Jon’s not the man he used to be – and he is delighted!
SUPER slimmer Jon Jessop is a winner at the losing game, after shedding more than 11 stone and being named West Lancashire Slimming World’s Greatest Loser 2017.
The local DJ won the title, which is awarded to the member who has lost the most weight in their Slimming World group, and says his enormous weight loss has changed his life.
Jon said: “I feel like a new man since losing weight – in fact, I look so different that people who I haven’t seen for a while often can’t believe I’m the same person.
“For me, though, it’s the change on the inside that’s been the biggest – I’m happier, healthier and much more confident now.”
Jon, 64, weighed more than 29 stone when he joined the Ormskirk group in April, 2015.
He said: “Before I lost the weight, I hid behind a big, bubbly personality.
“I’d pretend it didn’t bother me that I was bigger than most other people, but that was far from the truth.
“I hated shopping for clothes and found just climbing up stairs and doing simple everyday tasks would leave me tired and out of breath.”
His weight was also putting a huge strain on his health – he suffered with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chronic back pain and became breathless easily.
People who are severely overweight, with a body mass index (BMI) above 30, are more likely to suffer from health problems and obesity is linked to a reduction in life expectancy of between seven and nine years.
Jon decided to join Slimming World, in Orms-kirk after feeling so unhealthy he thought he could die.
He said: “Walking through those doors was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
“I was embarrassed about my size and scared that I might be the biggest person there.
“I needn’t have worried, though. Everyone there was so friendly, especially my consultant, and I was so relieved when I found out that my weight was confidential between me and her – I’d had visions of having to tell everyone how much I weighed!”
Since joining, he has made so many friends at his group and admits he doesn’t think he could have done it without their support each week.
He followed the club’s eating plan and swapped high fat and sugary meals for normal everyday meals just cooked in a different way.
Jon said: “People think slimming means going hungry, eating nothing but salad or obsessively counting every calorie you eat, but it’s not like that at all at Slimming World.
“I love food and it’s never once felt like I was on a diet – in fact, people are always surprised at how much food I have on my plate and can’t believe I’m losing weight eating so much delicious food and without ever feeling hungry.”
Slimming World team developer Tina Whewell said: “The changes we’ve seen in Jon are incredible.
“I hope his success will inspire other people in West Lancashire who’d like to lose weight by forming new lifestyle habits to become happier and healthier to take action.”
Each of Slimming World’s 15,000 groups in the UK and Ireland has their own Greatest Loser, and winners will go forward to the national competition.