THe SecReT OF OuR
AMAZING WOMEN
‘Posting pictures of my healthy meals on Instagram motivated me and still keeps me on track’ Katie Marsh, 31, from Manchester, is a stay-at-home mum to Freya 8, Tom, 5, and Lily, 4 Stats WEIGHT BEFORE: 18ST 2LB WEIGHT AFTER: 10ST
THE SECRET OF OUR
SLIMMING success Three readers reveal what finally inspired them to reach – and maintain – their goal weights
30 ESSENTIALS
Even as a child, I’d get teased about my weight, but I was a bubbly girl with a group of loyal friends so I would just brush it off. I was a size 18 when I left school, but it wasn’t until I had my children that I started to feel that things were getting out of control. After having Freya, I never lost the pregnancy pounds, but when Tom and Lily came along so close to each other, it was even harder to drop the weight. I had Lily by Caesarean as she was premature, so my lack of mobility was a massive issue. At my biggest, I weighed over 18 stone and wore size 28 clothes. I was too self-conscious to take the kids to the park or go swimming as I was worried about getting too tired or people looking at me. As the kids got older, I felt like I was letting them down, so I decided to quit smoking and get healthy. I had tried other diets, but without much success. The problem was that I couldn’t cook, so I’d be eating ready meals and the kids would eat rubbish. A friend told me that Slimming World was all about learning to cook on a budget, which sounded perfect. At first, I couldn’t understand that you could eat things like pasta and potatoes, and still lose weight, but I soon got the hang of it. And best of all, the kids liked a lot of the recipes, too. It wasn’t until I began to get my weight back on track that I realised I was unhappy in my marriage. It wasn’t his fault or mine – it just wasn’t working,
and finally starting on my journey to better health gave me the confidence to be single. Six months into my diet in 2012, a friend suggested I join Instagram – the social media app where you post photos. She said it would help me stay motivated and I’d get advice about my diet. I wasn’t sure, but I went ahead and began posting pictures of my meals with the Slimming World hashtag. I was so surprised when I suddenly gained loads of followers who were also on the same diet. Many would leave comments on my posts and sometimes we’d get chatting. One new friend I made this way was James. I wasn’t even thinking about dating yet, but when he suggested we go to the cinema one Sunday, we hit it off and we’ve been seeing each other for a year now. We’re taking it super-slow because we both have kids, but it’s lovely to be a bit selfish and spend time together with him. Plus, the fact that he follows the same diet as me means we can both support each other and stay on track with our healthy eating. Even now I’ve reached my target weight, I still attend my Slimming World group every week and I post all my meals on Instagram – it keeps me honest!
‘As the kids got older, I felt I was letting them down, so I decided to quit smoking and get healthy’
✱ To find your nearest Slimming World group, visit slimmingworld.com or call 0844 897 8000
ESSENTIALS 31
AMAZING WOMEN
‘Signing up to an online dating site spurred me on’
Rachel Lord, 36, from Chichester lives with her husband Jon and daughters Bethany, 6, and Evie, 4
STATS WEIGHT BEFORE: 14ST 1LB WEIGHT AFTER: 9ST 10LB
STATS WEIGHT BEFORE: 12ST WEIGHT AFTER: 10ST
to notice the difference in my clothes. It feels so amazing that it keeps you motivated. After that it’s a case of sticking to it even when the rate you drop the pounds slows. I wasn’t the fastest person to lose weight, but I got there in the end, reaching my goal, 9st 10lb, in 2012. That’s when I finally found the confidence to start dating. Although it was sometimes hard to stick to the programme if you go to someone’s house for dinner and he serves a big plate of pasta! But the majority of the time you can make it work because nothing is excluded from the diet. Around the same time I did actually meet my boyfriend – and we’re still together two-anda-half years later. I’m so much happier and healthier in my self now. I’ve maintained my weight for the past two years and when I was tested recently I was told that the risk of diabetes has gone completely, too. I now feel I’m free to wear whatever I like and do whatever I like – my weight no longer holds me back.
