STARING at her holiday photos in horror, Anna Jones allowed herself to feel a rush of relief – it looked like she’d managed to transform her figure just in time, and it had only taken a few weeks.
With terrifying news everywhere on the potentially deadly risks of being obese amid the coronavirus outbreak, she felt sure she’d managed to dramatically slash her chances of ending up in intensive care, should she be unlucky enough to catch the virus.
Anna had piled on the pounds over the last few years, taking her over 15 stone at her heaviest, after indulging on wine and cheese almost every night – but she’s now completely overhauling her lifestyle in an effort to ensure she’s as safe as possible for the sake of her two kids.
And she’s not alone.
Several Brits have used lockdown as the push they needed to finally shed the weight – and three of them have managed to lose more than eight stone between them in the last few weeks.
With studies showing obese people could face double the risk of being hospitalised, and a 37 per cent higher chance of death, it’s never been so important to urgently address weight issues.
Here, three women share their weight loss journeys – and how they’ve transformed their figures since lockdown…
Full-time mum-of-two Anna Jones, 30, from Walsall has lost 2.11 stone since lockdown started, having been left shocked by her recent holiday photos – while growing terrified at the dire news about obesity.
It’s taken her from 15.2 (and a BMI of 33, which is classed as obese), down to 12.5.
She says: “I started a diet a couple of days before lockdown. We arrived back from Lanzarote, I looked at my holiday photos and that was it… Even while I was there I wasn’t comfortable, I wasn’t happy, and I just thought this is it.
I was getting very breathless on holiday. I’ve got two young children and they were wanting to run off everywhere.
I was sitting in seats at bars and thinking, ‘God these chairs are quite small’. I was kidding myself really.
But I didn’t realise how big I was. It was total denial.
When trying new clothes on, you’d think, ‘oh the sizes must be getting smaller in the shops’, or ‘all my clothes are shrinking’.
I’m not following a set diet plan, I’m just doing what I feel works for me – cutting out fat and carbs, and almost all alcohol. It’s a high protein diet really.
Every Sunday I have a cheat day with my roast beef dinner and Yorkshire puddings, with a gin instead of wine.
I used to have wine most days… I’m not proud saying that. You get into a rut, drinking too much – then when I’d have a few wines I’d think, ‘oh I’m hungry now’.
I’ve stuck the before photo of me at my biggest on the fridge now, reminding me I never want to be that big again.
I’d said to my husband before, ‘I can’t look at the scales. I want you to look and write it doesn’t each week, but don’t tell me’.
I only plucked up the courage to look at my start weight recently. I thought, if I saw a really big, depressing number, I’d just go out, grab a couple of bottles of wine and drink my troubles away.
Seeing the news [about a possible link between obesity and increased coronavirus risk] recently has been very, very scary for me.
I’ve got two little kids so it’s important I look after myself.
I was 11 stone a few years ago on my birthday, and I remember feeling really good, so that’s my goal now.
Losing what I have has already massively increased my self-confidence. I pay more attention to my hair and make-up now, because I think it’s worth it.
Before I felt a mess, no matter what I did.
Everyone needs that moment when they think, enough is enough. I’ve done it in lockdown, so anyone can do it.
There’s never been a more important time than now.”
Retired NHS health visitor Cherry Hope, 57, from Perth in Scotland has lost 2.8 stone in lockdown with Weight Watchers.
She had hit more than 19 stone (with a BMI over 40) and realised she needed to make a drastic change – not only for herself, but for her former colleagues working tirelessly on the frontline. She’s now hit 16.8.
She says: “Like a lot of people, I’ve never liked being fat or embraced it – what a load of rubbish!
I’ve been in the NHS since I was 17 and up until I had the kids, I was pretty sporty and reasonably slim. But it all went to hell when I had the kids.
It’s really off when you’re in a position of advising people about health and you think, ‘I’m carrying a good few stones over myself’. It was ridiculous.
It was kind of a thunderbolt for me. If you get really sick because you’ve chosen to be fat and greedy, you bring it on yourself!
Cherry Hope
You get these images of these horrifically, morbidly obese people on TV, having to get their walls knocked down, rolling around, they can’t lie down because they’ll squash their own necks…
You start thinking about your own morbidity.
The thing that did it for me was reading about the vulnerable groups during Covid. It’s no great shock that those with a BMI of 40 or above are going to fare worse, overweight people are worse in every sphere.
It was kind of a thunderbolt for me. If you get really sick because you’ve chosen to be fat and greedy, you bring it on yourself!
For me, my husband is still working in a medical centre every day, so that’s a concern too.
Given my age and being so heavy, my joints hurt – you’re just aware. It’s like carrying round sacks on your back.
I was so aware of people who are younger and fitter succumbing to caveat problems or even dying – and I’d think, this is just stupid. It’s preventable.
I have MS as well, it’s very mild, but it means I’m one of Boris’ 12-week self-isolation lot. It’s not directly connected to my weight – but it makes moving very difficult if you have bouts of pain.
I’m massively fortunate that I could retire when I did. I’ve got colleagues just a little younger than me that don’t have that option.
Hearing what they’ve had to face [is awful]. People are still dying of this virus – and the threat of what they could easily contract, plus coming home to their families… I don’t know how I’d have managed if I’d still been working.
As far as my story goes, there was no mystery about it. I’d eat everything – [but it was] generally portion control, that’s always a problem.
I’m also a sweetie person. I used to adore cakes and bits like that.
I used to have some wine and then I’d snack on a family bag of crisps. Then I’d have my curry or whatever, and then dessert.
Breakfast would always be buttery toast… It would be like watching a master plasterer plastering it all over it – you could see my teeth marks. I’d leave teeth impressions for a CSI team, they could identify me by my toast!
Now I’ve turned it round, I’ve cut out alcohol and I’m exercising all the time and the weight’s just falling off. I’m cross at myself that I didn’t get a grip a while back.
The Weight Watchers people have been so incredibly encouraging and supportive. The app is a wonderful gadget, and I’ve experienced my whole journey so far virtually.”
Hazel Evans, 29, from Gloucestershire has lost 4 stone on the 1:1 Diet since starting it in January – a great chunk of which has been during lockdown.
While she was 15.12 at her heaviest, with a BMI in the high 30s, she’s now dropped below 30 with a weight of 11.12 in an amazing transformation – potentially reducing her risks should she contract coronavirus.
She says: “I’ve wanted to lose weight for a long time, I’ve probably been overweight for a good 15 years.
“I’d actually been offered some money towards weight loss surgery by a family member, but I wanted to try this first. The 1:1 diet really stood out to me and it’s meant I’ve avoided that now.
I’m now at the lowest I have been since 15 years ago, when I was at school.
I was borderline morbidly obese and now I’m just overweight, it’s brilliant.
It’s been so easy, I’ve got a consultant, I’ve had deliveries straight to my door of my products, we do virtual weigh ins, and there’s a private Facebook group.
Seeing the news motivates me so much more too. It’s something I’ve thought about quite a lot, because knowing I’m not in that category anymore is such a relief.
I’ve managed to change that so quickly and so easily, I’d urge anybody to do it. My risk has immediately been lowered.
I feel so much more confident too. I’m actually a hairdresser, so I spend all day every day making everyone else look beautiful and feel fantastic, and I’ve kind of almost faked that myself.
But I don’t have to anymore which is a lovely feeling. My husband has been such a good support too.
I used to love anything savoury, anything I could get my hands on. Now I stick to the 1:1 products, which massively takes the stress out of it.
Looking at the photos now, I feel really proud.”
