Jade Simmonds, 42, tipped the scales at 17 stone at her heaviest around two years ago after living on Chinese and Indian takeaways. She fell out of love with her job in social housing and said she “hated the way (she) looked and felt”.
But, during the first COVID-19 lockdown, Jade tackled the bulge and shed seven stone – nearly half of her bodyweight – in around 18 months.
The mum of three, from Hazelrigg, Tyne and Wear, ditched the takeaways for healthy home-cooked meals and also quit her job.
Now she weighs 10 stone, eats 2,600 calories a day and is happy in her position with Northumbrian Water Group.
Speaking to Chronicle Live, the married mum said: “I hated the way I looked and felt about myself. I just couldn’t bear the reality of my reflection so I turned my bedroom mirror around to face the wall. I had hit a really low point.
“Nothing fit me – even my comfort clothes were too tight. But to add insult to injury, it got to the point where I couldn’t fasten the buckle on a pair of my favourite shoes.
“It was almost this realisation that I could no longer glamorise or dress up what was actually going on; my struggle had reached the surface.”
Jade, originally from London, fought her insecurities in the first lockdown as she realised she had been “living a life of complacency and convenience”.
The super slimmer continued: “I had this epiphany where I just thought how big do I have to get before I actually do something about it?
“I remember taking a hard look at the facts: lockdown had hit, I didn’t have a commute taking up my mornings or evenings anymore, takeaways were shut… I needed to take accountability for my actions.
“It was those honest conversations with myself that really sparked my weight loss journey. I knew I hadn’t put the weight on overnight so I understood I couldn’t lose it overnight.”
And the brave mother battled to get fitter. In the emotional 18 months that followed, Jade went from a size 20 to a size 10.
Jade, who signed up to Team RH’s Life Plan, said: “I hung a size 16 dress above my scales in the bathroom for motivation. I was determined to get back into it – I quite literally had my eyes on the prize.
“It was a work dress that made me feel professional and confident and I wanted to feel that way again when looking for another job and going for interviews.
“I remember my husband stepping foot in the house after working away for a while – I’d dropped four stone since the last time he’d seen me in person and his reaction was absolutely amazing; he was speechless.
“That proved to me how far I’ve come.
“Being on Team RH’s plan, which properly taught me about food and provided access to a no-foods-barred recipe database, is what really changed my mindset towards my eating habits after all those years.
“I learned I don’t need to restrict myself.
“One of the best things to come out of this has been the ability to genuinely laugh and smile again – actually feeling true happiness from the inside out, without worrying if my belly is shaking or not.
“It’s funny how things hit you differently when you’re at a point of really wanting change.”
Today, Jade admits that she lives a happier and healthier life with her children and husband.
She said: “One of the best things to come out of this has been the ability to genuinely laugh and smile again – actually feeling true happiness from the inside out, without worrying if my belly is shaking or not.
“As a family, we make conscious choices to live sustainably. For example, we maintain healthy portion sizes and are more active.
“We’re always adventuring together which is a sharp contrast to the life we led when I was overweight.”
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Originally Appeared Here