A mother-of-two has told how her postnatal depression led to a ‘binge eating spiral’ that caused her to gain 6 stone 7 lbs.
Christine McMullan, 29, from Ballymena, Northern Ireland, began gaining weight after the birth of her daughter Abbie in December 2011, but after her second child was born three years later she went up to 19 stone 7 Ibs and a size 20.
When Lily was born in August 2014, there were complications with her birth which led to Christine being diagnosed with postnatal depression in December that year.
The stay-at-home mother, who had previously been 13 stone and a size 10 to 12, began binge-eating and barely left the house for a year as she felt so insecure about her weight.
Christine McMullan, 29, from Ballymena, Northern Ireland, began gaining weight after the birth of her daughter Abbie in December 2011 (left) but is now a healthier size 16 (right)
Then, in 2015, she came across a picture of herself at a friend’s baby shower which served as a ‘wake-up call for her and inspired her to join Slimming World.
Christine’s new diet target to take 10,000 steps a day, helped her slim to 16 stone and UK size 14 and she now has the confidence to be an active mum with her daughters.
‘I’ve always struggled with my weight, through high school and at university and after getting pregnant with my eldest, I piled on the weight but managed to lose some after giving birth,’ Christine said.
‘After the birth of my second daughter, she had several medical issues which led to a lot of comfort eating for me and being diagnosed with postnatal depression.
‘I’m still on medication for this, but I think between medication and eating better and being more active both for myself and doing things with my children, has definitely helped my frame of mind.
Christine’s daughter Abbie holding her baby sister Lily. When Lily was born in August 2014, there were complications with her birth which led to Christine being diagnosed with postnatal depression in December that year
Christine pictured 33 weeks pregnant with Lily. The stay-at-home mother, who had previously been 13 stone and a size 10 to 12, began binge-eating and barely left the house for a year as she felt so insecure about her weight
Christine before her weight loss. The stay-at-home mother went up to 19 stone 7 Ibs and a size 20 after her second child was born in 2014
‘With my postnatal depression, I was barely leaving the house and just wanted to be with my children twenty-four-seven, without them leaving my sight.
‘I was doing no exercise and just constantly eating to make myself feel better. This made me feel worse when I saw how much weight I was putting on which would lead to me eating more to feel better.
‘It caused lots of comfort eating. I would binge eat chocolate and order takeaways as it felt like too much effort to cook.
‘I wasn’t happy with my body at all; I wasn’t in a great state of mind and never wanted to go out with my friends and their children.
Christine at her heaviest. ‘With my postnatal depression, I was barely leaving the house and just wanted to be with my children twenty-four-seven, without them leaving my sight,’ she recalled
Christine before losing the weight. She said: ‘I was doing no exercise and just constantly eating to make myself feel better. This made me feel worse when I saw how much weight I was putting on which would lead to me eating more to feel better’
‘I felt like people would stare at me as I had piled on so much weight. I felt so uncomfortable and not ‘like myself’ at all.
‘After seeing a picture of myself at a friend’s baby shower, I felt so embarrassed. I cried at seeing it and saved it on my phone, then decided to join Slimming World.
‘It still took a few weeks before I plucked up the courage to go to a group. I felt tired all the time, my skin was always breaking out. I didn’t want to be the mum who couldn’t play with her kids due to her weight.
‘I count “syns” now through Slimming World, instead of binge eating chocolate or takeaways. I’ve changed small things, like oil to fry-light, I cut the fat off my meat and I eat a lot more vegetables.’
Christine went to Disneyland with her daughters earlier this year and is grateful that she is finally able to run after them and play with them since losing weight
Christine (pictured showing off her new figure) said of her diet: ‘I gave up chocolate in all forms; biscuits, bars, cake, milkshake, ice cream etc. People can’t believe how different I look now compared to just a few short years ago’
Christine’s size 20 clothes no longer fit her. She says the most difficult part about losing weight was resisting the temptation of chocolate, which was her weakness
Christine explains that her weight loss hasn’t just improved her physical appearance, but it has also helped with her ongoing medical issues.
‘I had high blood pressure (genetic) which was always high before losing weight, even though I was on medication for it. Since losing weight it has stabilised,’ she said.
‘I’m able to play with my girls, run after them, we went to Disneyland earlier this year and before I would panic about fitting on the rides, this time I was able to sit on the seats comfortably.
‘I don’t constantly feel tired and I can go into shops knowing what clothes size I am and feel more comfortable.
Christine says of her svelte new frame: ‘I don’t constantly feel tired and I can go into shops knowing what clothes size I am and feel more comfortable’
‘I still have weight to lose but I feel so much better about how I look, I’m in a much better frame of mind and I think eating healthily helps with that. Healthy body, healthy mind.’
Christine says the most difficult part about losing weight was resisting the temptation of chocolate, which was her weakness.
‘Chocolate has always been my biggest issue, I recently went one-hundred days chocolate-free and I’m thinking of doing another one-hundred days.
‘I gave up chocolate in all forms; biscuits, bars, cake, milkshake, ice cream etc. People can’t believe how different I look now compared to just a few short years ago.’
For more information call 0344 897 8000 or visit slimmingworld.co.uk