‘Embarrassed’ mother, 49, who was ‘bulging at the seams’ loses 6st after ‘humiliating’ incident when buying new-build home

A SERIES of health problems and an ’embarrassing’ incident when buying a new-build home saw Heather Powell drop out of the race.

The mother-of-one, 49, weighed 21st 10lbs at her heaviest. She started gaining weight after a difficult pregnancy and the birth of her son Harry.

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During her pregnancy she developed pelvic pain, also known as symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD), which worsened her hypermobility and required her to use crutches from week 28.

She had to start her maternity leave early because she could barely move, so she relied on food for energy and comfort.

Heather, an independent foot health The doctor thought everything would go back to normal once she gave birth, but that wasn’t the case.

Harry had a traumatic birth: he was resuscitated and spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit due to sepsis. He was diagnosed with apraxia and complex learning disabilities.

The stress of dealing with his needs and attending various hospital appointments left Heather little time to care for herself.

The Shropshire parent said: ‘After we had our son, [Heather and her husband] we lost our normal routine, because we had a baby with special needs and also had to work.

“We were burned out and exhausted. We got into the cycle of convenience food – lots of microwaved ready meals with chips and takeaways.

“Being fat has never been easier these days, because you don’t even have to leave your house to pick up food anymore. There are so many companies that offer home delivery.”

Heather was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), along with postpartum depression.

Her poor diet made her listless, and the lack of energy and nutrients caused her fibromyalgia to flare up, leaving her in constant pain.

She said, “As the stress increased, so did my dress size.”

“I had gone from a size 22 to a size 24. I avoided being in photos because I was ashamed of my size.”

Heather’s weight and diet-related health issues didn’t stop there.

In March 2020, just before the Covid lockdown, her gallbladder was removed.

She added: “Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was an incidental discovery when they did the ultrasound to diagnose the gallstones.

“These two issues weren’t enough to make a difference, I just thought, ‘Oh well, lots of thin people have gallstones too’ and lots of people have NAFLD. I was in denial.

“It wasn’t until I started wheezing and having trouble breathing – my husband said it sounded like I was taking my last breath when I snored – that I knew I had to see my doctor.

“She told me I was in the early stages of heart failure.”

I was a sweaty, embarrassed mess

Heather

In October 2022, Heather got another wake-up call. She and her husband had reserved a Miller Houses new construction house on drawing.

Earlier that year, in February, they were invited to view the house during the plastering phase.

Roads still had to be built, so they had to wear safety gear bootssafety vests and helmets.

Heather said: “Because of my size at the time, I couldn’t really wear any shoes other than Sketchers or Ugg Boots, which I would just throw on.

“I couldn’t reach my feet to start sweating and I was red-faced and out of breath.

“I couldn’t put them on because my ankles and legs were too thick.

“The foreman on the construction site shouted to his colleague to try and find a larger size, hoping they would be a little wider around the ankle, but that was not the case.

“My husband saw that I was struggling and he tried to help me, but there was no way he could get the boots on.

“I was a sweaty, embarrassed mess. The foreman saw that I was embarrassed and told me to just sign to say that I had been given the boots but had not worn them.”

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After finding out she was in the early stages of heart failure, Heather was put on blood pressure medication and her doctor recommended she get tested for sleep apnea.

While she waited for her results, she decided it was time to lose a lot of weight quickly so that she would stay motivated to keep going and lose even more weight.

In May 2023, she started the 1:1 Diet.

The Cambridge Weight Plan 1:1 Diet is a calorie-focused, meal-provided program.

The menu consists of shakes, soups, porridge, savoury rice, couscous and pasta dishes, smoothies and meal bars.

Heather said: “I was nervous about starting the diet because I thought I would be hungry. I was surprised that the products were enough to satisfy my hunger. I was determined to succeed.

“I lost 10 pounds in my first week on the plan, and within five weeks I had lost 4 pounds.”

In August 2023, Heather was diagnosed with sleep apnea and had to start CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) treatment.

She had to contact the DVLA and her to ride permit has been revoked.

But Heather had already lost 3st on the 1:1 diet, which meant her mobility had improved and she could walk much more.

She said: “It started to get easier. It didn’t bother me when my family had takeaways, I liked sticking to the plan because I felt much better about it than before.

“For me, the 1:1 diet is perfect because I don’t have to mess around with preparing all kinds of different dishes.

“I usually have a bar for breakfast, soup for lunch, a hearty meal with tea and then a bar of chocolate while I watch TV.

“I also drink three liters of water a day. I wasn’t drinking enough fluids before the diet – I was drinking maybe two to three cups of coffee a day.”

Heather still suffers from fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome, but she hardly experiences any symptoms.

She said: “My diet contains all the nutrients I need and I drink enough.

“Exercise also helps. I do notice a difference when I eat fatty foods, but now I even scan the menu when I eat out for a healthier option, because I prefer to feel good about myself.

“My blood pressure is normal now and I hope to be able to stop taking the medication soon. My sleep apnea is also back and I have my driver’s license back.”