Slimming World member loses 9 stone and starts living a new active lifestyle

After having her daughter she just couldn’t lose the 'baby weight' and everything got progressively more difficult. Diagnosed with high blood pressure but nobody ever said that weight was actually the cause. Vicky also had a hiatus hernia for which she took medication (unfortunately this has begun to destroy her kidneys).

Vicky says ‘Over the next two decades, I tried everything! Every single slimming club, including multiple attempts at Slimming World, group and online, and all the fad diets going. Nothing made a difference. I was a mum trying to run a home and I was training to be a teacher part time, alongside having a full time job. Losing weight just wasn't the top priority for me at this time in my life.’

Everything changed at the end of May 2023. A visit to the nurse with a full set of blood tests revealed that vicky was pre-diabetic. She said if Vicky didn't do something about her weight she’d be back within a year and would diabetic with all the health risks that entails. She also said that the risk of cardio-vascular events was extremely high too.

‘I went home and cried...a lot.’ Vicky says

Then, in the first week of June 2023, I joined the Havant Slimming World group weighing in at 21st 4lbs. My consultant, Andi was so supportive and the group was amazing! I quickly felt part of the furniture! The first few weeks were all about learning the plan, which I had dabbled with on so many occasions prior to this. But this time, I was determined I was going to sort out my life. I was NOT going to be diabetic and I was going to do everything I could to become a healthy version of me.

My Slimming World journey has been fairly straight forward. My family are my biggest champions and have always supported me throughout my journey. They cheer me on when I've done well and commiserate with me when needed. I followed the plan to the letter, ate a good amount of speed food (foods that are lowest in calorie density) with every meal and the weight began to drop off. There were trickier weeks, I'm not going to lie! Sometimes I'd gain a pound but I always knew why and what to do about it. I was determined to get rid of the weight for good!

After losing a couple of stone, I joined the gym. I knew that I needed to incorporate exercise into my life not only for the health benefits but also because I really feared the excess skin that I would have when I eventually lost all the weight. I began going to the gym and just using the cardio equipment because that's all I really understood! I started by going three times a week. The cardio helped me to get more movement into my daily routine, but not to get stronger. As the months rolled on and the weight loss continued at quite a pace, the excess skin was beginning to be more evident.

So it was in June this year that I knew I needed more help in the gym. I bit the bullet and signed up with my PT. He was fully supportive of the Slimming World plan and never once asked me to count calories when I was losing weight. He taught me how to use lots of the equipment in the gym and formed programmes for me to follow. He is one of my biggest supporters and is super proud of me when I reach a new milestone, whether with my weight or exercise.

Speed forward to August this year. I reached my initial target! Go me! Now, I found losing weight to be fairly easy. This maintaining lark is much more tricky! Being so active now and being in the gym 6 days a week, means that I am burning a massive amount of calories a day. In order to maintain my weight, I need to match this. This is still a work in progress for me! I am determined not to just reach for the crisps and the chocolate, as that's what got me fat in the first place! Learning and sticking with healthy habits takes some adjustment...something that I'm still working on!

Here I am today, 9 stone lighter! I am no longer pre-diabetic, I no longer have high blood pressure and my hiatus hernia has disappeared. I am no longer at an increased risk of heart attacks or strokes. My joints don't hurt anymore and I don't have to keep sitting down because my back hurts when I stand for too long! I no longer have to take medication for anything and, although my kidneys are never going to get better, they are unlikely to get worse!

My life has truly changed for the better! My only regret is not doing it sooner.

Vicky’s Slimming World consultant Andi says ‘ I’m so proud of Vicky, to see Vicky change before my eyes has been incredible, we always recommend including activity to sustain your new healthy weight and Vicky has done just that. Vicky has become the best version of herself and I love having her in group.

Andi runs groups on a Tuesday at HSDC Havant College and on a Friday at Sat Nicholas church in Bedhampton.

Check out www.slimmingworld.co.uk to find your local group don’t put it off any longer.