Jacqalyn is still standing
From hairdressing to slimming
A Croftfoot mum who gave up her hairdressing business because she struggled to stand all day has been inspired to start her own slimming group.
Jacqalyn Ferguson was finding it more and more difficult to get up and go into work and saw her weight “balloon” from 10 stone to almost 15.
Having been diagnosed with athritis in both hips and Fibromyalga, a longterm condition that causes all-over pain, the married mum-of-two was concerned about her health.
“Up until three years ago I had my own hair dressing salon,” Jacqalyn said. “But I was finding it harder day to get up and go into work and stand all day.
“So in the end I had to give up my shop and just ended up going mobile when I could.
“All of this made it very difficult to do a lot of exercise.
“I tried different diets and eating plans but I would lose weight and then go back to my old habits and start eating rubbish again due to depression and the pain I was in.”
But last November, with the help of two friends, Jacqalyn returned to Slimming World and took on a new healthy eating plan.
And before long, she had dropped three dress sizes in sjust four months and her boost in confidence has even led to her becoming a consultant.
“I am going on a cruise in July and I didn’t want to go looking like the beached whale I’ve been for so many years.
“I went back to Slimming World, as I knew this was a great healthy eating plan that works.
“As the weight started to come off, I grew in confidence and could see how excited and supportive my slimming world consultant and group was.
“I still have about two stone to lose to hit my target but I know I will get there with the help of my consultant and group support.
“Seeing how the consultant was with everybody, I thought to myself, ‘I could do that’.
“I want to help as many people as I can to feel good about themselves and get them to the weight that they want to be.”
Jacqalyn checked what was involved through her local group and within two weeks she was signing cheques for her own franchise and heading down to Derby for training.
She continued: “It was amazing and I couldn’t wait to get home and get started on my 15 days of promotion. It has been a non-stop whirlwind.
“When people come to my class I want them to feel safe, to feel wanted and most of all feel no humiliation.
“I want people to know that, even if they have a weight gain one week, there is no shame in that. We have all been there and will again.
“They will find a lot of friendly people in the same boat as them. So whether they have 7lb or 70lb to lose, I will be there to help them and support them every step of the way.”
Jacqalyn launched her group last night in the Jenniburn Centre, 370 Tormusk Road, Castlemilk.
The class begins at 7.30pm and no prior appointment is required.