The Slimming World 12-week countdown - Elise Brewerton

For the next three months Family Life editor Elise Brewerton will be sharing the ups and downs on her weight loss journey with Slimming World’s 12-Week Countdown. This is her second column ...
Elise Brewerton is doing the Slimming World 12-week countdown.Elise Brewerton is doing the Slimming World 12-week countdown.
Elise Brewerton is doing the Slimming World 12-week countdown.

You may have caught a programme on telly last week called Shut-Ins: Britain’s Fattest People. It focused on super-morbidly obese people who were so large and unwell they hadn’t left the house for years.

There was 31-stone Claire from Southampton who’d been bed-bound for a staggering eight years. The burden of caring for her fell on her teenage daughter, who in turn used food as a crutch for her unhappiness at the situation she was in.

Predictably there was little sympathy online for her. But even being a little bit overweight has made me feel rubbish. I can’t even imagine how being that bit would make you feel. 

Trying to lose weight feels like climbing a mountain in high heels. Tough. 

But this week was my first weigh-in at Slimming World in Barton’s Road, West Leigh. It’s really nerve-wracking making the decision to walk into a group of people you’ve never met before, let alone when you feel the size of a house. 

So I was absolutely over the moon to have lost four pounds. Just another 20 to go then. 

The combined total weight-loss of our group over one week was 11st. One woman lost nine pounds! There was lots of clapping and cheering on of everyone’s success. And those who didn’t lose as much as they’d liked were given a metaphorical group hug.

I think that’s why Slimming World works. Because it’s not just a change of diet but almost like having a therapy session each week. Our brilliant consultant Marrie makes you feel that she’s with you every step of the way.

Here’s hoping I’ll get further up that mountain next week. Go to slimmingworld.co.uk