‘We’ve transformed our bodies... and our lives!’
Closer meets three inspirational slimmers who’ve lost an incredible 14st between them
‘The aches and pains have gone!’
Mandy Williams, 48, is a supermarket customer assistant. She lives in Neath
Port Talbot, with her husband, Iwan, and their son, Joseff, seven.
Mandy says, “I started suffering from painful arthritis in my knee in 2003. I’d struggled for years with the relentless pace of being constantly on my feet at the supermarket, so I went to see my GP, who told me that the best long-term remedy was weight loss.
“I’d been overweight for as long as I could remember. Everything had started to feel like a struggle. I knew that eating pasties for lunch, followed by regularly picking up fish and chips on my way home for dinner, had contributed to my weight gain.
“On Boxing Day a few years ago, a Slimming World leaflet dropped through my letterbox and I decided to give it a go. At my first group, I learned that cooking from scratch would make a real difference and soon my shelves were bursting with Slimming World cookbooks. I started cooking delicious recipes, such as Cajun pork apple burgers – much nicer than the frozen burgers I’d been eating!
“Every week my weight came down.
When non-essential shops were shut last spring, work got even busier and more exhausting, but I felt proud to be a key worker. And having lost 3st 12lbs by then, I had the stamina to keep going. Even when I was working in the bakery, I could walk past the bread and pastries knowing I had a healthy, homemade lunch ready and waiting for me.
“When I was sent an award for my 25 years of service in May, I knew I’d only managed to keep up with the pace because, along with the weight, all my aches and pains have disappeared!”
‘My energy levels are soaring’
Lou Bolton, 41, is an insurance underwriter. She lives in West Sussex with her son, Ethan, 13.
She says, “In 2019, I lost my beloved father Alan to lung cancer. Afterwards, I turned to food for comfort. In the evenings, at the end of another frantically busy day, I’d bury my grief in share-size bags of tortilla chips. I was exercising, but my weekly run with the Foxy Ladies Running Club, which I’d joined in September 2018 to do a ‘learn to run’ course, wasn’t slowing my weight gain. I was determined to not let it hold me back though and I ran the Worthing 10k in 2019 in memory of my father. But it was painful and at over 16st, I struggled.
“Things came to a head at my cousin Ronnie’s wedding six months later. While my mum and sister danced and mingled with fellow guests, I hid away in the corner
underneath a baggy size 18 dress. The next day, I looked up Slimming World on my phone. My local group was on that evening, so I decided to give it a go.
“I embraced the plan from the word go. My plate was bursting with delicious, healthy food and I was thrilled I could still have a packet of crisps. The more weight I lost, the more my energy soared, and I upped my runs with the Foxy Ladies to three times a week. Then the pandemic hit and, while the idea of running alone had always terrified me, I finally felt ready to give it a go. Running by myself gave me a chance to finally process my grief, while the support of my Slimming World group kept my weight loss on track.
“In February, on the day I hit my target weight, I was certain I could hear Dad in my ear saying, ‘Nice one, honey!’ I know he’d be as proud of me as I am of myself. I can’t wait to run the Worthing 10k again this year, but I already feel like a winner!”
‘I can chase around after my children’
Abigail Adabanka, 29, is an occupational therapist. She lives in London with her husband, Joseph, and their two children, Kayden, four, and Ariah, two.
Abigail says, “Working in a hospital on the orthopaedic ward, it was my job to help patients with disabilities to adapt to day-today tasks. Yet I was struggling to get through the day myself. I’d been a size 10 until falling pregnant with my son, when I’d started craving chocolate cake and double portions of my favourite African dishes. Afterwards, the baby weight never went, and soon I had trouble fitting into a size 18 uniform.
“In January 2019, I decided to try Slimming World. Spurred on by everything I’d heard at my first group, I discovered I could still enjoy my favourite biscuits and family dishes, such as coconut chicken curry. I gradually lost 4st 7lbs and found that I could easily chase around after Kayden and Ariah, whereas it had been a struggle before. Hearing their giggles as we played together was the best thing ever. I started cycling to work and taking part in circuit-training classes, without a hint of self-consciousness! Now, when I start my shift on the busy ward, I hit the ground running, full of energy to help my patients. Working through the pandemic hasn’t been easy, but I put on that uniform every day feeling proud of myself – and
I’m up for any challenge.”
● You can find your nearest Slimming World group at www.slimmingworld.co.uk or by calling 0344 897 8000. These stories were originally told in Slimming World Magazine. The Aug/Sept issue is available to buy now on newsstands. The health information in these stories is intended to provide general knowledge and should not be used to replace the advice given by your healthcare team.