‘I’m so glad I di weight loss surg ‘INVALUABLE’ GROUP HELPS KIM FEEL FAB
BEFORE AFTER
KIM Ryan (34) is a stay-at-home mum to her four children Bobbie (eight), Ellie (seven), Louie (five) and Hailie (three).
She lives in Baldoyle, Dublin with her husband Luke and attends the Artane Slimming World group run by Susan Fitzgerald.
“I closed the lid on my laptop quickly, wanting to forget for a minute about what I’d been reading. My head was swimming with the information – was I really considering weight loss surgery?” Kim says.
“Its main appeal was that it seemed like a quick fix and after all the years I’d spent struggling with my weight, that sounded like exactly what I needed.
“From as early as I could remember, my weight had been an issue for me – right back to my school days. When I met my now-husband Luke my weight worries were pushed to the side for a while because I was happy and in love.
“And when I became pregnant with my eldest, Bobbie, in 2015, I used the pregnancy as a reason to indulge in some of my favourite treats like chocolate and biscuits. By the time Ellie came along a year later, I was so uncomfortable with my weight and desperate for help.
Busy
“That was when I discovered Slimming World for the first time – I found the plan so easy to fit into my busy life as a mum. I lost 5st and even attended throughout my third pregnancy with Louie. Everything was going so well and then in March 2020… Covid hit.
“The whole country went into lockdown and my inperson Slimming World group was closed. There was a virtual service on offer, but without the camaraderie of my Slimming World group and spending so much time at home, I really struggled.
“Juggling looking after three young children, having nowhere to go, homeschooling and the worry of the pandemic looming over us all the time, I fell back into old habits and found comfort in food. During this time I also fell pregnant with my fourth child, Hailie.
– desperate for a way to get back to the old Kim who felt happy in herself and had the energy to keep up with the children she loved so much. When I broached the idea with my family though, they were less than impressed.
“They were worried about potential complications and the lengthy recovery. After thinking things through I decided they were right – it wasn’t worth the risk. I’d never have forgiven myself if anything had happened and I couldn’t be there for my children. messaged a former Consultant to see when groups were reopening. As luck would have it, it was just a couple of weeks away.
“Even though I knew there was nothing to be worried about from my last experience of being a Slimming World member, I still had butterflies in my tummy. What would people think? I’d gained more than 6st since I’d last set foot through those doors.
Meals
“As I knew already deep down, there was nothing to be worried about. I was greeted with open arms and left feeling so positive. This was my fresh start – I’d done it once and I could do it again.
“Almost straight away I remembered why the plan had worked so well for me last time. There was no faddy diet food to worry about, just simple home-cooked meals that we could all enjoy together. I started getting the children involved in t For the first time in a trol again. Plus, the ti valuable. I felt like a n
“Soon I noticed that that used to leave me g – my thighs no longer r buggy uphill without a
“I also loved that I w kids by walking to and
“This time around, I the weight off was sta have done ever since I ber 2023. It’s just a par and a way to keep my
“When I look back a I’m so glad my family loss surgery.”