Western Daily Press (Saturday)
‘I was proud to walk down aisle 7 stone lighter’
AMAID of honour lost seven stone for her best friend’s wedding to avoid all eyes on her. Dawn James, 33, was asked to be a maid of honour at her friend’s wedding in 2019, but was worried the spotlight would instead be on her and her 19st, 7lbs frame.
It was the motivation Dawn needed and she signed up to Slimming World – shedding seven stone – to go from a size 26 to a slender size 12.
Dawn now tips the scales at 12st 7lbs and even went on to tie the knot herself to her partner, Ben, in April 2023.
Dawn, a manager at an opticians, from Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, said: “When the time came to be maid of honour, I felt beautiful. I’d lost weight and was feeling great.
“I was so proud to walk down the aisle in a beautiful wedding dress at least seven sizes smaller than it would have been if I hadn’t joined Slimming World.
“I was amazed that it worked and nothing was off limits. I’m a real foodie and thought I’d have to miss out to lose weight – I was wrong. I’ve lost 7st eating the food I love like pasta, potatoes and chocolate. I love the fact I can still eat carbs and chocolate.”
Dawn says the key to her success has been being prepared with her meal plans and becoming much more active.
“Feeling prepared is one of the main changes I’ve made in my day-to-day life to keep me on track,” she said.
“If we go to a restaurant, I check the menu and choose what I’d like to eat in advance, and I plan my weekly meals every weekend.”
She now walks her dog, Fella, twice a day as well as walking to and from work.
Dawn said: “I’m on my feet all day, constantly up and down the stairs and still have energy in the evenings.
“Walking into any high street shop and knowing I’ll find clothes I like in my size is an incredible feeling.
“This means so much to me as all throughout school and into my teens I was overweight, and my mum struggled to get clothes to fit me.”
Dawn’s diet before
■ Breakfast – White bread toast with lots of butter or a pastry
■ Lunch – Meal Deal i.e. shop bought sandwich, crisps, chocolate, can of cola
■ Dinner – Chicken nuggets and chips
■ Snacks – Crisps and bars of chocolate
■ Drinks – Fizzy drinks and cider
Dawn’s diet after
■ Breakfast – Bacon (with the fat cut off ) and poached egg sandwich or bacon with scrambled eggs
■ Lunch – Slow-cooker chilli or cottage pie, batch-cooked from home and warmed up at work
■ Dinner – Home-cooked spaghetti bolognese with salad
■ Snacks – Fruit, grapes, apples, lowfat crisps or low-calorie jelly
■ Drinks – Water, gin and slimline tonic