She ate a loaf of bread a day

A mum-of-one who ate a loaf of bread a DAY says she feels 'really proud' of herself after shedding more than 10 stone.

Emma McGarry had struggled with her size since her teenage years and turned to food as a source of comfort. The 37-year-old admits she was 'completely addicted to food' and would gorge on takeaways or unhealthy snacks whether she was happy or sad.

READ MORE: She lived off instant noodles and takeaways

The mum, from the Shaw area of Oldham, tipped the scales at 19st 10lbs at her heaviest and was a dress size 24.

Emma had also been suffering with fibromyalgia at the height of her weight struggles, the chronic condition causing widespread pain and tenderness across her body. Her symptoms, which were being worsened by her size, meant she was unable to play with her young son.

The mum decided enough was enough and signed up to Slimming World in June 2016 – going on to lose a stone in just four weeks.

Through following a food plan and walking up and down her garden, Emma eventually lost an eye-watering 10st 10lbs. She now weighs in at 9st 2.5Ibs and is a dress size 10.

Emma, who previously worked as an ambulance emergency call handler, told the Manchester Evening News: “I couldn’t get on the floor with my son or walk him to the park. I just wanted to be able to play with him. He was only four at the time.

“I thought, enough is enough. I had gone to pain management classes. I had done everything and everywhere told me the pain would be easier to manage if I lost the weight.

“I was completely addicted to food. It didn’t matter what I was doing; if I was sat there watching telly, I was munching. If I was depressed, I was turning to food. If I was happy, I was turning to food. Food was the answer to everything.”

Emma says she first started gaining weight at the age of 18. She described her previous diet as 'very carb-heavy' and could easily go through a loaf of bread every day.

“I would have a pot noodle with four slices of bread with butter on,” she added. “It would be anything – pizza, takeaway, chicken dinners.

“I was anxious, depressed. I couldn’t get about. I was ashamed and had low self-esteem – everything you could think of. I couldn’t put my socks on, I couldn’t bend down and I couldn’t get in or out of the bath. Even the stairs were a challenge.”

Emma says she was initially worried about joining the weight loss group due to her anxiety struggles but was quickly put at ease by other members.

Though she was still suffering badly from fibromyalgia, the mum managed to incorporate exercise into her weight loss regime by walking around her garden on crutches.

Her incredible weight loss means not only has Emma been able to reduce the painful symptoms of her chronic condition, she's also set to become a Slimming World consultant herself. The mum will re-launch her group on October 24.

“It took me months to pluck up the courage to go [to the Slimming World group] because I suffer with bad anxiety,” Emma, who says batch cooking has been another huge reason for her weight loss success, said. “But in the first week I lost 7lbs and in four weeks I got to one stone.

“But bad pain days aren’t as often now. I don’t receive PIP payments anymore because I don’t need it. I have loose skin but exercise is reducing it so I just have to stick with it. I’m really proud of myself.”