Slimming World helped me lose 4.5lbs in a week – Elise Brewerton

For 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.
Elise tripped off the scales 4.5lbs lighter by sticking to the Slimming World planElise tripped off the scales 4.5lbs lighter by sticking to the Slimming World plan
Elise tripped off the scales 4.5lbs lighter by sticking to the Slimming World plan

It is not very often I make a prediction and it comes true. But, fortunately, this time I’ve been proved right. 

If you flick back through last week’s column – you’ve saved it, surely? – you’ll see that I foretold putting on weight would actually give me the kick up the rump I needed to lose those last few stubborn pounds. 

So, rather than loosely sticking to the Slimming World plan, I stuck to it rigidly and tripped off the scales 4.5lbs lighter at last week’s weigh-in. But I was so delighted it could have been 4.5st.

I went to sleep that night with a grin on my face. 

Body positivity, no matter what size or shape you are, is a wonderful thing.

And you absolutely should love yourself and your curves – or lack of them – just the way you are. Fat, thin, it doesn’t matter, as long as you are happy. 

I tell my stepdaughters that all the time.

They are gorgeous, sylphlike young things just starting to worry about body image.

At the moment they spend their time doing back-flips, headstands and cartwheels, full of enough energy to burn off the mountains of chocolate they consume, within minutes. 

But I’m afraid I can’t help feeling troubled by my extra pounds, even though I know it’s pure vanity. I’m not obese, I just want to look like me again. I want my old clothes to fit, I don’t want to be floored if I go for a run, and I don’t want to look older than my years. I’m too close to 40 for my liking anyway. 

I know I should be embracing my curves but I would just like to have a little less to embrace. And I’ve got just three more weeks to do it.