'Kids can't believe the difference'

KAREN McConville is a shadow of her former self. The mother-of-three has recently dropped from a size 32 to a size 12.

“My medical condition gave me a licence to eat as much as I wanted,” Karen told the Leader. “When I went to the doctor and he tried to weigh me the scales went the whole way round until they could go no further so my true weight was not known. The scales went up to 24 stone.”

It was at this point that Karen, a member of Banbridge Weightwatchers Group, knew she had to do something about her weight. After one trip to the town for a Weightwatchers session Karen was hooked and made great progress until another health setback made the struggle to lose weight even more difficult.

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When she contracted inflammatory arthritis Karen had to take a year off from the group she loved to attend and, according to group leader Bernie Walsh most people in the same situation would have packed it all in.

But Karen’s determination in the face of medical problems saw her return to the group to tackle her weight problem for the second time.

“When I returned I’d put one of the five stones that I had lost right back on again but Bernie was fantastic and welcomed me back with open arms,” said Karen.

“I was concerned about the fact that I was regularly given steroids and afraid of weight gain because of that.”

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But by following the healthy guidelines and eating healthily, Karen became almost a medical marvel.

Bernie explained, “She is proof that even people on steroids can lose weight if they follow the right programme and eat the right food.”

Karen said the weight loss has changed her life completely. “I used to be tired and often felt ill before,” said Karen. “I love getting dressed up whereas before I would have avoided going out at all.

“I took great pleasure in binning all my old clothes. My kids can’t believe the difference.”