From a size 24 to a size 10

LISA Flynn from Wicklow has battled with her weight ever since the birth of her first child in 1995. Her final straw was having to go into Evans and buy size 24 trousers. “I had no confidence in myself at all,” says Lisa “I didn’t like to go out anywhere or have my picture taken. I was always in the background and hated any attention being paid to me.” She found she was out of breath when climbing the stairs and struggled to keep up with her youngest child as he ran around and played.

Lisa joined Slimming World in Wicklow in February 2015 and quickly fell in love with her new way of eating. The generous plan meant that she never ever felt hungry and never felt as if she was on a diet. “The food is just so delicious” says Lisa “I can still eat curries and Bolognese and full Irish breakfasts!” By getting support to make the changes needed to enjoy these foods in a healthy way, Lisa lost 5 stone in just over a year.

She found it wasn’t just about the food; “the support and friendship that you get in Slimming World really is second to none” says Lisa “I have made some wonderful new friends and look forward to group every single week. We share ideas and tips, support each other when we are struggling and cheer each other on.”

Lisa also feels so much healthier and happier now. The stairs are no longer a problem and it’s now just about having fun when playing with her youngest boy. One of the things that thrilled Lisa was that she can now walk into any clothes shop and know she will fit the sizes on offer. “Clothes shopping is so enjoyable now. Before I had to make do with whatever clothes they had in my size” says Lisa “It also affected my bank balance as clothes for larger ladies can be quite expensive!”

Lisa is an inspiration to everyone in her group and was recently voted Woman of the Year by other members in her group and even got through to the national final for this competition. She has not looked back since joining Slimming World and would encourage anyone who is struggling with their weight and self confidence to find out where their local group is and to take the plunge to join. “Slimming World really is fabulous” says Lisa “I have lost weight, gained confidence and gained lots of new friends. You don’t need to be alone.”