Lyn Ross was a mother to a young son when she was told her life was at risk because she was so obese.
Having been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes at 29, by the time she reached her thirties the condition was starting to have an impact on her everyday life. She was tired, lethargic, suffered extreme thirst, struggled to heal from infections, and her legs and muscles ached all the time.
But this wasn't the first time Lyn's weight had impacted on her life. She said she had been considered overweight since she was a child and started dieting in her teens. However, every time she lost weight it wasn't long before the pounds would pile on again.
Read more: Newcastle gran loses an incredible 17 stone after fearing she wouldn't be alive to see grandchildren
Lyn, from Walker, said: "I've always been overweight, even as a child. I started doing diets in my teens, losing a little bit of weight and then putting more on. People would say, 'Ah never mind, you have no will power. Don't worry, you look fine'. So I just expected I was always going to be overweight for the rest of my life."
The 52-year-old, who weighed 19st at her heaviest, recalled a number of occasions in her life when her weight impacted her lifestyle. In her twenties she described herself as being "terrified" before a holiday to Spain with her friends because she thought she wouldn't be able to fit into her seat on the plane.
It was a fear that prompted her to lose a whopping 4st before her holiday. But during the holiday the weight started creeping back on and when she returned home she was "too scared" to step on the scales. Once again her weight fluctuated.
Lyn, who works as a carer, also went on to describe a further occasion when she experienced struggles with her weight, she said: "I was 23 years old and George [Lyn's husband] was 30 when we decided to try for a baby. After years with no joy and disappointment every month, seeing my weight balloon, I just comfort ate.
"To my surprise, in February 1995, I fell pregnant. We were overjoyed. Our son Lee was born in November 1995, all nine pounds, nine ounces of him."
She added: "By this time I was 19 stone and I thought to myself that I would never get this weight off. I accepted I was going to be like this for the rest of my life. Life carried on but my size meant many things I couldn't do with Lee, such as, holidays, a kick about in the park, swimming etc.
"We were missing out on loads of things and all because I was overweight and I felt as though I was too fat to do these things."
But today Lyn is on her biggest weight loss journey to date and has lost a huge nine stone, slimming from a size 30 to a size 14. It's a journey that started a number of years ago around the time she was told her life was at risk because she was so obese.
Lyn said: "During this period of my life, my mother took ill and she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer. We all rallied as a family but I took on as her main carer. After a few months I could feel the weight coming off. I was so active due to running two households and with all the worry, six months after my mum's illness and devastating death, I had lost 4 stone.
"Even though this was the hardest time in my life, it also gave me determination to not put the weight back on. With encouragement of a friend, we joined my first Slimming World group.
"On the scales at my first Slimming World weigh in, I was 15 stone but I left feeling so positive. I remember thinking that I could do this and that I couldn't believe I could eat all this food and lose weight at the same time. I followed the plan and after week one, I had lost six pound."
Despite some challenges along the way, such as the Covid pandemic, Lyn has continued on her journey. And today she is accompanied by her son and his girlfriend, who now all attend Slimming World together.
Lyn said: "In January 2022, we decided to join Slimming World so off we went to our local group with Jane Medcalf at the Blue Flames Sporting Club, Benton. I weighed 12 stone, half a pound on my first week.
"I now weigh 10 stone, four-and-a-half pound and feel fantastic. I have set my target for 10 stone which would be the lightest I have been since I was a teenager.
"My son and his girlfriend, Shannon, are both members at Slimming World with me and we support and encourage each other through our journeys. They are both doing fantastic with their weight loss too."
She added: "Slimming World really has changed my life for the better. I couldn't have lost weight without it. The only thing I regret is that I didn't have the courage to step through the doors when I was younger and lost the weight then so I could have enjoyed all those magic moments with my son when he was a child.
"Reaching my target at Benton Slimming World with Jane Medcalf would mean the world to me. Knowing I am not far away from reaching my target, I couldn't be happier and I couldn't be happier to be ending my slimming journey here with Jane and our supportive group at Blue Flames.
"Jane is a fantastic consultant and I hope to be a target member here for a long time to come."
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