In the past, I’d always felt out of control when it came to eating. My emotions would dictate what I ate – happy or sad, I found comfort in food.
During the pandemic, I became much less active, and ate more takeaways than ever as a way of coping with stress and being busy at work. Every few months I’d try desperately to lose weight, but life always got in the way.
My weight was constantly at the back of my mind. I felt guilty and ashamed that I couldn’t seem to get in control of it. I genuinely thought I’d feel that way forever, and that I’d never be able to slim down.
I began to realise that my clothes weren’t fitting me any more, and I was buying baggy outfits to cover myself up. Having been a size 10-12 for most of my life, it was a big shock to find that I needed a size 18.
My relationship with physical activity had become less healthy, too. I’d use exercise as punishment ‘to make up for’ being out of control with food. But the weight continued to creep on.
Finding a flexible option
All those factors combined to give me the push I needed to join Slimming World. Because I travel a lot for work, I wanted something flexible that could fit in with my lifestyle, while still providing that all-important support. The times of my local groups didn’t work for me, so I decided to try Slimming World’s digital service, Slimming World Online.
When you join Slimming World, you’re taken through the Food Optimising plan step by step, and this really supported me to change my habits. Food Optimising has helped me to slim down without ever going hungry – and I have a big appetite! Losing weight eating tasty, everyday food – that the whole family loves – means I’ve been able to stick to it. I’ve now completely changed my lifestyle without feeling I’m missing out on anything!
Everyday meals
I love cooking, and I’ve been able to adapt all my favourite recipes to work with Food Optimising. Spaghetti bolognese is a go-to meal for me, and I love chicken fajitas, chilli, chicken curry and tuna pasta bake. I eat with my fiancé and he enjoys the food I make, too.
With Slimming World Online, you get everything you need on the app. I’ve found it really easy to use. The weigh-in feature has been a really important part of my success – having the accountability of logging my weight every week has helped me stay on track and kept me motivated. Receiving support at weigh-in to reflect on my progress, set a goal for the week ahead and commit to an action plan has been an amazing opportunity to dive deeper into why I’ve struggled in the past. There’s also personalised support, with links to relevant features and information – so it’s been easy to access tools and strategies to help me get to know myself as a slimmer and make long-term changes.
A new view on activity
Slimming World has also supported me in changing my mindset around exercise – I don’t use it as ‘punishment’ for overeating any more. It's a way to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle, and I enjoy it now. In fact, losing weight has helped me take my fitness to new levels and start running. I recently ran a half-marathon, and have signed up for a full marathon next year, too!
One of the most difficult things about my weight loss journey was just getting started. Building up the courage to give it a go felt daunting at the time, and I truly didn’t believe that I could achieve my goals. But the whole process of losing weight with Slimming World was so much more enjoyable than I could ever have expected! Having the app at my fingertips meant the plan fitted around my life, and with Food Optimising, I never felt deprived – I could still eat amazing food and slim.
The future is bright
Now, I feel healthy and positive, and I’m the fittest I’ve ever been. One moment that really stands out for me is climbing Scafell Pike in the Lake District. It wasn’t that far into my weight loss journey, but I was already feeling the benefits of losing even a small amount. I’d climbed it the year before when I was at my heaviest, and found it really challenging. Doing it again felt so much easier – it was a real turning point for me.
My life has totally changed since I lost weight. I have more confidence and feel good about myself. My weight was always on my mind before – I wanted to make changes, but was never able to stick to anything long enough to see real results. I feel much freer now, and able to live my life without that constant worry. It’s like a cloud has been lifted, and the future’s bright!
Weight loss will vary according to your individual circumstances and how much weight you have to lose.