- Kym Ellis, 30, weighed nearly 18st and wore size 24 clothes
- Saw photos at wedding and was horrified
- Joined slimming club and now weighs 12st 5lb and is size 12
- Practises Zumba and pole classes
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A mother dropped six dress sizes after being embarrassed by a photo taken at her best friend’s wedding.
Kym Ellis, 30, of Chessington, weighed nearly 18st and wore a size 24 when she attended the wedding.
Mortified that she appeared so overweight in the photographs from the special day, she joined a slimming club and dropped from 17st 11lb to 12st 5lb over the course of a year.
Inspiration: When in 2012 Mrs Ellis’s best friend, Laura Renous, right, announced she was getting married, Mrs Ellis resolved to lose weight in time for the wedding, but despite her intentions she kept putting weight on. This picture at the wedding was the final straw
Slimming down: Kym Ellis, 30, weighed nearly 18st and wore size 24 clothes when she attended the wedding. She now weighs 12st 5lbs and wears size 12, pictured here after the weight loss
Today, Mrs Ellis, a full-time mother to Pheobe, three, her daughter with husband Steve Ellis, 35, a software tester, can fit into size 12 clothing.
She said: ‘I really struggled to find an outfit for the day that I was comfortable in. Although it was wonderful to see my best friend get married, I was upset that I didn’t look nicer in the pictures.
‘I was disappointed that I had let myself get to that point.’
Mrs Ellis saw her weight pile on in her late teens and her waistline became only more difficult to manage after she fell pregnant with Phoebe.
She said: ‘When I was pregnant I made the usual excuse that I was “eating for twoâ€. At the time I was working for a building company, covering arrangements for the whole of the south east of England, so I travelled around quite a lot, which meant I grabbed food where I could, often quite unhealthy treats.
Pregnancy: Mrs Ellis saw her weight pile on in her late teens and her waistline became only more difficult to manage after she fell pregnant with Phoebe, pictured, but she’s managed to shift it now
Working out: As well as adopting a healthier new diet, Kym began Zumba and pole-dancing classes at her local gym to help her shift the excess pounds
Family: Today, Mrs Ellis, a full-time mother to Pheobe, three, her daughter with husband Steve Ellis, 35, a software tester, can fit into size 12 clothing
‘The sandwich van came around at lunchtime to the office and I had a Belgian bun almost every day. I ended up putting on more than 4st as a result of my pregnancy.
‘As Phoebe grew up I found it increasingly difficult to keep up with her when she ran around.’
When in 2012 Mrs Ellis’s best friend, Laura Renous, 30, announced she was getting married, Mrs Ellis resolved to lose weight in time for the wedding, but despite her intentions she kept putting weight on.
She said: ‘I knew she was getting married well in advance. I always said to myself I would lose the weight.
Support: Kym, pictured with supportive husband Steve, swapped the stodgy convenience foods she was used to for healthier, portion-controlled options and within six weeks she lost more than a stone
As she was: Horrified by this wedding photo, Mrs Ellis joined her local slimming group six weeks after the wedding in the summer of 2013 and while she was initially terrified, she began to lose weight and feel more confident
‘I was disappointed in myself that I hadn’t made more of an effort. In the photo of me stood next to her, I think I look pregnant. It wasn’t a very nice feeling.’
Horrified, Mrs Ellis joined her local slimming group six weeks after the wedding in the summer of 2013. She said: ‘I hadn’t weighed myself properly for years until my first day at Slimming World. When I saw the scales read 17st 11lb I was absolutely terrified.
‘I hadn’t known what to expect, but I never dreamed I’d let things get that bad.’
She swapped the stodgy convenience foods she was used to for healthier, portion-controlled options and within six weeks she lost more than a stone.
