INSPIRING REAL LIFE
Danni Phillips, 36, from Shrewsbury, reached crisis point when she couldn’t fit into a rollercoaster carriage.
TOO BIG TO RIDE
Unwrapping the purple chocolate bar, I licked my lips.
The Dairy Milk bar in my lap was my treat –whenever I’d had a stressful day at work, I’d head to Tesco for one.
Popping asquare into my mouth, it tasted so dreamy.
Although one square soon became two, then three. Then, the entire bar had disappeared.
But it didn’t matter –I’d be the only one to know about my chocolate addiction.
Snacking in my car after work, my partner Matt, 43, and my son Vinny, nine, had no idea. It was my dirty secret.
Throwing the packets in the bin, I got rid of the evidence.
Then, I’d cook ahealthy meal of chicken and chips at home.
But after settling Vinny in bed, I’d go straight to the chocolate stash in the kitchen, fetching ashare bag for myself.
‘Fancy some choccie buttons?’ Iasked Matt.
While we were watching telly, he would have ahandful.
But for me, I’d polish off the whole bag on my own.
Sometimes, I’d even tuck into aCherry Bakewell –but I’d devour the whole pack.
Eating this way for years had taken atoll on me, too –I’d ballooned to 22st 7lb, wearing asize 24 to 26 in clothes.
Even though Matt never breathed aword about my weight, Iknew no different.
My eyes had always been bigger than my belly, ever since Iwas alittle girl.
While my mum Diane, 53, always fed me healthy meals, I developed agreedy mindset.
Even if we were popping to the supermarket, I drifted to the sweets aisle.
‘Mum, can Ihave some chocolate?’ I’d beg.
Soon, I associated every trip out of the house with snacks. And as Igrew older, my weight only escalated, too. Iturned to food for comfort. Yet while Iwas pregnant with Vinny, my morning sickness was so severe that I couldn’t keep any food down – I’d never eaten so little before.
Adapting to life with ababy was achallenge, and Imade excuses to eat snacks.
I’ve just had ababy. I deserve atreat, I thought.
And popping over to Tesco, I’d pick up another bag of Dairy Milk Buttons.
As Ipacked on more weight, everyday tasks and going on day trips got more difficult.
Long walks and bouncing with Vinny at the trampoline park were achallenge.
‘Go with Daddy,’ I’d say.
‘Mummy’s hurt her foot.’ Only, Iwasn’t injured. Iwas too out of breath to keep up. But it wasn’t until 2019 that I realised how big I’d gotten. Taking Vinny to Paultons Park, he was ecstatic. ‘Mummy, can you come on the rides with me?’ he asked. ‘Come on then,’ I giggled. But watching from the queue as the people in front of us climbed into the rollerc
