LIFE OR DEATH

Popping a few holes in the plastic top of the ready meal, I shoved it in the microwave.

Three minutes later, I heard a PING!

And I sat down to eat with my husband John, 48, and our kids Alfie, 18, and Maisey,14.

I knew quick dinners weren’t healthy, but microwave meals were a necessity for me.

I cooked for the family when I could, but as an Intensive Care nurse, I rarely had time for myself.

So ready meals were my go- to dinners.

I loved being a nurse, but over the years, the hours I worked meant that my weight had crept up.

I found eating ready meals, grabbing snacks on the go, like croissants or