Guest post from Jen: Carrot and Ginger Soup Recipe

At a size 30 and wearing mostly men’s 4xl clothes I was morbidly obese, I was unhappy, and even simple things like climbing the stairs had me out of breath. I knew I had to change, my son deserved better than this, I should be young, healthy and full of energy. Instead I was unhappy, waddling around and always dressed in jogging bottoms. My diet had consisted of take away pizzas with chips and garlic bread a couple of nights a week, family size supermarket quiches with chips and piled with cheese and baked beans, and my breakfast of choice was a family size pack of custard creams. Looking back it is no wonder I had got to such a weight.

At such a size and lacking in confidence it was a big step for me to join the Slimming World group across the road from me and I never imagined that I could actually lose weight. I had spent most of my adult life as morbidly obese (the rest I was probably just obese!) and often tried dieting but always gave up quickly. I wasn’t one for exercise, I never even ran across a road unless I thought my life depended on it! I had spent my teenage years avoiding doing sports at school by faking notes from my mum.

My weight loss journey started with me changing all the foods I ate, I no longer ordered take away and microwave meals and family size quiches became a thing of the past. I stopped going down the biscuit aisle in supermarket and instead bought piles of fruit and vegetables and cooked all my meals from scratch. I quickly realised I could make most of my old favourites myself and still enjoy them but they would be so much healthier. I was still enjoying my food but actually losing weight!

After 37 weeks I lost 8 stone, I couldn’t believe it, I was wearing dresses, shopping in normal clothes shops not plus size shops and I was feeling great! My weight loss continued and I soon reached my weight loss target and had lost 10st 4lb and was wearing size 6-8 clothes. I had never in my wildest dreams imagined I could be classed as slim, all I had ever wanted to be was average! It still feels strange when people say things to me like “I’ve seen more fat on a chip” and call me a “skinny Minnie”.

I lost all my weight without doing any exercise but after maintaining my weight loss I decided to start running and set myself a challenge of the Great North Run, a popular half marathon in the North East UK. Then 20 weeks after starting to run having never been a runner before, I completed the run of 13.1 miles in just 2 hours 24 minutes which I was extremely proud of. My life has changed so much and the best change of all has to be my blog Just Average Jen. I enjoy writing my blog and sharing my experiences to help others wanting to lose weight because so many people say I am an inspiration. Personally I think I am just average, hence the name for my blog!

If you want to read more about my weight loss or see more recipes I enjoy now, get tips for your own weight loss or just read what I have been up to you can find me across social media by searching Just Average Jen or on my blog itself www.justaveragejen.com.