Too wide to ride!

The shame helped me shed 9st

-  Emma Bleakley

My eyes lit up when I saw it.

‘I want to go on that!’ I squealed to my mates, pointing to the tallest amusement ride. I was 17 and we were at a funfair. I loved fast rides.

The ride was about 114ft high and went up like a lift, then crashed down at lightning speed. So we joined the queue. When we got on, I plonked my bum down and pulled the safety belt over my belly. But there was a problem… ‘The belt won’t fit over my tummy,’ I gulped to my mates. I was too fat for the ride! I’d always been overweight. And since reaching my teens, I’d piled on the pounds even more.

I’d devour big lunches and snacks at school. And at home, I’d scoff dinner and then dessert.