, I bulk bought everything! Toilet paper, sugar, tins, and flour. Who on earth ever needed 15 kg of self-raising flour and 15kg of plain flour? Me - that’s who, apparently! To this day I have no godly idea what I planned to do with it. Just how many pies and cakes could one bake with that amount of flour?!

I knew I had to do something. I came home and over dinner and my third glass of wine (well, why not? Everyone else was drinking slightly to excess on a school night) I made the decision to change… everything.

The next morning, I threw out all the chocolate and multipacks of crisps. I gave my mountain of flour to a neighbour. I went out and bought green stuff - salad, vegetables. My shopping trolley resembled stock from a famers’ market! I began walking. Just to the shop at first, and then a little further. Bit by bit I went further. I began walking miles with a neighbour and her dog. Every day. No matter what the weather was.

It was at this point that I also sought some therapy. As an NLP and hypnosis trainer you’d have thought I had all the answers. I knew that I had to deal with some issues as to WHY I got to this size. It was very revealing. I learnt I was literally eating my emotions and lockdown gave me permission to carry on doing it. It became socially acceptable. I knew I had to let go emotionally before I let go physically. May sound a bit “woo” but it was true and it worked.

I joined Slimming World in August 2020. I had been to Slimming World before and lost weight, but something had always got in the way of me seeing that loss through to my goal – usually my work. This time it was different. I was genuinely excited for change in me. Because of Coronavirus restrictions I was in physical group for a short while and although we couldn’t sit in the same room for our IMAGE Therapy meeting, I went straight home and logged onto Zoom for that vital group support, which was run by my consultant, Helen and which tackles the psychology of slimming.

It’s a great place to pick up tips and ideas from fellow members. Then, when lockdown came briefly in November and again from just before Christmas, everything changed to a virtual setting, when we would all weigh at home. Group was so important. A priority. I made ME a priority. Funny how we always feel guilty for taking time off and self- care but never when we’re working ourselves into the ground, right?

I laughed and cried at times during those group sessions. Sometimes things didn’t go to plan, but I stuck at it. I “went” every week, both in our virtual set up and then, from May, back into our “real-life” group setting, whether I lost or gained.

I also knew that to give my body and health a fair chance of actually succeeding my business needed to change. I work in family law. Prior to the global pandemic I would clock up around 2000 miles each month as I travelled around the courts I the country assisting clients. No matter how disciplined I attempted to be the burgers and chips always seemed alluring. I would be tired; overworked and would grab the first thing I saw a motorway service station.

Working with a coach we transformed the business into a national franchise, that is growing every day. This allowed me to spend more time at home; get to really know my community and take control of what I ate and how much sleep I had. I still need to travel to an extent, but I now know I have strategies I can use to stay in control when I stay overnight at hotels or attend business events – and knowing I don’t have to deprive myself is so empowering!

I look at the before and after photos and I barely recognise the person in the picture. I am still figuring her out, but I am enjoying the journey. I am 4 ½ stone lighter and all of my health ailments have dramatically improved. Who knew!? I still enjoy the food I love, learning how to create my favourites using Slimming World’s Food Optimising plan (and some amazing tips I’ve picked up at group!). I walk every day and dance twice a week. I’ve found a new love and passion for fitness. I couldn’t have ever done this alone though. It took guts to reach out and ask for help. Taking that first step was definitely the hardest.

As Nina Simone sang (and let’s face it, it must be true if an icon like Ms Simone sang it) “It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day and I feel good!”

Michaela Wade is a member of Helen Furnell’s Slimming World Hay-on-Wye group, which meets every Tuesday at Clyro School. For more information, contact Helen on 07939 114452. Alternatively, visit slimmingworld.co.uk or call 0344 897 8000 to find your nearest group.