Size 26 West Midlands mum lost 10st and saved £7.2k a year after ditching takeaway for every meal
See photos of Hayley Bagley before and after her weight loss journey.
A mum who was "mortified" when she could only find a "huge baggy jacket" to wear to her dad's funeral lost 10st by ditching her daily £7,200 a year takeaway habit.
Hayley Bagley, 55, said her sedentary working life led her to slip into bad habits and she would spend £150 a week on takeout for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
She weighed 20st 11lbs and was a size 26 when she started getting breathless going up the stairs.
And when her dad, Ron Bagley, died aged 80 from dementia, Hayley struggled to find something to wear for his funeral - giving her the push she needed to lose the weight.
She cut out her bacon sandwiches and cakes and swapped them for homecooked meals and daily walks.
In two years she lost 9st 12lbs, and is now a healthy 10st 13lbs and a size 10.
Hayley, an account manager from Redditch, Worcestershire, said: "All I could find for the funeral was a huge baggy jacket, I was absolutely mortified.
"It really upset me. Dad wouldn't have minded, but I really wanted to wear something gorgeous to his funeral.
"There wasn't even a choice for me in size 26, the jacket was the only thing I could wear. I was so shocked when I was out of breath climbing the stairs.
"It was a real pivotal moment for me. I was just so busy and self care had gone on the back burner. I needed to pull that back."
Hayley said she was a sporty teen, playing hockey and netball, and started gaining weight when she began working in sales and life became more sedentary.
She tried losing weight a few times before but never had time to really focus on it.
By April 2023 Hayley would get in the car to go to work at 7am and grab a sausage and egg McMuffin, hashbrowns, and a latte.
At work around 10am she'd get a bacon sandwich from a local van with her colleagues, then order a burger and chips from KFC or similar for lunch.
Someone often brought in cake each day which they shared in the afternoon, or Hayley would order some in.
And on her way home Hayley and son Elliot, now 24, and partner-of-nine-years Andi, Rowberry, 51, an MOT technician, would pick a takeout - usually pizza, to have delivered for their dinner, which they ate while watching TV.
Hayley said they also spent £150 a week on a supermarket shop - and would sometimes cook a roast dinner with all the trimmings and goose-fat potatoes.
"I knew it wasn't a healthy lifestyle and wasn't making me happy. But I was too tired and overwhelmed to change it," she told Talk to the Press.
“It was such a huge amount of money to be spending but I was so busy I hardly noticed."
Hayley drove everywhere, only getting out for short walks around the block with her Springer Spaniel Luna, now seven.
She would visit her dad on weekends and noticed herself getting out of breath going upstairs.
She said: "I always had nice shapely legs. I was really surprised to be out of breath and looked in the mirror. For the first time ever I couldn't see my knees and I knew I had a problem I needed to get sorted."
And when her dad passed away in April 2023 she struggled to find anything her size to wear to her dad's funeral in the royal blue colour the rest of her family were wearing.
Hayley joined her local Slimming World group in May 2023 and began cutting out the takeaways and even changed her job so she works more regular hours so she can guarantee having time to cook.
She lost over nine pounds in the first week, and seven stone in the first year, and hasn't looked back.
Hayley has maintained her weight loss since Christmas 2025.
She said: "I'm extremely proud of myself. I just want to shout it from the roof tops. And I'm really pleased that I've been able to lose the weight naturally.
"Going to a Slimming World group each week is the best six pounds I ever spend. There's nothing wrong with medicated weight loss, if that's what you need, but I feel more in control this way.
"I'd always be worried about the side effects or what would happen when I came off the jab or pills. I've done this by making time for it and sticking at it and having loads of support.
"I haven't done anything more than just keep caring for myself. I feel great, and I have so much more energy, physical, mental, and emotional."
And she said she is saving £7,200 a year from cutting out the takeaways and instead is able to spend this cash on tailored clothes instead of her old baggy outfits.
Hayley said: "A huge thing for me now is being able to choose my outfits. It's so exciting! There's a really limited choice of clothes when you're size 26."
She still loves a full fry up, but has lean bacon, Slimming World sausages, and just a small piece of toast, along with eggs, mushrooms, and beans.
For lunch she makes vegetable soup, and often has her favourite home-made chilli with rice or jacket potato for dinner.
She still loves a Sunday roast but uses oil instead of goose fat for her roasties, and has lean meat.
She still loves to eat a cake too, but once a week now instead of every day.
And she loves to go out for dinner, but opts for a steak with jacket potato and veg.
Hayley has found a love for walking, and goes on 6km stomps once or twice a day.
She said: "One day I just realised that a walk that used to take me 45 minutes now took 15 minutes, so I kept walking. I love walking now. My dad used to walk and I feel like he's beside me.
She added: "The great thing about Slimming World is the support you get. It provides you with a community and it gives you so much confidence. Losing weight is very hard, but we have a lot of fun.
"I'm just an ordinary person, I'm not a gym enthusiast, and haven't had to change who I am. I still love food and love feeding people. I still have my treats, I just eat better most of the time, and I walk, and that's all it takes.
"As well as Slimming World I've had loads of support from Elliott, Andi and my mum (Pauline, 80). I'm surrounded by people who champion others. I'm so grateful for them all."
Size and weight - then and now
- Before weight: 20st 11lb
- Before size: 26
- Now weight: 10st 13lb
- Now size: 10
Before diet
- Breakfast: egg McMuffin, hashbrowns, and a latte
- Lunch: KFC burger and chips
- Dinner: Pizza takeout
- Snacks: bacon sandwich, cake
- Breakfast: slimming world sausage, lean bacon, eggs, mushrooms, beans
- Lunch: home-made vegetable soup
- Dinner: chili and rice/ steak and jacket pot
- Snacks: Fruit / occasional cake