Deirdre’s amazing eight-stone weight loss transformation

Deirdre’s amazing eight-stone weight loss transformation

25 November 2020

CROSSGAR woman Deirdre Killen lost over eight stone the old fashioned way — counting calories and upping her exercise.

Nearly two years ago the 31 year-old made a New Year’s resolution to herself to lose weight and become more healthy.

She lost the weight in just 15 months and has maintained her loss ever since with a combination of dedication and having a sensible attitude to the odd indulgence.

Despite joining slimming clubs “countless times” and trying every diet going over the years, Deirdre could not shake off being the “big one” in her group of friends.

Her love of food and cooking meant that her weight spiralled out of control in her twenties until she got to the point when she tipped the scales at over 20 stones. 

The mother of two young daughters said that her desire to tackle her weight gain after having her children was the catalyst she needed.

“I made a New Year’s resolution to lose my weight and change my lifestyle. I know a lot of people try that and fail, but it worked for me,” said Deirdre. I suddenly realised that the only person who could do this was me and the person who can fail is myself.”

However, behind Deirdre’s successful weight loss was years of pain and unhappiness.

She said that her confidence was at its lowest time when she joined her family on a family holiday in Cornwall in 2016.

A day out at an adventure park ended in tears and humiliation for the young woman who had just experienced the major loss of two missed miscarriages.

She married her husband Darren the year before and quickly got pregnant just months later.

“I went for a scan and I was told there was no heartbeat,” said Deirdre.

“Then I got pregnant again and while there had been a heartbeat detected in a early scan, it wasn’t there on the second scan.”

Deirdre was feeling so low when she left the hospital after her second loss that she was persuaded to go on a family holiday to cheer her up.

“My family are all very active and I felt I couldn’t keep up as I was really heavy then,” she explained.

“When they suggested going to an adventure centre, my heart just sank. I sat on the sidelines and just watched but I decided to give ziplining a go.

“The guy who was running it asked if he could weigh me. As soon as he did so, he said that I was just too heavy. I was fighting back the tears in front of everyone.

“I was in a mood for the rest of the holidays and I was cross with everyone, including myself. That was the lowest part of my life.”

Deirdre was determined to lose several stones and again got pregnant with her three-year-old daughter Aoibh. She also lost more weight when she got pregnant with two-year-old daughter Fiadh. 

After Fiadh’s birth, she allowed herself to recuperate over Christmas before starting on her weight loss mission in January, 2018.

She installed a calorie counting app on her phone and increased her exercise levels.

“I decided that I wasn’t on a diet, I was changing my life. Whether the weight loss was fast or slow, I was going to keep going,” said Deirdre.

“I’m very anti slimming clubs. I must have went to a slimming club about 10-15 times in my life. Every time I lost three stone but I would put it on again plus more. 

“I realised that demonising certain foods was wrong as if I would lapse by having butter on my toast, I would binge as I was annoyed at being off-plan.  So now if I want butter on my toast I have it and enjoy it.”

Deirdre followed a high protein, low carbohydrate diet initially at around 1,800 calories a day which made her feel satisfyingly full.

She said: “I realised that I didn’t feel like I was on a diet. Diets for me used to be all or nothing and if I slipped up, I would binge. But for limiting my calories, “I realised I could go out to dinner but as long as I was back being sensible the next day, I still would have weight off that week.”

Deirdre denies herself nothing nowadays, enjoying three meals and two snacks a day and often enjoys a ready meal of 300-400 calories a day. Her treat is to have a coffee and chocolate bar in the evening once her two children are in bed. 

“I now work out with a personal trainer at least once a week and try to do another work out or two on my own,” said Deirdre. “But you can lose weight without every working out by just staying active and on your feet.

Deirdre said she lost her most weight when she was keeping to around 1,700 calories a day with 110 grammes of protein.

“I think of everything in money terms,” said the financial analyst. “I have my bill paying calories which will keep me full and all the nutrients I need. Then you have your disposable income calories, like a glass of wine or chocolate bar that you can have fun with — as long as it all balances out for your calorie intake and exercise for that day.

“One of the things I’m most proud of is that I never ped my calorie intake to lower than 1,600 a day so I was never hungry.”

For inspiration and fantastic lean protein meal recipes, follow Deirdre on Instagram (@deelightfood).