Mom loses 85 pounds after eliminating takeout during lockdown
Pamela Dolan is celebrating a major weight loss
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She took out takeout, and transformed her life.
A woman in Scotland is celebrating a major weight loss after shedding 84 pounds during lockdown by joining a weight loss program and embracing home cooking.
Pamela Dolan is excited to shop for some new summer clothes after the slim down, South West News Service (SWNS) reports. At her heaviest, the Grangemouth, Falkirk woman weighed 252 pounds, and committed to making a change following her 30th birthday in January 2020.
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Now, Dolan said she’s feeling better than ever at 168 pounds, and no longer no longer needs an inhaler for her asthma.
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"I was very inactive. It used to be a struggle for me to walk up to the toilet," said Dolan, now 31, per SWNS. "I used to not be able to walk my son to school, and it's only a street away."
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"When I saw the photo of myself at my 30th that was the last straw, and it was the kick up the bum I needed," she explained. "That's when I said something needs to change."
The mom to Lewis, 12, and Declan, 8, said she struggled to lose weight after having kids and constantly turned to takeout for a quick bite to eat.
"I would just eat anything, anything in sight –takeaways constantly, McDonald's, KFC, Chinese," Dolan recalled. "I had bacon and sausage cooked in oil every morning."
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Motivated to pursue a healthier lifestyle following her milestone birthday and August wedding, the woman joined a local Slimming World weight loss group and learned to cook from scratch.
"I was quite a fussy eater and was scared of trying new things, so at the start of my health plan I would always stick to the same foods," she said. "Now I don't eat takeaways at all, use one-calorie oil spray, cut the fat off of anything, and I eat all home-cooked meals."
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Before the major weight loss, Dolan said she’d have bacon and sausage for breakfast, following by kebab meat and chips for lunch, and pizza, McDonald’s, KFC, Chinese food or meatballs for dinner. During the day, she’d snack on chocolate or chips.
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Now, Dolan will fuel up with a banana or whole-grain cereal for breakfast, and prepare a ham sandwich on wheat bread, cold ham with homemade chips or homemade soup for lunch. For dinner, she’ll enjoy chicken chow main, homemade burgers or a homemade roast with potatoes and peas (among others) and snack on fruits like blueberries, mangoes and melon.
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The hard work soon paid off, and Dolan lost 50 pounds by the time she married fiancé Colin in August 2020. The newlywed said she was thrilled to feel like a "princess" in her white gown.
Committed to her goal, Dolan stocked up on cook books and worked out on an exercise bike during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Better yet, her doctors recently determined that she no longer needs an inhaler for her asthma.
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"A month ago I had an asthma review and I got told I don't need my inhalers anymore just due to my weight loss," Dolan said. "Before, my weight was putting so much pressure on my lungs, which is why I needed it. Because that pressure has gone now, I don't need it."
Moving forward, the mom said she’s looking forward to being active with her kids this summer and enjoying every day.
"My life's completely different now – I can now run about and go on cycles with my kids, and breathing is so much easier," Dolan said. "I'm going to buy a whole new wardrobe, and can't wait to buy summer clothes."
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"I just feel so much healthier in myself, and feel like a new person walking about."