‘They thought I was pregnant’
Mbali Nwankwo, 35, lives in Chelmsford with her husband, Damian, 38, and their son, David, three.
Walking into church in September 2021, I was so happy to be back after two years of virtual services in the pandemic. But then someone called my name. ‘Congratulations!’ a woman beamed, looking at my stomach. ‘When are you due?’ I felt my cheeks burn. ‘I’m not pregnant,’ I said with a half-smile. We laughed it off, but I couldn’t concentrate for the rest of the service. She was right. At a size 22 and over 21st, I did look pregnant. ‘Don’t worry about it,’ my husband said when I told him. But it was all I could think about. I made a resolution
- I was going to shift this weight.
UNHEALTHY HABITS
It was at uni that I’d started ballooning, as just like most students, I overindulged on cocktails and takeaways. Working in the Union bar, I’d often get home at 3am and feast on late-night snacks.
‘NOW MY BLOOD PRESSURE IS NORMAL’
After marrying Damian in 2017, I got comfy in our relationship and the weight continued to pile on. And when I fell pregnant in September 2018, I took ‘eating for two’
