Sophie Hinchliffe, widely known as Mrs Hinch, has shared a candid before-and-after photograph on Instagram, opening up about her weight loss journey and the lasting impact it has had on her life. The 36-year-old cleaning influencer, who stands at 5ft 10in, confessed that she has struggled with body image issues for much of her life and regrets having a gastric band fitted at the age of 21.
Body Image Struggles
In her heartfelt post, Mrs Hinch admitted that she has never felt comfortable in her own skin, regardless of her weight. 'I'm 5'10 so I'm tall and honestly, I have struggled to accept my height since I was 16. I've been a size 20 and I've been a size 6. I made a rushed decision to have a gastric band fitted when I was 21. And whilst it did its job, it wouldn't be something I'd do over again because of the lifelong complications I've been left with,' she wrote.
She continued, 'Regardless of my weight, I've never felt comfortable in my own skin. I pick apart my appearance daily. I also have a complicated relationship with food. And compliments? They still make me feel so incredibly awkward.'
Grief and Fear of Time
Beyond her weight struggles, Sophie also shared the profound grief she has experienced since losing her father, Alan, who passed away suddenly in his sleep in April 2024 due to respiratory complications. She revealed that the loss has left her with a 'fear of time,' constantly anxious about how much time her loved ones have left.
'I have developed a fear of time. Yes, time. Ever since losing my dad two years ago, I'm convinced my whole nervous system has changed. I'm constantly thinking about how long we all have left. I look at strangers and wonder how they seem so calm when none of us know what's around the corner,' she wrote.
Unfinished Project
The mother-of-three also discussed the guilt she feels over an unfinished project she and her father had been working on at her £1.1 million Essex farmhouse. They had converted an outbuilding into a workshop for his woodworking hobby, but she has been unable to enter the space since his death.
'Everything is exactly as we left it. Our project still sits unfinished, Dad's pen and fleece are where he left them. I don't even want the sawdust on the floor to be disturbed,' she confessed.
Sophie concluded her post by acknowledging that losing her father has changed her irrevocably, leaving her feeling like a different person. Her candid message was met with an overwhelming wave of support from followers, who thanked her for her honesty about grief and body image. One wrote, 'I love this. Feel like I've been through so many similar things and it's nice to know people feel the same.' Another added, 'And that's why I was meant to find you through your journey and so so grateful I did!'