Old diet: Before starting her weight loss regime, Mrs Ellis typically ate toast with butter and marmite for breakfast, followed by two cheese and pickle sandwiches for lunch, and an evening meal of a large portion of chicken curry from a jar, complete with naan bread
New diet: Today, she typically eats Weetabix with fruit for breakfast, followed by a homemade Chicken tikka salad for lunch with yogurt and fruit for pudding. For her evening meal she might eat a regular-sized portion of chicken and mushroom noodles
She said: ‘The first few days were difficult but today I don’t consider it a diet. It’s more a lifestyle change. I’ve put the excuse of “eating for two†firmly behind me.’
Before starting her weight loss regime, Mrs Ellis typically ate toast with butter and marmite for breakfast, followed by two cheese and pickle sandwiches for lunch, and an evening meal of a large portion of chicken curry from a jar, complete with naan bread, with chocolate mousse for dessert.
She would snack constantly throughout the day on chocolate digestive biscuits, cakes and crisps.
Today, she typically eats Weetabix with fruit for breakfast, followed by a homemade Chicken tikka salad for lunch with yogurt and fruit for pudding. For her evening meal she might eat a regular-sized portion of chicken and mushroom noodles.
She rarely snacks, but when she does she eats soft fruits like nectarines and mangos. Having achieved so much, Mrs Ellis is determined to reach her target weight of 11st.
Old her: Mrs Ellis is motivated to stick to her programme by staying in touch with a fellow slimmer, with whom she swaps inspirational tips and recipe ideas and she doesn’t want to slip back to her old ways
She said: ‘I love Zumba and I recently started pole classes, which are great fun. When I was larger I never would have thought in a million years that I would do something like pole exercises.’
Mrs Ellis is motivated to stick to her programme by staying in touch with another close friend and fellow slimmer, Michelle Leivers, 32, with whom she swaps inspirational tips and recipe ideas.
She said: ‘Michelle’s slightly ahead of me at the moment but I know I’ll get there. I’m very determined. Losing weight has made an amazing difference to my life. I’m much calmer now, even though I’m busy raising a three-year-old child. I’m much more comfortable in my own skin.
‘I never shy away from the camera now. In my old life there were several occasions where we would go on trips and there were no pictures of me because I couldn’t bare to have my photograph taken. Now, I always make sure I’m in the pictures alongside my friends and family.’
DIET BEFORE
Breakfast: toast with butter and marmite
Lunch: Two cheese and pickle sandwiches
Dinner: Large portion of chicken curry from a jar, complete
with naan bread, with chocolate mousse for dessert
Snacks: Chocolate digestive biscuits, cakes
DIET AFTER
Breakfast: Weetabix with
fruit for breakfast
Lunch: Homemade Chicken tikka salad for
lunch with yogurt and fruit for pudding
Dinner: Regular-sized portion of chicken and mushroom noodles
Snacks: None
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The comments below have been moderated in advance.
Nancy13,
Akron,
moments ago
Wtg Kym! I enjoy the success stories of people who lose weight because they choose to, not because their partner shames them into it.
janie,
Avon, United States,
moments ago
Congratulations!! Great job, you look beautiful!
brightonmama,
brighton, United Kingdom,
38 minutes ago
Well done to her.
I have also lost over 5.5 stone since January, just by cutting out the rubbish I used to eat and its still coming off.
mera,
wakwak, Saint Kitts And Nevis,
48 minutes ago
She looks amazing, that’s lovely, keep it up you are gorgeous! !
Its me,,
In my house,
3 hours ago
Wow. Good on her!!
MrsW,
Wales, United Kingdom,
3 hours ago
Well done. I believe change of lifestyle not diet is the key!
Mushypeas,
London,
3 hours ago
Inspirational!! Well done! Great to read a weight loss story achieved through determination and perseverance rather than a surgeons knife.
laneysweb,
Devon, United Kingdom,
moments ago
jennifer,
ballito, South Africa,
3 hours ago
I cant see stories about fat people weight loss has anything to do with news ,if I wanted to read about it I would buy weight watchers mag , I did not read this article they are all the same !!
Max53,
Liverpool, United Kingdom,
51 minutes ago
Carol,
Surrey,
3 hours ago
Well done!!!!
Butternut57,
preston, United Kingdom,
3 hours ago
Well done, you look amazing.
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