How we got FIT AT 50

We speak to three women who decided hitting midlife meant time for a change

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‘I DISLIKED WHAT I SAW IN THE MIRROR’

Krassi Hendry, 52, lives in Sutton with her husband and their two teenage daughters.

I couldn’t wait to become a mum when my husband and I fell pregnant in 2003. Giving birth to twins, though, things were twice as hard. Two bedtimes, two-bath times, and two sets of nappies to change. And as I settled into my new role as a mum, I realized that, for the first time in my life, I was no longer my own priority. My appearance had once meant everything to me. I’d wear make-up and jewelry, neatly style my hair, enjoy shopping for fashionable clothes, and work out to maintain my slender frame. But now, all of those things were at the bottom of my to-do list.

As the twins grew, I’d often find myself eating my own plate as well as their leftovers before indulging in a couple of glasses of wine after they’d gone to bed as a way of relaxing after a long day at work as a journalist. Eating more than I was expending, the weight slowly started to pile on over the years, and by 2019 my 5ft 5in frame weighed over 12st. Looking in the mirror, I disliked what I saw, but worse yet were the health problems that the weight gain brought with it, such as constantly feeling lethargic.

It wasn’t until later that year, when looking through old holiday photos with my daughters, that I realized just how unhealthy I had become. In one photo, I looked huge. I desperately wanted to get back to the fit and healthy woman I’d been in my 30s. So in 2020, I started making changes to my diet, limiting portion sizes and counting calories.