Mum Who Thought She’d Be “Fat Forever” Drops Nearly 6st After Bikini Panic Before Tenerife Holiday

Eleanor Brown, a 23-year-old mum-of-three from West Yorkshire, never thought she’d escape the cycle she was stuck in. She’d convinced herself that she’d be “fat forever” and had quietly accepted that as her reality — until one family holiday changed everything.

“I lived off freezer meals and takeaways as it was just easy for me,” she told YorkshireLive. “I didn’t notice the pounds piling on until I would see a photo of me someone else had taken.”

As a young mum who had her first child at 16, Eleanor had always prioritised her children’s wellbeing. “I’ve always been conscious of making sure my children had a healthy balanced diet, but when it came to myself I just shoved whatever was the quickest and most convenient thing into my mouth,” she admitted, reported Liverpool Echo.

But the toll it took on her confidence was huge. She avoided going out, hated shopping for clothes, and felt guilty that she couldn’t keep up with her kids at the park. “I couldn’t keep up with my kids running around the playground, and didn’t even try to fit into fairground rides from fear of embarrassment. I felt guilty that my children were missing out.”

Everything shifted when the family booked a holiday to Tenerife. The thought of being in 30-degree heat with nothing to hide behind was terrifying. “My sister was showing off all her nice dresses and bikinis and all of a sudden there was an internal panic — I can’t hide in big baggy clothes in that heat,” Eleanor said.

That was the moment she knew she had to do something. She joined her grandma at Slimming World, thinking it probably wouldn’t work — especially since she never felt deprived or hungry. “I gave it my all the first week… I lost 8lbs my first week! I was gobsmacked.”

A year on, Eleanor has lost an incredible 5st 10lbs. “I managed to lose 3 stone before I went on my holiday to Tenerife in September,” she said. “It was the first time in my entire life that I have dared to wear a bikini, and it felt so good!”

She now says the change hasn’t just been physical — it’s been completely life-altering. “It’s honestly changed my life,” she shared. “I can still cook all the meals my family love, and they even get excited for some of my ‘Slimming World recipes’. There are also meals I can cook that feel a bit more ‘fancy’ for a date night or special occasion without feeling guilty.”

Eleanor’s energy levels have soared, her back pain has all but vanished, and she no longer dreads the stairs. “I’m so much more confident in myself,” she said. “I get excited to try on new outfits. I love clothes now.” But perhaps most powerful of all, she says: “I used to look at myself in the mirror and hate what was staring back at me. Now it’s like a new person looking back at me.”