Breaking Traditions

Coming from an Italian background, Frances’ life revolved around food. Bullied as a child for being overweight and watching her parents’ health deteriorate, life for the mother of-two was a constant physical and mental battle. It was only after a serious health scare that she made the decision to take back control of her life.

- Frances Caratozzolo

I come from an Italian background and food was always a priority for my family. We had weekly family celebrations and whilst it was nice to have the family all together, all celebrations and conversation revolved around food. My parents owned a successful delicatessen and our family lived upstairs, so food was always on hand. Ham, pasta, cheese, sweets: you name it, I had access to it.

I was an overweight baby, child and teenager. Growing up I had this delusion that one day I would just wake up skinny, through some divine intervention. But we all know that’s not how fat loss works and as I grew up I was bullied for my weight issues and I didn’t participate in any sports growing up because I was too embarrassed. I carried these feelings of worthlessness and embarrassment into my adult life and had accepted my body for what it was, hoping one day it would all change.