A mother who struggled with obesity when she turned to food as a comfort to help her through grief has shed 10 stone, despite eating double the amount of food she used to.
Laura Campbell, 34, from Port Glasgow, Inverclyde tipped the scales at a whopping 22st 6lbs after gorging on greasy burgers, pies, chips and chocolate for most of her life.
She said her gut-busting diet came about as a consequence of grief and comfort eating following the loss of loved ones.
But Laura’s eating problem spiralled out of control up until the point where she was too scared to board a plane – in case she wouldn’t fit into the seat.
She finally joined a slimming group and began to educate herself about the types of food she was eating.
Laura then learnt to transform her diet and has now shed a staggering 10st despite admitting that she now eats twice as much.
Laura Campbell, 34, from Port Glasgow, Inverclyde has lost more than 10 stone by eating healthier versions of her favourite dishes and now consumes double the amount of food
Laura Campbell tipped the scales at a whopping 22st 6lbs thanks to a diet of greasy burgers, pies, chips and chocolate
Her incredible weight loss has also seen her drop an impressive eight dress sizes, allowing her to finally go on holiday and wear the clothes she desires.
Laura said: ‘I was always the chubby one at school.
‘I would hate going shopping for clothes. I would always have to go in the ‘fat people shop’ but now I can scrub up not too bad in some better shops.
‘I went from size 26/28 to 12/14 which is my dream weight.
The mother-of-one joined Slimming World and learned how to balance her healthy meals with the occasional treat
Before she lost weight, Laura (left) was scared to go on holiday in case she wouldn’t fit into the plane seat. Now, some people don’t even recognise her following her incredible transformation (right)
‘I’m eating double the amount of food – just the healthy type. I eat more food now than ever.
‘I never feel hungry as I make sure I food optimise with free and speed foods with all meals breakfast, lunch and dinner.
‘My choice of foods I eat now are lean choices whereas before I wouldn’t have bothered about fat content.
‘I have lean meats and fish as it needs to be five per cent less fat but also pasta, potatoes and noodles. I also eat three meals a day rather than one.’
Laura, who is a mother to Euan, eight, took it upon herself to sign up with her local Slimming World Group in Boglestone Community Center.
It came after her weight spiralled out of control due to family grief and comfort eating.
Laura explained: ‘It was such a difficult time when I lost my grandad in October 2015 and my nana passed away shortly after that.
Laura and her Slimming World Group leader Joanne Smith can both fit into a pair of the old trousers she used to wear
‘My stepdad was also diagnosed with mouth and throat cancer the week before my grandfather passed away so it was a very difficult time.’
But going through these hard times also gave her the motivation she needed.
She added: ‘We were planning a family holiday. It was then I thought ‘right I need to get a grip’ because I did not want to not fit into a plane seat.’
Laura has credited much of her incredible achievement to the support she received from her son Euan and friends at her slimming group.
The mother-of-one turned to food for comfort after her stepfather was diagnosed with cancer a week before her grandfather died
And she now reckons some people don’t even recognise her following her incredible transformation.
The clerical officer and mum of one added: ‘When I was losing weight, my son would keep saying ‘mummy don’t lose my cuddle tummy’.
‘It was because every time he would cuddle me, he could barely get his hands to the side of me.
‘It feels amazing to lose weight, I can run to the park with him and I don’t run out of breath.
‘I discovered you can have anything you like, but just trim the fat. I can still snack but I would add it to my syns – daily treats.
Laura would survive on little more than coffee and a bowl of soup all day but would snack on chocolate before eating a fatty dinner such as burger and chips
‘It’s quite funny because I am now eating more but I have lost much more weight, even though I no longer feel hungry.’
Laura said she wants to share her story to inspire others to make healthy lifestyle choices.
She added: ‘I stand tall now, I have my head held high.
‘If I inspire one person then they can achieve something great. It’s nice to feel like a new person.
Laura has slimmed down from a size size 26 to 28 to and now wears size 12 to 14 clothing
‘Even my BMI went from 43/44 to 25 which is a much healthier BMI.’
Joanne Smith, who runs Laura’s Slimming World group, said she is an inspiration to everyone.
She said: ‘Laura is amazing. She takes everything step by step and even if she had a knock she never let it get her down.
‘Her positivity is very inspiring to everyone in the group. I’ve never known anyone so determined in my life.’
The mother-of-one couldn’t shop in regular high streets stores because of her frame