A self-confessed food addict who had to order clothes from the US after she ballooned to 33 stone has lost more than half her body weight.
Nicola Mercer piled on the pounds after meeting her partner as a teen, the relationship seeing her relax in her eating habits and gorge on unhealthy foods.
The 49-year-old would order takeaways up to five days a week while regularly scoffing sugary snacks including crisps, biscuits and cakes.
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Nicola eventually gained so much weight she was unable to fit into UK clothing and had to order items specially made for her from the US.
Her large size meant she was unable to ride rollercoasters and had to request seatbelt extenders on planes.
Nicola can also recall one time her husband booked a surprise helicopter ride while on holiday for her birthday.
But when it turned up, the pilot would not let her board as she was too heavy for the aircraft.
“I used to put up a shield to everyone,” she told the Manchester Evening News. “I sort of didn’t let it get to me.
“Then I would go home and eat more and more because I was depressed. I would smile and laugh with everyone, then I’d get home and be upset.”
Before long, Nicola’s heavy weight was seriously impacting her health and she began suffering from back and joint pain.
She approached her doctor who advised her to have a gastric bypass, a type of weight loss surgery that makes the stomach smaller, in order to slim down.
Nicola underwent the procedure in 2016 and watched as the weight dropped off – eventually tipping the scales at 13 stone.
Having lost a whopping 20 stone, Nicola, who lives in the Mobberley area of Cheshire, looked like a totally new person as she managed to fit into size 12 clothes.
But despite her surgery, the teacher didn’t know how to maintain her new lifestyle and her weight began creeping up again.
By September 2023, Nicola weighed around 17 stone, prompting her to seek advice from a professional.
That’s when she discovered Beeweighed, a Greater Manchester and Cheshire weight loss group which also offers national Zoom sessions.
Under the guidance of owner Lynda Leadbetter, Nicola began losing weight once more, now tipping the scales at 15st 8lbs.
The teacher now runs her own Beeweighed classes and holds sessions in Jubilee Hall in Knutsford at 5.30pm every Tuesday.
“I just had the gastric bypass operation and there was no physiological therapy or anything afterwards,” Nicola added.
“Lynda taught me everything about nutrition, calories and diets because not everyone’s body is the same.
“I’m quite passionate and I’ve decided to become a Beeweighed leader myself and help people coming to my class who are in the same situation as me. I’m so passionate now that I want to help others.
“I was in my comfort zone [with eating]. I had been with my partner since I was 18. I wasn’t in the honeymoon period anymore where you relax and eat all sorts.
“I would eat tea then get a pizza after. [My weight] was straining my back, my knees used to hurt.
“I feel great and that’s why I have my own class. I want to pass on my learning to others if they’re in the same situation as me. There are other things that factor into dieting.
“People should reach out for support and not be ashamed or embarrassed. Overeating is an illness but it’s not classed as an illness. Like smoking and being a drug addict, I believe being a food addict is an illness.”
Lynda Leadbetter, owner of Beeweighed, said: “Nic is a wonderful lady who is a great inspiration, motivating other members with her success.
“She now leads her own Beeweighed meeting, and her transformation is remarkable. She has shed so much weight that it’s as if she has lost an entire person. I’m incredibly proud of her.”
Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