‘I feel free to wear whatever I like and do whatever I like – my weight no longer holds me back’
Feature Anna Matheson Photography Daniel Ward Styling Lindsey Baker Hair & make-up Liz Kitchiner & Sarah Jane Green Katie wears Dress, Dorothy Perkins. Shoes, New Look. Pendant, Dorothy Perkins. Fiona wears Dress, Next. Shoes, New Look. Bangle, Allusions at BHS. Rachel wears Dress, Oasis. Shoes, Next. Necklace & bangle Dorothy Perkins
Fiona Campion, 33, from Bedfordshire, is a group leader with Weight Watchers
At just five foot two, I’ve always been petite and with my little legs, I felt like a beach ball on sticks when I looked in the mirror. I had been told I was overweight as a child, but while we did eat a lot as a family, we always ate healthily. It was only when I moved away from home and enjoyed myself a bit too much that I noticed the weight pile on. My dad was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes when I was younger, and my sister is also at risk. Both cases were weight-related, so over the years, I became more worried that if I didn’t do something I would develop the condition, too, particularly as my waist measured about 42 inches at my biggest and that’s a strong indicator of risk. Over the years, I’ve tried every diet out there, but if it didn’t fit my lifestyle, it wouldn’t work. After I got divorced in 2008, I wanted to get back out there and date, but I was terrified. I didn’t have the confidence to go out and meet people without worrying about their reaction to my size. I did try online dating for a while, but some profiles ask you to enter your body shape, which put me off straight away. I know some men like curvy women, but I didn’t want to define myself that way. Being asked to was the motivation I needed to sign up to Weight Watchers and start attending meetings. I was so relieved to discover that with this diet, I could still live my life and have fun. I’m a self-confessed chocoholic and cake addict, but the programme meant I could have a treat and lose weight (literally having my cake and eating it!). The first couple of stone came off quite quickly and I started
32 ESSENTIALS
‘Buying new jeans two sizes too small gave me a real goal’
I’ve always been unhappy with my size and have tried lots of different diets, but none of them worked for me. I had no confidence, so I’d wear baggy clothes, and I constantly felt like the fattest person in the room. I met my friend Nicky for the first time at my daughter’s fourth birthday party in the summer of 2013 and immediately felt envious of her slender frame. So when she told me; ‘I’m not naturally skinny, I have to work at it.’ I had to know more. Nicky said she’d developed her own diet plan to lose three stone for her wedding the year before and had even managed to keep the weight off. So a few months later, when I called her up in tears one evening about my weight, she agreed to coach me through her plan. The next day I went out and bought myself an expensive pair of Jack Wills blue skinny jeans that were two sizes too small for me, but I was determined I’d get into them. Nicky’s plan meant cutting out carbs after 1pm and eating lots of vegetables for eight weeks. It was hard, but when I lost four pounds in the first week, I was motivated to keep going. I thought that juggling feeding a family and doing the diet would be hard, but I was actually quite surprised how easy it is to make carb-free options of most meals – I’d just add extra veg to things like grilled chicken instead of potatoes. Most of all, it was the instant results that motivated
me, and Nicky’s texts and phone calls were vital when I was feeling low. Eight weeks later when I weighed myself, I couldn’t believe that I’d lost two whole stone – and amazingly the jeans fitted perfectly! Nicky and I were so excited that the plan had worked for both of us that we decided to develop it to help brides who wanted to lose weight in the lead-up to their wedding. Suddenly I was my goal weight and had a new business in the works – I had a new lease of life! A year on, we’ve helped women all over the world lose weight before their big day and I’m ecstatic to have found this new career out of something I’ve become so passionate about. I still follow the plan for a few days here and there and I’ve managed to keep the weight off. We’re constantly developing new recipes and ideas, so I’m always reminded to be good with my own diet. And I still use my jeans as a guide – as long as I can fit into them, I’ll be happy.
