Christmas is the time we all end up letting ourselves go a little bit. It’s natural to want to eat more warm, hearty foods this time of year, but it does mean it’s easier to put on the pounds.
But for Roisin Curran, this got a little out of control.
Roisin used to eat 4,000 calories per day. Around Christmas 2013, she weighed 273 pounds. She couldn’t find any festive outfit to fit into for her workplace’s Christmas party.
She ended up having to cut the elastic on a Santa costume to fit into it.
She didn’t realize she had to make a change until she saw pictures of herself from that party. Then, she decided that she had to ditch her 4,000 calories per day lifestyle .
“I was fatter than Santa,” said Roisin. “I could either turn up to the party in normal clothes or cut the elastic from the outfit and squeeze myself in.
“After the embarrassment of all that I saw the pictures and I looked huge, it was a real eye-opener.”
But for Roisin, this wasn’t a new struggle. She’d always had trouble with her weight, and she never thought she’d be able to get to a healthy weight. “I had been overweight for my whole life and for a good while resigned to the belief that I’d be fat forever. Before, I’d gorge on sugary snacks in between my meals and was always eating double portions.
“I’d even get out of breath from just walking up the stairs.”
But now, through a diet of moderation and regular gym sessions, she’s down to 140 pounds.
“When I look back on the old picture of me dressed as Mrs. Clause I laugh—I’ll never go back now that I’ve lost all this weight. This year I can fit into Christmas costumes,” says Roisin. “I’m dressing as an elf and look thinner than ever.”
She’s even going back to nursing school. “Before I used to think I was too fat to be a nurse, I was worries patients wouldn’t take me seriously when talking about health implications. But now that I’ve lost [the weight] I feel like a real role model and I can’t wait to follow my dream.”
