A nurse lost seven stone after she was "mortified" when she bent over and burst through her PPE at work. At 17 stone, Sarah Wynter, 40, an intensive care nurse, said her size 22 frame meant she struggled to make it through gruelling 12-hour shifts.
The mum-of-two saw first-hand the devastating impact Covid had on overweight people, so decided she needed to make a change. She had joined Slimming World in January 2020, and has since shrunk to a size 10, swapping her XXL nursing uniform for a small.
Proud Sarah, from Hereford, said: "Working as an NHS nurse is intense both mentally and physically. I was wearing size 2XL scrubs and would leave each shift on my knees – totally and utterly exhausted.
"My body ached all over from being on my feet all day, I had severe joint pain and I’d be breathless from running around. The personal protective equipment (PPE) I wore was so hot that I’d sweat profusely and would have to change my scrubs whenever I went for a break.
"Working in intensive therapy unit (ITU) during the Covid-19 pandemic was a scary time and my thoughts often turned to how well I’d be able to fight off the virus if I did catch it. I knew that obesity was a contributing factor for many people who struggled with Covid, so it was a constant worry for me and having joined Slimming World just before the first lockdown this really drove my motivation to keep going.”
She added: "I tried every diet you could think of – soups, shakes, calorie counting… they’d all work for a while, but I’d soon lose motivation and end up regaining any weight I’d lost. The turning point for me came when we received some new hazmat suits for the Intensive Care Unit. The box was marked ‘one size’ which instantly worried me.
"I did manage to get the suit on, but the first time I bent over it ripped from my neck down to my bottom. I laughed it off with everyone else in the room but inside I was mortified."
Sarah, who lives with husband John, 49, a farmer, and their children Alfie, 18, and Maisey, 14, began losing weight steadily after a few months. Alongside Slimming World's diet, she's also found a new lease of life and regularly hikes in the hills near her home.
She said: "After a lifetime of restrictive diets, I couldn’t believe that I’d be able to lose weight without going hungry. I always thought I needed to snack on sugary treats to keep my energy levels up on long shifts, I soon found that filling up on healthy meals kept me well fuelled throughout the day though and I started to feel in control of my eating habits even during stressful shifts.
She continued: "Before I lost weight I was pretty inactive. I’d be exhausted after a 12.5 hour shift, so walking the dog to the end of the road was about all I could manage. I live in the countryside, so walking in the hills soon became a bit of an escape for me.
"I built it up gradually at my own pace by walking just a little bit further every time I went out. Now I love nothing more than a hike in the Brecon Beacons. I’ve even completed a couple of charity challenges and would love to climb Kilimanjaro next year.
"I’m the best version of myself for my patients – and I’m the best version of myself for me and my family too. I’m living my best life and that’s an incredible feeling."
