Ali’s half the woman she used to be after losing 13st – without the use of drugs or surgery!

A military mess manager from Plymouth says she now has a new lease of life after losing a life-changing 13st (82kg) – more than half of her bodyweight.

Ali Ridgley decided to make a change after reading the words ‘morbidly obese’ on her doctor’s computer when she went for a check-up at her starting weight of almost 23st (145kg). She says: “Seeing the words on my doctor’s screen spurred me into action. I was a heart attack waiting to happen.”

The 52-year-old adds: “I knew my weight was a problem – I’d always been bigger than my friends, but it wasn’t until I went to college and started socialising more that my weight began to climb. In 2018 my marriage broke down and I had a massive crisis of confidence. I tried to lose weight alone and would make some progress, however it would never be long before it came back on again. I’d been a Slimming World member before, so I knew the plan worked for me – I just needed to make that mental shift to fully embrace it this time.”

In the past Ali had considered weight loss surgery and says she can see why people are tempted by weight loss drugs and more drastic weight loss measures. She says: “I know how it feels to be completely desperate. I’d have given anything to be 13st lighter, but it felt so out of reach. Now I know that there is no quick fix that can help you lose weight and keep it off. For me, the healthy habits I have learned along the way have been invaluable.

“The way I cook and eat now have become so natural it’s effortless. Each pound I’ve lost has helped me to become the confident, fit and strong woman I am today and I’m so proud of myself. I’m so glad that I didn’t go down the bariatric surgery route.”

Despite having been a Slimming World member in the past, Ali still felt nervous before joining Neil Fenton’s group in Southway. She says: “I did feel a bit jittery about re-joining. Neil was great though; he welcomed me with open arms. There was no judgement, just encouragement and support from the start. When I weighed in, I realised I was the heaviest I had ever been. The person at the scales said to me ‘don’t worry, that’s the last time you’ll see that number’. It was just the boost I needed. And you know what, she was right!”

Ali, who lives with her daughter Rosie, 24, got stuck straight into Slimming World’s healthy eating plan. She says: “I cook meals from scratch now and I’m so much more organised – which means I’m never tempted to eat something unhealthy when I’m on-the-go. I don’t feel like I’m on a diet and I’m never hungry because I’m still eating normal, everyday foods. My partner Dave has been so supportive too.

“It works easily for us a family and I love that we can all enjoy the same meals. We’re big foodies in our house and Rosie will often send me TikToks of recipes she wants to try. We go through the ingredients and see what we need to swap to make it Slimming World-friendly. We never feel like we’re missing out because we’re always trying new things. Hunter’s chicken lasagne is our current favourite.”

Over time, Ali started incorporating more activity into her daily routine with the help of Slimming World’s physical activity support programme. She says: “At nearly 23st, exercise was a total no-go for me. When I had lost 6st, I plucked up the courage to join a dance fitness class. I fell in love with it and ended up completing my diploma in exercise to music, so I now run my own classes twice a week. I love it when other Slimming World members come along, we have so much fun. I can’t imagine my life without dancing, so I feel confident about keeping these habits up and the weight off this time. I also joined a local Couch to 5K group and recently signed up for a marathon.”

And being named Woman of the Year isn’t the only title Ali has picked up this year – she’s now also known as ‘Nanny’ to her seven-week-old grandson, Taran. She says: “When my daughter Claudia, 29, told me that she was pregnant, I was over the moon. There are certain things I missed out on when raising my daughters because of my size – I was often the mum on the sidelines holding the bags and not getting involved – and looking back that makes me feel so sad. I feel like being Taran’s nanny is a second chance for me – I’ll be fit, active and healthy enough to keep up with him and enjoy those early years. 

“Ultimately, I started this journey because I wanted to live life to the fullest – and that’s what I feel I can do now. These days I’m not a heart attack waiting to happen – I’m the woman I always wanted to be.”

Carolyn Pallister, registered dietitian and Head of Nutrition, Research & Health at Slimming World added: “Ali is truly inspiring and demonstrates what can be achieved, without resorting to weight loss drugs or surgery. Ali has lost weight through making important healthy behaviour changes that have not only helped her lose 13st but have equipped her with lifelong healthy habits, not just for her but for her family too, and the confidence that she can maintain it for life.” 

You can view a video of Ali’s story here.

VITAL STATS:

Name: Ali Ridgley 
Age: 52
Height: 5ft 6ins/167cm
Starting weight: 22st 13½lbs/145kg/321½lbs 
Current weight: 9st 13½lbs/63kg/139½lbs  
Weight loss: 13st/82kg/182lbs
Dress size before: 28-30
Dress size now: 6-8
Joined current Slimming World group: 2019
Group: Ali attends the Southway Slimming World group in Devon, which is ran by Consultant Neil Fenton

Before menu
Breakfast: White toast or cereal with butter
Lunch: Shop-bought baguette with crisps and chocolate
Dinner: Pie, mash and gravy
Snacks: Biscuits in the evening

After menu
Breakfast: Cereal with fruit and fat-free natural yogurt
Lunch: Usually leftovers, such as cottage pie and veg from the evening before
Dinner: Homemade hunters chicken lasagne or cheesy courgette baked risotto
Snacks: Slimming World high-fibre bars, glass of red wine, bar of chocolate

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