It's actually crazy to think I've lost the weight of a full-grown man

Reaching out for help start of her transformation

- HANNAN COTTRELL

A WOMAN who "ate her feelings" and weighed 22 stone at her heaviest has got her life back after she lost the size of a "full-grown man" by following a diet and exercise regime.

Christina Togher, 31, from Castlebar, Co Mayo, suffers with anxiety and was "bullied severely" as a child, prompting her to turn to food as a way of dealing with her emotions.

The manager of a local coffee shop said she continued to gain weight throughout her late teens and early 20s, and, at her heaviest, tipped the scale at 22 stone and wore a size XL to XXL in clothing.

After temporarily shedding the pounds while at university, where she dropped to 11 stone, Christina took a job as a chef, which saw her "old habits come back hard" - and she gained 7st 12lbs until she weighed 18st 12lbs in March 2024.

As the prospect of turning 30 loomed over her, and Christina was struggling with "everyday tasks" due to her size, she decided to change her life for the better and enlist the help of a personal trainer.

From March 2024 to June this year, Christina lost 13st 7lbs and she now weighs 8st 7lbs thanks to a food plan and a consistent exercise routine, helping her to feel "so much happier in herself.

"It's crazy when you start putting numbers on it, it's actually crazy to think that I've lost the weight of a full-grown man," Christina said.

"If something's bothering me, I now take it out in the gym instead of eating my feelings. I feel so much happier, I have more energy and I don't hurt as much as I did.

"It's all about consistency and showing up - keep showing up for you, your kids, your loved ones and know that change is possible."

Christina said she has always been "a bigger person".