A woman diagnosed with type two diabetes lost eight and a half stone by cleaning up her diet.
Elma Prendergast, from Portlaoise in Co Laois, has now successfully reversed her illness through weight loss.
The 38-year-old told the Irish Mirror: “When I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I had to go on a controlled diet. I started putting on a lot of weight.
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“Diabetes is quite strong on my side of the family, so I didn’t want to go any further, so that’s why I started Slimming World.”
The mum-of-three added: “I started putting weight on after I had my kids, then the diabetes.
“That would have been back in 2013, I tried to control it myself but it wasn’t working, I was told if I didn’t start losing weight rapidly I would be put on tablets for life.
"It took me four years to lose eight and a half stone.”
When she was size 26 she detested getting her picture taken.
She said: “I hated getting my photo taken, I would hide behind people so as not to be seen.
“I went from size 26 to a size 14, so I’ve dropped six dress sizes.”
Going out she felt ashamed: “I used to go out with my sisters out on the town and see girls really dressed up and I was dressing frumpy.
“My confidence was shattered, I could never wear jeans or nice clothes, I would stand behind people in a picture or I just wouldn’t get into one.
“Everyday tasks were very hard. I work as a cleaner and getting up and down the stairs was so hard.
“It used to take my breath away getting up and down the stairs.
Joining Slimming World she turned over a new leaf: “I started watching what I was eating and became more conscious of what I put in my body.
“Even for my dad’s birthday I was looking at the menu thinking ‘which is low sins?’.
“But I rarely eat take away anymore, we make our own fake aways at the weekend,
“My hubby Paul makes a mean curry and we really enjoy the healthier versions of our favourite dishes now.”
Now her confidence is “really high” since losing the weight.
“People come up to me in the shops who I haven’t seen in years and they tell me I look great and they’re going ‘wow how small you’ve gotten’, compared to what I used to be.
“Now I love going into Penneys and finding a nice outfit that fits me.
“I used to have to go to Evans or Dorothy Perkins. I could never just go into a normal shop.”
Working as a cleaner keeps her active: “My job is very active, there’s no rest for me as a cleaner, the size of the places I work and clean in are huge.
“I work in the ESB, the depot, mopping, cleaning, the toilets, I’ve a very active job.
“My daughter is so proud of me and says she wants to be like me.
“I can walk anywhere now and go for miles without being out of breath.
“The diabetes has reversed now because of the weight loss.
“My dream is to have a tummy tuck done, I’m looking it up at the moment.
“The loose skin still bothers me but I can hide it better now.
"A tummy tuck would give me that extra boost in confidence.”
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