Janet loses more than 2st and finds the confidence to treat the varicose veins she hid for 40 years!

Sixty-six year old Janet had wanted to lose weight for years, but it wasn’t until her daughter Jo opened her own slimming group and invited Janet to join that she really committed to making her ambition a reality. And her weight loss has given her the confidence to pursue another decades-long goal of treating her varicose veins.

Janet and her daughter Jo joined a Slimming World group in 2011, but it wasn’t until Jo became a Slimming World Consultant herself in 2014 and Janet joined her group that she lost 2st and reached her target weight of 10st. Janet says: “Of course Jo was supportive of my weight loss, both as my Consultant and as my daughter. What truly amazed me though when I joined her Slimming World group was how much support I received from the other members too.

“I felt nervous about everyone finding out that Jo was my daughter and the potential for them to question why I would need to join Slimming World. It wasn’t like that at all thankfully, everyone was friendly and helpful, and I never once felt judged. Going to the group each week really is like seeing an extended family.”

Janet’s experiences back up recent research of Slimming World members that found the secret to weight loss success is social. It revealed three in four people who joined a Slimming World group said they were more confident and self-assured (74%) as a result. They had also made new friends (73%), felt more connected (68%) and, crucially, 93% of Slimming World members felt committed to their weight loss.

Slimming World, the UK’s and Ireland’s leading weight management organisation, says the findings show that providing opportunities for real-life connection with others, in a powerfully motivating weight loss group setting, is key to stemming the tide of the obesity epidemic and provide the authentic sense of belonging that people are searching for.

Speaking about the changes she has made to her diet since joining Slimming World, Janet says: “Planning is my friend. I now spend time planning and preparing my meals and have found by making changes to the ingredients I choose and the way I cook, I can still have firm family favourites like lasagne, stroganoff or pizza topped chicken and still lose weight.”

Janet has also embraced Slimming World’s physical activity programme Body Magic: “You can often find me going out for a walk on the beach. Joining Slimming World has really encouraged me to move more but at my own pace, and I find exercise so much more enjoyable now because I am doing things that I like rather than feeling that I have to be active in a certain way – I know lots of people love it but joining a gym or going for a run have just never appealed to me.”

Since losing weight Janet has become more confident but found she still felt self-conscious of the varicose veins on her legs – instead of wearing outfits she felt good in, she was still picking clothes from her wardrobe that would hide her legs. So just as she’d taken control of her weight, she decided to tackle her varicose veins too.  

Janet first became aware of her varicose veins after having her two children. As they were painless, she left them untreated. However after 40 years of hiding her legs, Janet took the plunge and contacted Veincentre for help.

Janet says: “Veincentre were wonderful throughout the entire journey. I got a good feeling from my initial call and I couldn’t believe how welcoming everyone was and how they all put me at ease. I suffer with anxiety and sent a huge list of questions over to them which they gladly answered and nothing was too much trouble.

“At my first consultation with Veincentre a treatment plan was formulated specifically for my condition. I then had laser treatment to both legs to close off the veins with faulty valves, and foam sclerotherapy to treat the visible veins. After six weeks I had a follow up appointment and had more foam sclerotherapy to further improve the cosmetic appearance.

“I’ve had so many compliments since my procedure, I can’t believe it took me this long to seek treatment and it was all completed in a matter of weeks. Two short appointments fixed 40 years of insecurity. I’ve spent the summer wearing dresses and short – I love my fab new figure and I’m no longer hiding my legs!”

Jo Jackson, Janet’s daughter, and Slimming World Consultant who runs Slimming World groups at Hunstanton Community Centre on Tuesdays, says: “My mum truly is my inspiration. At the age of 66 she’s found the confidence to make healthy lifestyle changes to help lose weight, and treat her varicose veins, something she has felt down about for years.

“She’s so much happier now and really full of life – I’m pleased she decided to join my Slimming World group as I’m so proud to have played a part in her journey.”