Mum-of-three can now hug daughter properly again after losing 6 stone since start of pandemic

Carla Ford, 33, from Edinburgh reached a weight of 16st after eating a diet of Greggs sausage rolls, biscuits and vanilla lattes for almost a decade.

Ms Ford said she got into a habit of binge eating after becoming a mum, while juggling a part-time job and returning to college to get the grades she needed to become a midwife.

However, when Ms Ford went for a routine check-up at her GP surgery in March of last year, she was told she was on course to develop type 2 diabetes.

The trainee midwife was devastated by the projected diabetes diagnosis and was subscribed antidepressants to help her cope with the health scare.

She said her weight "eventually hit home" when her doctor told her she was on course to develop diabetes.

Four months later, Ms Ford then made the decision to lose weight and embarked on a low carb diet.

She dropped four dress sizes in six months, has reversed her path to diabetes and her polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) symptoms have also reduced.

Ms Ford said that “after a few months I noticed I was losing all the symptoms of my PCOS.

“The horrendous skin cleared up along with the excess facial hair and the feeling of being constantly hungry had also reduced.”

‘I just feel so much better for it all’

Ms Ford now weighs 10st and says her weight loss journey hit home when her daughter, Florence, said her "arms could reach one another" when she hugged her one evening.

Ms Ford, who now follows a keto diet, said: "I just feel so much better for it all.

"I've tried so many diets over the years and seen my weight yo-yo but nothing has actually stuck.

"This has and I've never felt better mentally or physically.

"When my little girl was able to wrap her arms around me it really brought it all home.

"She said 'mummy my arms can touch one another now'.

"It's things like that which I never would have realised before but are obviously impacting her."

Ms Ford said she will not “go back to eating the way I did before now that I know what works for my body and the vast benefits I’ve had from reducing my carb intake.

She added: "I'm receiving regular blood tests from my doctor to ensure my body is working as it should with my new lifestyle and I truly believe that nutrition can help with so many issues that normally just have medication thrown at them.”

Ms Ford now tracks her fitness and food regime on her Instagram account @mrsfgoesketo, in order to help inspire others with their weight loss journey.

She said she hopes that she can “inspire others and hopefully help motivate someone else who might be feeling how I was out of their depth and helpless."