Size drops from 22 to eight for young mother in under a year

A Kildare mother of four has become a global sensation after going from a size 22 to eight in under a year.

Tracey Houlihan is setting up a slimming club in rural Ballyteague this October, in a bid to assist people reach their weight loss goals.

Married to David, she has four young children. Depression following the tragic death of her mother when she was just 24- years- old led to her rising weight. Additionally difficult pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia causing rising blood pressure added to her weight issues.

Tracey said: “It was a horrible lonely place. I have not had issues with depression since I lost weight. I had no self-worth, my weight was a big reason that I felt down. I did not want to leave my home. I remember being at a wedding in October 2013, this was a very low point. I saw my little girl’s face drop when I deleted a picture with me holding her, I was devastated, I did not want to hurt her. The problems started when my mother died 13 years before, I was the eldest of four children and I was trying to keep everything together.”

In October 2013, at 5ft 7, she weighed in excess of 17 stone, now she is 9.7stone. She has also dropped two shoe sizes and since the weight loss process has had to replace her wardrobe four times.

At this point, she decided to lose weight and joined Slimming World Kildare. By following a healthy diet, she managed to shrink from a size 22 to eight in just nine months.

After just 15 weeks at Slimming World Kildare she had lost almost four stone and the depression and blood pressure issues had diminished.

She said :“It was clean eating, I kept a food diary and just started to look after myself. I did not really exercise.”

Meanwhile, she never missed a session at Slimming World and was able to eat more than ever, just healthier options.

A typical daily diet for Tracey includes porridge with fruit, meat, potatoes, cabbage and desserts with fat- free youghurt.

Cooking has become an integral part of the Houlihan household and Tracey has purchased a wide range of new kitchen appliances including an air fryer, rice cooker, a Go Chef, a slow cooker and always plans ahead with dinners. She still eats take-aways twice a week and has changed her tipple of choice from wine to Martini.

Now she has been a global inspiration for people trying to lose weight all over the world and was a finalist in Woman of the Year. She has now been featured in Slimming World Magazine in America.

Now she has completed her training as a Slimming World Consultant and will be running a club in Ballyteague.

Tracey said: “I know how tough it is for people. I never count calories, I just eat more healthy food.”