Biggest losers feel like winners
Five slimmers, who together have shed a combined 28 stones, have been named Biggest Losers at a Wishaw slimming club.
Being losers made the fab five winners after their enormous, life-changing weight loss earned them the Slimming World title.
Christine Young, Brian Meechan, Aileen Burnett, Hugh Boyd and Gillian Brown all attend one of five weekly sessions at South Wishaw Parish Church.
Gillian has lost 7st 7lb, Hugh has shed 7st 5lb, and Christine is 5ft 12lb lighter.
Brian is celebrating after losing 4st 11.5lb and Aileen has shed 4st 6.5lb.
A triumphant Gillian, who weighed 19st 9.5lb before joining Slimming World, said: “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being a loser when it feels this good! I feel like a new woman 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 greatest – I’m happier, healthier and much more confident now.”
Christine, who previously tipped the scales at 17st 5.5lb, agrees that her weight loss has changed her life.
“My weight impacted on so many aspects of my life, from struggling to find clothes that I like to fit to not being able to do simple everyday tasks without feeling tired and out of breath,” she said.
“Before I lost the weight, I hated having my photo taken and whenever I saw pictures of myself I knew that my smile wasn’t real – yet now I’m beaming!”
Consultant at the Wishaw sessions, Nikki Musgrove, said people who are severely overweight, with a BMI above 30, are more likely to suffer from health problems like coronary heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and cancer, and obesity is linked to a reduction in life expectancy of between seven and nine years.
After reading a story in the Wishaw Press, Hugh decided to join a class at South Wishaw Parish Church.
“Walking through those doors was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” admits Hugh, who weighed 21st 1lb when he started his weight-loss journey.
“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 Nikki and I was so relieved when I found out that my weight was confidential – I’d had visions of having to tell everyone how much I weighed.
“Since then I’ve made so many friends at the group and I honestly don’t think I could have done it without their support each week.
“They helped me with recipes and tips and if I was ever struggling they were always there to remind me why I’d wanted to lose weight in the first place and how far I’d come since first stepping through the doors.”
Aileen, who weighed 17st 8lbs before following the club’s Food Optimising eating plan, 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 with 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.
“I still enjoy all my favourite meals like burgers and chips and roast dinners but I’ve learned how to make small changes like using lean meat or cooking with low calorie spray instead of oil or butter.
“It fits in really well with the rest of my family and we can all eat the same meals. I know that I haven’t ‘gone on a diet’, this is a change that I’ve made for life and have the tools I need to keep up forever.”
Brian was 22st 13.5lb when he joined the Wishaw class and says he now feels fitter and healthier than he has done in years.
Consultant Nikki said: “The changes we’ve seen in Christine, Brian, Aileen, Hugh and Gillian are incredible. I hope their success will inspire other people in Wishaw who’d like to lose weight by forming new lifestyle habits and become happier and healthier to take action.”
Each of Slimming World’s 18,000 groups in the UK and Ireland has its own Greatest Loser 2018 and winners will go forward to the national competition.
The Wishaw five are now waiting to find out if they are in the running for the £3,000 cash prize.
Slimline Gillian said: “I would love to win but I didn’t lose weight to win a competition, I wanted to feel healthier and better about myself and I’ve definitely done that. I feel great and that’s priceless.”
Slimming World sessions are held at South Wishaw Parish Church on Monday 9.30am, Thursday 5.30pm and 7.30 pm, Friday 9.30am and 11.30 am. Contact Nikki Musgrave on 07861 703 741.