Mother, 40, who lost five stone before falling pregnant reveals how she snapped back into shape just months after having her son – and celebrated by posing naked
- Zoe Hannan, 40, of Preston, weighed 14st 10lb and wore UK size 22 at heaviest
- Saw her weight spiral out of control due to sedentary lifestyle and pregnancy
- Mother revealed how she shed five stone following the birth of her son Oscar
A woman who spent years trying to maintain a five stone weightloss before falling pregnant reveals how she got back to a slim size 8 after giving birth – and celebrated by posing naked.
Zoe Hannan, 40, from Preston, tipped the scales at 14st 10lb and wore a UK size 22 at her heaviest, after piling on the pounds during her career in the RAF.
She managed to lose five stone by joining LighterLife and maintained a steady weight for 11 years before finding out she was expecting.
During her pregnancy she didn’t worry about her baby weight as she knew her old plan would be there for her in nine months time.
Since welcoming her son Oscar, Zoe has dropped back down to 9st 7lb and a dress size 8.
Zoe Hannan (pictured), 40, from Preston, who once tipped the scales at 14st 10lb and wore a UK size 22, has dropped down to 9st 7lb and a dress size 8 following the birth of her son Oscar
Zoe (pictured not long after giving birth) turned to LighterLife for her post-pregnancy weightloss, after enjoying success using it to shed excess pounds 11 years ago
The former RAF employee said becoming a healthy parent for her son is the best gift that she’s given to herself.
She told FEMAIL: ‘When I joined the RAF at 18 years old I weighed 9st 13lb. By the time I returned from my first tour of Bosnia in 1999, I was almost 15st. I remember my mum telling me how fat I’d got and that I needed to lose weight.
‘I put my weight gain down to the drinking culture and desk-based work. The more my mum mentioned my weight, the more rebellious I became. My fuller figure became my new normal.’
Zoe embraced being overweight until she saw how a friend was able to transform her figure in less than a year.
‘I saw my best friend lose an incredible six stone in six months with LighterLife; she had gone down from a size 22 to a size 8,’ Zoe explained.
‘I’d always thought she was a lot larger than me, but I was taken aback when I found out she had been a similar dress size. Seeing her transformation inspired me to start my own LighterLife journey to lose five stone.
Zoe (pictured) recounts ballooning from 9st 13lb to almost 15st after joining the RAF in the Nineties. She put the weight gain down to desk-based work and a drinking culture
The 40-year-old (pictured) has gained the confidence to pose nude since achieving a total weightloss of 5st 3lb
Zoe says seeing her weight reduce each week kept her motivated and focused, admitting that before LighterLife she was addicted to food
‘Weightloss is emotionally tough when you’re losing small amounts week on week, but on the LighterLife Total plan it was different.
‘Losing anywhere from three, four or five pounds each week was so motivating and helped me stay focused. I loved going to my group each week, too; seeing how the other ladies had got on was always so inspiring.
‘I’m proud to say that I kept my five stone weight loss off for 11 years. Then in 2017 I fell pregnant with my son, Oscar, but I wasn’t worried about the baby weight because I knew LighterLife would be there once I was ready.’
Since transforming her appearance with a total weight loss of 5st 3lb, Zoe has found the confidence to pose nude.
She added: ‘I’ve got scars from having an emergency C-section and other surgeries. I’ve got loose skin from losing weight.
Zoe (pictured before) says she learned mindfulness techniques by attending LighterLife sessions while losing weight
‘I wanted that to be shown in the drawings – and it was. But when I looked at the pictures afterwards it made me realise that everyone sees us differently to how we see ourselves.
‘Doing that has completely changed the impression I have of myself.’
Zoe, who is now a mentor for LighterLife, realised that she had become addicted to food after she began attempting to overhaul her diet.
She lost 5st 3lb in five months, then went on to lose an additional 11lb through the LighterLife management plan.
She continued: ‘Not only do I now look healthier than before, but I feel it too.
‘During my weight loss journey, I realised that food wasn’t just my indulgence or escape, it had become an addiction.
Zoe (pictured) who is now a mentor for her local group, followed a low calorie plan to achieve her desired weightloss results
Diet before
Breakfast: Nothing.
Lunch: Pie and chips or something else with chips. Whatever the military mess offered.
Dinner: Meat, veg and potatoes followed by a pudding of sponge and custard. Whatever the military mess offered.
Snacks: McDonald’s, three or four bars of Chocolate
Diet after
Breakfast: Homemade sugar-free granola, yoghurt, berries or eggs and cucumber.
Lunch: Usually a LighterLife meal pot.
Dinner: Cured tuna with avocado and cucumber salad topped with chilli and sesame seeds. Or other meat with salad or veg.
Snacks: Small amount of nuts, seeds and dark chocolate or LighterLife popped chips.
‘When you come to that realisation it’s hard to know what to do next, and that’s where LighterLife was so helpful.’
Zoe said she’s learned mindfulness techniques that have provided her with the tools she needed to deal with her food addiction and work through it.
‘I’m now a LighterLife Mentor in my local town of Preston to help men and women achieve their weightloss goals – just like I have,’ she added.
‘It’s so important to give people options when it comes to dieting and the LighterLife Total very low calorie diet (VLCD) was the best solution for me.
Zoe (pictured before losing weight) says she wanted her emergency C-section and other surgery scars to be seen in her nude portraits
Zoe (pictured with Oscar) realised that everyone views us differently to how we view ourselves after taking part in the photoshoot
‘I’m forever getting asked how I lost my weight, so it’s time to shout it from the rooftops.
‘Being a healthy parent for my son is the best gift I’ve ever given myself. I’m so thankful for the tools LighterLife has given me and I can’t wait to support others on their LighterLife journeys.
‘Losing weight isn’t just about how you look, it’s about how you feel inside, and that positivity just radiates to those around you – just ask my mum!’
Source: Read Full Article