A mother’s anguish at finding out her son was being teased due to her weight gave her the push to lose a whopping 154 pounds (approx. 70 kg)
“My son was being bullied at school, which made me feel so guilty, but I didn’t know where to start,” Sophie Ratcliffe, 29, said according to a statement.
Ratcliffe, from Hayle in Cornwall, weighed a staggering 335 pounds (approx. 152 kg). She was so embarrassed and scared of being judged that she secretly tried many different ways to lose weight, however, nothing worked in the long run.
“I’d tried so many ways to lose weight, I never told anyone though because I was sure I wouldn’t succeed—just like all the times before,“ she said. ”I even hired a personal trainer but along with the exercise plan, there was a protein shake diet that I knew I wouldn’t be able to stick to long term because it left me hungry.”
During this time, Ratcliffe ate a full English fry-up with lots of ketchup for breakfast, shop-bought deep-fried chicken and chips for lunch, and a family-size pizza plus ice cream with chocolate sauce and cream for dinner. For snacks, she opted to eat crisps, bars of chocolate, and sweets.
With the lockdowns in the UK, things got worse as the mother of two said all she did was eat and bake with her children.
“My health was declining rapidly, I couldn’t walk up the stairs without being out of breath or sitting down,“ Ratcliffe said. ”I wasn’t sleeping and I did absolutely no exercise.”
Frustrated with her situation, Ratcliffe decided to visit her GP who recommended a gastric band. However, when the date for the surgery came, she decided not to go ahead with the operation. Instead, she was determined to become healthier for her children and develop “long-lasting habits” that she could help pass on to them too.
Initially, Ratcliffe mentioned that she was embarrassed by how “big” she had become. However, she said that no one in the group judged her.
“I left the first session feeling hopeful for the first time,” she said.
New research undertaken by Slimming World shows that Ratcliffe and others who choose not to tell anyone about their weight loss battles are far from alone. 57 percent of slimmers have dieted in secret—many because of fears of being judged or failing.
For Ratcliffe, being a part of this close group was a blessing. Prior to joining, she’d experienced one of the worst years of her life. In January of that year, Ratcliffe had started having what were believed to be anxiety attacks multiple times a day.
“I also had a major seizure which was initially misdiagnosed as brain cancer and turned out to be epilepsy,” she said. “I was put on medication to control it because the seizures could have been fatal.”
It was an extremely stressful time, but instead of giving up her weight loss plans, Ratcliffe managed to stay on track.
She stuck to a realistic healthy food plan that didn’t push her to give up all the food that she loved. She swapped her meals for healthier options. The whole family could now eat the same food and she didn’t have to make separate dinners for everyone.
She also gradually went from having a no-exercise routine to now going to her local gym 4-5 times a week where she enjoys spinning, cardio, and occasional weight training.
Since going on her weight loss journey, Ratcliffe has dropped a staggering eight dress sizes, going from a UK size 26 (US 22) to a UK size 12 (US 8).
Her life has also drastically changed.
“I feel like a door has been opened and I’m excited to keep exploring what’s on the other side,” she said.
Not only hasn’t she suffered from a seizure for several months, but her epilepsy nurse and neurosurgeon also say losing weight might have even saved her life.
Apart from noticing changes in her health, Ratcliffe also feels better equipped to deal with all the challenges that life throws at her.
“I believe losing weight has saved my marriage, too,“ she said. ”My husband was so upset as he said he was watching me lose the bubbly person I used to be.”
The couple’s children are also far healthier, and Ratcliffe’s achievement has brought everyone closer as a family. Best of all, she said, her son is no longer made fun of at school.
“I know I’ve given myself the best chance I can to be a healthy mom, “ she said. ”My son isn’t bullied anymore and both children are very proud of me. When they see pictures of me before I lost weight, they ask ‘Mummy, who’s that?’”
