Shelby encourages New Year dieters

“DON’T give up,” – that’s the heartfelt advice from Sion Mills woman, Shelby O’Brien to anyone looking to shed pounds and embrace a healthier lifestyle this New Year.

Having lost almost six stone over the past two years, Shelby knows the challenges – and triumphs – that come with transforming one’s health.

Her journey began two years ago after the birth of her third child when she weighed 15 stone ten and a half pounds and found herself battling self-doubt and depression.

Shelby said, “I was at my biggest back then… weight I had put on from having my second child and didn’t try to lose it. I knew after getting pregnant with third child I was going to have to do something about it or things would get out of control. I used to hate going out anywhere, would never want to go somewhere that I had to dress up nice or even have my photo taken. Even if I was told ‘you look nice’ I could never take the compliment because I hated myself that much.”

She continued, “I know it’s an awful thing to say, there’s much worse going on in the world, but I felt so depressed, comparing myself to everyone.”

Armed with renewed vigour to tackle the problem, Shelby joined Slimming World in Sion, settling herself a target of eleven stone. However, like every new task, it wasn’t easy to begin.

“The first week I joined Slimming World, I lost a good bit of weight which gave me the impetus to keep going. But if a gain happened one week, there was always the feeling of ‘I can’t do this’ at the start. I had to change my mind set by telling myself, ‘I’ve put some weight on this week, but I’ll lose it next week so don’t worry’. It was hard at the start but I stuck to the plan and reminded myself that it’s OK to have a bad week but that I can get back on track and keep going.”

Shelby readjusted her target weight to ten stone and now sits comfortably in that bracket. So, what would she say to anyone looking to lose the pounds this New Year?

“Just don’t give up,” she said. “I’ve been there. Keep telling yourself you can do it and don’t get knocked down. We are all human we all have bad weeks, but now I feel great, and I feel far fitter and healthier for it.”