Real life
‘People thought I was pregnant’ WHEN PEOPLE ASSUMED LUCY ROBERTSON, 34, WAS HAVING A BABY, SHE VOWED TO GET RID OF HER BELLY FOR GOOD
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fter polishing off a huge portion of lasagne, I hauled myself off the settee to pile my plate up again. It wasn’t like I had anything else to do. Most evenings were the same – a night in front of the telly, scoffi ng. Since moving from Kent to Oxford for a new job as a music teacher, I’d been really lonely. Cooking for one is depressing so I’d just get a takeaway. And if I did make something I’d usually have seconds. My size 14 clothes were Left: Me at starting to get tight and I knew the my largest weight was creeping on. With Right: My missing my mates and not having a huge bum boyfriend, getting fat was the last thing I needed! ‘I’m so fed up, Mum,’ I’d moan down the Oh my phone. We’d always been close but now I called God, he her twice a day, desperate for a chat. must ‘Do you think you might be a bit depressed, think love? Maybe you should see a doctor,’ she said. I’m My GP put me on antidepressants and they pregnant! really helped. I joined a gym, met new people, ‘I’m not pregnant – I’m just fat,’ I got a social life and joined a slimming club. said with a fake laugh. By the time Michael chatted me up on a I’d had the odd jibe in the past about the night out with my new mates, in September size of my bum, but this was a new low. 2003, I’d lost two stone. Things were on the ‘Let’s go,’ I said to Michael. There was up, my lonely nights were a thing of the nothing anyone could say to make me feel past and I didn’t need antidepressants better. any more. By now I knew that I needed Michael and I loved dining out, help to diet, so I joined my local so I soon put all the weight back Rosemary Conley Club in on – and another stone on top. February 2008. A week later, I’d By 2004, I was 15 stone and a lost six pounds and weighed 14 size 18. stone. It had taken me weeks to Although Michael showered lose that in the past. There were me with compliments I feared my Above: Our times when I gave in to temptation size might put him off. So, when big day and every six weeks we’d have a he proposed in March 2006, I was takeaway curry. Despite our treats I the happiest woman ever. lost a stone in the first three months. I tried to lose weight for the wedding but I started going to aerobics three times a my efforts resulted in me losing just seven week and I loved it so much that in 2009 I pounds over eight months. But I still felt like a trained to be an aerobics teacher. By that beautiful bride in my size 14/16 gown. November I’d reached my goal weight of 10 We went on a Caribbean cruise for our stone six pounds after losing four stone. Now honeymoon and I came home having gained I’m a size eight on top and a 12 bottom. extra pounds. I had wanted to slap that barman. Now I Then on a night out down our local pub, feel like I should thank him for giving me the the cruel truth hit me. shove I needed to lose weight for good. ‘Hey love, do you want to buy a buggy?’ the barman asked me. A buggy? Why would I ● Visit rosemaryconley.com to find your nearest Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Club. want to buy a buggy? I didn’t have a child… OK.CO.UK
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