IMPRESSIVE REAL LIFE
Nikki Forbes, 35, from Newmains, Lanarkshire, made a drastic change when her daughter snapped a sneaky photo of her…
Scrolling on my phone, Iwaited for aknock at the door.
Like most evenings in 2020, me, my children Stewart Jr, 14, Duncan, 13, Holly, nine, and Jenna, six, and my husband Stewart, 37, were waiting for our takeaway to arrive.
That night, we’d gone for our favourite Indian –and it was a treat for the kids, too, as they didn’t have takeaway as often as me and Stewart.
While Ishared adelicious chicken tikka starter and a chicken tikka korma with Stewart, the portion sizes weren’t the problem.
Ordering atakeaway three to four times aweek, me and Stewart usually went for an Indian or aMcDonald’s.
It wasn’t the cheapest way to eat. We spent upwards of £25 per order.
But if not, we’d have frozen chicken nuggets and chips for tea instead.
While Stewart and the kids never struggled with their weight, Ihad since Iwas little.
Especially as I’d grown up on sugary canned foods and never learned to cook from scratch. ‘Mum, is it coming yet?’
Holly whined.
Opening my mouth to reply,
Iwas suddenly taken aback by aphoto that had popped up on my phone.
I’d never seen it before, and I certainly hadn’t taken it. The photo was of me. And Iwas huge.
Sitting on an armchair while drinking acuppa, Ilooked like amassive, round ball.
Is that really me? I thought. While Ialways tried to look my best despite wearing size 26 clothes, this was the first time I hated my appearance.
Stewart and the kids never commented on my weight.
‘Who took this photo?’ I asked. ‘Is that what I look like?’
Showing them all the photo, they were silent.
‘Aye, but you look bigger because you’re sitting down,’ Stewart said.
He was only digging himself into ahole.
‘I took the photo, Mum,’ Holly admitted. ‘Have Idone something wrong?’
My heart broke –it wasn’t her fault Iwas fat.
‘No sweetheart, you haven’t,’ Ireassured her.
Only, looking around the room at everyone’s awkward expressions, this was a horrifying turning point.
And it called into question the way I’d been living my life for years.
Ever since Iwas little, I’d struggled with my weight.
Iwas always the biggest in my class and was traumatised by school uniform fittings.
‘It’s too small,’ my mum Jennifer said. ‘She needs a bigger size in that.’
Iwas wearing asize 14 to 16 in adult clothes when Iwas only 11 years old.
As I got older, Ionly got bigger, too.
‘Maybe you need to think about losing abit of weight,’ my gran Jeanette, 83, always said. Iknew she wa
