Gemma Hardy, 34, was dreading walking down the aisle, but she was determined to turn things around…
As I walked across the school playground, a voice shouted: “She waddles like Jemima Puddleduck!” My cheeks flushed red. I was picked on because I was bigger than everyone else. I’d been raised to finish everything on my plate, followed by pudding. By year nine, my confidence had hit rock-bottom. “Shall we try a diet together?” my mum suggested.
Though she loved to cook and we always ate well, she also struggled with her weight.
First, we tried one involving small, frequent meals. When it didn’t work, we moved on to the next. At 16, I tried meal replacement shakes. Arriving at Pizza Hut with friends, I handed one to the waitress. “Can you put this in the fridge please?” I asked. Later, everyone devoured one cheesy slice after another, while I sipped my shake. I was depriving myself and it didn’t feel good. But for the first time, my clothes were loose.
Over the years, my weight fluctuated. When I was 22, I worked at TGI Fridays and met Jason, a barman there. We clicked and started dating. Just three months later, we watched as two lines appeared on the stick I was holding. “I’m pregnant,” I said. Jason supported me throughout our surprise pregnancy. And despite bad morning sickness, I still managed to eat for two. In April 2012, I had a C-section and our little girl, Maisie, was delivered.
As a busy mum, I hoped the weight would fall off. But having less time meant relying on fast food or quick oven meals. When Maisie turned one, we discussed having another baby. Just four weeks later, I was pregnant. I gained even more weight as my bump grew for a second time. In March 2014, we had Amelia. I loved being a parent and enjoyed our weekends. But I hated seeing photos of myself. I always cringed at the bad angles and deleted the worst pictures. Food was always part of our day too. We’d grab a McDonald’s while out and about, eat sweets in the car, or order Domino’s when we got home. It was all so convenient.
In August 2015, Jason and I went to the Isle of Wight and took the 3km walk up to the Needles. “Is it much further?” I grumbled. When we reached the top, I was catching my breath when Jason suddenly dropped to one knee. “Will you marry me?” he asked. “Yes,” I beamed. But my excitement soon turned to dread. “I can’t get married like this,” I said. Getting engaged is the moment every girl dreams of. For me, walking down the aisle feeling the way I did made me sick with nerves. We booked our wedding for the following year, leaving 13 months to make a drastic change. I joined the gym and, after my aqua class, I’d reward myself with a Caramel Fr
