A woman who said she "could not walk her son to school" due to her weight has shared her top tips for getting healthy.
Laura Cain lost 17st in three years and was recently honored as one of the UK’s top three most inspirational Slimming World slimmers. Laura "did not know" if she would survive to see her son grow up after her weight shot up to 30 stone.
The 34-year-old mum said she was "caught" in a vicious cycle after contracting swine flu - which saw her placed on life support - as well as suffering from brittle asthma and fibromyalgia. Laura said she started eating after being bullied at school and food became a source of comfort.
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Laura said the first thing for anybody looking to lose weight is to ask yourself "why are you doing it". For Laura, it was her son Dominic, 9.
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 eating habits included eating up to six pieces of bread a day with butter eight cups of tea and coffee with two sugars and "as much chocolate" as I could eat".
Laura 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 Slimming World Southport led by Dee Wright and has been supported by her fellow members in the group. Laura spurred on by her son said her diet "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"
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