'Secret eater' whose weight ballooned to 20 stone loses 9 stone

2023-01-15

Self-confessed ‘secret eater’ whose weight ballooned to 20 stone after she ate 15 slices of bread DAILY loses 9 stone after getting stuck in a plane seat

Jill Rutherford, 53, from Newcastle, saw her weight balloon to 20st 10lb
She put the weight gain down to being a secret eater with a penchant for bread
After getting stuck in a plane seat, Jill decided to join Slimming World
She has now lost a whopping nine stone, taking her weight down to 11st 10lb
READ MORE: I ballooned to 300lbs by ‘comfort eating’ – but I lost half my body weight in a year after my marriage broke down and a friend called me ‘fat’

A mother who describes herself as a ‘secret eater’ with a bread obsession has revealed how she was motivated to lose nine stone after getting stuck in a plane seat.

Jill Rutherford, 53, from Bedlington, Newcastle, started piling on the pounds during her first job as a seamstress aged 16, tucking into sweet treats in between stitches.

And she would also eat large amounts of bread, putting away four slices at breakfast, five slices for lunch, four in the evening, and could demolish an entire breadbasket at the local chippy – all before dinner.

The self-confessed ‘secret eater’ used to scoff three chocolate bars on the drive home and then hide the evidence from husband John, 56.

Jill Rutherford (pictured) from Newcastle tipped the scales at almost 21stone at her highest weight (pictured here before losing weight)

At her biggest, Jill tipped the scales 20st 10lb and once split the seams on her size 26 trousers.

The most ‘mortifying’ experience was when Jill found herself ‘wedged’ in a plane seat during a trip to Dubai and ended up arriving ‘black and blue’ from bruising.

The turning point came in 2016 when she received a devastating breast cancer diagnosis and was determined to live a healthier lifestyle.

After beating the disease, she joined Slimming World and overhauled her diet – shedding a whopping nine stone.

After: After losing around nine stone, Jill now weighs in at 11st 10lb, and has gone from a size 26 to a size 12

The mum-of-two is now down 11st 10lb and can fit into a svelte size 12.

Jill said: ‘I was so unfit I couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs or bend over and tie my own shoelaces.

‘I was such a secret eater and obsessed with any type of white bread, as long as there was a thick layer of butter on top.

‘The flight was so humiliating – I didn’t get up and use the loo for the entire 11-hour flight.

According to Jill (pictured before losing weight) she was a ‘secret eater’ before embarking on Slimming World, eating some 15 slices of bread every day

‘I knew I had to make a change and I can’t believe how far I’ve come.’

Jill noticed her weight spiralling out of control from the aged 19, when she first moved in with her husband John, a farm labourer, who loved to cook.

She used to sneak off the local chippy for a large cod and chip, basket of bread, and full-fat coke, before going tucking into a massive homemade dinner.

She said: ‘It was the norm to tuck into several slices of bread in the evening after John went to work.

‘In my head if nobody saw me do it, then it didn’t count.’

Two events kick started Jill’s weight loss journey – getting stuck in a plane seat and then being diagnosed with breast cancer

Jill has described getting stuck on a plane seat when she was at a larger size (pictured) as being ‘mortifying’

Jill’s continued to gain weight after the arrival of her children – Joe, 33, and Jack, 30.

She was left ‘mortified’ during trip to visit her eldest when he moved to Australia in 2016, after she found herself getting stuck in the plane seat.

‘I bought myself two seats for the flight, so I didn’t sit next to anyone.

‘But when we landed in Dubai during the first leg of the trip I was completely wedged – it was so embarrassing.

‘When we eventually arrived, I was completely black and blue with bruises.’

According to Jill (pictured after losing weight) medics put her cancer diagnosis down to her weight – and said she would likely get ill again unless she changed her lifestyle

When Jill returned home, she noticed a lump under arm pit and was devastated to learn she had developed breast cancer.

After a lumpectomy, 26 rounds of radiotherapy and six-months of chemotherapy, Jill was announced cancer-free.

But she was dealt another blow when she claimed doctors put her diagnosis down to her weight.

Jill continues: ‘The doctor said my unhealthy lifestyle and obesity was a massive factor.

Before and after: as well as overhauling her diet, Jill took up exercise, and says she went from being barely able to walk to going to the gym three times a week

‘If I continued the same path, it was very likely to return. Hearing that was a huge wake-up call for me and I knew had to make a change.’

Towards the end of 2016, Jill signed up to Slimming World and was determined to make a change.

She swapped her sugary snacks for healthier alternatives and calorie-controlled meals.

She also started exercising – going out for walks with her Jack Russel Betty and eventually joining a running club.

It took Jill a couple of years to shed the weight and reach her goal size, but she says it was worth it as she is now ‘happier than ever’

The 53-year-old is now a Slimming World consultant herself, and says she wants to help others reach their goal weight

Jill shed a whopping eight stone and dropped to a healthy 12st 7lb.

She is now a healthier size 14 and has more energy than ever before.

‘I was barely able to walk and now I’m going to the gym three times a week.

‘I’ve now become a consultant at Slimming World to help others, like they helped me.

‘It took me a couple of years to hit my target weight but I’m happier than ever.’

Jill’s daily diet – before and after

BEFORE

Breakfast: Four slices of toast with thick butter and jam

Lunch: Four or five slices of white bread or rolls with tomato soup

Dinner: Big portion of fish and chips or spaghetti Bolognese

Snacks: Four slices of toast, chocolate, biscuits, crumpets

AFTER

Breakfast: Weetabix and natural yogurt

Lunch: Boiled eggs, ham and salad

Dinner: Slimming world recipe pasta, Bolognese, Shepard’s pie

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