WORDS BYHARRIET ROSE-GALEPHOTOS:SWNS AND ALAMYWORDSBY LUCY BRYANTPHOTOS: SWNS AND ALAMYWORDSBYKATIEPEARSONPHOTOS:SWNSA
fter polishing off a
nine-inch cheese and
tomato pizza, chips, two
pots of garlic mayo, and
a full-fat bottle of Coke, I trundled
up to bed.
But, as I climbed the steps, my
chest burned...
Pain seared through me as I
staggered the rest of the way,
collapsing into bed completely
out of breath.
Was I having a heart attack?
After a few minutes, the pain
eased, but after that, there was no
getting any sleep.
Laying awake, I got thinking.
What if I did have a heart attack?
I was a singlemum,andwhatif
my little boy, Jaxsonfiveh d
found my body
But it was no
my health was
Always a big
years old, I
was
already
11st.
By the
time I
reached
18st 2lb and
a size 24, I
decided
to do
something
about it,
locking
myself away
with a
Pussycat
Dolls dance
DVD for
nine months
Incredibly,I’d managed to lose 9st.
But when I fell pregnant with
Jaxson, it all came piling back on- and I reached 16st.
At just 5ft tall, I was spherical.
And I’d bounced right back to
my old ways – snacking on
sandwiches, crisps and
chocolates all day.
To make matters worse, I was a
terrible role model for my boy.
‘Come on, love, it’s good for
you,’ I said, trying to tempt Jaxson
with an apple.
‘But you don’t eat
this stuff,’ he said.
He had me there.
Now, in December
2017, I knew I had to
start over.
I needed to be
healthy for my boy.
I’d done it before, so I knew I
could do it again.
The next morning, I binned the
pizza boxes and started cooking
healthymeals from scratch. I
signedupfora fitn
too– Turn’dUp.
Standingatthebackofthehall
in a size-20 T-shirt and leggings, I
bobbed along with the fitness
instructor and R&B tunes.
Soon, I was breathless, my back
searing with pain.
‘Well, that was the warm up!’
the instructor said, grinning.
Warm up?! I’m
going to need a
nebuliser!I thought.
But I kept going – I
was determined.
I may have had
more jiggle than the
rest of the class, but I
absolutely loved it.
I went to the class four times a
week, and after seven months of
dancing, I’d lost nearly 7st.
Now 9st 5lb and a size 10, I’m
so much happier.
Now I have Weetabix
for breakfast, a ham
salad for lunch, and chili
full of veg for dinner.
Even better, I eat at
east one apple a day –
the perfect role model
for Jaxson!
I’ve also since trained
a Turn’d Up
structor, and run two
asses a week.
And when I see
newbies hiding at the
back, I know exactly
ow they feel.
‘I used to be you!’ I
ll out.
‘You can do this!’
After all, I’ve gone
from nearly keeling over
on the stairs to dancing
on air!
Follow Kelly on
Instagram @
turndupfitness_kelly.KellyWatts,37,
from Cardiff,
danced her way
back to a hot bod...
to visit.
What?!
all the confusion, I
n thought of
alled for help.
And it turns out it was all
down to my brave three-
year-old daughter.
When I’d passed out,
she’d grabbed my phone and
run to Alex’s house, banging
on the door.
‘Mummy won’t wake up,’
she said, handing Alex my
phone to call 999.
The next day, after my
fluids were up, I was allowed
o home.
Wrapping my arms
und Millie-Mae, I was
ming with pride.
You clever girl,’ I smiled.
At nursery a few days
er, I was still so proud of
hat she’d done.
‘That’ll be our emergency
raining,’ the nursery
worker said.
They’d been having
lessons on what to do if
someone fell ill.
Millie-Mae saved my life.
She’s set to start school in
September, and if nursey
and Doc McStuffins taught
her how to be a lifesaver,
who knows what skills she’ll
learn next!
Just the
warm up
felt brutal!
I U
I used to hide in the
back but now I don’t!Getting fit
should be funBEFORE
AFTER
stopped following me about,’
Ron whined.
I think he missed being the
centre of your attention!
‘It must mean the cancer’s
gone,’ I hoped.
And, sure enough, it had.
Thanks to you, Bessie, Ron
beat cancer.
And’s he’s almost fighting
fit again now.
Our sweet little scaredy-
pup had turned out to be my
hubby’s hero.
A real doggy doctor who
we adore.
Love, Audrey
Such a special
part of our family