02/01/2023
Meet Rachel, our wonderful Taplin Centre Slimming World member who has achieved so much and totally transformed her life. Here she shares her amazing success story and some of the things she learnt about herself along the way ❤️:
"My Slimming World journey started in September 2020. My youngest daughter was learning to read…
‘C… A…T… That’s like our cat!’
‘F… A…T… That’s you, Mummy!’
I googled Slimming World that evening and turned up to my first meeting later that week. I had a warm welcome from Melanie and the group, and felt excited for what was ahead. My first few months were a combination of live in-person meetings and virtual on-screen meetings (due to the covid restrictions at the time).
I started to lose from that first week and it just kept going. I think my biggest revelation was the fact that I had two trigger foods, ones that if I ate, I would self sabotage any good I had done. My triggers were bread and wine! I realised early on that I needed to find alternatives to these. They are probably the only things I now avoid, just to protect myself - everything else I still have and enjoy!
When weighed in at the meetings every week I’d be surprised that I had lost again, just because I’d eaten so much during the week. You don’t go hungry, the Slimming World plan of Food Optimising means you eat loads - just a different combination of foods.
I received ‘Slimmer of the Week’ so many times during the first few months and it boosted me and kept me going. I lost weight every week, and the pounds just kept adding up.
Attending the weekly group gave me clues… Ways to lose weight with ideas about filling but low Syn foods. I learnt to like potato waffles - little did I know how filling a healthy fry-up with waffles was! I learnt about party rings - what a treat! I learnt to batch cook so that I didn’t have slip ups after a long day at work. I learnt to take leftover dinners to work to reheat for lunch so that I felt full and didn’t need to snack. I learnt to buy a packet of ham when I did the supermarket shopping so that after loading the shopping into the car I could eat something to keep me going so I didn’t reach for something I shouldn’t.
I have had incredible support both at home and from the group. I kept attending even when the group had to go virtual due to the covid restrictions, and the weight still kept coming off. I think my biggest tip is to attend the weekly group - the support, inspiration, practical ideas and camaraderie just give you so much motivation.
First it was a half stone award, then one stone, then two and three! Just over a year later (about 15 months) it was five and a half stone, 5 dress sizes and a target member badge! 🥳 A year later it is a ‘diamond member’ badge for Christmas!
The difference it has made in my life is incredible: I felt confident on my recent holiday - I was able to buy a dress in a shop abroad without having to try it on! I have started a business; I’ve changed my job; I have bought clothes that I wouldn’t have picked up before. For anyone thinking about making the change - do it! Slimming World works!"
If you'd love to learn how to eat well, get more active and feel great this year come and join our warm and friendly group. We run every Tuesday at 7.30pm at the Taplin Centre, 3 Upper Maze Hill, St Leonards on Sea, TN33 0LQ. Contact Melanie on 07833101419 for further details or just turn up xx
