A Nottinghamshire mum has a "new lease of life" after going from a size 24 to a 14. Lauren Lowe, 32, from Rainworth, was always known as the "big girl" but was driven to lose weight so she could care for her son.
At her heaviest in May 2020, Lauren weighted almost 18 stone. She couldn't get down the stairs without "crying in pain" and struggled to be the full-time, primary carer for her now five-year-old son, who has additional needs.
Lauren said: "Ever since I was a kid I've always been overweight and known as 'the big girl'. I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome when I was 18, so I struggled to get pregnant until I lost some weight before I conceived my son.
Read more: Man 'couldn't look in the mirror' before 20 stone weightloss
"Five years ago I gave birth to him, he was premature by two months, and after that I started to have problems with my gallbladder and gallstones. Doctors told me having an emergency C-section kick-started all of the issues."
Lauren was put on painkillers for two years before having surgery to remove her gallbladder in 2019. She had to lose one stone in order to have the surgery.
She added: "After the surgery I suffered with severe IBS and I became so depressed that I got to my heaviest weight, which was 17st 10lbs. I started eating my feelings and just felt hopeless. I couldn't get down the stairs without crying in pain.
"Being overweight and having health problems made it more of a struggle to care for my son who needs constant attention. It was a hard time."
Lauren then realised she could no longer go on feeling the way she was. The biggest motivation was to lose weight for her son. In May 2020, she started the exante weight loss plan and consumed 800 calories for the first 12 weeks, before upping her calorie intake.
Lauren had a nutritionally-complete meal replacement shake for breakfast and lunch - and a healthy meal like chicken with salad for dinner. She documented her weight loss journey on Instagram where she shared her weight loss progress with followers.
Lauren said: "I didn't look after myself before, I never used to calorie count and I was unaware about what I was putting in my mouth. I was with an ex-partner when I started exante and things weren't great, I had lost myself. I found the strength to end the relationship after starting exante so I could concentrate on myself and my son, and the more weight I lost, the more confident I became.
"After the first 12 weeks I stuck to the shakes but started having around 1,200 calories a day and I allowed myself some more leeway at weekends. After nine months I was fit enough to join the gym and start walking up to 10,000 steps a day, so I upped my calorie intake again, and then by May last year (2022) I had lost six stone.
"Now I have an exante shake every day after the school run or after I work out and I've completed Couch to 5k too. That was a big achievement for me because before, I couldn't run on the treadmill for more than three minutes without feeling like I was going to pass out."
She added: "My son runs everywhere, we have a lovely woodland trail near our home and we'll jog one end to the other and he absolutely loves it. It makes me so happy that I can finally run around with him and care for him without struggling so much.
"I try to make meal plans every week now. My favourites to cook are stir fry, chicken with rice and broccoli, and fish with vegetables. I drink more than two litres of water a day, my bottle comes everywhere with me.
"exante has given me a new lease of life, I'm the happiest and healthiest I've ever been. I have a partner who I adore and I feel like myself again - but a new, more confident version who I love.
"I'll never go back to how I was before. Since losing the weight I haven't suffered from IBS or taken the pain medication I relied on three times a day, for more than 18 months now."
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