A woman who was told she couldn't have IVF due to her weight lost five stone so she could have a baby - and she did it while still eating Magnums. Mia Kingsley, 36, wanted to have a child but she was deemed 'at risk' by doctors due to her frame, but even though she'd been trying for four years she wasn't able to lose the weight.
But then she joined WeightWatchers and Mia, from Warrington, Cheshire, soon saw the pounds dropping away and before she knew it, she'd lost five stone and was in the best shape of her life. She then commenced a course of IVF and fell pregnant, and is now looking after her young baby.
What do you think about Mia's incredible effort? Let us know in the comments...
Mia said: "My weight doesn't define who I am - and in fact, I can be a body-positive person, but still want to make a change - especially when the changes I make help me to feel so much better - mentally and physically."
By sharing her story, Mia hopes to encourage people to be more open about their health.
She said that after giving birth to her child, Mia returned to the WeightWatchers programme and used their app to keep the weight off, but she still enjoys a Magnum whenever she fancies.
Mia said that through her fitness journey, she discovered a love of yoga and has now become a teacher of the practice in her spare time.
She added that hse experienced a lot of unhelpful comments from others about her weight when she started her journey, especially after she had her child.
She said that strangers would tell her she "didn't need to lose weight" and that she "shouldn't worry about being bigger" and to "embrace it".
But Mia wanted to lose the weight so that she could feel more confident in herself and most importantly be more active with her child.
Mia's story comes as WeightWatchers released statistics about views on obesity in the UK, which show..
- Almost half (46 per cent) of UK residents think weight is a taboo subject and just under a quarter (24 per cent) are more comfortable discussing their weight with a stranger than their friends.
- A growing aversion to talking about weight comes even though over a third (37 per cent) of people are always or often dissatisfied with their weight with 52 per cent worrying about it at least once a week.
- Almost a third (31 per cent) feel the need to justify changes in their weight, with a further 28 per cent feeling the need to explain their weight loss to others.
- 74 per cent believe it is important to have positive conversations about weight.
Dr Helen Lawal, medical adviser at WeightWatchers, said: "The WeightWatchers research has uncovered our growing aversion to talking about weight, when in fact having open conversations about what is deemed as a 'taboo' topic is critical to addressing the country's growing obesity problem.
"The truth is, weight is a lot more complex than a number on a scale and it's only by recognising the important part it plays in overall well-being and talking about that openly that we can begin to help people who do want to lose weight, whatever their reasons, to do so in a healthy, sustainable way."
Lorraine Kelly, ambassador for WeightWatchers, added: "As someone who is living proof that the WW science-backed approach works, I can relate to those who feel the need to justify their reasons for wanting to lose weight.
"I've certainly found myself playing down my achievements when in fact I'm really proud of my reaching my goals - which have extended way beyond what's on the scales.
"In fact, it's those non-scale victories that have made the real difference to me - whether that's improved sleep, nutrition, more energy, or feeling more body positive - these are the real wins for my health and wellbeing."
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