28-year-old woman says her weight gain has made her marriage stronger

• Aimee Kilgour, 28, was unhappy when she was a size six but now, a few sizes up, is oozing with confidence.

• She never went out to eat at restaurants with her husband because she restricted herself to foods with no diary, gluten, wheat or soy.  

• At the heaviest weight she's ever been, she says her relationship is the strongest.

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Aimee Kilgour, 28, felt insecure and unhappy when she was a size six, but now she oozes with confidence as a size 12.

The stay-at-home mom followed a strict diet and exercise regime to keep a low weight - like she did before giving birth to Kaiden, six, Jackson, three and Callie, two - but the weight loss brought her no joy. 

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But now, one year on, Aimee weighs 12 stone (76 kilograms) and couldn’t be happier. She says her relationship with Kyle, 31, has "dramatically improved". 

She says: “I thought Kyle would find me more attractive if I looked the way I did when we first met but actually he prefers me now. 

“I didn’t look healthy and I certainly wasn’t happy like I thought I would be - dieting made me miserable and I was always comparing myself to others online. 

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“By losing weight, I was trying to be someone I’m not and it made me feel so insecure and jealous of other girls who were smaller of me. 

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“Kyle and I wouldn’t go out for meals or stay in with a take-away as I would refuse to eat anything that contained diary, gluten, wheat or soy. 

“Now I eat whatever I like, I’m not super healthy but I’m not terrible - I am just no longer depriving myself of curries or other foods I enjoy. 

“Now, dinner is our favourite time as we put our phones away and have a good catch up with one another and the children whilst tucking into the same meal whether that be pizza or a healthy meal I have cooked. 

“I am the biggest I have ever been but I don’t care as I am in a good place and our relationship is the strongest it has ever been. 

“We have a laugh and I joke about my ‘mum tum’ whereas before I was worrying about getting down another dress size or having a gap between my thighs.” 

Aimee now feels she can be the best "role model" for her daughter as she is showing her that "size doesn’t matter". 

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She adds: “I’ve always been the type of person to try and seek happiness somewhere rather than looking at what I’ve got. 

“Despite having a wonderful family and loving husband, I thought being slim would make me happy. 

“I have read a lot of personal growth books to get to where I am today but I have realised it is what matters on the inside rather than the out.” 

Despite ditching her diet, Aimee has no objection to other people finding happiness through diet and exercise. 

She says: “I am so supportive of others and I am absolutely not ‘skinny shaming’ anyone. 

“A small frame just doesn’t suit me anymore - I looked unhealthy. This is just my own personal and I’m not judging anyone else.” 

Story courtesy of @thesocialmama.xo / Caters News /magazinefeatures.co.za

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