A mother of three from Nottinghamshire has lost more than four stone after being told she was too large to ride rollercoasters with her children at Alton Towers. Ashleigh Bell, 31, weighed nearly 18 stone before embarking on a diet programme following the embarrassing incident.
Bell, of Stapleford, said staff at the theme park informed her that the safety harness would not close properly due to her size. She described having to perform a 'walk of shame' away from the rides with her children, which she found deeply humiliating.
Determined to change, Bell joined the Cambridge Weight Plan 1:1 diet. Over four months, she consumed two meal replacement products per day plus a 600-calorie allowance, dropping to around 13 stone. She previously lost weight with Weight Watchers but regained it, noting that the Cambridge plan focused on long-term maintenance.
Bell, who works in a school kitchen, admitted her previous habit of skipping meals during the day and overeating at night contributed to her weight gain. Now, she says the programme has taught her to balance her food choices, even over the Christmas period.
With her weight loss, Bell has regained confidence and enjoys shopping without worrying about dress sizes. She holds season passes for Merlin Entertainments parks and looks forward to riding rollercoasters with her children without the 'walk of shame,' calling that the ultimate achievement.
