A NURSE managed to shed seven stone after feeling completely 'mortified' when she bent over at work and burst through her PPE.
Sarah Wynter, 40, from Hereford, admitted that her size 22 frame made her demanding 12-hour shifts as an intensive care nurse even more difficult.
"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," she explained.
To keep her energy up, she’d reach for sugary snacks, which ended up adding to her weight.
While working through the pandemic, the mum-of-two saw firsthand the devastating impact that carrying extra weight had on people.
And weighing 17 stone herself, she knew it was time to make a change.
She joined Slimming World in January 2020 and has since shrunk to a size 10 after losing 7st, swapping her 2XL nursing uniform for a small.
Sarah said: "Working as an NHS nurse is intense both mentally and physically.
"I would leave each shift on my knees - totally and utterly exhausted."
The personal protective equipment (PPE) Sarah wore made her feel "sweat so profusely" that she would have to change her scrubs every time she went for a break.
Sarah described working in the intensive therapy unit (ITU) during the Covid-19 pandemic as a "scary experience".
She added "I often worried about how well I’d be able to fight off the virus if I caught it.
"I knew that obesity was a contributing factor for many people who struggled with Covid," she added.
"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.'
"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."
New research from Slimming World reveals that 71 per cent of people who try a 'fad' diet end up failing to achieve their weight loss goals.
They found that 11 per cent of people on these diets actually end up gaining weight.
For Sarah, the turning point came when her hospital received new hazmat suits.
The box was marked "one size" which instantly worried her.
"I did manage to get the suit on, but the first time I bent over it ripped from my neck down to my bottom," she said.
"I laughed it off with everyone else in the room but inside I was mortified," she added.
Sarah lives with her husband John, 49, a farmer, and their children Alfie, 18, and Maisey, 14.
I'm the best version of myself for my patients - and I'm the best version of myself for me and my family too
Sarah Wynter
Her previous diet included pastries or bacon sausage for breakfast, chips with lunch, and takeaway for dinner — with half a packet of biscuits as a mid-morning snack.
After deciding to lose weight, she made big changes.
Now, she starts her day with fruit and yoghurt, has soup or a jacket potato with salad for lunch, and finishes with a homemade stir-fry for dinner.
Since achieving her major weight loss, Sarah has been crowned Miss Slinky 2023, an award given by Slimming World to the member who has made the most impressive transformation.
Alongside Slimming World's diet, Sarah enjoys regularly hiking in the hills near her home.
Sarah's diet before
Breakfast: Pastries, toast with lots of butter or a bacon and sausage baguette
Mid-morning: Half a pack of biscuits
Lunch: Pre-made baguette and chips, pizza or quiche and chips
Dinner: A takeaway such as Chinese, fried chicken or burger
Snacks: Chocolate, cakes, biscuits
Sarah's diet now
Breakfast: Fresh fruit and yogurt or grilled bacon medallions with eggs
Lunch: Soup and salad, pasta dishes or jacket potato and salad
Snack: Hummus with crudites
Dinner: Sweet and sour chicken with noodles, stir fry veg and air fryer chips
Snacks: Fruit, Slimming World Hi-Fi bars, lean meat, boiled eggs, cheese
"After a lifetime of restrictive diets, I couldn't believe that I'd be able to lose weight without going hungry," she said.
"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."
