Portsmouth grandma who struggled to play with kids loses five stone without jabs to enjoy 'priceless moments'
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Emma said she would cook healthy meals for those around her but wasn’t looking after herself
A woman who struggled with weight gain during the menopause says she can finally get on the floor to play with her granddaughter after shedding five stone - without using jabs.
Emma Artemiou, of Portsmouth, weighed 13st 6lbs (85 kg) in September 2021 - which, due to her 5ft stature, classed her as obese. The 51-year-old previously found it difficult to walk and impossible to get up and down off the floor with Margo, her two-year-old granddaughter, due to the extra weight she was carrying.
Alongside weight gain, Emma said she experienced low energy, hot flushes, and mood changes because of the menopause – all while also dealing with grief following the death of her father. But she now weighs a healthy 8st 6lbs (53 kg), and she lost the weight without using jabs - instead seeking out help from her local Slimming World weight loss support group.
Emma said: "The difference has been incredible. The pressure on my joints has reduced significantly, I have more energy, more confidence and a much more positive outlook on life.”
Previously working as a school cook, Emma found losing weight difficult as she was ‘constantly surrounded by food’, all while raising her daughter. On an average day, she would skip breakfast and eat shop-bought sandwiches, crisps, and chocolate at lunch – before tucking in to a frozen pizza with chips, or a takeaway curry at dinner, followed by two glasses of wine and a share-size bar of chocolate.
Emma, who works as a pet sitter, now has a more balanced diet, and batch cooks her meals on the weekends. On average day, she now eats overnight oats for breakfast, tucks in to a jacket potato for lunch, and has roast chicken for dinner – with sugar-free or low-fat desserts instead of chocolate.
The grandmother-of-two said: “I wasn’t looking after myself, I’d grab whatever was convenient. Takeaway pizza, ice cream, chocolate and red wine. Even though I cooked healthy meals for other people, I wasn’t taking care of me.”
Emma said her weight caused pain in her knees. Short walks would leave her struggling and everyday tasks becoming more difficult. She lost nine pounds (4 kg) of weight in her first month with the Slimming World group alone. Her husband Jamie even joined up in June 2024 to focus on his health.
Emma said: “I feel healthier, stronger and more in control of my wellbeing than I have in years. I now enjoy regular walks by the sea, cycling with Jamie and I’m thinking about taking up tennis again. I used to love playing when I was 40.
“Most important of all, it’s the time I spend with my gorgeous two-year-old granddaughter, Margo, that means the most. Being able to get up and down off the floor with Margo is a huge win.
“I can take her to the park, play on the equipment with her, go down the slide and run around soft play. If I was still carrying almost five extra stone, I wouldn't be able to do those things. Those moments are priceless.”