‘I was surprised how easy it was – I’d just add extra veg to things like grilled chicken instead of potatoes’
✱ The Wedding Dress Diet Plan by Rachel Lord and Nicola Skipsey (£19.99) is available from weightlossforyourwedding.com
✱ For your nearest Weight Watchers group, go to weightwatchers.co.uk
ESSENTIALS 33
‘Posting pictures of my healthy meals on Instagram motivated me and still keeps me on track’ Katie Marsh, 31, from Manchester, is a stay-at-home mum to Freya 8, Tom, 5, and Lily, 4 Stats WEIGHT BEFORE: 18ST 2LB WEIGHT AFTER: 10ST
THE SECRET OF OUR
SLIMMING success Three readers reveal what finally inspired them to reach – and maintain – their goal weights
30 ESSENTIALS
Even as a child, I’d get teased about my weight, but I was a bubbly girl with a group of loyal friends so I would just brush it off. I was a size 18 when I left school, but it wasn’t until I had my children that I started to feel that things were getting out of control. After having Freya, I never lost the pregnancy pounds, but when Tom and Lily came along so close to each other, it was even harder to drop the weight. I had Lily by Caesarean as she was premature, so my lack of mobility was a massive issue. At my biggest, I weighed over 18 stone and wore size 28 clothes. I was too self-conscious to take the kids to the park or go swimming as I was worried about getting too tired or people looking at me. As the kids got older, I felt like I was letting them down, so I decided to quit smoking and get healthy. I had tried other diets, but without much success. The problem was that I couldn’t cook, so I’d be eating ready meals and the kids would eat rubbish. A friend told me that Slimming World was all about learning to cook on a budget, which sounded perfect. At first, I couldn’t understand that you could eat things like pasta and potatoes, and still lose weight, but I soon got the hang of it. And best of all, the kids liked a lot of the recipes, too. It wasn’t until I began to get my weight back on track that I realised I was unhappy in my marriage. It wasn’t his fault or mine – it just wasn’t working,
and finally starting on my journey to better health gave me the confidence to be single. Six months into my diet in 2012, a friend suggested I join Instagram – the social media app where you post photos. She said it would help me stay motivated and I’d get advice about my diet. I wasn’t sure, but I went ahead and began posting pictures of my meals with the Slimming World hashtag. I was so surprised when I suddenly gained loads of followers who were also on the same diet. Many would leave comments on my posts and sometimes we’d get chatting. One new friend I made this way was James. I wasn’t even thinking about dating yet, but when he suggested we go to the cinema one Sunday, we hit it off and we’ve been seeing each other for a year now. We’re taking it super-slow because we both have kids, but it’s lovely to be a bit selfish and spend time together with him. Plus, the fact that he follows the same diet as me means we can both support each other and stay on track with our healthy eating. Even now I’ve reached my target weight, I still attend my Slimming World group every week and I post all my meals on Instagram – it keeps me honest!
‘As the kids got older, I felt I was letting them down, so I decided to quit smoking and get healthy’
✱ To find your nearest Slimming World group, visit slimmingworld.com or call 0844 897 8000
ESSENTIALS 31
AMAZING WOMEN
‘Signing up to an online dating site spurred me on’
Rachel Lord, 36, from Chichester lives with her husband Jon and daughters Bethany, 6, and Evie, 4
STATS WEIGHT BEFORE: 14ST 1LB WEIGHT AFTER: 9ST 10LB
STATS WEIGHT BEFORE: 12ST WEIGHT AFTER: 10ST
to notice the difference in my clothes. It feels so amazing that it keeps you motivated. After that it’s a case of sticking to it even when the rate you drop the pounds slows. I wasn’t the fastest person to lose weight, but I got there in the end, reaching my goal, 9st 10lb, in 2012. That’s when I finally found the confidence to start dating. Although it was sometimes hard to stick to the programme if you go to someone’s house for dinner and he serves a big plate of pasta! But the majority of the time you can make it work because nothing is excluded from the diet. Around the same time I did actually meet my boyfriend – and we’re still together two-anda-half years later. I’m so much happier and healthier in my self now. I’ve maintained my weight for the past two years and when I was tested recently I was told that the risk of diabetes has gone completely, too. I now feel I’m free to wear whatever I like and do whatever I like – my weight no longer holds me back.
