Weigh to go Nicole! Slimmer drops 4st
A Wishaw slimmer who transformed her life by losing over four stone thanks her new way of healthy eating for changing her life.
Nicole Byrne joined her local Slimming World group in Netherton nine months ago and has lost 4 stone 6.5lbs.
She said: “When I joined Slimming World, it was the biggest I had ever been. I was really unhappy and hated going out.”
Nicole started following Slimming World’s Food Optimising eating plan and started cooking healthy meals from scratch. She swapped fatty meals for healthier ones that filled her up.
She says: “People think slimming means going hungry, yet it’s not like that at all with this healthy eating plan. 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.
“This means I still enjoy all my favourite meals like meatball pasta bake - I’ve just learned how to make small changes like eating lots of vegetables, using lean meat or cooking with low calorie spray instead of oil or butter.
“I absolutely love that I can make all my own sauces for pasta dishes.”
Nicole is also more active nowadays and doesn’t think twice now about walking five miles – whereas before she lost weight, she couldn’t walk much of a distance without aching all over her body.
“Thanks to the changes I’ve made my health has improved and I have reduced my blood pressure,” said Nicole.
“I feel physically better and so much happier mentally. I remember how sad I was when I first joined Slimming World. I hardly spoke to anyone.
“Now, I am so much more confident and can’t stop smiling.”
For many people who struggle with weight, their self-esteem can be fragile so building resilience is crucial. Slimming World does this very effectively by creating a positive group dynamic, recognising achievement, having a structured programme where healthy changes are rewarded, and successes celebrated.
Groups are facilitated by trained consultants, who have been overweight themselves. They help the group to identify triggers, danger zones and self-sabotage practices, and support individual members, along with fellow members as mentors, to create plans to overcome obstacles and challenges.
This is underpinned by helping members to feel safe and accepted into a social network where they make new friends and share their experiences.
By being part of a positive, friendly community, Slimming World members start to feel good about themselves and learn to turn negative self-talk into kinder, more caring sentiments.
Ina, who runs the Netherton group, said: “The changes we’ve seen in Nicole are incredible. I hope her success will inspire other people in the Wishaw area who’d like to lose weight and improve their health by forming new lifestyle habits and become happier to take action.
“There’s a warm welcome waiting at Slimming World and, just think, if you start today you could feel like a completely new person just like Nicole.”
For more information visit www. slimmingworld.co.uk or call 0344 897 8000.