‘I was so fat I didn’t recognise myself in a photo’, says mum who’s shed 7.5st and shares top weight loss tips
A mum-of-three who weighed almost 16st has revealed how she lost 7.5st after she didn’t recognise herself in a photo.
Natalie Brannigan, 35, from Chesterfield, suffered from crippling postnatal depression which saw her gain 5st in a year.
At her biggest, she wore size 20 clothes and gorged on four takeaways per week, along with share-size packets of crisps and chocolate.
It wasn’t until she didn’t recognise herself in a photo that she decided to take action and lose weight.
Now, Natalie weighs 8st 6.5lbs and is a slim size 8 and says: “I’m the most confident I’ve ever been.”
Growing up, Natalie, who is 5ft 1in, always used food as a crutch and struggled with her size.
Natalie says: “I tried every diet under the sun, but I could never stick to them.
“I hovered around a size 14-16.”
Eventually, aged 20, Natalie was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome – a condition which affects ovary function and can cause weight gain.
She also suffered from endometriosis – a disease where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries.
Natalie explains: “All those years that I’d spent struggling with my weight now made sense.”
After three failed operations to remove the endometriosis tissue, Natalie was told the devastating news that she would never have children.
But in 2011, Natalie and her partner fell pregnant with their son, Connor, now 12.
Natalie says: “After Connor was born, I joined Slimming World and lost 2st.
“I loved it as the plan meant that I could still eat big portions.”
In 2015, Natalie fell pregnant with her second son, Reggie, now seven, and carried on attending to make sure she didn’t gain too much weight.
In February 2019, having stopped Slimming World, she gave birth to her daughter, Violet, now five.
Natalie says: “After my previous two pregnancies, [I thought] I’d been fine.
“But this time, I developed crippling postnatal depression.
“I was exhausted every day and had no energy to do anything.
“I couldn’t be bothered to cook and lost any motivation to eat healthily.”
Around one in 10 women suffer postnatal depression.
Along with doing no exercise, Natalie would binge on four takeaways per week, followed by share-size packets of crisps and chocolate.
When she did cook, it’d be frozen food or microwave meals.
Within a year, Natalie gained 5st, reaching 15st 13.5lbs.
She remembers: “I couldn’t walk up the stairs or play with my children without getting out of breath.
“Whenever I visited the doctor, they told me to lose weight.
“I knew it was true. I was scared of dying young and not being there for my children.
“But life was terrifying and bleak, and I couldn’t see a way out.”
Natalie lost all confidence and only wore black, baggy clothes.
How to lose weight safely
Losing weight should be a long-term commitment to healthier living, rather than any drastic measures.
The NHS tips – which can be adopted slowly – include:
- Get active for 150 minutes a week – you can break this up into shorter sessions
- Aim to get your 5 A Day – 80g of fresh, canned or frozen fruit or vegetables count as 1 portion
- Aim to lose 1 to 2lbs, or 0.5 to 1kg, a week
- Read food labels – products with more green colour coding than amber and red are often a healthier option
- Swap sugary drinks for water – if you do not like the taste, add slices of lemon or lime for flavour
- Cut down on food that’s high in sugar and fat – start by swapping sugary cereal for wholegrain alternatives
- Share your weight loss plan with someone you trust – they can help motivate you when you have a bad day
Read about:
- The five fat loss foundations
- The calorie formula for weight loss
- The perfect portion sizes for meals to lose weight
- Sun Health’s 8-week weight loss kick start plan
She hated clothes shopping because nothing would fit, and avoided wearing a swimming costume in public.
Natalie says: “Afraid of meeting new people, I barely left the house.
“I was convinced they’d judge me for my size.”
When Violet was 10 months old, Natalie attended a support group for women who’d experienced postnatal depression and slowly, she began to feel better.
When the group finished, the mums had their picture taken.
Natalie explains: “When the picture was emailed to me, I thought it was a lovely photo, but I couldn’t recognise one woman.
“Then I realised it was me.
“I was horrified and burst out crying. I was so overweight, I hadn’t even recognised myself.
“I knew I needed to make a change if not for me, for my children.
“They deserved a happy and healthy mum.”
During lockdown in 2020, Natalie swapped out crisps and chocolate for fruits and vegetables, and sugars in her coffee became sweeteners.
In a year, she lost a stone.
Natalie says: “Those small swaps made a huge difference, but I knew I needed support to lose anything more.
Natalie says: “Those small swaps made a huge difference, but I knew I needed support to lose anything more.
“In May 2021, I re-joined Slimming World. I ate whatever I wanted, but in moderation.”
Within three months, she’d lost 2st.
Natalie says: “People started complimenting me, telling me how much younger I looked. It was really motivating.”
She then started walking and using a weighted hula hoop every day.
The following year, in 2022, she underwent a hysterectomy, which alleviated her painful endometriosis symptoms.
Natalie says: “I was determined to keep my weight down.”
In September last year, Natalie reached 8st 6.5lbs and has been maintaining her 7.5st loss ever since.
Determined to stay on track, she continued Slimming World and has recently become a consultant herself.
Natalie says: “I now love running around after my children and going on long walks.
“I even enjoy clothes shopping because I don’t have to worry that nothing will fit.
“I’m so much healthier, physically and mentally, and I can’t wait to help others.”
Natalie's diet before and after
DIET BEFORE
BREAKFAST – Four slices of white toast with butter
LUNCH – Cheese or tuna sandwich with crisps and a chocolate bar
DINNER – Chinese takeaway
SNACKS – Biscuits, crisps, chocolate
DIET AFTER
BREAKFAST – Fruit and yoghurt
LUNCH – Homemade leek and potato soup
DINNER – Homemade Chinese food or curries
SNACKS – Hi-fi bar from Slimming World or fruit