‘I feel free to wear whatever I like and do whatever I like – my weight no longer holds me back’
Feature Anna Matheson Photography Daniel Ward Styling Lindsey Baker Hair & make-up Liz Kitchiner & Sarah Jane Green Katie wears Dress, Dorothy Perkins. Shoes, New Look. Pendant, Dorothy Perkins. Fiona wears Dress, Next. Shoes, New Look. Bangle, Allusions at BHS. Rachel wears Dress, Oasis. Shoes, Next. Necklace & bangle Dorothy Perkins
Fiona Campion, 33, from Bedfordshire, is a group leader with Weight Watchers
At just five foot two, I’ve always been petite and with my little legs, I felt like a beach ball on sticks when I looked in the mirror. I had been told I was overweight as a child, but while we did eat a lot as a family, we always ate healthily. It was only when I moved away from home and enjoyed myself a bit too much that I noticed the weight pile on. My dad was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes when I was younger, and my sister is also at risk. Both cases were weight-related, so over the years, I became more worried that if I didn’t do something I would develop the condition, too, particularly as my waist measured about 42 inches at my biggest and that’s a strong indicator of risk. Over the years, I’ve tried every diet out there, but if it didn’t fit my lifestyle, it wouldn’t work. After I got divorced in 2008, I wanted to get back out there and date, but I was terrified. I didn’t have the confidence to go out and meet people without worrying about their reaction to my size. I did try online dating for a while, but some profiles ask you to enter your body shape, which put me off straight away. I know some men like curvy women, but I didn’t want to define myself that way. Being asked to was the motivation I needed to sign up to Weight Watchers and start attending meetings. I was so relieved to discover that with this diet, I could still live my life and have fun. I’m a self-confessed chocoholic and cake addict, but the programme meant I could have a treat and lose weight (literally having my cake and eating it!). The first couple of stone came off quite quickly and I started
32 ESSENTIALS
‘Buying new jeans two sizes too small gave me a real goal’
I’ve always been unhappy with my size and have tried lots of different diets, but none of them worked for me. I had no confidence, so I’d wear baggy clothes, and I constantly felt like the fattest person in the room. I met my friend Nicky for the first time at my daughter’s fourth birthday party in the summer of 2013 and immediately felt envious of her slender frame. So when she told me; ‘I’m not naturally skinny, I have to work at it.’ I had to know more. Nicky said she’d developed her own diet plan to lose three stone for her wedding the year before and had even managed to keep the weight off. So a few months later, when I called her up in tears one evening about my weight, she agreed to coach me through her plan. The next day I went out and bought myself an expensive pair of Jack Wills blue skinny jeans that were two sizes too small for me, but I was determined I’d get into them. Nicky’s plan meant cutting out carbs after 1pm and eating lots of vegetables for eight weeks. It was hard, but when I lost four pounds in the first week, I was motivated to keep going. I thought that juggling feeding a family and doing the diet would be hard, but I was actually quite surprised how easy it is to make carb-free options of most meals – I’d just add extra veg to things like grilled chicken instead of potatoes. Most of all, it was the instant results that motivated
me, and Nicky’s texts and phone calls were vital when I was feeling low. Eight weeks later when I weighed myself, I couldn’t believe that I’d lost two whole stone – and amazingly the jeans fitted perfectly! Nicky and I were so excited that the plan had worked for both of us that we decided to develop it to help brides who wanted to lose weight in the lead-up to their wedding. Suddenly I was my goal weight and had a new business in the works – I had a new lease of life! A year on, we’ve helped women all over the world lose weight before their big day and I’m ecstatic to have found this new career out of something I’ve become so passionate about. I still follow the plan for a few days here and there and I’ve managed to keep the weight off. We’re constantly developing new recipes and ideas, so I’m always reminded to be good with my own diet. And I still use my jeans as a guide – as long as I can fit into them, I’ll be happy.
‘I was surprised how easy it was – I’d just add extra veg to things like grilled chicken instead of potatoes’
✱ The Wedding Dress Diet Plan by Rachel Lord and Nicola Skipsey (£19.99) is available from weightlossforyourwedding.com
✱ For your nearest Weight Watchers group, go to weightwatchers.co.uk
ESSENTIALS 33
