A mum lost five stone in the space of five months after being hit by a van.
Kirstine McCord, from Birkdale, said she piled on the pounds during lockdown after suffering from back and hip pain. But things came to a head after she was involved in a road traffic accident while visiting a charity shop in Ainsdale.
The mum-of-two told the ECHO: "I went to put things in the charity shop. My mum was across the road in her car, and I went back to walk across the road and a van reversed and hit me. He just didn't see me.
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"He did get out and help me. I got taken straight to hospital.
"It was horrendous for my mum to watch. She couldn't get out of the car quick enough."
Kirstine needed physiotherapy after the incident and moved in with her parents for support. She said: "I think after the accident I probably had a bit of depression.
"I went a bit low and probably ate more because I couldn't move properly. I thought 'I need to do something about it.' I wanted to get myself healthier and fitter."
Kirstine, who is a mum to two eight-year-old twins with autism and ADHD, said: "I wanted to teach them to eat healthier, pick a healthier option and do some exercise.
"I thought 'you know what I need to look after myself to be able to look after my kids.'"
The 40-year-old joined Slimming World in June last year and said she's "never looked back" since. She lost five stone in the space of five months by following Slimming World's food optimising plan and exercising in the gym.
Kirstine said: "The support is just phenomenal. It's like a little community. Slimming World is so easy to follow.
"You can still have fun, you can still have your gin and tonics on a weekend."
"I'm fitter now than I've ever been. I'm at target, now I just want to maintain where I am.
"I was eating rubbish [before]. I wasn't eating healthy at all. I couldn't get in size 20 jeans - five months later I'm in size 10/12.
"I feel amazing. My kids are loving it - I can do more with them."
Kirstine has shared her story to help inspire others with their weight loss journeys and said her advice to them would be: "stick to the plan, and if you're ever in doubt message your consultant. And go to group and stay to group."
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