A Widnes grandmother who was too big to ride and who felt ashamed of pictures during her dream vacation to Disneyland has made an incredible change.
Sharon Spruce, 48, weighed over 20th place in 2018 when a Disneyland vacation triggered her weight loss.
Grandma found she was too tall to do some rides and roller coasters at the theme park and suffered from joint pain while walking.
But after seeing a photo of herself, it turned out to be the final motivation to lose weight.
The 48-year-old has now fallen from size 28 to size 12 and has lost by 9th place overall.
She said, “I was on my dream vacation, but my weight was the only thing holding me back.
“I was hot, tired, in pain and to top it off, I couldn’t fit into some of the rides and roller coasters.
“I had a picture taken with Tinker Bell on Main Street and I was so sad when I saw it.
“I just knew it was now or never, so I made a promise there and then that I would do something about it – and I did.”
Sharon fell from 28 to 12
(Image: Sharon Spruce)
Sharon said she knew what she wanted and was determined to achieve her goals.
She said, “I’ve been on a yo-yo diet all my life and in the past I’ve lost weight but I would always get it all back quickly and more.
“The changes started there and then and I knew what I wanted and I was determined.
“A few months after getting back from Disney I started eating more sensibly and lost about 3 stones.
“I was happy, but I knew I had a long way to go and I hadn’t really changed my habits.
“I wanted to better understand my relationship with food and knew that I would need expert support if I was to be successful and reach a healthy weight goal for a lifetime.
“I knew this couldn’t be a quick fix.”
Sharon decided to change things and joined Slimming World in Widnes, led by Carli Hudson.
She said: “In February 2019 I signed up for Slimming World with Carli and was accepted into my new Slimming World family from day one.
“I’ve been losing weight slowly. Most weeks I’d be 1 pound or 2 pounds, and in a few weeks I wouldn’t lose any weight.
“I’ve learned that this is fine and that it is all part of a long learning process.
“With the support of my Slimming World friends and great family, I kept going and didn’t let any setbacks put me off.
“I’ve celebrated victories and listened to Carli and the members at 8:15 am every week, especially the other amazing target members, and I’ve started to really learn about myself and about healthy living.”
Sharon spoke about the benefits of her weight loss
(Image: Sharon Spruce)
Sharon noticed the benefits of her weight loss, both for her health and for her confidence.
She said, “As the weight dropped, my joints started to hurt less.
“I became more confident and gathered the courage to do some ‘body magic’ (practice).
“I started slowly and then ended up joining a local fitness group: the amazing diva Fit UK.
“Lockdown came, which for me, like many others, meant challenges that I normally would never have been able to prepare for.
“I’d love to eat, but this time, in the face of such a devastating time, I made a promise to myself that all I could do was control what I ate and how I took care of my body.
“The Slimming World group went online and every Saturday I joined my Slimming World family on Zoom.
“Diva Fit also went online so I would be taking a class in my dining room most days.
“These online groups are becoming so much more than just a support group and weight loss exercise class.”
“I reached my goal at the beginning of May and I’m still there now.
“I’ve downgraded dress sizes from 28 to 12 and lost 9th overall, but it’s the other perks that mean the most.
“I became a grandma in January and my new body and energy levels allow me to play with him all day.
“I should be going back to Disney this year, but it has to be postponed.
“But one thing is certain: I won’t regret it this time.”
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