A Telford mother has shared her remarkable physical and mental transformation after shedding five stone and progressing from breathlessness during the school run to completing a half marathon.
From Daily Struggles to Newfound Vitality
Carla Smith, a 42-year-old mother of three, recalls that before her weight loss journey, simple daily tasks left her exhausted. "I thought I was quite happy being the size I was," she explained, "but it came to a point where I was doing the school run and it's only 1.5km walking to and back - that would wear me out." She would return home bright red, huffing and puffing, and regularly needed her inhaler. Even climbing the stairs at her Telford home was a struggle.
Weighing 15 stone 4lbs, Carla decided a lifestyle change was essential. "I just thought: 'I have got to change my lifestyle.' I was just really unfit and really unhealthy," she admitted. In September 2023, she joined her local Slimming World group, despite initial trepidation.
Overcoming Initial Apprehension
The first meeting felt daunting. "I remember walking into the room and thinking 'oh my God', I was so nervous," Carla shared. "I was quite big, I sat on the chair and my thighs were hanging over the sides of the chair. I was looking round the room and there were lots of slim ladies and gents in there, I just felt awkward, out of place."
However, she soon realised that many members had been on similar journeys themselves. "But now I've realised those people had all been on the journey I've now been on. They've been and lost the weight, and are now target members," she said. Committing weekly and sticking to the plan, she began to see results, eventually hitting her target weight of 10 stone 4lbs.
A Natural Approach to Weight Loss
Carla emphasised that her transformation was achieved naturally through diet and exercise, without surgery or weight loss injections. "For me personally, I preferred losing my weight naturally," she stated, while acknowledging that others may choose different paths. Her journey involved discovering that healthy eating didn't require complex cooking. "Eventually I found out I don't need to cook all these fabulous meals with all these ingredients, I could still cook simple meals and stay on plan, which helped me lose my weight in the end," she explained.
The Running Revolution
As her fitness improved, Carla embraced running, starting with the 'Couch to 5k' programme. Her progress has been extraordinary:
- Regular participation in weekend park runs
- Completion of a half marathon
- Membership in Telford Harriers Running Club
- Regular runs of 7-10km
"My life now is completely different to what it was," she reflected. "I just feel I've got loads more energy, my stamina is through the roof. I can do a lot more. I felt a lot older when I was bigger. I used to leave it to my husband to play on the floor with my son, but now I can do a lot."
Inspiring Others Through Shared Experience
Having reached the semi-finals of Slimming World's Woman of the Year competition, Carla now hopes her story will motivate others. She highlights the supportive community aspect of the programme. "We all share meals and how to stop wanting to binge on food and what we can have instead. That pep talk between us all helps me to stay on plan so it helps me stay within my target range," she described.
Her advice for those considering a similar journey is straightforward: "With Slimming World, just go, bite the bullet, take a friend because it makes that journey a little bit easier. Listen to what people have to say because we've all been there, we've all start in that chair for the first time and had to start that journey. But, we all get out the result we want in the end." She also notes that children are always welcome at meetings, removing a potential barrier for busy parents.
Carla Smith's transformation from struggling with basic mobility to becoming an accomplished runner demonstrates how sustainable lifestyle changes can create profound improvements in health, fitness, and overall quality of life.
