Weight Started To Creep Up Following Two Miscarriages

Wednesday, 9 October 2019 15:59

The Mullingar mum says she feels like a new woman since losing five stone.

A Westmeath mum says she feels like a new woman since losing five stone.

Linda Fitzpatrick has been selected as one of only 12 ‘Unislimmers’ from across the country who will take to the catwalk in the annual Unislim Awards in Dublin later this month.

The winner will walk away with €1,000.

Linda says, "I was quite slim when I was younger, but I started putting on weight in my 30s and I didn’t even notice, to be honest. I had two miscarriages, which obviously affected me, so the weight started to creep up. After having my son Dylan, I was so busy I wasn't eating right, and put on more weight. My second son Ethan was born in 2018 and I put on more weight after due to having 2 small children and a busy schedule, Ethan has Down Syndrome, so we have a lot of appointments and check-ups to attend. I didn't make the time to eat properly myself.

Last Christmas I had said I wanted to lose weight and was thinking of going to try a different slimming club, but my cousin Gemma encouraged me to join her Unislim class. I joined in January and I have never looked back! I am beyond delighted with the results; I am a whole new woman.

In the beginning, I was thinking 'how am in going to lose all this weight?' but once you get going, it is so simple and easy to do. I stick with the three meals and two snacks and I have ‘fake-aways’ now instead of takeaways. I used to cook for the kids and then get a takeaway for my husband and I, but now I cook a delicious and healthy dinner for all the family, as the plan works for everyone, not just me.

I started exercising, slowly, and now I can Jog nearly 5km. I can’t describe the feeling of being able to go out and play with my kids without getting breathless.

When I started, I was so overwhelmed with how much weight I had to lose, but Yvonne, my leader, said ‘don’t think of it like that, just think of a half stone at a time.’ So, I never thought about the big picture and now I have reached my target of 11 stone. I’m so proud of myself.

I have only missed one class, which was when I turned 40 and my husband and I went away, the key is not to miss class. Unislim works for me as it's not restrictive. You can have a takeaway, you can have crisps and you can save your bites for the weekend. It’s all about making little changes that give you the results at the scales.

The big thing is that you need to want to do it. I have tried things in the past when my heart wasn’t in it and I didn’t care all that much, but this time I really cared. I’m no longer carrying 5 stone and feel on top of the world!”

Judging and the award ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 17^th.