I was determined not to be a fat mom, so I lost 8th place before my wedding – my own friends and family didn’t recognize me

SENNA-MICHELLE Juchau, 31, is a senior contracts manager and lives in Surrey with her husband David, a senior security engineer, 35, and children Emelia, seven, and Isla, three.

Walking down the aisle in my beautiful size 10 dress, I was so excited to marry my fiancé.

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My daughters told me I looked like a princess, and relatives I hadn’t seen in years said that if I hadn’t been wearing my wedding dress, they would have no idea who I was – because I was completely unrecognizable.

I laughed, but thought about the journey I went through to lose size 8 – going from a depressed size 22, weighing 17.8 pounds, to a happy size 10, weighing 9.7 pounds.

I was bullied because of my size throughout my childhood. At age 11, I was only a size 10, but I was bigger than my friends. As time passed, my size increased. I tried countless diets, but none of them worked.

In 2015 I became pregnant with my first daughter, Emelia. I craved fruit juice and cheese and put on the 4th, bringing me to 17st 8 pounds, which at 5’1″ made me a size 22.

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I developed postpartum depression and began to seek comfort in food. I couldn’t pass a McDonald’s without going in and I had pizza and curry for dinner, accompanied by soft drinks.

I was unable to lose the pregnancy weight and barely went out, hating what I had become and feeling unable to give Emelia the childhood she deserved.

In September 2017, I had had enough and forced myself to start going to the gym and counting calories. Six months later, I lost more than 3rd. But when I stopped, the weight started to increase again.

Around the same time, after separating from Emelia’s father, I rekindled my relationship with my ex, David, who I had known since I was 16, and in March 2020 I became pregnant.

Covid meant gyms were closed but I was walking a lot so I only gained 7lbs, which I managed to lose quickly after Isla was born in November.

But soon the stress of having two children took its toll, old habits kicked in and my weight started to creep up.

However, I was determined not to be a fat parent.

When Isla was five months old, I saw an advert on Instagram for a private weight loss surgeon and arranged a video conference to discuss my suitability for a gastric sleeve, where 80% of the stomach is removed.

I told David the operation would cost around £10,000 and he encouraged me.

It seemed like a lot of money, but when I calculated how much I was spending on takeout, I realized I would cover those costs in a few years, as well as be healthier and happier, so we took out a loan.

After consulting a psychotherapist and a nutritionist, I was considered fit and, in June 2021, I had the gastric sleeve operation.

I knew it wasn’t a magic solution and I still had to make sensible choices, plus recovery from surgery was difficult.

Some friends criticized it, saying it was a ‘lazy’ option that wouldn’t last, which hurt – however, the weight came off, and within five months I lost almost a fifth of the weight.

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Despite the weight loss, my huge breasts were giving me permanent back pain and making exercise difficult, so in November 2021 I had a reduction that took me from a 42G to a 32DD.

It cost £9,000, which we paid for by financing it with a loan from the clinic.

Fourteen months after the gastric sleeve, I lost 8 kg, down to 9 kg.

I ordered a beautiful size 10 wedding dress and when I tried it on – and it fit – my mind was blown.

In October of last year, David and I got married in front of over 100 family and friends.

A few years ago I hated going out, but here I was dancing until dawn with my loved ones – it was such a special day.

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Sharing my story on Instagram, I was inundated with praise – and also criticism – there is a stigma around gastric surgery that you are a cheater, but I knew I had done what was right for me and my family.

Now I eat muffins with poached eggs for breakfast, chicken Caesar salad for lunch, and lean beef and potatoes for dinner.

I can play with the girls without getting tired and even run with Emelia.

Losing weight has allowed me to be a better mother and I feel very proud of what I have achieved.