I didn’t take my kids out as I was ashamed of my size
Lynn Love After years of being bullied about her size, a Newarthill mum decided enough was enough.
Marion Smith, 44, had struggled with her weight since she was a teenager and was taunted daily.
At her heaviest, she tipped the scales at almost 17 stone.
Since joining Slimming World, Marion has lost a whopping 5st 3lbs and dropped 10 dress sizes.
She said: “I knew something had to change after my doctor told me the excruciating pain I was experiencing in my knees was because of my size.
“I was bullied at school about my weight and always felt really uncomfortable and embarrassed to go places.
“When I became a mum I suffered from post natal depression and I think my weight played a big part in that.
“I didn’t like to take the kids places because I was really unfit and ashamed of how I looked.”
Marion, who joined the weight loss group in Motherwell five years ago, said: “I’ve lost almost 70lbs since I started and I feel like a new woman. I can now walk without being in pain and can do fun activities with my children.”
Marion follows the club’s Food Optimising eating plan and said she still allows herself a few sweet treats from time to time.
She added: “I don’t see Slimming World as a diet, it’s more of a lifestyle change for me. Prior to starting this is would have binged on junk food and takeaways. Now I cook most things from scratch and make better choices.”
Marion was recently crowned Slimming World Woman of the Year. She added: “I’m really proud of how far I’ve come and how I’ve changed my life.
“What makes me the happiest is seeing how proud my kids are of me. “That has been amazing. “Joining Slimming World and losing weight has given me confidence and made me happier and healthier.”