TUTTI-FRUTTI REAL LIFE
Lucy Austen, 36, from Cambridge, really couldn’t get enough of syrupy treats –but a shock diagnosis changed everything...
Loading tin after tin of sugary, pre-cut fruit into my trolley, Ihad cleared the shelves in no time at all.
From pineapple and peaches, I didn’t care what I was buying –it was cheap and would fill ahole.
That’s all that mattered. ‘Corhh, are you having aparty?’ a random stranger pointed, as me and my daughter Rosie, now 13, headed to the checkout.
With over 30 tins in the trolley, we did gather plenty of strange looks.
‘Yes, we are!’ Imuttered, quickly putting my head down.
I didn’t have the heart to tell the truth –I didn’t even really like admitting it to myself.
The fact was, we weren’t stocking up for any guests. The masses of tinned fruit were all for me instead –Rosie didn’t touch the stuff.
Being bored had started my addiction
Ihad to make sure Ihad at least nine tins to get me through the day –on top of breakfast, lunch and dinner.
It was achosen snack I’d relied on as the nation was plunged into lockdown, back in March 2020.
Before that, I’d never had much of a sweet tooth.
But somehow, being bored, having to stay inside, and only going out to head to the supermarket, had started my addiction.
I couldn’t get enough –six bars of chocolate at atime, tub after tub of ice cream and multiple tins of sugary fruit.
To be honest, it wasn’t about the taste or what I was eating, it was a comfort instead.
Everything had got alittle out of control.
Growing up, Ihad always been active, swimming and maintaining a normal diet.
Even when Iwas pregnant with Rosie, Iwas still aslinky size 12 –bouncing back with no mum tum afterwards, too.
I’d always make a conscious effort of taking Rosie to the park and Iwalked her to and from school when she got older, too.
Not only that, but when Iheaded off to work, I wasn’t tempted by any sweet treats in the cafeteria–I’d stick to the lunch that I’d prepped at home.
I’d never budged in terms of my weight –Ihad been the same dress size for as long as I could remember.
However, with my usual size 12 clothes getting tighter by the day during lockdown, they weren’t fitting the way that they used to.
Popping to the supermarket, I’d buy cheap leggings and tanks in the next size up, making sure to stock up on more tinned fruit, too.
Asize 14, then an 18 –finally squeezing into asize 28 in the space of under ayear.
However, even though the label said different, I felt the same as Ialways had.
And even looking in the mirror, I didn’t notice much of adifference in myself.
