Gasping for breath after walking just a few steps from her front door towards her car, 24 stone Heidi Ferrier-Hixon thought she was going to die.
For the mum-of-one it was the moment which snapped her into action, determined to lose 10 stone.
Heidi, a School Nurse team leader for Sandwell School Nursing Service, said: “Simple things, like walking from my front door to the car on the drive, would leave me gasping for breath,” explained the 45-year-old, who was a dress size 30.
“After climbing up the stairs I’d be panting. I honestly thought I was going to die. I was just 5ft 3in, morbidly obese and an asthmatic. I didn’t fancy my chances of having a long and healthy life. I was depressed.”
Heidi, from Broseley, Shropshire, also worried about visiting venues where she would have to sit down. “I would always go early to scope out the chairs to work out if I would be able to fit in them or if they were strong enough. I had weight issues all my life and I guess I was in denial about my body. I used to think that it wasn’t my fault I was so overweight.
“In the end something just clicked and I realised I wouldn’t live long enough to see my son grow up. I knew that I had to do something about it and the only way to do this was by seeking support via my GP.”
Heidi was referred to a specialist service – but first had to undergo therapy sessions in order to receive more support with her weightloss journey (Warren Lab).
“At first I was reluctant because of my frame of mind,” recalled Heidi. “But these sessions were exactly what helped me to change my way of thinking and go on to lose the weight.
“I was able to look deeper at my relationship with food and at why I would over indulge.
“My portion sizes were off the scale and because I was brought up to finish everything on my plate, I would do just that. I would also secretly binge on fast food in between my main meals. And I’d think nothing of heading over to the fridge and grabbing a snack whenever I arrived home from work. It was something that I had done from a young age.
“My dietitian and therapy helped me to see all of this so clearly and my journey to a healthier me began.”
Heidi reduced her portion sizes, dishing up her main meals on a side plate. She also turned vegan, which cut out processed meat immediately from her diet.
“By acknowledging all of the above I was able to break the cycle. I started having just three meals a day, with healthy snacks in between. I scrutinised food labelling before I brought anything so I knew exactly what I was putting in my body,” said the nurse, who is now a size 14.
Her dedication paid off and now Heidi is a much healthier weight and doesn’t gasp for breath after walking just a few yards.
“I feel amazing and physically fit. I go out running which I wouldn’t have dreamed of doing before.
“I would like to encourage anyone who’s reading this and relates to my experience, to go and see their GP. Ask for the help and support because it is out there. I did and it’s changed my life for the better.”
Leave a Comment