Mum who gorged on a loaf of bread a day now unrecognisable after losing 10 stone

A mum-of-one who was left unable to walk has lost half her body weight after beating her carb addiction.

Emma McGarry had been battling with comfort eating since suffering a knee injury in her teens and became 'completely addicted to food' - particularly stodgy foods. Emma, 37, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, suffered the injury whilst training with the RAF.

She could not complete her training and over the next few years, needed two operations on her knee. At the time she was also in a bad relationship and turned to food in a bid to feel better. Later she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia - a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body.

"I was miserable, couldn’t exercise because of my knee, and I was in and out of hospital with asthma, made worse because of my size. I just got bigger and bigger, and I lost my confidence." Due to Emma's agonising condition, she was left unable to walk up the street.

READ MORE: Mum sheds astonishing 17st after ditching one snacking habit that became 'addiction'

‌And if she did go out she was abused due to her weight - being called 'fat cow' and ‘disgusting mess’. "I had anxiety and depression, and I felt ashamed of myself," she said.

“I literally could not walk, I was on crutches, and I was too embarrassed to leave my own house. I ate loads of carbs and my biggest downfall was bread. I’d eat if I was bored, if I was happy, if I was upset. Food was the answer to everything. I could polish off a loaf of white Warburtons bread in a single day."

‌At the start of 2016, by now relying completely on crutches, Emma realised she had to change. She said: “I wanted to join Slimming World, but it took me six months to pluck up courage to actually join the group; I was so worried about being judged. "

But instead Emma said she found the group so welcoming it became like an "extended family". In her first week at the group in Moston, Manchester, Emma lost half a stone. Alongside her diet, she began hobbling around her garden for five minutes at a time. By December that year, she’d lost three stones and was walking around her neighbourhood.

At the start of this year, her weight loss reached 10st 10lbs. She now weighs 9st 2lbs and is a dress size 10. The mum, from Oldham, tipped the scales at 19st 10lbs at her heaviest and was a dress size 24. But after changing her diet, she lost an amazing 10st 10lbs.

Emma admitted: “It wasn’t all straight success. I had a bad relationship. and I gained some weight, and the group was so supportive – they helped me get over it and get my weight loss back on track. We’re all friends for life.”

‌She swapped carb favourites for healthy chicken wraps, omelettes and salad. She says: “I really enjoy cooking again, I eat healthily and I drink lots of water. I’ve gone from hobbling around my back garden to doing charity walks, and I swim a lot too.

“I feel like a new woman now; I love swimming and walking. My own life has been completely transformed and now I want to help others to do the same.” Emma hopes to inspire other women unhappy with their weight with her own Slimming World Group which launches in Oldham, Greater Manchester in October.

Emma's top tips

• Listen to your body, eat until you’re comfortable, stop when you’re full.
• Have a drink of water instead a snack
• Be kind to yourself – if you put weight on, it’s not the end. Just keep going.

‌

Diet before

• Breakfast: four rounds of toast, fry up
• Lunch: Pot noodle with bread, crisp butty
• Dinner: takeaway, pizza, whatever was easiest and cheapest
• Snacks: crisps, chocolate, diet drinks

Diet after

• Breakfast: overnight oats or fruit with yoghurt
• Lunch: omelette, salad or chicken wrap
• Dinner: slow cooker meals, chicken, BBQ pulled pork
• Snacks: occasional fruit. Water.