A woman whose weight fluctuated from obese to skinny after losing 8st is finally healthy.
Alice Sparks, 32, became obsessed with controlling her food intake after she realised she was clinically obese.
The mother-of-two from Tiverton, Devon, reached 17st at her heaviest in 2007 but took her diet too far and her weight plummeted to just 7st 9lbs in 2014.
Eventually, the drastic weightloss took its toll on her body, and she became too exhausted to play with her two children.
This jolted her into getting healthy and she upped her portion sizes. Now Alice weighs 10st 7lbs and is a size 10.
Alice Sparks, 32, of Tiverton, Devon, pictured aged 20, left, when she was pregnant with her first child. Alice weighed 17st. Now Alice weighs 10st 7lbs and is a size 10, right
However, in between being overweight and reaching a healthy weight, she took her diet too far and her weight plummeted to just 7st 9lbs, left and right, when she was 24
Alice says: ‘My life was controlled by food and I was never happy with how I looked.
‘My hair was falling out and I never had the energy to play with my boys.
‘I realised that I couldn’t be a good mum while I was treating myself so poorly.
‘Now I never restrict my food; I eat what I fancy.’
Pharmacy assistant Alice had struggled with her weight since childhood when she’d nibble cheese straight from the fridge and scoff chocolate. As she got older, her eating habits got worse.
She says: ‘As soon as I started earning pocket money as a teen, I’d buy McDonald’s and pasties. I loved junk food.’
By the time she was 19 in 2004, Alice’s 5ft 6in frame was a size 16 and she weighed 13st.
Soon after she met her husband Patrick, now 36, on a night out and the pair fell in love. Patrick, a tyre fitter, accepted Alice for her weight.
She says: ‘Three months later, I discovered I was pregnant.
‘But I used the pregnancy as an excuse to indulge in my cravings of entire packets of biscuits and sausage rolls.’
Alice wore a size 22 and was classed as obese for her 5ft 6in frame back in 2007
Alice, pictured at her heaviest, said she used the pregnancy as an excuse to indulge in her cravings of entire packets of biscuits and sausage rolls
Alice pictured aged 24 with her sons (L-R) Edward, then four, and George, then two, after becoming extremely strict with her food portions. Alice weighed 7st 13lbs and was underweight for her 5ft 6in frame
The former 17st mum-of-two from Tiverton, Devon, took her diet too far and her weight plummeted to just 7st 9lbs
Her mum Georgina, 64, a former accountant, begged her daughter to eat more. Alice said: ‘I knew if I carried on, I’d leave my children without a mum and panic set in’ so she maintained a healthy weight, pictured
By the time the couple’s son Edward, now 12, was born in August 2005, she was 17st and a size 22.
She says: ‘I was 20 years old and felt disgusted with my body.
‘But looking after a newborn was exhausting, so I resorted to scoffing cheese and biscuits.
‘In the evenings, I’d order a Chinese takeaway.’
Four months later, Alice was a size 24 and 17st – and struggled to buy clothes in shops that fit her.
She says: ‘Patrick still found me attractive but I was embarrassed and miserable.
‘Faddy diets never worked and I just couldn’t shift the weight.’
Then Alice discovered she was pregnant, but sadly suffered a miscarriage, which she blamed on her weight. So in February 2006, she joined a local slimming club.
She says: ‘I swapped cheese and chocolate for salads and stir-fries – and lost 6st within six months. I felt great.
‘Two months later, I discovered I was pregnant again and I vowed to be healthy for my babies.’
At her biggest, Alice was a size 24 and 17st – and struggled to buy clothes in shops that fit her
She says: ‘I was 20 years old and felt disgusted with my body. But looking after a newborn was exhausting, so I resorted to scoffing cheese and biscuits’
Alice is pictured with her husband Patrick, now 36, who she met on a night out
As her pregnancy progressed, Alice refused to snack. By the time George, now 10, was born in August 2007, she hadn’t gained a single pound.
But Alice became obsessed with maintaining her weight and restricted her food to just 800 calories a day.
She says: ‘I’d eat porridge for breakfast and soup for lunch. It was no surprise that I got smaller and smaller.
‘Soon, I refused to go out for meals with Patrick as I worried I’d struggle to find low-calorie options on the menu.’
By November 2011, aged 26, Alice’s weight had plummeted to just 7st 9lb and her size six clothes hung off her gaunt frame.
Her mum Georgina, 64, a former accountant, begged her daughter to eat more – but Alice brushed off her concerns.
Alice pictured aged 22 when she was pregnant with her George, now 10
Alice pictured with (L-R) her mum Georgina, 63, and sons George, then 7, and Edward, then 5, when she was overcoming her struggles with food
The former 17st mum-of-two from Tiverton, Devon, pictured at her heaviest has now lost the weight
She says: ‘I thought she was being too cautious but Patrick warned me I was getting too thin.
‘That Christmas, I huddled on the sofa surrounded by blankets with the heating on full blast.
‘My hair was falling out and my cheekbones jutted out of my face.
‘As I watched my boys playing, too exhausted to join in, I realised that I’d taken my dieting too far.
‘I knew if I carried on, I’d leave my children without a mum and panic set in.’
That night, Alice made dinner for her family and served herself a large plate of pasta, forcing herself to eat every mouthful.
Alice, pictured now at a healthy weight, said: ‘I’m just pleased that I’m healthy for my children. Food controlled my life – I’ll never let that happen again’
Over the next few months, she upped her portion sizes and snacked on fruit.
She says: ‘It wasn’t easy but, with my hubby’s support, I slowly became a size 10 again.’
Now Alice weighs a healthy 10st 7lbs and is a slim size 10.
She says: ‘I’m finally happy with my body and love going for walks with my boys. It’s scary how my weight fluctuated from one extreme to the other.
‘But I’m just pleased that I’m healthy for my children. Food controlled my life – I’ll never let that happen again.’
For more information on eating disorders visit b-eat.co.uk