Carla Corner - Half of Carla Inspiring Journey

My Story

I had been overweight my entire life. I don’t have “before” pictures that I wanted to get back to. If I even allowed photos to be taken of me, you’d notice they’re all the same. The weight of the world on my shoulders, a forced smile to mask how I was really feeling, posing myself in hopes that you wouldn’t be able to tell what I really looked like.

I watched life from the sidelines, too afraid to participate for the risk of shame. I watched as my teenage friends tried on clothes I could never have fit into. I had to order special bridesmaid dresses different from the others for weddings. I had to walk sideways down bus aisles and ask for seatbelt extenders on planes. I’d dread summer for being so uncomfortable and because of the risk of heat stroke from being so covered up. I was so ashamed of how I looked I flinched if I came upon my reflection in a mirror, a shop window and even a blank tv screen.

But still I tried because I so desperately wanted to lose weight. I had been on a diet nearly every day since I was a child and like so many of us, I had tried every one under the sun. All the really famous diet clubs, keto, atkins, grapefruit diet, cabbage diet, all of them. I’d have some level of success but I’d always end up putting it all back on and then some.

I was a full blown food addict, a recovering binge eater and a former bulimic. At 323lbs/23 stone I believed I was a lost cause. I had tried everything, and I had all this disordered eating, bulging discs, plantar fasciitis and thought nothing short of weight loss surgery was going to help me.

But this is a story of hope, not of despair.

Three years ago I had a realisation that I had my own negative narrator living rent free in my mind. Telling me that I wasn’t worth changing and that I had been using food to numb my emotions and escape my body. I decided it was time to get out of my own way, stop writing myself a “sick note” from life and begin to live it.

I had seen my beautiful sister, who had also been overweight the majority of her life, join BodySlims and lose 92 lbs. After my relaisation I decided, if she can do it, maybe I’m not such a lost cause after all.

I made the decision to join the January 2020 cycle of BodySlims and that is one of the few great decisions of my life (the other was saying yes to going for a glass of wine with a tall French man!). I figured for once I would get out of my own way, surrender and do what they told me to do for 10 weeks and see what happens.

10 weeks later I had lost 42 lbs and figured, maybe there is something to this BodySlims and Weight Whisperer guy after all.

Throughout the programme Gerard talks about “Daring to Dream”. My original goal was to lose 10 stone (140 lbs) , something I honestly didn’t believe was possible, but I figured if I could get even half way I’d be delighted. As I went through the programme I began to build belief and worth in myself. I decided to go for gold. I had once been “super bad” and I wanted to strive for my version of great. Prove to myself that I was worth the effort of showing up for myself.

In March 2021, after four BodySlims cycles I reached my goal weight. I lost over half my original weight, from 323.8lbs to 146 lbs, a UK size 24/26 (US 20/22) to a UK 8/10 (US 4/6). I had been in the morbidly obese BMI category and finsihed BodySlims in the healthy range.

In January 2022 I gave birth to my first son and had a very happy and healthy pregnancy. And I then went back to exactly what I know works, joining BodySlims in April 22 to lose my postpartum 40 lbs.

Today I am happily living my best life. I’m not on a diet anymore! For the first time in my life, I am living my best life in maintenance. I don’t have to lose weight anymore!! I’m done! There is not enough space on this page for me to tell you how freeing this is. I have been unlocked from my own prison and set free.

Things that were once hard like walking up the stairs, walking in general, clothes shopping, crossing my legs, sleeping and sometimes even breathing are now effortless. My body is no longer my enemy, but my friend who I care about.

BodySlims empowers you to take care of yourself, put yourself first and enjoy your life. It was my roadmap to health, my blueprint to follow to dismantle the unplanned extension I had on my body. It was not easy, but it was simple and it set me free.

I have been given one of the greatest gifts of my life, the gift of freedom and I am so honoured to be announced as a BodySlims Brand Ambassador to help spread the message and help other people to know that it can be done. You can achieve your dreams and live a freeing and wonderful life. If I can, you can too!