A busy 18 stone mum desperate to lose weight used her annual leave to join a weight loss group - and has now dropped 12 dress sizes. Kelly Rogers, 45, piled on the pounds after second helpings and drinking at weekends took their toll.
But the full-time worker and mum-of-two struggled to commit to a healthy regime after always vowing "the diet will start on Monday". After years of self-neglect and fad diets, she found herself at 18 stone and a dress size 24, in 2021.
But Kelly, a payroll administrator, finally vowed to banish her unhealthy diet, in December 2021, and even joined a weight-loss group. She decided to fully commit to her plan and booked off every Friday from work for 12 weeks to aid her transformation.
Kelly, a single mum, from Fforestfach, Swansea, said: "I knew I had to make a change. I completely changed my eating habits and banished the weekend drinking binges.
"I even enrolled in a local weight-loss group which I booked time off work every Friday to attend. In the first week, I lost 8lbs which made me determined to lose more.
"I even took up boxing at the gym where my son works and the weight started dropping off me. 'It's amazing to think how far taking those annual leave days has taken me.
''Having that extra day, just to myself to focus on my weight loss made the world of difference!''
Becoming a first-time mum aged 19, Kelly found herself navigating how to balance home life and her work. During the week, she'd make homemade meals like Bolognese and curry, but would often find herself eating two portions and then the leftovers.
"I've never had a sweet tooth but if there were leftovers, I'd have to finish them and I'd be eating double and sometimes triple portions,'' she explained.
"I've always been a working mum, so I'd want to make the most of the weekends with the kids which meant McDonald's or getting a takeaway in. It was fun for the kids and easy for me but all this meant my weight was just going up and up."
When her children got older, Kelly found herself indulging in a Friday night bottle of wine followed by excess weekend tipples. With this, came late-night takeaways and fatty hangover cures like bacon butties and fry-ups.
However, Kelly, who is mum to Cory, 26, and Kai, 19, knew that she had to make a change in December 2021 after an ''indulgent Christmas''. She poured all her efforts into making healthier food choices and ditching the excessive weekend drinking.
In January 2021, she joined a local weight-loss group which she attended by booking time off work every Friday. Within the first three months, Kelly lost four stone and had dropped down to a dress size 18.
"I even took up boxing at the gym my son, Kai, works at and I love it,'' she explained. "I cut down my portions and made sure my plate was full of fresh vegetables.
"I felt thankful to my boss for letting me attend the Friday group sessions because it really helped me stay focused. Being able to share my weight-loss journey with others was important because we kept each other going."
By the end of 2022, Kelly had lost a staggering 6 stone and 12 dress sizes. She now weighs an incredible 11st 8lbs and now sports a dress size 10.
Kelly said: "I feel great and when the weekend comes around, I don't even think about having lots of wine. My weekends are built around eating nutritious food and good habits like going to the gym or long walks with friends.
"On the odd occasion when I do have a drink, I opt for something low-calorie like gin and slimline tonic instead of wine. Instead of greasy bacon butties on Saturday mornings, I have omelettes or boiled eggs with mushrooms and spinach.
"My kids say they're proud of me and I'm glad I'm making them proud. I feel incredible and I feel proud of the lifestyle I've been able to create.
"I can't wait to become a gran in August and run around with my grandchild when they're older. I'll be able to be a hands-on gran and I cannot wait."
Before diet:
Breakfast- instant noodles or leftovers from the night before
Lunch- lasagna or fish and chips
Dinner- curry, rice and naan bread
Snacks- crisps, a pasty, ham roll
Drinks- tea, hazelnut latte, fizzy drinks, wine on the weekends
After diet:
Breakfast- an omelette or boiled eggs, spinach and mushrooms
Lunch- chicken salad or small jacket potato with salad and tuna
Dinner- salad with chicken or salmon
Snacks- crab sticks, fruit or a slice of ham, low-calorie fibre bars
Drinks- lots of water, black coffee, the occasional gin and slimline tonic
