Smoothing down the stretchy material on my size 22 dark green bridesmaid dress, I smiled with all the fake confidence I could muster. A sea of faces looked back at me as I nervously clutched a piece of paper and felt my face redden. It was April 2022 and I was about to give a speech as bridesmaid at my best friend’s wedding. Only, I felt horrendous – so self-conscious of my 5ft 5in, 16st frame.
‘EATING AND DRINKING HAD TAKEN ITS TOLL’
I’d spent the morning of Sophie’s wedding reluctantly posing for photos with her other bridesmaids, trying desperately to lean sideways in the hope I wouldn’t look so massive beside the other slim women. But I was ashamed of how I looked