Nice to Meat - Rachel Taylor (Body Transformation Story)

As a busy working mum, Rachel Taylor鈥檚 story will be familiar to every parent with young children. You get home from work, you fly around after the kids, you make their tea, you help with homework, you clean the house, you do the dishes,then it鈥檚 bathtime and bedtime, then when the kids are in bed you鈥檙e so exhausted you can鈥檛 be bothered to cook for yourself, so you reach for the phone and order a takeaway.

It is a situation every one of us with kids here at Meaty HQ can recognise, and if you鈥檙e a parent who hasn鈥檛 we absolutely salute you (even though we think you鈥檙e probably lying). For Rachel however, she realised nights like this, were becoming too frequent, and her weight had spiralled...so she did an amazing thing - she did something about it.

• Age: 34
• From: Northumberland
• Weight Loss: 4 stone 8 lbs

What made you want to go on a transformation programme?

Like a lot of people I was so busy living my life I didn鈥檛 really notice how bad things had become. Gaining weight, just like loosing it, doesn鈥檛 suddenly happen overnight, it鈥檚 a gradual progression, and before you know it, you鈥檙e overweight.

For me it was a combination of being busy, having a family and if I鈥檓 being honest from comfort eating.My problem was that when I鈥檓 feeling down in the dumps, or I鈥檓 tired, or both, I comfort eat. Some people reach for the bottle, but for me it鈥檚 a bar of chocolate, or a takeaway. It鈥檚 bloody exhausting being a parent of a young child with autism, while juggling work and other commitments, and while I鈥檓 not making excuses, by the time my son went to bed, most nights I was just so knackered, that sitting on the settee with a takeaway wasn鈥檛 even a hard choice to make.

I鈥檇 known I was overweight for quite some time, and I鈥檇 tried slimming clubs and diets in the past, but never stuck at it. I tried to loose weight for my wedding, but it didn鈥檛 happen and I guess that was a big turning point as I don鈥檛 like how I looked on my big day, and that made me unhappy. I think the biggest kick for me though, was that my family life had become settled, and we were into a more manageable routine. My son was settled in school, and everything just seemed to be in a better place, so I thought - you know what, it鈥檚 time to focus on me now.

How did you go about it?

I鈥檇 tried slimming clubs on and off for about ten years or so, and they never worked out because I didn鈥檛 like how restrictive they were. If you tell me I can鈥檛 have something, it鈥檚 going to make me want it more than ever, and with hindsight being on a diet just wasn鈥檛 for me, I need a lifestyle eating plan. I knew Slimming World had changed and that it wasn鈥檛 restrictive as my friend lost 8 stone following it, so I thought if she can do it, I can do it.

I booked myself into the local club on a Saturday morning, and I went along on my own as I was doing it for me, not for anyone else, and two years later I鈥檓 still going and enjoying it more than ever.

It鈥檚 nothing like being on a diet, and it鈥檚 not complicated it鈥檚 just about eating sensibly, having things in moderation, and trading off certain foods for others. If I鈥檓 hungry I can eat, and there is no guilt attached as I know I am (usually) sticking within my plan. I even still get to have chocolate, it鈥檚 just now I鈥檒l have a small piece instead of a giant bar.

How do you stay motivated?

Social media has been a big help. I joined Instagram around the same time I started to loose weight, and quickly realised the slimming community was very active on the platform, and it鈥檚 great to feel part of something. It connects me with people from all over the place and I鈥檝e found support when I鈥檝e been down, over had a blip, and you soon realise there are loads of other people in exactly the same boat as you.

I enjoy finding new recipes and meal inspiration on there, as the whole community loves nothing more than to share a food picture, which drives my other half up the wall at times.

Do you exercise?

I walk a lot, either on my own or usually with the dog, and I have a FitBit which I鈥檓 pretty religious at hitting my target step count on, even if that means pacing the house, before I chill on an evening.

What are your top tips for someone looking to do a similar transformation?

• have food in the house听- it sounds basic, but if there is meat, fish and vegetables in the fridge or freezer you really don鈥檛 have an excuse not to make a meal for yourself
• plan your day around how you鈥檙e feeling听- if you accept you鈥檒l have good days and bad days, you鈥檒l be in a much better place. If you鈥檝e had a bad day, don鈥檛 beat yourself up and feed yourself something you don鈥檛 want, stick to the plan but eat something you鈥檒l enjoy, and trade it against something tomorrow.
• bulk buy meat听- I鈥檝e always got chicken breast and lean mince in the freezer, and if I haven鈥檛 something has gone wrong somewhere
• Keep things simple听- I鈥檓 not one for complex recipes, and if it has over 5 or 6 ingredients the chances are I鈥檓 not going to bother as I鈥檓 thinking it鈥檚 going to be a hassle sourcing all the ingredients. That鈥檚 not to say I鈥檓 not adventurous with food, but I like things to be quick and easy.

What does an average daily meal plan look like?

Breakfast听- Overnight oats (40g oats, low-fat yoghurt, quark and frozen berries) nearly everyday except on a Sunday when I like a (healthy) full english breakfast

Lunch听is either leftovers from the night before, soup or a salad, but almost always something I鈥檝e made.

Dinner听is usually meat and veg, either chicken breast or a sirloin steak.

Snacks听- I snack on fruit a lot, with a special liking for Pink Lady Apples.

Drinks听- I have 2 litres of water every day, and I know I shouldn鈥檛 really, but I also have a can of Diet Coke more often than I probably should when I鈥檓 at work, but you have to have some vices.

What is the best thing about the new you?

I don鈥檛 feel like I am at the end of my journey yet, I鈥檇 like to think I鈥檓 at the half-way point. I鈥檓 growing in confidence, which is a good thing, and I鈥檓 more energetic which is very handy for anyone with kids growing up fast.

My next big aim, is that I want to join a running club. I used to love running when I was younger, but it鈥檚 not been something I鈥檝e been able to contemplate for a while, but now it doesn鈥檛 seem so far away.

If you have a meaty body transformation story that you鈥檇 like to share please drop us a line at听hello@greatbritishmeat.com

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