With her footballer boyfriend, perfect
figure and wardrobe bursting with size-io clothes, you’d never know that
Essex-born Paris Marchetti was plagued with body insecurities in her late
teens. Now 3st lighter, she tells her story
Paris
Marchetti
Nights out in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, where
I live, aren’t quite as glam as those you see on The Only Way Is Essex, but
they’re pretty close! Most girls make a huge effort with their appearance and
go out with big, blow-dried hair, false eyelashes and tiny body-con dresses
worn with teetering heels.
When I was younger, none of this was a
struggle for me. I ate fairly healthily and was a slim size 8 when 1 went to
college to study art and design, aged 17. Finding an outfit for a night out was
as easy as going into my wardrobe and slipping on the first dress I found.
Leigh-on-Sea,
Essex
But during the second year of my course,
the stress of exams really got to me. My previous healthy eating habits went
out the window and I began to enjoy too many takeaways. To make matters worse,
I was also snacking on chocolates and crisps during the day while I studied.
My dad’s Italian so I was raised on big portions
of delicious pasta. My whole family just loves food. I have friends with small
appetites, but I’m not like that in the slightest. Food is always on my mind.
Straight after breakfast, I’m thinking about lunch - and then it's on to
dinner! As a result, I gained weight very quickly - almost 3st in one year -
and I soon found that I was trading in tiny dresses for size-14 loose tops and
leggings.
My
dad’s Italian so I was raised on big portions of delicious pasta. My whole
family just loves food.
With my new size came new insecurities. I
began to dread going out to my local haunts and would make excuses to stay in
whenever I could, often telling friends that I was busy. When I did go out, 1
relied on thick cardigans to cover me up. I felt out of place and unattractive
compared with all the ultra-glamorous women around me.
My insecurities leapt to new levels when I
went on holiday to Malia in the summer of 2009. I had just split up with my
boyfriend and was really looking forward to a girly getaway with my three best
friends. However, as they were all slim. I felt really overweight and
uncomfortable
Unfortunately, I let my body insecurities
ruin my holiday, as I spent most of the time obsessing about how I looked.
Every day, before hitting the beach, I’d look at myself in the mirror, sucking
my tummy in and trying to figure out the best way to disguise my flaws.
Usually, I’d just end up throwing on a kaftan while my friends lay about in
their bikinis.
Every
day, before hitting the beach, I’d look at myself in the mirror, sucking my
tummy in and trying to figure out the best way to disguise my flaws. Usually,
I’d just end up throwing on a kaftan while my friends lay about in their
bikinis.
In the evenings, I felt even worse. When we
entered clubs, I would hear men comment on how gorgeous my friends were, but
when it came to me they would just say that I had a pretty face. I didn’t get
nearly as much male attention as my friends did and it really dented my
confidence.
Whenever I complained about my weight, my friends
were really kind and would tell me I looked fine as I was. I wanted to accept
their compliments but, deep down, I knew that I had to be happy in my own skin.
So, when I returned home, I decided to sign
up to Weight Watchers. Newly single and having just started a new job. it felt
like the right time to adopt a healthier regime. A family friend had lost a lot
of weight on the Weight Watchers plan, so I knew that it could work. I was
nervous about attending meetings on my own so. to begin with, I chose to follow
Weight Watchers Online.
