Ripping open another bag of Wotsits, 18-stone Katie Turton’s self-esteem was at rock bottom – but a charity walk would soon set her life on a whole new path.
The former make-up artist, 32, from Wigan, had seen her weight balloon after two back-to-back pregnancies, and, struggling with depression, she turned to calorific snacks for comfort.
She said: ‘Weight is something I never struggled with before I got pregnant. I thought I was carrying twins from how big I was.
‘I fell pregnant and ended up putting on quite a lot of weight. After the second child I was 252 pounds (18 stone/114kg).
‘I just knew I didn’t want to stay that way forever, I lost all of my confidence, I lost all of my self worth.
‘Everything spiralled and I had a bit of depression as well.’
Forced to hide her 5’8 frame in tent-like size 24 clothes, Ms Turton’s life changed when she agreed to take part in a 40-mile charity walk in December 2022.
‘I knew I needed to start working on myself and feel better for my kids,’ she said.
Katie Turton gained a lot of weight after two back-to-back pregnancies
She signed up for a charity walk and it transformed her health… and her life
‘I was always relatively healthy, I didn’t look after myself as much as I do now, my diet wasn’t awful but I never looked at nutrition.’
To make sure she could handle the challenge, , she started training at home with a personal trainer, using a pair of dumbbells and a kettlebell.
She said: ‘I did it with my kids sat on my chest. Being a mum you don’t have much time to go to the gym. ‘
After the charity walk, she had firmly caught the fitness bug and was ready for another challenge – a half marathon.
Ms Turton said: ‘I just started walking everywhere. I’d walk four miles and the next day I’d do more.
‘I saw a thing for the Manchester half marathon and thought I was just going to do it. Because I walked long distances it really helped me.
‘I did the full marathon, it was really hard. I was doing boxing, circuits and getting to speak to the instructor. She has been doing my personal training since.’
By the time Ms Turton completed both the Manchester half and full marathon in 2023, she had managed to lose five stone.
After her second pregnancy she weighed 18 stone
Walking everywhere helped her start to shift the pounds
Ms Turton claims her goal was to drop 100 pounds [seven stone] and managed to reach her target by November 2025 after joining her local gym, now weighing only 10 stone and slipping into size 10 clothes.
She said: ‘I had a goal of having a 100-pound weight loss and I’ve lost 100 pounds. I ended up finally reaching my goal, it was really emotional. It felt like a long process.
‘I posted the transformation video and someone commented saying “give it another year”. Someone said he couldn’t believe it was me.
‘Someone said “no way, you looked 60 years old in your before photos”.
‘I’ve been accused of using skinny jabs a couple of times. It doesn’t offend me because it’s very much trending right now. There’s always going to be trolls no matter what.’
That charity walk truly set Ms Turton on a new path, and in March last year she qualified as a PT.
‘I started thinking maybe this is what I should do for a job,’ she said.
‘I ended up training to become a personal trainer in September 2024 and qualified in March 2025. I have a couple of clients I have online.’
She shared her transformation online – people commented she looked 60 when she was bigger
She now loves working out and sharing her passion for exercise
The personal trainer said she struggles to look at old photos of herself prior to her transformation.
She said: ‘I feel sad when I’m looking at pictures because I remember how bad I felt about myself.
‘I don’t know who I was looking at in the mirror, it didn’t feel like me, I didn’t even own a mirror for a good six months.
Furthermore, the Wotsits and party ring biscuits are no longer on the menu. She admits that her diet used to be ‘chaotic’ and she now focuses on having balanced meals with enough protein and fibre.
She said: ‘You don’t have to eat minimum calories to have maximum results.
‘At first, I was eating within a calorie deficit and making sure I hit my protein goal but I wasn’t looking at the quality of the food. I wasn’t looking at fibre and carbs.
‘When I got to the gym and I was lifting heavier weights I started thinking about what’s going to help me recover and keep me full and the macronutrients.
‘I still have a donut if I want to, I’ll have an ice cream with the kids, the occasional McDonalds. No one is perfect. I feel even better than I did before kids.’
Ms Turton continues to share her journey online and aims to inspire other women.
She said: ‘I just want to inspire people. With all the weight loss jabs there’s a lot of pressure for women to look a certain way.
‘How you look is the least important thing about it. The media has always picked women apart and we’ve been fed all these lies.
‘I want women to know life doesn’t stop when you have kids. Kids should be everyone’s reasons to be healthier and see them grow up.
‘I knew I was a determined person but didn’t give myself enough credit for how strong and resilient I am.
‘The only person between you and your goals is you.’
