‘ I was in constant PAIN BUT now I’m an active FIT DAD’
At 27st, Dave Winchester relied on extra-strong painkillers to function. After losing more than half his body weight thanks to the support of his Slimming World group, he’s enjoying having fun with his young family.
Height: 5ft 11in
Weight before: 27st 1lb
Weight after: 12st 8lbs
WEIGHT LOSS: 14st 3lbs
Dave, 36, lives in Kent with his wife Susie, 35, and his children Heidi, seven, and Freddie, four. He attends the Ashford Slimming World group ran by Consultant Julia Males.
‘‘ Life was very difficult before I joined Slimming World. Being so overweight meant I was in near constant pain with my back and joints – and the drugs prescribed by my doctor barely took the edge off, so I depended on extra-strong painkillers that I bought online. I was regularly abused by strangers in the street, and I’d broken chairs, beds and sofas because of my size.
I was quite sporty as a child, so my weight didn’t start creeping up until I left home and was making my own choices around food. Takeaways and convenience food became the norm, as did nightly cans of cider. After Susie and I welcomed our children Heidi and Freddie, our lives became even busier, so eating healthily was the last thing on my mind.
I knew I had a problem and that I wasn’t physically able to be the dad I wanted to be, as I struggled to run around after my kids. Nothing I tried seemed to work though. The big turning point for me was my father-in-law’s funeral, when my mother-in-law told me that his dying wish was for me to join Slimming World. He’d been a member of the local Baptist church and had seen the posters for a Slimming World group held there. I knew he wanted the best for Susie and the kids, so I decided to tackle my weight once and for all.
At first, I didn’t have the confidence to join a face-to-face group, so I signed up
Like Dave, 31% of people questioned about the challenges of trying to manage their weight since the pandemic and lockdowns said they had found it more difficult Of those asked, more than one in three (36%) reported that they had gained weight over the course of the past two years (compared to 19% who had lost weight).
Research shows we’re less socially connected to others since the 19 Covid pandemic. As well as having an impact on physical and mental wellbeing, UK adults say this lack of social connection is also contributing to their weight problems.
Nearly three in four people who joined a Slimming said they World group (73%), made new friends (68%) felt more connected committed and, 93% felt loss. to their weight
to the digital service, Slimming World Online. I loved the flexibility of the Food Optimising plan and how much I could eat. I’d tried every diet you could think of, but I would inevitably end up hungry and reaching for the nearest quick fix – usually crisps, chocolate or a takeaway. I found it amazing that I could have a full English breakfast and a roast dinner with Slimming World and still lose weight!
I was doing really well following the plan online — then lockdown happened, and I found myself slipping back into old habits. So, when my local Slimming World group reopened in October 2021, I decided to give it a go.
I’ll admit that I was nervous on that first day. I had a perception that the group would be really cliquey and full of women – and I worried I’d be made to feel even more ashamed about my weight than I was already. It was nothing like that at all, though; in fact, it was so much better than I imagined. I wasn’t the only guy there and everyone I met was so warm and supportive. Plus, of course, we all had the same thing in common – we wanted to lose weight!
After a few months I was much slimmer and my energy levels, as well as my confidence, were much higher. I learnt about Slimming World’s Body Magic physical activity programme in the group, and it made me think about how I could get back to the more active lifestyle I’d enjoyed when I was younger.
That spurred me on to re-join a cricket team – it’s a fun way to get fitter and I really enjoy the social side, too.
By following the Body Magic programme in the group, I built up how much activity I was doing at my own pace, and in time I got rid of our second car because I found it simpler to walk or cycle to wherever I needed to be. I got rewards for hitting milestones along the way to spur me on. It’s crazy to think I once avoided driving because my stomach got in the way of the steering wheel, and now I avoid it because I’d rather be on my bike!
Since joining Slimming World, I’ve lost 14st 7lbs – and at 12st 8lbs, I’m less than half of what I weighed at my heaviest! It can be tough to walk into the unknown especially when you’re very overweight. I thought dieting alone would be safer, but I’ve been treated with nothing but kindness and respect. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my Slimming World group, they’ve been with me every step of the way and I’ve made some great friends as a result. Now that I’ve reached my target weight I really love that I can repay that support to those who are just starting out on their weight loss journeys.
By far the best thing about losing weight is the way it’s improved my family life. I can be active and have fun with the kids, taking them swimming and for bike rides. Heidi and I went to a parkrun together recently, and she absolutely loved it. There’s no way I could have done something like that with her before I lost weight; I barely had the energy to play with her at all.
‘‘ I hope her grandfather would be proud of how far we’ve come as a family. We’re all fit, happy and healthy, and
I think that’s the life he wanted for us.
Data relates to a nationally and representative sample of 2,003 people in the UK surveyed between 25th and 28th July 2022. A random sample of 1,113 Slimming World members were polled via Slimming World’s member website during the same period. Data compares results from 1,113 Slimming World members and 1,662 people in the nationally representative sample who were not members of Slimming World.