Catarina before (left) and today (right). MDWfeatures / Catarina Merighi

By Rebecca Drew

 

THIS BRITISH woman is convinced that her astonishing FOURTEEN-AND-A-HALF-STONE weight loss helped her to finally become a mum after suffering a heart-breaking EIGHT-MISCARRIAGES when she was bigger.

 

Cleaner and single mum, Catarina Merighi (30) from Penge, London, United Kingdom, says she was always chubbier than her friends as a child despite being an active kid. But when she was old enough to choose what she wanted to eat and go to the shops herself, her weight began to spiral out of control as she would choose to snack on crisps and chocolates.

Catarina appeared on Britain’s Got Talent before her weight loss.
MDWfeatures / Catarina Merighi

 

Going into adulthood, Catarina grew to hate herself for her size and always thought that her friends and family looked better than she did. She knew the damage her unhealthy diet was doing to her but would still gorge on a box of 24 bags of crisps of an evening to comfort herself and never tried to exercise.

 

At 23st 10lb and a UK size 26, Catarina was also desperate to become a mum and sadly suffered eight heart-breaking miscarriages between September 2013 and June 2017. However, it wasn’t until she saw a picture of herself at a friend’s barbeque that she decided to lose weight once and for all.

Catarina with her daughter, Rosabelle.
MDWfeatures / Catarina Merighi

 

Catarina is now a super-svelte 9st 4lb and a UK size eight thanks to overhauling her diet to 1,300 to 1,500-calories of good carb, high protein and low saturated fat foods a day, and working out six to seven times a week.

 

She also realised her dream of becoming a mum, and has a one-year-old daughter, Rosabelle, something that Catarina doesn’t think would have been possible without losing weight.

Catarina before her weight loss.
MDWfeatures / Catarina Merighi

 

“I was always a chubby kid. My mum was super healthy, and we walked everywhere but I had an extremely slow metabolism so always had that puppy fat,” said Catarina.

 

“Then when I had the ability to go feed myself and buy my own stuff it spiralled.

Catarina (left) before her weight loss.
MDWfeatures / Catarina Merighi

 

“Honestly and truly, I hated myself, it wasn’t just about looking like my friends and family and looking better. It was about the fact that I knew the damage I was doing to myself.

 

“I knew the things I wanted to do and I realised that I was restricting my life and myself just to eat a twenty-four box of crisps.

Catarina now.
MDWfeatures / Catarina Merighi

 

“I remember the day I decided to lose weight once and for all, I had recently been to a friend’s barbeque and of course pictures were taken. Now I had been in a long-term relationship and I had got into a rut of just eating and not going out.

 

“Anyway, I went out and the next morning looked at Facebook and I did not recognise the person I’d become. I mean I’d always been chubby from a child but this person in this picture wasn’t me and I knew I had to make a change.

Catarina before her weight loss.
MDWfeatures / Catarina Merighi

 

“Losing weight has made me a totally different person. It’s built my confidence, made me happier and at least now I can run for the bus without feeling like I’m having a heart attack.

 

“More importantly I miscarried eight times when I was bigger and it wasn’t until I lost all the weight I had my beautiful little girl, so honestly losing weight in my eyes helped me to become a mum.”

Catarina after her weight loss.
MDWfeatures / Catarina Merighi

 

When she’s out and about, people no longer recognise her and are surprised to see how much weight she has lost.

 

Finally confident in her own body, Catarina has been sharing her weight loss journey on Instagram and has set up her own personal training business to help others like her.

Catarina after her weight loss.
MDWfeatures / Catarina Merighi

 

“Not falling off the plan was the most difficult thing about the weight loss and getting on with it when I’ve felt disheartened,” said Catarina.

 

“I’ve had many a moment I just gave up but then I looked at who I used to be and kept going.

Catarina now after her weight loss.
MDWfeatures / Catarina Merighi

 

“Most of the time people don’t recognise me and when they realise it’s me they are just shocked.

 

“I’ve heard it all from people asking, ‘where did you go?’ and saying, ‘Kitty are you there?’

Catarina with her daughter, Rosabelle.
MDWfeatures / Catarina Merighi

 

“I am finally content and happy within my own skin.

 

“If someone really doesn’t know where to start with weight loss, read up about different plans and think about how your body reacts to certain foods.

Catarina with her daughter, Rosabelle.
MDWfeatures / Catarina Merighi

 

“If you really need the assistance check out my page, KMweightlossandtraining on Instagram.”

Catarina before her weight loss (left) and now (right).
MDWfeatures / Catarina Merighi

 

For more information see www.instagram.com/kmweightlossandtraining