When I started my life change I didn’t really have a goal in mind. I originally thought that maybe I should try to get to a healthy BMI – I rapidly realised this was crazy, as I’ve already lost nearly 4 stone and need to lose another 5 to get to a healthy BMI. So now, I’m aiming to be overweight (as opposed to obese). When I started I figured it was silly to buy new clothes because I would keep losing weight (hopefully anyway), I’ve also always rather disliked shopping – especially for clothes. BUT THEN…

I met a friend for lunch (the friend who knew that I was trying to lose weight), she hadn’t seen me for a while as she’d been away. In the time I hadn’t seen her, my hair had suddenly gone curly naturally, I had new glasses, and I had lost quite a bit of weight. One of the first things she told me was “Helen you have GOT to go shopping – those clothes look awful” (this was meant completely out of love). So the next day I went shopping – I got trousers and tops which were two sizes smaller than what I was wearing. suddenly my husband noticed that I had lost weight, people at work started to comment, even my head teacher passed comment!!! I couldn’t quite believe the impact that clothes would have, and I felt so much better.

I have spent years covering up, wearing baggy trousers, long tops, cardigans, anything that didn’t show the lumps and bumps. Suddenly, I had a figure. I needed to reward myself with clothes that fitted me, there was no point waiting until all the weight had gone, I need to reward myself throughout the journey.

This was when I decided what my goal would be. I want to be able to run 5k (nearly there) and I want to get to a size 14.

I am currently smaller than my husband has EVER known me. I think the last time I was a 14 was for a short time at university, but this was when I was ill and wasn’t eating (not the best way to lose weight). My clothes sizes have begun with a number 2 since before I went to uni which was in the year 2000 – SCARY!

Today I went to Bluewater Retail Centre with my friend. As I said I’ve always hated shopping – today – I LOVED it! First stop, Café Rouge for brekkie, next stop Bra measurement (WHAT A DIFFERENCE), then a variety of “Normal” clothes shops! Plenty brought – 3 sizes smaller than in January, including a few surprises, I CHOSE to buy a dress which I love, and then I needed a plain black cardigan and the MEDIUM fitted me easily!

The reason I’ve always hated shopping is because I’ve been limited on the shops, and even then not all the styles went to my size. Today I had freedom, I tried things I wouldn’t have done before, and they looked great, I tried things I would normally have bought and they didn’t look right anymore! I’m now set for work, for casual, for autumn/winter and then we are planning the next Bluewater trip for Spring, when hopefully it will be smaller again.

Part of the reason it was so fun, was because it was such a new experience, but also because me and my friend were laughing so much because we couldn’t quite believe what was happening!

Helen Netherton, enjoying shopping, buying a dress, buying a medium… what next??????

Today has really encouraged me to keep going, to not go back to looking at the back of clothes rails, or only looking in certain shops or shopping online.