Walking down the aisle with my dad was an amazing moment. I’d lost 3st 3½lbs (21kg) with Slimming World and felt beautiful and confident as all eyes turned towards us. However, behind my smile was a niggling worry about my dad’s health as, just a few weeks before, he’d been diagnosed with cancer.
So much of my life had been affected by my weight – and I’d finally managed to do something about it. I’d improved my own health so much, but there was nothing I could do to help Dad.
Even the day that my now-husband, Jas, proposed, had been slightly spoilt. While on holiday on the Isle of Wight, he’d planned a special trip to see The Needles rock formation – but I’d struggled with the walk and complained the whole way. I felt so guilty when he got down on one knee. I said yes, of course, but I couldn’t get excited because I was worrying so much about being the centre of attention. That was when I knew I needed to make a change if I was going to have the wedding day I’d always wanted.
Full of motivation, I joined a gym and tried to lose weight by myself, but I wasn’t seeing much progress. Nothing else that I’d tried in the past had worked either, as I’d always felt hungry and deprived, which led to a binge. Scrolling through social media, I saw the success that other people had achieved with Slimming World and decided to give it a go.
I was so scared walking into group for the first time – I was shaking like a leaf! But it was honestly the best thing I’ve ever done. Everyone was so friendly, and I remember being blown away by the support in the room. That’s been key for me – the support network you get when you join Slimming World really is unlike anything else.
Learning about the healthy eating plan was so surprising. I could hardly believe I could eat such generous amounts of the foods that I enjoyed and still lose weight! My Consultant helped me to look closely at my eating habits and the healthy swaps I could make. For example, I work as a waitress, and previously I’d drink glass after glass of fizzy pop to keep me going. Swapping to sugar-free was a small, easy change that made a big difference to my weight loss.
We also used to rely heavily on takeaways and convenience foods, so a big part of my journey has been learning to cook. This has been a hugely positive change for my family. Jas and I have two girls, Maisie and Amelia, so what I make has to work for everyone. During the week I choose quick, simple recipes like Cajun chicken pasta, steak and chips or risotto, and at weekends we enjoy fakeaways like burgers, chicken kebabs or fajitas.
I lost more than 3st in time for my wedding – I’ve gone from a dress size 16 to an 8. I have so much more confidence and I now run my own group as a Slimming World Consultant. I want to share that amazing feeling with others and help them experience life-changing results.
As well as changing my relationship with food, Slimming World has helped me to embrace exercise through the Body Magic activity support programme. As a family, we’re so much more active – we ride our bikes and run together. One of my proudest moments is running the 10K Race for Life with my girls, now aged 13 and 11, to raise funds for Cancer Research UK. I am forever grateful that my dad is still with us, and this was one way that I could support the amazing life-saving work that they do. I was so emotional as we crossed the finish line, and I’ll never forget that sense of pride and accomplishment.
Save on your Race for Life entry fee with Slimming World
The best thing about Slimming World is that it’s for everyone – so if you’re reading this and worrying about a special occasion you have coming up, or your weight is holding you back in any way, I’d say give your local Consultant a ring or just turn up to group. Give it a go and see for yourself. If you’re anything like me, you’ll have nothing to lose and a whole new amazing life to gain!
Take the first step to a fitter, healthier you
When you join Slimming World, you’ll gain access to our full Body Magic tool kit. It has everything you need to level up your activity, including:
- the Slimming World app and website – home to our activity tracker, exercise guides and fitness-themed podcasts
- more than 90 workout videos to suit all abilities, ranging from five to 30 minutes in length
- mindset-shifting, strategy-packed online articles, to get you off the starting blocks and make moving more a regular part of your week
- our unique FITT log, to help you identify and overcome any personal obstacles
- motivating Body Magic awards, to inspire you through your fitness journey and celebrate your achievements