Slimming World’s ‘biggest loser’ sheds staggering 18st after nearly ‘eating herself to death’
WEIGHING in at 29.8st, Karina Dunford felt ashamed to leave the house because of her size.
The 37-year-old had to be washed and dressed by her husband and was in a spiral of comfort eating and drinking.
In January 2018 Karina, who lives in Bridegend was a size 32 and said she felt bullied and as though no one cared about her because of her size.
Before Karina joined she would binge on fried foods and sugar.
Karina said she was "eating herself to death" and that at her biggest, her husband Ian had to wash and dress her.
Her usual breakfast would consist of a fry up, followed by chocolate, biscuits and washed down with full sugar soft drinks such as cola.
Then lunch would be anything from pizza, chips, burger or fried chicken.
At dinner she would gorge on Chinese takeaways, burgers or fried chicken.
Aside from having three large meals a day, Karina would then snack on 15 cans of full sugar cola - that equates to 495g of sugar a day - the NHS says you should have no more than 30g of sugar each day.
Karina has now turned her life around after joining Slimming World and has lost 18st - gaining the crown of Slimming World's Greatest Loser.
The crown is awarded to the member who has lost the greatest amount of weight across all Slimming World groups in the UK and Ireland.
She said: “I was so unhappy and my health was getting worse by the day. I just wanted to stay in every day with my husband Ian and never wanted to leave the house.
"I had a rough time when I was overweight. I felt that I embarrassed my whole family.
"I was bullied and felt that no one cared about me.
“I’d tried many diets and could never get my head into it. I knew I needed help and heard about Slimming World. In January 2018 I told my family that I wanted to join.”
She says the skills she has learnt at Slimming World have helped her to swap fatty takeaways to delicious home-cooked meals.
Karina added: "Before I joined Slimming World I was eating takeaways, especially Chinese, every night and comfort eating chocolate every day. Now my daily menu has completely changed.
"I plan all my meals for the week and stick with it. My favourite meals are spaghetti Bolognese or chilli con carne with lots of vegetables. I also love the Slimming World Iceland meals and enjoy them with lots of extra veg too."
Karina now loves how loosing weight has made her feel and has even encouraged her mum and brother to join the Slimming World programme.
As well as changing her eating habits, Karina has been able to make other healthy lifestyle choices that have all help her build confidence.
She said: "I never used to do any exercise. I would just stay in the house.”
In order to boost her exercise levels, Karina took parts in Slimming World's Body Magic programme which encourages members to take small steps and gradually build up to being active at least 150 minutes a week as part of their daily routine.
Karina added: “Now I go to the gym, I do workouts, go swimming and take long walks.
“I changed my whole life by joining Slimming World. Since losing weight my husband Ian and I have a much better life.
"Now I have the confidence to do things for myself and Ian doesn’t have to care for me. I’m so proud that I’ve reached my target weight and made so many friends at Slimming World.”
Karina is now a size 10 and has now swapped pizza for salad and chocolate for overnight oats she lost 18 stone over the space of 28 months.
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Her Slimming World coach in Bridgend, Rhian Sassoon-Hale said Karina is the most determined member.
"She’s set her mind to achieve her goals week after week and made changes that means she’ll be slim for life.
"She’s completely transformed her health and it’s truly wonderful to see how much happier and more confident she is in everything.
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"Everyone in the group is proud of her and what she’s achieved.”