A MOTHER who piled on the pounds after complications having twins has lost more than seven stone in fifteen months.
A MOTHER who piled on the pounds after complications having twins has lost more than seven stone in fifteen months.
Michelle Summers has managed to drop eight dress sizes after changing her eating habits since joining a slimming club.
The 35-year-old from Ipswich has managed to lose more than the weight of her 13-year-old son since deciding to embark on the weight-loss programme with Slimming World in September last year and is now enjoying her hobby of horse riding again.
Mrs Summers, who lives with her husband John and three children in Browning Road, used to weigh 17 stone 11 lb but has now dropped down to ten stone six lb.
The former ice-cream vendor admitted she used to indulge too much on the treat she sold and has cut out chocolate, burgers and chips from her diet and replaced them with salads and poached fish.
She said that when she had her twins at the age of 21 she had pre-eclampsyia and was given steroid injections causing her to gain weight which she found difficult to lose.
But the final crunch came when she went to the doctors with her husband who suffers heart problems and he was told he was obese. As she weighed more she decided enough was enough.
Mrs Summers, who competes in horses riding competitions through the Newton Hall Equitation Centre in Swilland, said: “Previously I could only go on the large horses usually reserved for the men, and my weight meant that I had use a mounting block - now I can ride any horse and can get on them from the ground.
“I have been show jumping at the stables and I have even done cross-country since I lost the weight - I was placed 12th in a mini one day event.”
She has been named Slimmer of the Year at the group in Highfield Approach, Ipswich.
PANEL
Immediate symptoms of being overweight or obese can include:
Breathlessness
Difficulty sleeping
Inability to cope with sudden physical activity
Back and joint pains
In the longer term, carrying too much extra weight can increase the risk of illnesses including:
High blood pressure
Heart disease and stroke
High cholesterol levels
Breast cancer in women
Gall bladder disease
Diabetes
Reduced life expectancy
Source: www.nhs.uk
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