Carolann’s living her dream life after losing 12½st

A mother-of-two from Cornwall, who was so unhappy with her weight that it affected every part of her life, has lost 12st 9lbs and been named Slimming World’s Woman of the Year 2022.

Social worker Carolann Hicks, 41, struggled with her weight for much of her life, often eating takeaways in secret before heading home for another meal with her family. She says: “Before I found Slimming World I was in a very low place in terms of my mental health. I didn’t feel confident at work, I wasn’t being the kind of mum I wanted to be, and I used food to cope with all of my emotions. I remember at one point thinking ‘if this is what my life will be, I don’t want to live it’. I had just given up on myself.”

At 23st, Carolann wasn’t sure where to turn after trying to lose weight unsuccessfully by herself many times. She says: “I didn’t know where to start with losing weight, so I visited my doctor. It might sound crazy, but I was almost hoping I had a health issue that might spur me into losing weight. Sadly, my doctor’s response was to prescribe weight loss tablets. I felt awful on them, and, of course, they did nothing to address the issues I had with food. My niece had recently joined Slimming World and was doing really well, so I plucked up the courage to message my local Slimming World Consultant.”

Carolann, who lives in Par with her partner Simon and daughters Kaitlin, 15, and Isobel, 12, believes that the night she joined her Slimming World group changed the course of her life for the better. She says: “I was really nervous when I first walked in. My Consultant Elaine spotted me straight away though and came over to the new member area to go through the eating plan with me. As I sat through the group session, listening to people talk about the weight they’d lost, I began to see that this was something that could work for me.

“At the end of the group, I was weighed privately. I couldn’t actually bring myself to look at the number on the scales. My weight was written discreetly in my new member pack and wasn’t read out loud which had been something I’d be really scared would happen. Everyone was so friendly and, as I left a few people said, ‘see you next week’ which instantly made me feel like I belonged.”

A week later, Carolann had lost an incredible 9lbs. She says: “I couldn’t believe that I was losing weight by eating such amazing food. I always thought I didn’t have time to cook from scratch but lots of the recipes for our family favourites like spaghetti bolognese and chicken curry didn’t take any longer after I ditched the processed sauces and packets. It’s totally transformed the way everyone at home eats, which I love.”

With Slimming World’s eating plan, members can enjoy a wide range of healthy everyday foods such as lean meat and poultry, fat-free dairy, pasta, rice and grains, and fruit and veg, to satisfy their appetite. This freedom and variety means that slimmers can reduce their calorie intake without counting calories, lose weight without being hungry, and personalise the plan to their dietary requirements and way they like eating.

Carolann adds: “I’d tried to lose weight many times before but the difference this time was the support of my Slimming World group. From that very first night, I’d been struck by how much they all genuinely seemed to care about one another’s success – I knew then that I wanted to be part of it. As the weeks went on, being part of the group helped me to understand my own relationship with food more deeply, which is what has enabled me to take control and change my mindset around food and drink – and even exercise.”

After a few months, Carolann found that losing weight steadily and eating healthily caused her energy levels to soar. She says that hearing about Slimming World’s physical activity support programme encouraged her to think about how she could build exercise into her life.

Carolann continues: “I never thought that running would be for me – I was the type of girl who got picked last in PE. Losing weight gave me extra confidence though, and I found it really reassuring that I could take things at my own pace. To start off, I picked a street with a row of lamp posts and ran between each one before having a rest and walking to the next. My fitness levels soon built up and I loved the feeling I had afterwards. As I built up my distances I found that running really helped my mental health too. My next challenge is to run the London Marathon in April. It’s always been a secret dream of mine, so I can’t believe it’s actually going to happen.

“People often ask how I stay so motivated, and the answer is very close to my heart. Everything I do is for my girls. When I was bigger, I was so down about myself, and I just let life pass me by. Now I’m the first one in the queue for a rollercoaster and I’ve become the fun and active mum that I always wanted to be. I hope I’m showing my daughters the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.”

As well as losing 12st 9lbs, becoming Woman of the Year and training for the London Marathon, Carolann is also studying for a degree to support her career as a social worker. She says: “I’m definitely a lot busier these days! I’m living proof that you can do anything you want to do – my life is unrecognisable from two years ago. I don’t think I would have had the confidence to study for my degree and meet so many new people if I hadn’t lost weight. I’m really proud of how far I have come, and I know I have the love and support of my Slimming World group to thank for that. I couldn’t have done it without them. Stepping through the doors of my Slimming World group changed my life forever.”

VITAL STATS:

Name: Carolann Hicks

Age: 41

Height: 5ft 5in

Starting weight: 23st

Current weight: 10st 5lbs

Weight loss: 12st 9lbs

Dress before: 28

Dress size now: 10

Joined Slimming World: January 2020

Group: Carolann attends the St Blazey Slimming World group in Cornwall, run by Consultant Elaine Minear

Before menu

Breakfast: Nothing

Mid-morning: Biscuits, cakes, chocolate, crisps

Lunch: Shop-bought sandwich from the bakery, or a fast-food takeaway

Dinner: Frozen chicken Kiev with chips or a takeaway

Snacks: Chocolate, sweets, biscuits

After menu

Breakfast: Porridge with fruit and yogurt

Lunch: Homemade omelette with salad or poached eggs and salmon on wholemeal toast

Snack: Fresh fruit  

Dinner: Homemade spaghetti bolognese or chicken curry with rice

Snack: Hot chocolate, fruit and jelly or a yogurt