A city woman has revealed how her successful weight loss changed her life by shedding over 10 stone.
Sarah Bird, 46, an employment job coach from Sprowston, has reduced her weight from 20.10 stone to 10.
Following a free NHS health check, which discovered she was pre-diabetic, Sarah decided to make a big change to her body and focus on trying to lose a large amount of weight.
After attending Latitude festival in Suffolk, Sarah disliked how she looked in all the photos and had an "epiphany moment" which kicked-started her weight loss journey.
She said: "It just feels incredible - I am still me, just a new version, more confident and happier.
"I never want to look or feel that way again. I feel 100pc different."
She has completed several half-marathons in London, starting with Run Your Own Marathon, a fundraiser by Tommy's Charity set up by her best friend Bryony Seabrook.
Sarah regularly runs five to 10 kilometres a week and her relationship with food has improved, enjoying cooking and eating a healthy diet.
Her weight loss not only improved her mental and physical health but she also found "a group of people who really understood" her after she joined the Oak Grove Slimming World group in July 2019, which meets at Oak Grove Chapel in Catton Grove Road.
Her success came after committing to going to the group every week, as she explains: "I now love cooking with fresh ingredients and spices and trying out new recipes. So far, they have all been a hit with the family and it isn’t just me eating more healthily.
"I am starting to have a bit more confidence in myself and although I’m rubbish at accepting compliments, I think I’m getting there.
"It’s difficult to see the difference in yourself but others see a big difference which is nice, and I know that my health is improving as I am no longer pre-diabetic."
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