4st loss helps Sophie regain her confidence

A SUPER-SLIMMER enjoyed the wedding of her dreams just months after feeling too depressed to leave her house.

Sophie Williams has now shed more than 4st since she reached her heaviest point.

The 26-year-old, from North Cornelly, Bridgend, piled on the pounds when she started comfort eating after a relationship break-up three years ago.

But after regaining her confidence, she has since been able to enjoy a fairy tale wedding.

Sophie, a sales administrator and accountant, said: “The relationship ended and I just became really depressed.

“I was on anti-depressants and put on weight from eating and drinking. It was just so gradual I didn’t even realise.”

After weighing more than 17st at her heaviest, Sophie began making excuses to avoid leaving the house and seeing friends.

“I became so depressed about my weight I didn’t want to be seen,” she said.

“I was just coming up with excuses – if the girls wanted to go out for dinner I always had an excuse not to go.

“That had an impact as I was worrying they wouldn’t ask me again or that they were talking about me.

“Even when I got a new boyfriend I didn’t want to go out of the house.”

For Sophie the tipping point came after trying to find a dress to wear for a Christmas party.

She said: “I was in the changing room trying to find something.

“I was trying a size 20 dress and I couldn’t believe I went from a size 12 to 20. I was nearly in tears.

“I had to buy a size 20 dress that I didn’t even like, but it hid my body that I was so ashamed of.”

After joining Slimming World, Sophie lost 4lb in her first week and then went on to shed 3.5st in her first nine months.

Since then she has lost more than 4st to reach her current weight of 12st 7lb.

Sophie said: “It was a lot easier than I thought it would be. Some people do shake diets or juice diets but with Slimming World nothing is limited.

“I’ve lost weight which has improved my mental health through eating better.

“Now if it’s a nice day I will go to Porthcawl – before I felt I couldn’t go out.

“With losing weight you gain your confidence and just feel better.”

Last September, Sophie and her husband Callum married on a beach in Portugal.

Sophie said: “I had lost 3.5st at that point and felt confident enough to get married. Before that I would never dream about wearing a wedding dress.

“I felt a million dollars in my wedding dress and I have Slimming World to thank for that.”

To help others follow in her footsteps Sophie is relaunching a Slimming World group in Aberkenfig Welfare Hall.

Anyone is welcome to join on Tuesday, May 8 at 5.30pm and 7.30pm.