A WOMAN lost an incredible 17st after ditching her daily habit of 12 bags of crisps and family bars of chocolate.
Mum-of-one Sarah Clarke reached 31st 8lbs and was a dress size 32 when a voice in her head asked: “Do you want to die like this?”
Realising she had reached a turning point, the now-35-year-old began an amazing journey of weekly slimming classes, weight loss surgery, and therapy to retrain her mind.
In two and half years she has lost 17st 5lbs and now weighs 14st.
She says: “I was addicted to food, no matter what I ate, it wasn’t enough.
“I wasn’t even honest with myself; I used to hide the food under my mattress and pretend it wasn’t there.
“My journey is as much about training my mind as my body.
“I can enjoy the simple things now; tying my own shoelaces and walking upstairs. I am literally transformed.”
Sarah had always carried weight as a child.
Leaving primary school, aged 11, she was a size 18. By 16, she was a size 24.
Into adulthood, she realised she was using food to cope with traumatic situations in her life, but did not know how to change that.
During Covid, she lost her home, and ended up in a women’s refuge, with her weight spiralling further out of control.
At 5’5”, she hit 31st and was virtually immobile.
She says: “I could polish off 12 bags of crisps in a day without a problem and I wouldn’t stop there, I’d have four bars of chocolate.
“I was addicted to food and so nothing was ever enough. I’d eat fried breakfasts, oily pizzas, fatty kebabs.
“I’d eat secretly, hiding food under my mattress and in my bag.
“I was even trying to kid myself. I couldn’t face the truth.”
I suffered a breakdown. I really felt like I was trapped in a dark room. It was horrible
Sarah Clarke
Sarah adds: “I needed a stick to walk, and I had to literally roll myself out of bed each day.
“I could hardly walk but I couldn’t get the bus because I took up too much room.
“My anxiety was dreadful, and I had a sweat problem.
“I didn’t even want to visit my family because I was always breaking chairs. They had to give me a special chair which was humiliating.
“I’d trained as a support worker, but I had to give that up.
“I suffered a breakdown, and I really felt like I was trapped in a dark room. It was horrible.”
Late in 2021, Sarah was diagnosed with sleep apnoea and as she left the doctor’s, a voice inside asked: “Do you want to die like this?”
Sarah says: “It was almost spiritual. I replied: ‘No, I don’t’ and I knew I had to change.
“I’d been to slimming clubs before, but I knew this time it was different.”
Sarah joined her local Slimming World in Leeds and lost almost 4st.
She was then informed that she could have a gastric sleeve – when surgeons remove part of the stomach – on the NHS.
She underwent surgery in June 2022 and continued to attend Slimming World.
She also began strength training and mindfulness, alongside therapy.
She says: “I had to train my body alongside my mind. I had to learn to love myself.
“It wasn’t easy at all. I had to be very disciplined.
“I kept temptation out of my kitchen, I didn’t buy anything unhealthy so I couldn’t break my resolve.”
Diet before –
Diet now –
Sarah became dairy and gluten free and began a high-protein diet of eggs, lean meat, fish, vegetables and fruit.
She also drinks between three and four litres of water each day.
Over two and a half years, she has lost 17st 5lbs and is now a dress size 14.
She has around a stone of excess skin and is raising money on GoFundMe to have it removed.
She says: “I’d really like to get rid of the skin so I can go swimming with my daughter and wear strappy tops and tighter clothes.
“But I am incredibly proud of myself. I can tie my own shoe laces and paint my own toenails – small things but they mean the world to me. I can shop in Primark and choose nice clothes.
“I’m looking good on the outside, but most importantly, I’m feeling really good on the inside too.”
Sarah now runs a mental health support group for women in Leeds, called: ‘The Restoring Hope Women’s Group.’
