Bríanán McEnteggart (right) celebrates her victory in Birmingham on Saturday night with her Slimming World consultant Fiona Pepper
There were celebrations for local woman Bríanán McEnteggart at the weekend after she was named Slimming World’s Woman of the Year 2014 in the UK and Ireland.
Bríanán weighed in at 32st 11lbs by the time she reached 27 years of age but shed an incredible 20st before her 30th birthday and found love after attending Slimming World classes in The Fairways Hotel with consultant Fiona Pepper.
Earlier this year she was shortlisted along with nine others for the overall UK and Ireland woman of the year award and picked up the prize at a ceremony hosted by Peter Andre in Birmingham on Saturday.
Bríanán has regularly featured in The Irish Mirror to speak about her experiences and below detailed her journey in previous interviews with the paper.
She said: “I was at the doctors one Friday because my sister has a heart condition and I just wanted to get checked out to make sure there was nothing wrong.
“But he was shocked at my weight – I had asked him to do a full physical and he told me that I was severely obese.
“He told me I was on the verge of having a heart attack if I didn’t do something about it.
“And the following day when I was having a shower the bath cracked underneath me.
Bríanán lost an incredible 20st after joining Slimming World in October 2011
“It’s embarrassing to tell this story but it’s the only way people will know how I felt.”
Bríanán struggled with her weight from a young age and was bullied at school for her size.
She said: “Like most big kids I was picked on. I put my defences up so no-one ever knew they’d hurt my feelings, but when I got home I’d cry to myself.
“I used to walk everywhere with my head down and I hated entering a room by myself because I thought everyone would be looking at me.”
So instead of going out Bríanán preferred staying at home to read a book as a teenager.
The bright and successful woman excelled in her career and now works as an IT trainer but by the age of 27, her weight was holding her back.
Bríanán said: “I lived near a shop 750 metres up the road and walking there nearly killed me.
“And I suppose the problem was I wasn’t a big meal eater but I was a binger as I would call it. I would skip meals but eat big packets of crisps and big bars of chocolate for energy.
“I never had breakfast and when I did eat a meal it was generally convenience foods.”
Bríanán had tried many different diets over the years and even went to two different dieticians but nothing worked for her until she discovered Slimming World in October 2011.
Bríanán said: “After that terrible weekend I was in work and my colleague Mary Murphy had joined Slimming World the week before and was telling me about it.
“I thought it was too good to be true but I decided to give it a go and went with her to the group.”
Going in wasn’t easy but walking through the doors opened up a whole new world for Bríanán.
She said: “I was mortified walking in, I had my head down and I knew I was going to be the heaviest in the group.
“But the minute I walked in the door my consultant Fiona Pepper was there to greet me with a happy smile and everyone in the group was very open and honest.
“The first few times it was really difficult and I was anxious, but I soon started to feel at ease and made friends.
“Now they can’t shut me up.
“When I heard what the programme involved and how you could eat all the Free Food I just thought it wouldn’t work.
“But one week in I had 11lb off and I was absolutely shocked.”
Now a svelte size 14 she’s also found love.
Bríanán said: “In the past I didn’t have the confidence to meet anyone but things have changed over the past few months and I am really happy now.
“My boyfriend is called Keith and he is from Dundalk too. He’s a Slimming World member – he goes to a different group in Carrickmacross – and he’d actually heard my story before we even met.
“We met each other on a random night out and he recognised me as the girl who was Ireland’s Greatest Loser.
“Things took off from there and we’ve been seeing each other for just over six months now.”
Bríanán said her physical and emotional health has been improving too.
She revealed: “I am now at a healthy BMI and although I am still quite shy, my confidence has been growing bit by bit.
“I am definitely happier in myself too – I have a new job as well as seeing Keith so everything is falling into place.
“In the past I was too nervous even to go for job interviews – I spent a lot of time hiding myself away because of my weight – but that has completely changed and I now have the job I want.”
Bríanán added she gives advice to others who find themselves in the position she was in before.
She revealed: “People ask me advice about how I lost the weight but my main comment would be to tell them to try and live their lives and not be afraid to ask for support.
“I was that overweight girl who was hiding away three years ago but if you come out of your shell a bit maybe it will be easier to get the help you need.
“I was so nervous when I first joined Slimming World and walking through those doors was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
“But everyone, including my consultant Fiona, was so welcoming and friendly and now my group is like family.
“They’ve been there every step of the way and I’m so grateful to them for that.”
Bríanán said it hasn’t been an easy journey for her but the results have far outweighed the hard times.
She added: “It was a hard journey, don’t get me wrong, but it was the best journey I have ever been on.
“The hardest part is being emotionally ready for being a different person physically.
“You can find it difficult if things aren’t going your way but sometimes you are going to have a good week and sometimes you aren’t and you have to take it all in your stride.
“Now that I have reached my target I am a bit more relaxed about things and I am enjoying myself a little bit more.”
