A woman who made an incredible health transformation from being unable to walk her son to school, to dropping 17 stone, has shared her top tips for getting healthy.
Laura Cain lost an incredible amount of weight across three years and was recently named as one of the UK’s top three most inspirational Slimming World slimmers.
Laura spoke about how she "did not know" if she would live long enough to see her son grow up after her weight shot up to 30 stone, motivating her to drop the extra pounds and live a healthier life.
READ MORE: Irish woman loses an incredible 18 stone after being told by doctor she wouldn't reach 40th birthday
The 34-year-old mum said she was "caught" in a vicious cycle after contracting the swine flu and ending up on life support - not to mention she was also suffering from brittle asthma and fibromyalgia.
Laura said she started excessively eating after being bullied in school and said that food simply became a source of comfort.
She said her first piece of advice for anybody looking to lose weight is to ask yourself "why are you doing it” - for Laura, it was her son Dominic, who is just 9-years-old.
Speaking to the ECHO she said: "We just could not do anything normal, I did not walk him to school or play out with him. He knew all the medicines I need and where to find my inhaler so he started to become my carer.
"I was in a vicious circle, I was on steroids for my health problems and it was hard for me to move, so I kept eating and I just could not be the mum I wanted to be for Dominic and I knew something had to change."
Laura's revealed that her eating habits often included eating up to six pieces of bread a day with butter, drinking eight cups of tea and coffee with two sugars in each and "as much chocolate as I could eat.”
The woman from Southport said: "I was on so much medication and I had to use a walker to get around like I was an old person. I was in so much pain all the time and I was referred by an asthma consultant to have weight loss surgery. He explained that I needed to make changes soon or I would not be around for much longer."
She joined her local Slimming World led by Dee Wright and has been supported by her fellow members in the group since.
Laura is spurred on by her son who said her diet has "drastically changed". Now Laura eats Weetabix for breakfast with yoghurt or semi-skimmed milk; tuna with salad or jacket potato for lunch and now "carbs" make her feel sick.
She said: "My best advice would be to ask yourself why you are doing it and have that goal in mind. I did it for my son and it is really hard to lose weight so having that goal keeps you going.
"You need to be kind to yourself too and don't beat yourself up you can't be too hard on yourself and plan your meals I think that is the most important thing.
"If I don't plan your meals you will go in and grab whatever you want off the shelves. If you plan ahead you will go in and buy only the things that you need, it is just a way to help you keep on track."
"Looking back at everything the best thing for me is being a mum again I can take my son out to the park and be the person he needs to me to be.”
READ NEXT:
Daniel Kinahan flees Dubai bolthole as net closes in on criminal organisation
Gardai probe whether car fire which killed two siblings was started deliberately
Mary Lou McDonald not impressed after getting caught in airport chaos
Experts say common washing machine mistake is costing you money
Lucky Kildare punter wins €80,000 in Irish Lotto without buying a ticket
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter
