Lisa Lambert
Lisa Lambert was shocked when her aunt told her she weighed 9stone 12lbs – why? Well that’s exactly how much weight Lisa has lost!
Having struggled with her weight since childhood, Lisa remembers being the only 8 year old in her school who had to wear size 14 clothes “I was always the biggest in my school photos and had to have my uniform made or specially ordered in my size” – a heartbreaking ordeal for any young girl.
Lisa’s problems continued as an adult, and even becoming pregnant with her son didn’t change her behaviour towards food, “I convinced myself I hadn’t got a problem with food, even if I did eat six packets of crisps a day, along with some chocolate, a Chinese, a chipper or both, and that’s not to mention the energy drinks.”
During her pregnancy, Lisa got a wake up call as she noticed her doctor write the words “Morbidly Obese” on her chart – but it was only when her pregnancy resulted in emergency surgery to save her and her child’s lives, that it really hit home just how serious things were. “At 30 weeks I had an emergency section – I feel sick with guilt that I had let it get so bad and remember crying and thinking “have I caused this””. Lisa was critically ill and was placed in ICU while doctors worked to control her blood pressure and due to the severity of her illness, she didn’t get to hold her baby boy until 5 days after he was born.
Lisa was triggered to lose weight when she realised that her son could end up growing up without a mother, just as she did having lost her mum at 10 years of age, if she didn’t lose weight and improve her health. She knew a change would have to be made and that this time, she would stick to it.
Lisa accompanied a friend to a Unislim class in Gorey, where she was inspired by the sense of togetherness she experienced. “I remember the non-judgmental, welcoming atmosphere. My leader Sallyanne went through the plan with me, and I couldn’t believe the amount of choice that was in it. I knew immediately that this plan would work for me,” says Lisa.
“In just a year and a half, my life has changed completely,” says Lisa. “I now love being able to run around after my little boy in the playground and even slide down the slide with him – there was a time that I didn’t fit on the slide at all. The best part is being able to hand him a meal, knowing that what he’s eating is good nutritious food that I prepared from scratch.”
And now, Lisa has taken another step in her Unislim journey! She is running her own class Monday evenings in Wicklow Town!
Lisa’s transformation has not only won her a healthy new life, but also crowned her as Unislimmer of the Year on the 18th April 2015.
