15/12/2025
Abi’s Story: Why Starting in December Changed Everything
Hen-ry Abi re-joined Slimming World in December 2024. Christmas week.
A time when most people would say, “I’ll wait until January.”
At 5ft 1, Abi had reached a size 16 — and she hated how she felt in herself. She avoided photos wherever possible, unless they were carefully angled selfies taken from above, hidden behind someone else to disguise the extra chin. Outwardly, she carried on as normal. Inwardly, she knew something had to change.
Abi had tried Slimming World before — but she hadn’t truly embraced it. Instead, she did what so many of us do… she tried to cheat the system.
“One glass of wine won’t hurt” turned into a bottle.
“One biscuit with my brew won’t hurt” turned into three.
Skipping meals before weigh day to see a lower number on the scales — then rewarding herself by overeating afterwards because she’d “been good”.
Saturday rolled into Sunday.
Sunday became “I’ll start again on Monday.”
And Monday… rarely came.
She still went to the gym and told herself she was doing okay, but looking back, Abi admits she was in denial — about how little she was actually moving and how much attention she was paying to what she was eating.
She lost her first half stone fairly quickly due to changes in her diet and water weight. But then came months of frustration — losing and gaining the same three pounds, week after week, getting nowhere.
Something had to change.
And this time, Abi made a conscious decision: this was going to be different.
Instead of treating Slimming World like a diet she could bend, break, or control until weigh day, she chose to see it as what it truly is — a way of eating and living that fits real life. No restriction followed by rebellion. No punishing herself. No quick fixes.
She decided to change her mindset, her habits, and her relationship with food — not just to lose weight, but to change her life for the long term.
Then came a challenge she never expected.
While on holiday, friends asked Abi if she wanted to join them the following year to complete the Tour du Mont Blanc — 110 miles in 8 days across France, Italy and Switzerland, carrying everything she’d need on her back. To put that into perspective, it’s the equivalent of climbing Snowdon every day for eight days.
Why say yes? She’s still not entirely sure. But the deposit was paid — and suddenly, this wasn’t just about weight loss anymore.
For the first time, Abi properly looked at what she was eating. She tracked it, logged it, and faced the truth: days she believed were “good” really weren’t.
She started counting her steps and was shocked. On some days — especially working from home — she barely reached 2,000 steps. In her head, she’d done far more.
Then came the moment that truly shifted everything.
At the gym, Abi picked up a 5kg weight — manageable.
Then a 10kg weight — and her immediate reaction was, “Not a chance am I carrying that up a mountain every day.”
And then it hit her.
She had already lost 10kg.
The weight she refused to carry on her back was weight she had been carrying around on her body every single day, without a second thought.
From that moment on, her journey became about more than just the scales.
Today, Abi is more than three stone lighter and is loving life at her dream target weight.
She moves her body every day, aiming for 10,000 steps, balancing her average if one day falls short.
She drinks three litres of water daily.
She eats to fuel her body, choosing more wholesome foods that keep her fuller for longer.
She doesn’t skip meals — she eats the right ones.
She batch cooks and prepares meals in advance, so tired days don’t end in crisps-for-dinner choices.
Since joining, Abi has also walked the Great Wall of China — something she never imagined she would be able to achieve.
This isn’t a diet.
It’s a lifestyle.
It’s a mindset shift.
It’s discipline — and it isn’t always easy.
But Abi proves that when you take small steps, make small changes, and commit to something sustainable, those changes grow into something powerful.
We can’t wait to see what you achieve next, Abi. 💫
