I always feel it takes bravery to explain your story, so here goes!

I need to lose weight.  Lots of people say that they need to lose weight, but I really do.

The story starts 2-3 years ago, when I was a healthy UK size 10 and weighed just shy of 11 stone (160lbs).  I was happy in my job as a teaching assistant, I was regularly running - in fact 3 years ago today I ran my 2nd ever 10km race!  I had been following the Slimming World diet and all was well.

Then I decided to train as a teacher, as being a teaching assistant was great apart from the fact I couldn't really pay my bills....

Teacher training was tough, and I really struggled with anxiety and depression throughout the next couple of years once I had gotten my first teaching post.  I turned to food as a means to make myself feel better - mainly sweets and chocolate.  I began secretly eating because I was so embarassed at what I was doing to myself day in and day out.  My boyfriend had no idea about my messed up eating patterns, and was too polite or kind to mention the fact my clothes were barely fitting.

I finally plucked up the courage to leave my teaching job when I realised I spent more time thinking up reasons to call in sick or not have to go in than I did anything else.  It was a massive release to not have the thought of dreading going to work every morning, but I was still in the pattern of weird eating habits.  I am still struggling to not binge eat on every sweet food going, and occassionally I do succumb to mindlessly shoving huge quantities of crap down my throat.  In secret.

I decided to join the Diet Bet because I NEED to sort myself out - I have a new job working with my boyfriend at his company, and I have hardly any stress to contend with, yet my eating can still be wildly out of control.  Going up to wearing UK size 14-16 clothes has been a big thing for me, as I still think of myself the way I was.  I turn 30 this September and am having a family party to celebrate, so I am determined to look as good as I can for that date.  Whilst that is a relative distance away (or maybe not, only a few weeks!) I think the Diet Bet will be a great way to keep me on track over the coming weeks and give me that motivation and incentive to balance my meals and stop binge eating for good.

Please let me know if there are any of you out there sharing similar stories, as I would love to work together to achieve our goals!

PS the photo is of me about to run my first 10km race, around 2 years ago!