“I was saved by cake!”
With a weight problem tied up with an
unhappy marriage, Lucy Stacey, 34, felt trapped and isolated. Getting healthy
was the first step to slimming down and having a happier life.
‘I’m
at my happiest baking cakes with my girls’
You might assume my weight problem was due
to my love of baking – but, in fact, it was when I had my children that the
pounds piled on. I suffered from a condition in my pelvis that meant walking
was absolute agony, and around the same time, my marriage started to break
down. I’d also given up work, so I felt like I’d lost my identity. My
self-esteem was at an all-time low.
In June 2009, I was looking at some
beautiful summer dresses in a magazine, and I realized that, as a size 22, I
wouldn’t be able to fit into any of them. It shocked me and I knew I had to get
back to the woman and mother I knew I could be. I started by eating a more
balanced diet, with smaller portions. I cut out rubbish like takeaways, and
only ate things that are close to their natural state, like salads, fish and
meat. As my dress size dropped to a size 12, my self-esteem started to rebuilt.
Altogether I lost six stone, and that gave me the confidence and the courage to
move on from my unhappy marriage. It was a huge step and I was terrified, but I
knew that whatever happened I’d make sure my girls, Eva and Lola, would be
okay.
In
June 2009, I started by eating a more balanced diet, with smaller portions.
Years before, I’d thought about starting a
cake-making business, but at the time I hadn’t had the confidence to take the
idea seriously. But now I told myself that if I could lose six stone, I could
do anything. I looked after the girls all day, and worked while they slept,
from seven until four in the morning. I’d done an MBA when I was in my 20s, so
I went back to my notes and learnt about tax accounting and marketing, and soon
I had a business plan. I decided to call it Lucy’s Cakes, and I even taught
myself how to create a website, lucyscakes.co.uk, selling handmade, bespoke,
high-end cakes for weddings and birthdays.
After a year and a half, I can finally say
the business is a success – I’ve started giving cake-decoration classes, too.
For over two years now I’ve been a size 10, and I’ve developed an exercise
routine I can do at home on my own. I don’t find it difficult being around the
cakes at all; I’ll have a treat every now and then but I’m still careful about
what I eat. I’m really happy and grateful that I’ve got two beautiful children,
a job I love, and my health – I feel very, very lucky.
‘My four-legged fitness plan’
Anne Hunt, 42, couldn’t find the answer to
long-term weight loss – until she realized she had the perfect exercise buddy
already
‘This
time I decided to focus on getting fit rather than losing weight’
Walking my Boxer, Bella, was always my
chance to have a bit of me-time. We’d go for a slow stroll in the morning, and
I’d grab the chance to call my family, knowing that the rest of the day would
be spent rushing around, cramming in all my responsibilities working from home
for a charity, and caring for my two young boys, as well as fitting in the
housework and food shopping. At size 18, I lived in jeans and jumpers, and
didn’t even have time to get my hair cut, never mind keep fit.
It was during a skiing holiday in February
last year that I realized just how out of shape I’d become. I’d been skiing
before, but this time I felt so embarrassed wobbling about, red-faced and out
of breath. I started to panic – I was due to start my new job in nursing the
next month, and I knew that if I was to work 12-hour shifts, rushing around the
ward, I needed to up my fitness. I’d never managed to stick to a diet for more
than a few days, so this time I decided to focus on getting fit rather than
losing weight, and I gave myself one year to do it.
When I got back from holiday, I happened to
see an advert for a competition called Get Fit With Fido, organized by The
Kennel Club, which looks after the health and welfare of dogs. It was for
dog-owners who wanted to shape up, and it seemed like a great idea. I already
had the tools – a pair of trainers and a dog – so I signed up. Instead of
strolling along with Bella, I started going faster, and worked up a sweat for
45 minutes a day. I felt better very quickly – I had more confidence, stopped
feeling out of breath, and the weight fell off. Soon I had the bug and wanted
to do more, so I began cycling to work, and I started exercise classes, too. I
watched what I ate and after three months, I’d lost two and a half stone. Not
only did I win the competition, but I was finally bouncing around as much as
Bella – and I have been for over a year.
It was a bit of a shock to my kids, but
they’ve got used to it now, and they love the fact that I’ve got more energy to
play basketball with them, and my husband’s been really supportive, too. For my
birthday last year I walked into Marks & Spencer to buy a dress, and fitted
into all the size 10s! I’m not dieting any more, just making healthy choices
and not overdoing the treats. I still go for a fast walk with the dog as often
as I can – now it’s a way of life, and I’m determined to stick to it. Bella’s
the best get-fit and keep-fit partner I could have hoped for.
