How holiday horror snaps spurred on Nicki to create a completely new look
Receptionist Nicki Fynney hated her 2019 photographs so much she embarked on a radical restructuring of her life that saw her named Woman of the Year. She tells RACHEL LAWTON how she did it
IF EVER Nicki Fynney needs a little encouragement to maintain a healthy lifestyle she just picks up her phone.
That’s where she keeps the ‘mortifying’ holiday photos that first inspired her to do something about her weight, and which led to a radical overhaul of her dietary choices that earned her the title Woman of the Year from fellow slimmers.
The 36-year-old mum-of-two, from Biddulph, decided enough was enough in August last year. That was when, on top of the holiday horror snaps, she found could no longer fit into her size 14 jeans.
She took the plunge and signed up with Slimming World. Since then, her mindset has ‘completely changed’, she’s adopted a whole new attitude to cooking and she’s shed 1st 7lb.
As for the jeans – never mind size 14, Nicki’s now comfortably wearing a size 10 to 12. “I still have a little bit to go but that doesn’t bother me,” she says.
“I’m happy with how it’s going. It’s about fixing habits and making simple changes that change your whole lifestyle and mindset.”
Nicki accepts she still has a sweet tooth, but saves her syns - food that isn’t classed as ‘free’ by Slimming World – for a treat in the evening.
“That’s the time I would usually try to find some chocolate,” she said. “So I will have something that fits within my syns and I feel like I have had a treat, had my chocolate fix and still remained on plan.
“I have always cooked from fresh, but since starting Slimming World I have changed the way I cook.
“I don’t use oil anymore, and I no longer have sugar in my tea. I have lots of Slimming World recipe books. My husband and two sons are really good and they’re happy to eat whatever I make.
“My children even requested cheeseburger pasta the other day, which is a Slimming World recipe and I was happy to make it. I know they’ll wallop it down and I’ll be able to stay on plan.
“I haven’t done too much exercise, but when I’m at work I will always volunteer to sort out the dog food deliveries. They are big 12kg bags, usually about 10 of them, and I’ll be the one to carry them all and sort them. That’s my daily exercise!”
Nicki’s job – working at Blue House Vets in Biddulph – also provides an example of how her attitude has changed.
“A lot of our clients bring goodies in, and I used to always eat them,” she says. “But now I find it so much easier to say no. Someone bought in Lindor chocolates the other day, which are my favourites, and I didn’t cave at all.”
A permanent reminder of why she put herself through a lifestyle makeover isn’t far away either.
“I got back from holiday last summer, looked at the photographs, and I was just mortified,” she says.
“On top of that, I realised that I couldn’t fit into my jeans any more, so I knew I had to do something. I still have those photos on my phone – I’ll always look at them and remember why I started if I’m ever struggling with motivation.”
Maintaining that motivation is something Nikki is keen to pass on to other group members too.
“A lot of new people can feel a bit like a rabbit in headlights at their first meeting. There is so much information that is given to you, but you will soon pick it up and get the hang of it. I feel so much better, and I have so much more energy – I’m not as tired anymore.
“If I think about how much a stone and a half weighs, I’m not sure I could carry it! I feel so much more comfortable now.”
Meetings have migrated online again thanks to the second lockdown, but Nicki’s grateful of the opportunity to stay on track.
She said: “I enjoyed the virtual meetings during the first lockdown as it really did keep me on the straight and narrow. I know that if it wasn’t for those, I would have put all of the weight back on. With this second lockdown, we will be doing the sessions again and I feel so much more motivated. Before, nobody knew how long we’d be out of group for, but now we know it will just be four weeks, so I think we all feel more motivated.”